A cold week in a warm city

Monday, January 12, 2026

It's COLD in Bandung. By early afternoon it's only 72oF/22oC. Brrrr to 66o/18o at night. With the wind blowing up the valley, I put on a thick sweater. It's been mostly grey and drizzly for a few days, which we're not used to. The tree trunks are shedding bark again.

A friend comes over to discuss his possibilities for work after graduation. It's wonderful how God directs a person's path, especially after diligent studies at university or seminary. That's not to say that it isn't stressful for those waiting for new doors to open.

The yardman is cleaning the garden, which has eruptied into a weed patch again. It's startling how quickly plants grow. The last patch of lawn is hand-weeded but a thick 5" /12cm carpet of weeds blankets flowerbeds within 2 weeks. There are orchids to replant that Juno (a labradoodle who got bored) dug up, plus more pots of plants to bring from the old place.

W hangs curtains in the guest room. In his new office, he re-oils his adjustable standing desk. The top is a beautiful live edge slab of wood.

There's time to edit the journal article that's been sitting on my desk for a month. "Is it done yet?" I got two reminders about it.

"No, I'm in the middle of moving households. It will have to wait" ... until today. Fortunately, doctoral candidate Flint is a good writer with something to say. That makes my job easier. I send it off, checking one more thing off the to-do list. 

An editor sends an email: will I edit a book for a well-known author? "It's short - only 4 chapters of theology." Sure - while I begin to outline an entry I'm writing for a new encyclopedia. Sometimes there's not much writing or editing going on; other times it rains pages of words.

Just before sunset, we walk over to get Juno, a night watchdog. The short trip clears our minds after too many decisions. Juno's happy to walk anytime and ecstatic to get treats when she arrives. At night she chases the ginger cat who owned the place before the dog/s took over.

Tuesday

Today is W's big day to set up his office. He moves furniture and bins into place. I offer a choice of art for the back of the lemari (cabinet) that divides the room. He chooses one but art's not his priority.

Della stops by with the media person for an upcoming wedding. Upstairs, the mattresses have been aired. Helpers try to locate the bedding they packed away. We'll have more overnight guests next week. Little by little, we're normalizing the household in a new location.

W drags boxes, tools, and black bags full of linens out of a guest room. He assembles the teak four-poster bed that friends left behind when they repatriated last year. (They purchased the beautiful carved antique for their daughter 30 years ago.) W puzzles together the slats holding up the mattress. So now we'll need a mattress for it ... 

The yardman finds out that there's a wedding ceremony outdoors in 3 weeks: he's instructed to make the yard beautiful as possible for that day. At the event, guests likely will demolish his hard work. Then he'll kickstart the yard again. "Hire a helper if you need one," we offer.

Someone remarks, "This yard is like a tropical version of a British garden." Ah, I love the borders of British gardens! The spider plants are growing taller along the path and the backbone shrubs are settling in.

We hear the weed-wacker mowing excess growth from the cobbled driveway. Because the windows are open, mud and bitty sticks fly in. I click the window shut while W gets his trusty dustpan and hand broom to sweep the sills and floor. Teamwork!

PakD plants a dozen or so poinsettias that Titik and Chandra gave us after Christmas Eve. "Ke mana?" (Where do you want them?) Right where we put the pots: they'll make a nice green - and occasionally red - hedge along the driveway.

      

Wednesday - Happy birthday, young M!
It's our granddaughter's 8th birthday. She's having a fine day with her siblings as we call.

The helpers left the house quiet and clean yesterday. It's a restful space, even as people come and go.

I fiddle with a painting. A good thing about digital phone cameras is the ability to test the direction of a painting before committing. An overpainting of a faded print on pressboard seems to be headed toward this

from this. (The color shift really is that dramatic.)

The women's group meets for a few hours. Indonesian friends teach me about domestic workers, money, and culture. "Be careful," they caution us. They strongly warn how foreigners unknowingly ruin the local economy with excess generosity. There will be no future jobs for our helpers with local employers if we overpay. Locals "will never match the working conditions or salaries at foreigner's homes, especially if those expats are Christians."

Juno comes with us for the night. She loves to be on a leash and even runs for it from the freedom of a hike. In the evening, her tail wiggles her whole body as W clips the leash onto her collar. The others stand guard where they are.

Thursday

Another missed hike. It's drizzling and cool out. W's pulled muscle is not cooperating yet so we both opt out of the mountain walk. At least we get in a one-loop stroll with the dogs. They don't care one whit about the rain or the parades of chickens at the garbage dump. (Cats are another matter, at least for Anton the poodle.)

There's new termite frass under a door frame inside. W shoots a photo for the contractor.

There's a monstrous tub in a side bathroom; W gives it its first go to see if that relaxes his muscles.

The helpers sort bedding today, besides doing other chores. "Every bed needs a sheet, pillows and pillowcases, and a blanket in a duvet cover." There are a few piles here and there, some drawers with sheets and covers, and one or two large black garbage bags containing linens. Good luck matching everything.

Bedding was tossed in here and there for the move. I packed 2 bedrooms downstairs and mostly found out where that got stored at the Project. But they stripped and washed the bedrooms upstairs. I don't even know what we have - and ask for an audit. Do we need anything else?

I'm still finding art for the guest rooms. Until they're hung up, the frames lean on each other or are stacked into an office shelf.

I spot some beautiful prints from a shop selling student art in Penang (Malaysia). Goodie, there are the empty frames. There's no time for match-ups now but that's on the horizon, too.

W and I read through Sunday's talk after I write it. This week's topic is "God the Son." What love. What sacrifice.What triumph over hell and the grave. Read about it here.

Read more:

* O LORD, there is no difference for you between helping the mighty and the weak. 2 Chronicles 14:11

* But Jesus rebuked the unclean spirit, healed the boy, and gave him back to his father. [Read the story here Luke 9:42.]

Moravian Prayer: Almighty Physician, we pray for healing in our lives and in the lives of others. Our bodies and minds are frail, yet your gentle touch lifts us up. We pray that you grant courage and strength to all those who do the work of healing in our communities every day. Grant unto them your peace. Amen.

A blooming best

Saturday, January 10, 2026

Between the walk, calls, and making appointments, +7000 steps track on the watch long before noon. Papers, waiting on my desk for a week, get sorted, put away, or tossed, hurrah! On the Porch, the orchids are blooming.

   

Our two wayang puppets finally come out of storage. 

We bought them the first year we were in Indonesia. 

Last time they were put away, someone roughly crammed them into their original boxes. Some jewelry is missing and damaged because the brooches and metalwork are frail. Sigh. W thinks he can glue the platemetal pieces back together. I hope so.

A neighbor's vines are glowing with red blossoms 4m/12' above the ground.

Another neighbor is setting up for a wedding today. The grounds are immaculate and the style is typical from the Dutch and post-Dutch era. Tall ceilings draw the heat up, while white plaster walls, and a red clay roof complete the architecture. Flying into Bandung, you see a sea of such red roofs.

Breakfast is a sweet potato, baked for hours yesterday. So good.

We get a few dozen star fruits off the tree; the worker roughly shakes the branches and a few fall into the picker basket while others hurtle onto the ground (is that good for them?!) It's surprising to see what is already growing here, besides the garden we transplanted from the old place.

In early afternoon, the kids' team comes over. They're planning the coming semester of teaching English to village children. English improves their chances for good jobs and a better income for their families. Usually moms and kids come, learning in separate classes. The progress is incredible for serious students; for others it's a fun social time.

Sunday

We cherish every week with this community of faith. Della brings spices: nutmeg and cloves. How kind of God to create us with senses that can appreciate beauty. Titik makes a creative surprise of flowers.

"You can eat the top ones," she offers. It's bitter ginger.

We feel so blessed to have these flowers shared each week. The wayang puppets keep watch from their tall perch.

Dina sends along 10 plastic mats for the upcoming kids' English days, very pretty!

Whether I work in the kitchen or other rooms, I'm surrounded by green. The 10'/3m hedge outside separates us from the busy traffic lane into our old neigbourhood. It not only refreshes the eye but dampens the sound of motorcycles and cars.

W transfers some of his old office into the new. I make soup with old (5 years?) turkey broth and vegetables. I cut in homemade spaetzle noodles, just like I saw a lady make in Austria 51 years ago. Some things you don't forget - especially if they're delicious. It's so good - we've almost forgotten the taste of turkey since it's prohibitively expensive here ($70-100US for a mid-size one).

Monday

W meets his study group and I attend meetings after we walk the dogs. But first, a stunning sunrise on our way to get the dogs.

A bulb reaches for the sky beside the street.

These little berries are bright against the dark green hedge.

And the night-showoff, the beach spider lily (Hymenocallis littoralis) is doing its thing.

I go to the grocer for vegetables and dog bones - at 20c/knuckle, bones are a weeklong bargain that keep those teeth busy. Juno's dug almost to China, flinging soil out of the planter, putting orchids on the pavement ... she's bored.

This guy didn't make it across the street. He's about 2'/70cm long, including his tail.

Some days are better than others, right?

Read more:

* Far be it from us that we should rebel against the LORD and turn away this day. Joshua 22:29

* Pay close attention to yourself and to your teaching; continue in these things, for in doing this you will save both yourself and your hearers. 1 Timothy 4:16

Moravian Prayer: Our ultimate Teacher, we thank you for giving us the words to speak when we struggle to express ourselves. Thank you for walking with us when we are tempted to walk away. Thank you for always being near us. We pray, in Jesus’ name. Amen.

Grateful for every miracle

Tuesday, January 6, 2026

The team is here for supper. We're short one couple and we miss them! We love these committed and passionate friends. Everyone leads something, according to their interests and gifts.

Della, head of Karel Taste catering, cooks a wonderful New Years feast, starting with soup. That's followed by beef rendang, chicken, shrimp, rice wrapped in banana leaves, and vegetables.

She likes to cook and we like to eat her food.

Dessert? A delicious coconut custard called klapertart. 

Wednesday

Today's the day Christmas decor starts to move to storage. Outside, all is calm. The 80' Norfolk Island pines remind us that houseplants grow differently in their native climates. They absorb pollution, noise, and sightlines.

The Christmas tree's only been up for a week but it's been a pleasure, elevated to eye level by sitting on a table.

After our walk, I have one last look at the living room before it devolves into chaos.

The lights, the bulbs, the garlands ... we enjoyed them all this year.

This tree, given us in a cardboard box with oven drawings on it, was so pitiful that W hesitated to put it together. It has an old-fashioned "stick-with-drilled-holes" trunk and flip-floppy branches that have been inserted and taken apart too many times.

But with one loooong (10 meter/32'?) red garland and a few boxes of red and gold ornaments, it looks pretty in the entry. Today it is stowed back in its oven box, along with the red garland.

We're finding strange little pieces that need repair but for the most part the Project is settling in. This window has a 1X3cm/1/2X2" piece of glass missing in a corner. The drain in one sink leaks. The rayap (termites) are eating their way through a just-replaced window sill. Oh well.

An ongoing process is assigning tasks and ensuring that they can be done in the time allotted. The women are clear on their work inside after sitting down with me yesterday.

But what needs regular maintenance outside - and by whom? Star fruits are rotting on the ground instead of being picked up. The dog pawprints on the side terrace are there for a few days - it's been swept but not mopped. The balcony is littered with leaves. We decide to go through the outside list on Friday.

My favourite meeting of the month lasts 2 hours. I join online from the "apartment" terrace at the far end of the Project. At the end, we all feel celebrated and prayed for. We've been given good counsel from other leaders. Thanks - you know who you are and how important you are to me and each other.

By evening the main Christmas tree is almost bare. The other trees have been packed up for next year and the ornaments are finding their way into boxes. We walk to the old place to pick up W's hiking shoes. He somehow splits a chunk off his big toenail. It looks painful to walk, never mind a hike. He wraps it and says it's fine unless he thinks about it (or someone asks him about it.) 

Thursday

It's been over a month since we've hiked. Today is the day! On the drive to the mountains, we spot someone making charcoal from coconut husks. That will smoke the sate made later in the day.

There's a good turnout for the New Years hike: 14 hikers. Our destination is the Dutch forts from where young men fought each other in the Indonesian war for sovereignty from the Dutch colonists.

Eva is a great trail leader. We wind up and around the hills for about 8 km (-5 miles). Everything in the forest looks the same to me and probably to most of the others. The dogs love their mountain runs, romping and playing together. They come back for water or treats. 

Eva knows just where she's going. On the first half, the visitors lag behind. Someone gets a cramp and has to wait it out. Another pauses to take pictures. Still others cannot talk and walk at the same time. It takes a couple of hours to climb 4 km (2.5 miles). Beside the trails, local guys are chopping strips from pine bark to harvest the gluey sap in half-coconut shells. It's illegal.

On the way back, Eva keeps everyone together by telling them she's not responsible if they get lost. It's easy to lose track of where we are, with trails going off in every direction. 

When the sun is behind clouds, it's not possible to tell which way we're facing. So the newbies stay within sight of the rest of us. It's much quicker coming back with no long pauses.

Five of us lunch at Sindang Reret, a traditional restaurant with floating boat tables set in ponds. Those are not for us today; after a hike, we don't want to sit on the floor around a short table. We stick to a regular table and chairs. The food is excellent, as is the company.

W's in an experimental mood. He orders a gourami special. "Want to try it?" he asks. Nope. But he says it's good.

It's a busy afternoon with time for a bath before nightfall. I still can't believe we have a tub!

Friday

Sunrise varies during the year from about 5:45-6:15AM in Bandung (6°54'36"S). In the Southern Hemisphere, days are longest in December and shortest in June. The 1m/3' leaves on this roadside plant turn toward the light as the sun comes up.

As W and I walk the dogs, we marvel at the fresh growth on the 6m/19' stub that was left after pruning a few months ago. The bare trunk has a "new tree" bursting out of the top. Everything grows back here.

W goes through tasks with the outside helper. The rhythm of work changes at each residence. It can take staff a while to settle into working efficiently, especially if they're used to long breaks during the day. We share our wifi and everyone has a phone, swiping and scrolling during down time. They may have less time for that here.

We put away the last of the Christmas things. While W puts the trees and decor into storage, I sort through bags of kitchen boxes and Tupperware that were dropped off under the stairs during the move. We're making daily progress. 

The Christmas display made by Ruth turns back into a congklak, a children's game played with shells.

As I scroll back through pictures of the Project to find the decorated 1m/3' congklak, I get cold sweats. What were we thinking? We were unpacking and decorating on December 23 and 24 while expecting a houseful of guests on Christmas Day. How did that even happen? Seems God performed a miracle so we were ready. Whew.

Between it all, we do our work.

Read more:

* Arise, shine; for your light has come, and the glory of the LORD has risen upon you. Isaiah 60:1

* You rule the raging of the sea; when its waves rise, you still them. Psalm 89:9

* And [Jesus] said to them, “Why are you afraid, you of little faith?” Then he got up and rebuked the winds and the sea, and there was a dead calm. Matthew 8:26

Moravian Prayer: Masterful Creator, you made all that is and gave humans free will, knowing that we would be imperfect and selfish beings. When we try to justify bad behaviors, touch our hearts with Jesus’ words, reminding us that peace comes from forgiveness, not blame. In trust, we pray. Amen.