Sorting and building

Sunday, November 23 2025

The last "Ordinary" Sunday of the year. We remind everyone that Advent starts next week. Titik provides a beautiful arrangement of flowers.

It's a marvel of creative shape and colors. We have a good crew of volunteers today.

After lunch, W and I hang more sheet-curtains in the Project. Slowly the backdrop is coming together. The dogs race around the yard, ensuring it is cat-and-rat-free. We've haven't seen the pool snake since last week, when it was digesting a frog.

On the way home, I marvel at the "rotten teeth"seeds lying in these almost-done flowers (zoom in).

Monday

After a walk and meetings, we head to the Project to work on details. I inventory the stash of Christmas decor. W starts to put up the picture rails. We hang drapes, pause for lunch, check how the transplanted garden is doing (some great - some looks dead), and talk to the workers. We're worn out by late afternoon; sure don't have the stamina we had at 35! haha

An old school cabinet has become an upper cabinets in the kitchen. We'll need doors on the other (former) bookshelves to keep out rodents and cockroaches, too. Might have to have someone build them. Shall we try to match doorknobs? These aren't very even.

We haven't watched a movie in months but we landed on Family Plan last week when we needed a break. It was so full of "action" that we stopped halfway through (had our fill) and didn't finish until today. We read books and write emails as we watch, missing the extended shoot-em-up scenes.

I play fetch with the dogs as I work on the Porch and am grateful when the sun goes down.

Tuesday

Mom calls at 4AM. It's been a short night already, but she's worth picking up the phone for. We talk and pray together. She calls again with good news at 6:30 during our morning walk. She is beyond thrilled: someone has committed their life to Jesus at her place. Mom reminds us that no matter what the age or circumstances, God works through people. He wants to draw everyone to himself through those who know him.

After working on Advent resources, we pick up home supplies, which takes most of the day. We find shelving for storage, office hooks, cabinet pulls, and curtain rods -  all very exciting, right? We're tired when we get home in the late afternoon.

Meanwhile, IbuS waxes the floor tiles in the pantry, which go from this ...

to this.

Someone swings by in the evening but he forgets to remind us he's coming. We don't hear him at the gate.

He writes: "Sorry to miss you. Can I come see you after work tomorrow? I'll be there at 6:30." Sure. When you get up at 4AM, 7PM seems late.

A cockroach scrabbles across the bedroom floor at 10PM. I flip on the light but he crawls up the bookcase by the bed. That doesn't help our sleep. I spot it and try to smash it (nevermind the stench - I just don't want it alive!) but can't catch it. W can't find it after it disappears into the bookcase. We're up until after 2AM.

Wednesday 

We wake and walk early. Anton gets a hard training session of leash work - he's smart and does well. For breakfast, we try a stollen made by Dutch bakers. It's not like Mom's. It's heavier and wetter and the marzipan is grainy with sugar. Was a good try.

When the helpers arrive, we stop by the supermarket on the way to visit Nicole. She is having surgery later in the day, which is successful but painful. We bring her a banana bread to share with company.

W walks miles from the hospital to run errands downtown. He's searching for latches, exploring CCTVs, and doing our banking.

I get a call as PakG is driving me home. "There are now 25 people coming to the Thanksgiving dinner. Can you make those fingerling potatoes you offered earlier, in addition to what you're bringing?"

Oh brother. We loop around the mountain roads on the way back to the supermarket. Apparently the owners have noticed that I buy 6-7 net-bags of those cheap potatoes each movie night. I've encouraged others to buy them as well. They're now packaged in styrofoam trays and much more expensive. I take four packages to the cashier.

Back home an hour later, I sort shoes, give away a half-dozen, tag some for washing, and bag up the rest. We're getting things ready for storage and use. Big garbage bags are filling up with things to move. The Christmas stuff will go up as soon as we move in. Movie night guests and others enjoy the decorations with us.

In the afternoon at the Project, I assemble bathroom shelves while W screws in cabinet knobs. He brings out some anti-rust solution for the old kitchen sink. We're repurposing as much original material as we can. The local inclination is to toss everything and start over, but Indonesian garbage dumps are already overflowing. We go from this ... to a sparkling clean surface.

It's like having a new sink. "Good thing the rust didn't corrode this sink," remarks the building manager. It's made of decent stainless steel. Around it, the old stone counters are stained but beautifully functional.

It's astonishing to see how far the Project has come. They've screened ventilation openings above windows, pulled more wiring, and are wrapping up plumbing projects. There's still quite a bit left to do: install hot water heaters, laundry hookups, connect 2 sinks, and install the rest of the lighting.

W notices water damage on the soffits of the new roof in 2 places. He walks around the Project with various workers. We'll do a walk-through with the boss on Saturday. Hopefully things will be finished by then.

Internet goes in today. The young men are quick and efficient but the sun is going down when we walk home.

Our young friend says he's on the way at 6:30PM. We're fading fast after 7:15 as we wait for him. W asks, "When is he coming? We have maybe a half hour before we fall asleep." Oh oh.

He comes at 7:20. "I had to take my friend to the hospital. He was hit by a fast-moving car as he left work."

Oh my! He stays for a while, sharing the work he wants to do in the world: boosting children from poverty and stunting to broader opportunities. He needs advice on writing an admissions essay to an European university. We enjoy hearing God call young people to do his work and fulfill their purpose = loving God and loving each other.

Read more:

* As an eagle stirs up its nest, and hovers over its young, the Lord spread his wings, he caught them, he carried them on his pinions. Deuteronomy 32:10-12

* Be still, and know that I am God! I am exalted among the nations, I am exalted in the earth. Psalm 46:10

* The Lord said, “I will give you as a light to the nations, that my salvation may reach to the end of the earth.” Isaiah 49:6

* My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all; no one can snatch them out of my Father’s hand. John 10:29

* During the night Paul had a vision: there stood a man of Macedonia pleading with him and saying, “Come over to Macedonia and help us.” When he had seen the vision, we immediately tried to cross over to Macedonia, being convinced that God had called us to proclaim the good news to them. Acts 16:9-10

Moravian Prayer: God of light and truth, you are a light unto the world. Give us a willing heart to be beacons of faith, love, and hope to those in darkness. With thanksgiving, we pray in your holy name. 

Gentle Shepherd, bring us close to you to comfort and calm our fears. Through the unexpected struggles we face, you have always been there to provide for us. May we fully trust in your amazing care. Amen.