Goodbye Sam, and movie night 2023

Monday, January 16, 2023

Fact: American M&Ms become sticky in the tropical heat. (I'm talking about being out of the fridge for 5 minutes.) I savor the taste between sips of tea; I don't want to gulp them down. There's a different formula for treats produced for tropical climates. When we can, we drag the familiar originals with us from the West.

The hoyas on the porch release their full-bodied perfume each evening. In the morning, the porch smells delightful.

After some meetings, I make a visit to the hospital. The slick tiles and wrinkles in the rubber wheelchair ramp, cut through by metal bars atop a gutter, are not confidence-inspiring. But here, people know to watch out. If they wipe out during a rainstorm when the tiles are as slippery as ice, it's their own responsibility. Plus, they're close to a doctor.

The many legs of The Porch table call me to work. I slot my feet between a set of legs to work on the computer. The set is utterly useful for movie night. W puts the Porch projector in the center round table while the other 8 tables get scattered elsewhere.

Tuesday

I don't have time for a walk. I was awake 12-4a.m. and reset the alarm for 6:30. I leave for language school at 7:30.

For lunch, Sam makes time for us at Ethnic down the hill.

On the walk back to the house, my attention is captured by this tree, which insists on growing through it's been chopped and chopped ... and chopped down some more. Every joint is bursting with new growth.

This cool "twig house" above a neighbor's garage intrigues me, especially in a country where termites abound. How do they keep it from falling apart?

Another neighbor is erecting an addition. The wall along the narrow lane is made of brick, cement, and not-too-straight wood braces. When it's done, it will look professional and strong.

In the afternoon, the IES team is hybrid (online and in person). It's Sam's last meeting in Indonesia. He starts a 4-month journey around the world tomorrow. What a blessing he's been, leading the Porch Hangout and the youth of IES. Each person shares what having him here has meant to us. And we pray over him.

I leave the Porch before 5:00, as guests are ordering supper. I wash dishes from tea, put the baking away, and heat up spaghetti leftovers from last movie night.

Wednesday

Cooking for movie night starts after a 6:00 walk. As Sam leaves, we wave a good team member goodbye with "Godspeed!" and a prayer.

I'm done cooking by 10:00 but the food labels need printing. I always post the menu on the fridge whiteboard so we don't forget a dish in the fridge. The cooking assignments are divided: I prepare meats and veggies; the helpers chop salad, bake cheese balls, cut fruit for dessert with yogurt, and cook rice. (No rice needed today since it is in the special rice bowl ordered from Free&Safe Indonesia's Bowlah pop-up.) 

Two helpers arrive at 3:00 and leave around 10:00 at night after doing the bulk of wash-up and garbage removal. (Thank GOD for helpers!)

The house needs setting up = many questions back and forth. I prefer to do that the day before but it's not always possible. To host such events, portable furniture is a must. So is a clear "runway" in and out of the kitchen. The poodle Bailey sees me standing in the kitchen door and tests it out.

Lunch is fresh spaghetti (whose sauce is too sweet for W so he's left to his own devices.) I catch a short break before a call from Europe. People start arriving at 5:30. The Porch fills up with conversation and laughter.

By 6:30, everyone is ready to circle through the kitchen to fill their plates.

We've streamlined the process and regular attendees instruct newbies on what to expect and what to do.

Even the LR nook is full of chit-chat and food.

Our January birthdays are celebrated - Hessy brings a cake for Liana (and Shibli) to enjoy - and they line up for the photo as a new memory.

Dessert comes during intermission. Jorge explains the volunteer opportunities that have sprung up around his willing heart for incarcerated and under-privileged youth, women, and children. It's amazing. (They're the ones cooking the rice bowls for our meal, too.)

We fall into bed after 11:00pm and are asleep before midnight.

Thursday

It's a walking day. Last week we had 20 walkers. Today we have 4. Typically unpredictable and nonetheless fun.

It's not a long or hard walk (under 5 km or 3 miles), but the unevenness of the trails, sliced up by motorcycles, makes it an ankle and knee workout. Trees have fallen across the trail: the area was closed a few weeks ago due to windstorms. Many branches have been cut away and tossed to the side, but trunks and bigger branches remain. It's an up and down and through and under kind of walk.

Later we eat at a new place: Bask Cafe. The views are wonderful, looking across the valley toward the eastern side of our hill. (We live on the western slope.)

Before long, our plates are empty. V reminds us of the 30% off offer with an instagram post. The cafe grants the discount to us with this shot.

Since it's a soft launch, they don't have all the kinks worked out. "No one will sit in the sun," V notes, looking at the little tables and benches not yet under cover.

Back home, I splurge on a yogurt pop after washing off the trail dust.

At night, after a few hours of sleep, the alarm rings. The trans-Pacific call is with a wonderful mastermind group. As always, they clarify the question I ask and check for peripheral issues that pop up. SO helpful. A great blessing worth getting up for.

Friday

I fall asleep before 1:00 a.m and sleep until 5:30. This weekend is Imlek or Chinese New Year. A sweet package arrives by courier from a friend. It will be steamed and enjoyed.

"If you don't have an entry, make one," say the design blogs. Yesterday's hard work by our helpers puts our entry table back in place, complete with tissue box and guest book.

W and I walk the block with the dogs and have a delayed date-breakfast at #NaraPark. I try a new dish: noodles with smashed chicken but I miss my usual fiery-spice noodles. 

That's ok. Maybe next week. Every morning, and sometimes several times a day, a sweeper works his way across the lawns and driveways to clear off needles, leaves, and garbage. Swish-swish, go the long-handled brooms (sapu lidi).

This is a review week for language learning: on Monday I get tested to advance to the next level. I look back at words and sounds of earlier classes as well as recently-acquired vocabulary. I listen on 1.5 speed (more like normal conversation). Otherwise the recordings put me to sleep.

Read more:

*I treasure your word in my heart, so that I may not sin against you. Psalm 119:11

Guard the good treasure entrusted to you, with the help of the Holy Spirit living in us. 2 Timothy 1:14

Moravian Prayer: Eternal Word, we are grateful that you have given us knowledge of your will for us through scripture and the Holy Spirit. We pray for the wisdom and strength to live out your will daily. Amen.

Orchids, chameleons, and company

Thursday, January 12, 2023

Hurrah for walks. This one is 27 storeys up in the hot sun ... so we decide not to continue uphill. We wind around the mountain, back to our starting point. It's shorter than usual, too: 5.25 km (over 3 miles.)

At Yutta's house in the mountains, her helper digs up an enormous clump of "bird of Paradise." (The vase is 30" tall.) I have the short version in the yard. Rooting this one gives some additional flower arrangement choices.

I get completely tangled up in language understanding. The afternoon chores is sorting bedding - do we or don't we have 2 sets per bed? Tomorrow we'll have to figure it out. My brain is tired from the sunshine and the walk.

It's back to language study in the evening. PakG's father has been sick for weeks. Today he dies so Gum drives his motorcycle for several hours to the family house, assisting his family with the burial. Muslims are buried within 24 hours when possible.

Friday

Slow and steady. After 2 morning calls, it's back to learning Indonesian; I putter, cleaning fish bowls and walking back and forth for fresh cups of tea. Doing language school online gives me an extra 1.5 hours. Plus, I prefer Zoom calls to in-person, unlike W. He heads off to a pastoral call at a nearby coffee shop.

Can you spot the little visitor on the philodendron leaf beside The Porch where I work? With the garden pots full of water, tadpoles and tropical fish keep us mosquito-free. They're especially valuable after 4pm, when it cools off and mosquitoes go looking for fresh blood.

At class online, I'm more focused. I'm sure the teacher is distracted by the birds singing and the lizard with the 2' tail that runs along the guava branch - but I learn its name. The new word is part of the real world here. Bungolon is chameleon. Can you see it below? 

It disappears when I'm not looking. I only noticed it because its long tail dangles from the branch. Would you have seen it?

I learn the words for "weed" and "shovel," too. Useful, when you're looking at the garden. I can't think of a better location for a classroom. I can review the new vocabulary immediately. 

Driving to school is exhausting in heavy (normal) traffic. Today after class, I'm also not bouncing around on the city streets for another half-hour. (Usually when I get home, the last thing I want to do is study. I want to find a piece of chocolate and read a book instead. haha)

Newlyweds Bella and Sigit and brother Hasfirulloh join us for pizzas in the evening. I chop and arrange ingredients so we can choose our own toppings.

The pizza dough we planned to use doesn't rise - it's been in the freezer too long. So we order two professional pizzas from Nara and put the toppings on that. We melt it together in the oven and then we enjoy our "sorta-homemade" feast. We do have homemade ice cream though.

Saturday

It's the youngest grandchild's fifth birthday. We call (yesterday her time) and get an update on present and can watch her enjoy her birthday cake. 

After a walk, it's a morning of calls. Ibu Ade is over to give our recent arrival a massage, so I request one as well. Feels good to unwind the events of the week. My hair is back to limp so I color it - we can't find the right color here so I buy sale packs when we go to the USA and drag "blond" back with me.

The neighbor comes by during a meeting. Afterward, I return the visit - both of us missing each other. No one is home at our place and then she's left as well. At least I get to enjoy these lovely bird-of-paradise plants inside her gate!

I don't get to eat until almost 2:00. I toss into a pot the leftover pizza toppings, the sauce, and cauliflower from the field we walked by Thursday. = Soup! colorful and good.

When the kids were little, I rarely ate before 2 or 3 in the afternoon. W was gone by the time they woke for breakfast, and after feeding 4 children and cleaning up, I had no appetite. My, how things have changed; I treat myself to a brownie after a big bowl of soup.

Sunday

Last week W shared his story and today I share mine. It's interesting how differently people experience the same events, even when they're together. Our theme is Jesus the light on our path. He shines brightly enough that we can see one step at a time. Our daily challenge is to go where he is leading.

In light of the scathing one-sided memoir by Harry (UK royal family), I'm cautious. I consider the many times I have failed my brothers and they have annoyed - or ignored - me. So what! We forgive - and for the most part, unless someone else brings it up, we forget. That's normal family life, process not perfection, even in an ordinary household. Our kids had fights. They may have snubbed each other with harsh words. But they're friends and confidants. They don't broadcast family failures across the planet. (If they did, who would tell them anything?)

Beside the driveway, the orchids have begun to boom.

Today the hall arrangement is silk poppies and a few kinds of grass from the yard - mostly because I'm feeling zero creativity and we've already got it at home.

After the Gathering, Community Table is a connection point.

And lunch at #Maxis is delicious.

The company is always the best part.

On the way home, I swing by for IbuW's shrimp and corn fritters. Yum!

Read more:

*So now, O Israel, what does the Lord your God require of you? Only to fear the Lord your God, to walk in all his ways, to love him, to serve the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul. Deuteronomy 10:12

Whoever obeys his word, truly in this person the love of God has reached perfection. 1 John 2:5

Moravian Prayer: Divine Wisdom, help us to understand that obedience to your commandments leads us on the pathway of the liberating power of your love. We pray for the strength to surrender all and put our trust in you. Amen.

Traveling fridges

Sunday, January 8, 2023

The first week of the year is past. We set up at 7 at GG for the second Sunday of January's theme: "Jesus, the Light of the World." W leads with his story of how he got to Indonesia. As he speaks, I think how differently the same events were experienced by him and me. God has gotten us here relatively intact, both as a couple and as individuals. It's a marvel.

Oh my, the top shelves in the office are dusty! The cleaner is short and doesn't see that high so it goes uncleaned until I swipe the grime off.

I dislike today's bouquet enough to yank the grass out of it. It's more balanced without that. The bare "flower" branches from the palms look like miniature trees on either side. I hope no one snags on them so that the whole thing falls apart. (We're safe. Whew)

It's almost Sam's last week at IES. Friends and those who have benefitted from his being here pray for his safe travels and a good landing in the USA. He's done a good job leading the youths, too. He'll be missed.

We share a "Happy New Year" lunch with friends at Ethnic Resto.

Back home, over 30 young adults are hanging out on The Porch. They eat lunch, play games, and make new friends. We love it, esp because Sam and others host while we provide the venue.

Usually the dogs are tied up since Indonesians fear dogs. Today they roam and find willing hands to pet them.

The new round patio table is a hit.

Monday

After a walk, I have 2 hours of language school before it's time for home study. I struggle to lock in vocabulary - the vowel sounds slide around between meng- and per- and other prefixes. Today's lesson on customs includes what to say to someone sick in the hospital if you are menjenguk or menengok (visiting).

"Gimana keadaan kamu sekarang?" (Reply comes, then ...) "Semoga cepat sembuh." Yes. It's that different from everything we know.

The big chore today is cleaning the upstairs kitchen and our fridges. In our back storeroom, there's one for movie night, Hangout items, and the cookie stash. Last Saturday, the back fridge repeatedly blew the whole-house electric system. Early this morning, a repairman swings by. The LED light strip is the culprit. He fixes it for $10, including his trip.

We decide to send that cooler to the office.  Gum's friend borrows a little pickup so they can muscle their way to the office to drop it off, along with 10 boxes of cookies.

"Are you safe?" W asks PakG, who says, "Sure."

W asks a few more times, "Is the fridge safe?" as he looks at the side-to-side straps securing it to the truck sides. PakG grabs the bar behind the cab and leans against the fridge as the truck bounces up the street. They make it there in one piece.

The guys bring home the little office fridge and carry it upstairs. The guest fridge in which W kept "his" snacks near his upstairs office has been a hassle; keeping everyone's food separate is an ongoing discussion. Since he mostly works on the teras on the main floor and we'll have guests all next month, so we settle that fridge into the recently-vacated storeroom, closer at hand for him. It will also cool movie night and Hangout items.

I'm checking how well the grasses from the yard dry: can they be used in arrangements? Some do okay. 

Others droop unless we dry them upside down. Once they're stiff, they're ready for use.

 I drape silk flowers into vases and onto pieces of wood (= experimenting.)

Sam makes an overnight visa run to Malaysia. He asks if we want anything from the KL airport grocer. Yes please = how about the BOH tea we can't find here? Except the shops are closed during the time he's there. Oh well.

Tuesday

With language school a priority, team meetings move from morning to afternoon. After one more meeting on The Porch, house-guests Wolter and Fenelin arrive with their cheery 5-mo-old Falk. I make supper for all of us before we head for rest. 

I move paint chips around on the black canvas and take pictures of every move. What if I want to go backward? The green block on the edge bothers me.

An abstract project can take a few weeks. The changes are subtle on this one though many chips move around. How many can you spot? Once it settles in, I'll fix them in place.

Wednesday

After a good night's sleep, W and I head for our date breakfast. The hedges are full of color. Isn't this a pretty shrub, with white, pink, and red showing off at the same time?

On the porch, the hoyas are balls of fragrance.

We're shedding things in an annual New Year's ritual. I have a last look at the wonderful Indonesia pictures taken by our former neighbor. What a gorgeous country. (What an artist #JezOHare is with a lens.)

We're going through linens - who needs more than 2 sets of bedding per bed? Have we used that bed or table in a while? Everything is fair game.

The dogs challenge the many neighbors coming in and out. There's no sneaking around with them barking a warning. One neighbor leaves the gate open and Juno goes outside. She comes back when I call. Good thing none of our animals is a runner.

W records his weekly video and takes our visitors grocery shopping. I write the weekend talk. As the sun goes down, it feels like a day of movement and satisfaction.

Read more:

*From the rising of the sun to its setting, the name of the Lord is to be praised. Psalm 113:3

*But now apart from the law the righteousness of God has been made known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify. This righteousness is given through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference between Jew and Gentile, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.

God presented Christ as a sacrifice of atonement, through the shedding of his blood—to be received by faith. He did this to demonstrate his righteousness, because in his forbearance he had left the sins committed beforehand unpunished—he did it to demonstrate his righteousness at the present time, so as to be just and the one who justifies those who have faith in Jesus.

*May the God of steadfastness and encouragement grant you to live in harmony with one another, in accordance with Christ Jesus, so that together you may with one voice glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Romans 15:5-6

Moravian Prayer; Lord, give us a spirit of cooperation and goodwill. Help us to see the pathway within our circumstance where we can journey alongside others for your glory. Amen.