Rallying around home and community

Friday, November 2, 2018

What are the chances? I put my hand into a bag of M&Ms and pull out all colors at once (and no extras). That brings a smile that tides me over a long morning at the office.

Waldemar's home - as he unpacks, his goodies and work land on almost every surface. Day by day, they get tucked into their proper place (Our study nook below. Thanks for the heads up on the warehouse tables, Robin. A perfect fit.)

W and I have a date: he's just come back after 2 1/2 weeks away. It's great to reconnect and talk, away from the house, the unpacking, and the things put on hold for a few weeks.

We have breakfast at an old (and cheap) favorite: Ethnic. The owner, who put a lap pool in the backyard of his house for his grandkids, has remodeled with a grand waterfall wall and fountain. What a pretty setting for local food. It's popular with all the neighbors and various clubs.

Even when the pop can looks global on the front (Coke Original), the back shows national details. And yes, W still likes his Coke.

Saturday

The groomers arrive - two of them work on Cocoa at once - and her body looks ok. She has a helmet head cut when she's done, but at $10 including a generous tip, she sheds 1-2" of body hair.  (I recut her head later.) Mind you, rainy season can be downright cold: 18oC (65oF) at night! Brrrr. I bundle up like the rest - blankets and sweaters are our friends.

I go to pluck brown leaves from a frangipani tree beside the porch - and ... lo and behold, two Maned Forest Lizards are draped over the shrub. They are perfectly colored to hide in plain sight: it's the first time I've ever seen those. It takes a while to identify them: they're not peoples' first guess of chameleons (curled tail) or iguanas (thicker body, shorter tail).

Community Dinners are such fun. About 40 people arrive to share supper, despite the downpour. 

The team and our friends arrive safely, setup goes smoothly, and the food is tasty. Thanks, Della!

Josh helps take the requisite number of selfies at his table.

 And Tembi knocks it out of the park with a funny story about family and what it means to belong.

One of the gals studying fashion design sketches another at her table.

Sunday
First thing, I heat 4 loaves of homebred bread for communion and wrap them in kitchen towels. We tuck the bell ("visiting is over until later!" to bring people back into their seats) and several tablecloths into the tote. We're out the gate by 7am.

Breakfast with the leadership team means a few points of business but mostly it's good to get to know each other better. We hear helpful feedback for moving ahead.

Waldemar speaks today. The community hangs out afterward for almost an hour, before having lunch at Bumi Sangkuriang and Wild Grass with friends.

Mid-afternoon, W and I have the pleasure of visiting Pascall and Yuni and meeting little Patricia for the first time.

Adorable, no?! Definitely a perfect baby.

From there, we head to Chinatown and good food at an old restaurant - Tota, Teti, and Rueben know all the eateries. Dunia Baru is a fine one. Just as Chinese restaurant owners adapt to Western tastes in the States, here they've adapted to local appetites.

Monday

It's a full and happy day. 5 meetings in a row, 7am-7:30pm ... with a few hours between in the afternoon. Online counsel from a mentor, a study, a team lunch, a fun visit with locals and expats, and pre-marriage counseling.  How we love the people we meet and serve.

Tuesday
The massage lady comes to the house and almost kills me. I was in heels for hours - over a week ago, and apparently my calves have seized up - I think she's going to rip off my little toes, bending one and then the other backward to loosen up ligaments and muscles in my foot. Nope, still have my toes and feeling much more ease.

Tembi takes us for dinner at Kampung Daun. Tomorrow is her last day in Bandung. She's been an unqualified blessing and a pleasant, undemanding, and extremely productive guest = no trouble (except our concern at her being ill last week) and helpful in every way. If every intern or team added so much to their surroundings, we'd all be fighting to have them come. Thanks be to God for you, dear Tembi. We'll miss you.

The driver points out the sacred trees along the way. "Several developers have tried to cut the tree in your neighborhood," he says. "Every one of them has died." Like in Africa, locals believe spirits inhabit the banyan trees so they are paved around, built around, and left alone.

Wednesday

It's Dinner-and-a-Movie Night tonight. We look forward to this all month. "It's the best gathering in all of Bandung," Tembi overheard an African attendee saying to another young adult. "You should join."

But first, we have a staff meeting at 9. And we have to order pizza. There's no cooking this month, saving me about 4 hours of prep. Whew.  (We have homemade desserts, though.) With so many events and travels in November, it's easier to do takeaway- and besides, it's cheaper than cooking pasta, rice, meat, salad, and side dishes.

I asked a few students at the last Community Dinner if they'd mind pizza for supper once in a while. "No, Ibu! we love pizza," they said. So pizza it is. The European students won't be excited - they prefer home cooked food once a month.)

Tembi helps set things up in the kitchen. The helpers will be here at 3pm and clean up after. Meanwhile, W and Pak Gum move furniture, set up the projector, and blow the dust off a few seats for the porch. The new table in the nook and the free seats are a huge plus - we'll move things around in the next few months to maximize seating. Tonight is a trial run ... again.

Read more:

*Hear, O Israel: The Lord is our God, the Lord alone. You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your might. Deuteronomy 6:4-5

*You, O Lord, have made me glad by your work; at the works of your hands I sing for joy. Psalm 92:4

*When hard pressed, I cried to the Lord; he brought me into a spacious place. The Lord is with me; I will not be afraid. What can mere mortals do to me? The Lord is with me; he is my helper. I look in triumph on my enemies. It is better to take refuge in the Lord than to trust in humans. Psalm 118:5-8  NIV

*Jesus said to the one who was paralyzed, “I say to you, stand up and take your bed and go to your home.” Immediately he stood up before them, took what he had been lying on, and went to his home, glorifying God. Luke 5:24-25

*Paul wrote: I pray that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith, as you are being rooted and grounded in love. Ephesians 3:15-17

Moravian Prayer: God of love, may our love for you mirror your love for us. May others know us to be your disciples— through our love for our enemies and those with whom we differ—as well as for those with whom we feel affinity. 

Heal us, Jesus, whenever bodies or spirits are frail. When afflictions fill us with doubt, grant us the grace to be numbered by you among those who walk by faith and not by sight. Amen.

Rainy season's here

Wednesday, October 31, 2018
PakR and I meet for staff meeting in the morning with a full slate of business. We're sending off the first monthly newsletter tomorrow.

There's no Halloween here. Thank God. We're called to be light in the world, so I dislike celebrations of horror and darkness.

We finish our business over lunch at Miss Bee, which always has seasonal displays. The rain holds off until we make it home. Rainy season is here: we get several downpours each day and are happy not to be outside when they come.

Tembi's feeling tired and still fighting the flu. She's still been helpful as we sort through options for social media that send the right message from our various endeavors.

The driver calls to say that he has typhoid with stomach aches and a fever. He's gone to the hospital clinic. "But I can come tomorrow, maybe."

No, thank you. Don't want it. We pray for his health and ask him to stay home to rest until the weekend. W can drive if needed. (I don't even know where my drivers' license is.)

The Bandung Book Group meets this afternoon - Alice, Tembi, Petra (new to the group), and I catch a GoCar from our neighborhood to ride over to the next hill.

Marji's house is full of puppets, art, and masks from all over Indonesia. What treasures she's hung on the walls, displayed in cabinets, and placed on tables. Beautiful. She's made pumpkin cake, chocolate loaf, veggies and dip, and a few other treats. And Ilsa brings mulberry jam to share (homemade from her garden tree) and plum cake. Yes, we eat too much.

The discussion is vigorous but cordial. We've read Fascism by Madeline Albright. She doesn't clearly define the term fascism. After a strong start, the book gets a bit fuzzy as it goes on. Maybe she was rushed by her publisher? Anyway, we're not sure she's clearly made her argument against current governments. Albright has read a lot of history, that's for sure. (I'm always fascinated at how academics come to diverse findings from the same facts.) It's great to hear the group interact - we come from so many places that we have many ideas.

I take leftover copies with me for the Little Free Library in our neighborhood.

Thursday
Some walking friends come by for the dogs. They're skipping the walk this morning but want to take the dogs to their neighborhood. They aim to make some dog-deprived Australian kids happy. That's one pretty smile from this youngster. After tummy rubs for the dogs, they all lie down on their floor and relax.

I skip our usual walk, guarding my sore knees. With Tembi feeling sick, she's not going either. I have lots of paperwork but mostly I'm waiting. W is coming back this afternoon after a trip of more than 2 weeks. I don't envy him his long journey back: 30 hours? Can't wait to see him though.

There's a beautiful (hot) pepper growing in the flower bed. "Oh, we already used up 2 of those for our sambal (hot sauce)." They grind the peppers and put them on food - 1/8 tsp makes my soup so hot at lunchtime today that my eyes water ... and I like hot food.

"You might as well take the other one home," I tell her. By Tuesday when she returns, it will have fallen off the plant.

Ibu also finds a 4" mushroom on a tree in the yard. "Is it safe?" she asks me. "Can we eat it?"

I shoot a WA message to our friends, who say, "Don't try it. We don't know if it's safe either."

Read more:
*Moses implored the Lord his God, and said, “O Lord, turn from your fierce wrath; change your mind and do not bring disaster on your people.” Exodus 32:11-12

*Do not go after other gods to serve and worship them, and do not provoke me to anger with the work of your hands. Jeremiah 25:6

*Who is to condemn? It is Christ Jesus, who died, yes, who was raised, who is at the right hand of God, who indeed intercedes for us. Romans 8:34

*Live in harmony with one another. Do not be proud, but be willing to associate with people of low position. Do not be conceited. Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everyone. If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. Do not take revenge, my dear friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: “It is mine to avenge; I will repay,” says the Lord. On the contrary: “If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head.” Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good. Romans 12:16-21

*Let us also lay aside every weight and the sin that clings so closely, and let us run with perseverance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus the pioneer and perfecter of our faith. Hebrews 12:1-2

*Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that the family of believers throughout the world is undergoing the same kind of sufferings. And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast. To him be the power for ever and ever. Amen. 1 Peter 5:8-11

Moravian Prayer: Everlasting God, there are so many temptations and distractions in our world; we tend to lose focus on what is truly important. Help us to clearly see the path set before us, to set aside worldly things, and concentrate instead on building a right relationship with you.

Merciful God, you love us unconditionally. Lead us in your path, that we may follow your example and be more ready to forgive. Make us more sensitive to the sorrows of others, more compassionate to the less fortunate, that we may understand their trials and show them mercy. Amen.

A noodle house and cookie monsters

Sunday, October 28, 2018
Skip the dog walk. Before I know it, it's 7:20 - time to head to the international service with a full tote containing cookies, a colander (more on that later), and other odds and ends.

On the way, I pause at Miss Bee's parking shack - the guys choose a cookie from one of the boxes and I walk on in my high heels. The sandals are sturdy but keep my long trousers off the ground. Probably a bad idea to walk 600 meters in them, but the steep hill up to Green Gate is a bit easier in heels. (Though it's going to be toe-and-footpad-torture going down.)

Josh does a great job of introductions and announcements before I speak. The topic today is the power of Christ's resurrection. But what does that mean for us today? Let's get practical. Three people tell their stories about the power of God at work in protection, reconciliation, and forgiveness.

Instead of formal communion, we pass out a quarter-slice of bread and a grape to each person. Everyone shares their bread with those around them, along with a prayer or a few lines about what God is doing in their lives. Some people need extra slices so they can listen and talk more. That's a loving community.

As we bite into our grape (the colander schlepped along earlier was for washing them), we consider what it means to be crushed or broken to release God's fragrance into the world. That's what Jesus did for us - he was bruised for our sins. Crushed, he reconciled us to God. (Thanks for the idea, Kim.)

People stay to visit; the chairs are still full half an hour after the closing blessing. We only consume half the snacks - even the yummy bugis (sweet rice in banana leaves) that Hela has brought. We've already had our social time, I think. I pack away the leftover bugis and almost-empty cookie containers for tomorrow's study.

Tota takes his family, Tembi, and me to a special noodle house for lunch in town. Tembi and I choose half sweet, half salty noodles. Oh yum. The dragon fruit drink is delicious because of added lemon and sugar. Mmmmmm. Good recommendation, Ibu T!

Going back, we get seriously snarled in traffic. It takes over an hour to get to the drop-off for Tembi, who is meeting a few other young adults. And we're only 2/3 of the way home.

There's some kind of anime or costume party on the sidewalk. The characters sit under awnings out of the rain.

Rueben stays in the car with us until the bottom of my hill. Then he hops out and starts the long walk to his house and a study group. Smart guy. He won't make it back if he waits for the car to get him back.

His folks and I continue up the hill. There's a wedding and an alumni reunion at Bumi Sangkuriang. Traffic is utterly jammed on the 1½-width side streets. Usually cars have to swerve to the side to pass each other. Today, the drivers have decided on the middle of the road. So they're all going one-way.

We are waved onward; we can't even turn into our neighborhood. Every cross-street is the same; getting to our house is impossible with the car. (Good thing we dropped off the snacks before heading to town or I would have had a big IKEA tote bag with me.)

Three streets further up the hill, with Tota's car grid-locked, I hop out, heels and all. If they have to make a U-turn and take me home - before coming back through the lanes and up the hill, it could be evening before they get home.

I run into two friends who have left their long-suffering driver and are also walking home. It's just faster to walk. Tota takes the zig-saggy road across the top of the hills. They make it home about the time I reach my next meeting.

M is waiting for me at Wild Grass, just outside our neighborhood. She's a gifted media artist. We enjoy tea and conversation, flipping through the new menu.

At 5, I finally head for home ... still in heels. It's been a good day, a full day, and my feet thank me when I slip on flat house shoes at the door. The dogs are ecstatic and growl and bounce around.


It's an evening of writing. Among the things I'm working on - a universities on another island asked me to be their keynote speaker at a seminar for their doctoral faculty. I can't make it since we have other commitments. I enjoyed working with them last time, so am open to another day.

However, the department dean and I WhatsApp back and forth, trying to find a speaker among our connections in Bandung. We have no luck.

Monday
I have no early online meeting this week. The last grades come in so I can add up the scores - AND send them off to the university. Done!Done!Done. Happy dance. Oh wait, I'm not that coordinated.

After a walk with the dogs, the study starts at 9:30. It feels like  we're halfway through the day, in this land where morning starts at 5:30.

The team meeting is small - but helpful for me. The driver, who was having a motorcycle repaired calls in late afternoon. He's sick to his stomach and has the flu. Dr Hanna explains what's going on.

"Stay home tomorrow," I tell him. I don't need to get sick.

It's rainy season. There's a downpour every afternoon, soaking the ground.

The dogs share a crate. I've never seen such a thing - usually dogs are very protective of their "cave" and won't let even their best buddies in.

Gypsy, terrified of the afternoon thunder, retreats into the crate and Cocoa hops in beside him. They snuggle together without a protest, sleeping until the skies clear. Cocoa's not at all afraid - she just likes company. Good doggy.

Tuesday
There's a Lion Air plane crash into the sea and all are lost. We pray throughout the day for the families left behind.

"When will you have the edits done?" I get an email from the point person of an academic journal. Oops, I thought I politely refused because I don't have time. Guess that didn't come across in my reply last month.

I spend 4 hours on the 29-page article, take a photo of each page, and send them to the editor. They will have to put my chicken scratch into the next version.

Without a driver, we're at the mercy of what's in the fridge. I bought 20 eggs last week but they're almost gone. (That's how much baking we do.)

So - let's try something new. How about a couple of egg substitutions? First, we try (per egg) 1 tsp oil, 2 tsp baking powder, and 2 Tbsp water. Then we try the same recipe with 1 Tbsp ground flax seed and 3 Tbsp water. The blender flings the dry seeds around without breaking them. Sorry, IbuA - she grinds the seeds and water with her old-fashioned stone mortar and pestle. (I don't want to muck up W's coffee grinder.)

Not bad - both kinds of cookies are ok, especially the ones rolled in cinnamon sugar. By day's end, we have heaps of spice cookies made for Sunday. You can't leave baking in a cookie jar: any gaps and the ants invade. Plus the butter goes rancid in a day or two. Into the fridge they go.

Imagine salad leaves, carrot shreds, and a few cucumber slices ... under rice, bean and beef soup. It's a tastier lunch than you might think, filling without a lot of calories.

The helper admits she likes the combo of crunch and flavor enough to try it sometimes at home, though her family thinks it's crazy. "Rice on salad? What's wrong with you?" Working for foreigners does that to you.

Tembi's off the the English Studio Center to help out with an afternoon class and have supper with the students. (Lucky gal - the center's boss Dony is an amazing cook.) Tembi is the Native English Speaker for pronunciation and vocabulary. She's smart, funny, and fun - the group loved having her and Hazel drop by last week.

Then she'll be hanging out with a group of young adults who have a great time every Tuesday night. They have food and discuss life at Josh and Clau's.

Meanwhile, the dogs are happy when the rain stops but Gypsy rolls his eyes when he hears thunder on the next hill. They run around and bark at anyone who tries to come into the yard.

Read more:

*The Lord said to Abram, “I will bless you and you will be a blessing.” Genesis 12:2

*Stand up and tell them everything that I command you. Jeremiah 1:17

*Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good.  Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves. Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord.

Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. Share with the Lord’s people who are in need. Practice hospitality. Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse. Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn. Romans 12:9-15

*Stand therefore, and fasten the belt of truth around your waist, and put on the breastplate of righteousness. As shoes for your feet put on whatever will make you ready to proclaim the gospel of peace. Ephesians 6:14-15

*Do not repay evil for evil or abuse for abuse; but, on the contrary, repay with a blessing. It is for this that you were called—that you might inherit a blessing. 1 Peter 3:9

Moravian Prayer: Lord Father, teach us patience and understanding in the face of adversity, that we might respond to each encounter in a more Christian way. Let us be known for kindness, for it is the greatest tribute to you.

Almighty God, help us to live lives that set an example so others will see Christ in our actions. Bring us the opportunities to tell the Story, and the conviction to carry out the task set before us. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.

A little snap of paradise

Friday, October 26, 2018
It seems like weeks since I wrote the last post on Tuesday. I spend Tuesday on my weekend talk and Wednesday morning working in the office with Reza.

Thursday
Tembi and I join the walk in the hills. While we're gone, two gals wash our wool IKEA rug on the porch and hang it to dry over the hedge. It's been 2 years since we did it. With rainy season almost here and downpours already coming in the afternoon, we need to get the major cleaning out of the way before everything starts to mold.

W and I stuffed that rug into a suitcase on the way back from a visa run to Singapore a few years ago. It's worn well, though we found it in IKEA's clearance section (@75% off).

Which style do you prefer - with or without a rug?

We've had rain over the past weeks, but no enough to soak the ground. The hiking trail is not as dusty as usual but it is still dry enough to be slippery. We're happy to have walking poles along, especially on the long downhills.

 We meet an older couple carrying sticks they've cut from the forest.

Some men are loading freshly cut bamboo - 30-40' long poles (10-12 meters) from one truck to another.

Petra and I find some frangipani branches that had been trimmed and tossed into an orange orchard. We bring a few shoots home.

We cheat a bit, going up the mountain. The cars drop us 2/3 of the way up to Gunung Batu. Thanks, Veronica! Good thing - my knees are sore; I hurt them a few weeks ago and was hoping that had cleared up.

Everything is being built up. There's a new pillar, a flag, and a plaque on the final ridge. Someone is making it "a destination." Most of the places we used to hike for free have been bought up by concessions. Now we have to pay to see nature.

With our lazy uphill, it is a 4 miles hike to the cars. Tembi and Alice stop off at the Bird and Bromeliad Park to see the big parrots and various birds tucked into the gardens.

Lunch is at Dr Hanna's and Alice's Airbnb, Raben House. Don't they have a beautiful courtyard? The house wraps around it.

The food's enak (tasty), the surroundings are peaceful, and the friendships wonderful.

Tembi and Dr H are working on a project. Later, we enjoy the evening study at our place, led by Alice.

Friday
It's a a treat to work in the quiet office on Friday mornings. I take the dogs with me and they lay down to nap most of the day. However, they bark up a storm every time someone walks by. That will take some training.

It is great to have Della stop by - she's prepared wonderful food for both Community Dinners so far, and that's become a passion of hers. Cool to hear her heart.

From several mosques, the Friday chants at noon mean it's time to go close up and work from home.

This week, I've handed in the grades from my classes. Dusted off a few things on my desk. I read Fascism by Madeline Albright in preparation for our book club meeting next week, too. What an interesting view on life and politics. I don't agree with much beyond the facts - but the advantage of academic writing is that the researcher can draw her/his own conclusions from the same observations.

Dr H and Tembi have been working on a charity proposal most of the week. They're back home by late afternoon. The bean soup I make for supper is ok, not great. It's spicy! but hits the spot. It feels cool outside: at 75o (23C), I wear long sleeves to keep warm.

Read more:
*My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever. Psalm 73:26

*That night the Lord stood near Paul and said, “Keep up your courage!” Acts 23:11

Moravian Prayer: All-powerful God, you fill our hearts with hope and courage. With your help and guidance, we can accomplish great things. Thank you for being our strength and support in everything we do. Amen.

A bouquet and goodbye

Tuesday, October 15, 2018

Version Two: the combination of 2 bouquets from last week. We were going to take them to the hospital but the patients had gone home.

Later in the week, there's one final arrangement to make the room beautiful.

After I walk the dogs Tuesday morning, we head for an office meeting at 9. Tembi and Hazel help us sort out some core ideas in preparation for creating an online presence.

Then, Hazel, Tembi, and I go for lunch with Josie and Pauline, old friends. We meet at Padang Sederhana, a restaurant where every dish comes to the table - and you pay for what you eat.

They find a padan restaurant, where you choose your meal from an assortment of dishes brought to the table by a server. You pay for what you eat. I prefer to go early in the day - the food's no longer hot but fewer people have had access to the plates before you do.

We talk, laugh, and tell stories. I love those two - and always feel better after meeting with them.

And then it's off to Ciwalk to meet with Friska - I drop the gals off, make the introductions and head home to work.

At supper, it is SOOOO delicious to share the food truck's hamburgers with the Youth Alpha group. Scott and Sarah are celebrating their last evening with these young people. It's bittersweet - full of stories of their progress, hugs, and great affection between members of the group.

Wednesday
Casey, the little doggie from up the street, joined the pack overnight. She likes both of our dogs and they include her. She scoots down the road, walking between the big animals. All three of them kick up a fuss when someone comes to the gate.

We have one more meeting at the office: the social media expertise of our guests is such a benefit to us. They work through a realistic schedule and give us pointers for updating things well.

And then I send off the last part of the dissertation on which I am advising someone. That's taken 3 days of editing and thinking. It takes almost as long to edit as to write. Well, not really - but it does swallow energy and time. For a non-paying job, that's a lot of work.

Thursday
While Tembi and Hazel head for the hills with the walking group and the dogs, I tackle the stack of doctoral papers piled on my desk. The cohort was 2 months ago ... but I was waiting for one last paper so I could grade them together. It's grueling work: the second-language English takes some wading through - for 3 days.

Saturday
While the women go to an orphanage nearby, I finish the last assignments that were handed in and send off some emails to find some missing papers. (I thought that was the last - nope.)

In the afternoon, we have another Community Dinner. It's a noisy packed room; Scott does a great job of talking about what it means to be a community - that we are all needed for each other - just like a body needs all its parts and suffers when one part is injured. The community activity is defining oneself with paper and a stick figure. Some of the creations are totally amazing!

It's a fun crowd (we didn't all make it into the photo, but you can see some of us.)

Delicious food is provided by Della.

And at the end, the group says goodbye to Scott and Sarah with a prayer of blessing.

No one wants to leave; I flick the lights off and on - and a few throw their hands in the air and shout, "Party!" Yes, that's the kind of laughter and interaction that we enjoy together.

Sunday
Snacks - oh oh. I forgot to check if someone wanted to bring them, so it's on me. I toss crackers in the tote, along with cookies - and 4 fresh-baked loaves of bread for communion. The new IKEA trays are at the bottom of the tote bag with several tablecloths, oil for prayer, and a bell to call back people after the greeting time.

During the greeting and after service, we ask people to find a friend or family members and go to one of three stations around the room. There's a loaf, a glass with grape juice, and a small bottle of oil waiting. We break off a piece of bread, dip it in juice, and celebrate together. Some pray for the sick as well, as we are learning to serve each other as a congregation.

I'm speaking about Jesus, the Lion of Judah - our protector and defender - and the Lamb of God - the one who sacrificed himself for us. The highlight for me is after I'm done: people gather around Scott and Sarah, who are repatriating back to Australia. It's wonderful to hear an Indonesian blessing before I pray in English.

When I start walking to the house at noon, there's still a good crowd hanging around. Hanna lives nearby and volunteers to help. She grabs one side of the tote and I take the other.

In the late afternoon, two young people and I take a Grab car across the city. We have a community gathering and lunch - Scott leads. Thea and her family have made a wonderful meal for all of us after baptism and some storytelling.

We look over the city - and pray as the sun goes down for the big beautiful world around us.

Notice that the world map is centered around the Islands.

Monday
Meeting day starts early. For the third meeting, our team doesn't have lunch; we're going to have supper together at Dr Hanna's.

Mid-afternoon, I drop by Angela's for tea. It's lovely on the porch behind the house. I bring some goodies, but she introduces me to a new Indonesian snack.

Shops here have a few aisles of snacks - and there are a lot of snack shops, little cart vendors selling snacks, and ... well, fried snacks everywhere.

Scott and Sarah fly off home tomorrow, and it's one last chance to talk, dream, and pray together. It's a special evening, for sure. And Alice's food is delicious. (Try Raben House if you need a B&B in Bandung!)

Unrolled and ready to pack after sitting in our freezer, here is Dr H's birthday gift to Scott. Yup, the freezer is where you kill bugs so you can get the bark art into Australia!

Tuesday
The gardener comes early and I have to unlock the gate. We take the dogs for a walk. It's Tembi's first time looping the neighborhood with us. It feels like it's going to be a warm day - except that it starts to rain and cools off the morning nicely. Gypsy, incredibly afraid of thunder, hears it coming. He sneaks into the crate in our room and spends most of the day lying in it.

I need to get to Setiabudi Market, though I was just there Saturday. The chick peas have disintegrated in the bag - it's full of weevils. A nasty squirming surprise ...

And we are out of rice.

"Where does it go?" I ask the helper. She shrugs. They've gone through 5 kg of rice in 3 weeks. I need to check on how much extra rice they are cooking. That amount would take W and me a year or more to consume. I rarely eat rice, even when they make it.

This week they scrubbed the carpets and hung them over the shrubs outside to dry. The dust is a constant foe - and seeps into the house through every custom crack of every handmade door and window.

I'm done grading! Oh my, this has been a long process - with the class so long ago, I have a hard time getting into the swing of things. But I'm done - well, I'm waiting for one more person's papers but with the class behind me and the standard for papers set, it will be a breeze. One or two hours max, I hope.

Read more:
*The secret things belong to the Lord our God, but the revealed things belong to us and to our children forever. Deuteronomy 29:29

*Yes, in the way of your judgments, O Lord, we have waited for you. Isaiah 26:8

*The Samaritans said to the woman, “It is no longer because of what you said that we believe, for we have heard for ourselves, and we know that this is truly the Savior of the world.” John 4:42

*Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, so that he may exalt you in due time. 1 Peter 5:6

Moravian Prayers: Heavenly Father, let us know that you are near. We turn our eyes toward you and your mercy, as you teach us humility, patience and forgiveness. May your love abide in our hearts from this day forward.

Lamb of God, how blessed are we who have heard your word and know your love! We pray that, whenever we may find those less fortunate, we do what we can to share your gifts with them, and teach them to believe in you. Amen.