Happy Indonesian Independence Day

Saturday, August 15, 2026
Alice picks up a few loaves of banana bread for tomorrow's potluck at IES Bandung. We're still living off Veronica and Kiki's bananas, baked when I left for Austin.

IESB celebrates Independence Day (August 17, Monday) on the nearest Sunday: participants are asked to wear red and white (Indonesia's national colors), share Indonesian traditions in the Gathering, and bring food for the potluck afterwards. That's the joy of an international church - we belong to many cultures.

W gets a haircut at the local barber for IDR20.000 ($1.20). He drops past the university/student food court on the way back for smoked chicken burritos. One each (@$1.60) covers lunch and supper. I write some book reviews, read, and thank God for a quiet day.

I head outside to the yard to check if any branches have fallen. The tree stretches tall.

Its branches have been breaking over the yard. They have smashed the neck of the giraffe statue to bits. Woe to anyone who gets caught under a falling limb - it is wide and fragile in old age.

Along the trek back to the Project, the life-sized zebra statue needs a good cleaning and maybe repainting. We haven't gotten to that yet.

I'm slightly freaked out by my latest creation: 3 paintings called "Men behind the Veil." Women around the world wear veils for various reasons: ritual, religion, or privacy. But what if men also lived behind the veil? The scrabbling of mice in the ceiling distracts me from the process.

The last chore of the day is in the guest room. We hang hotel duvet covers with the ornate trim that I discovered in a box. I think Christine may have given that red edging to me. W has to hold up the heavy double-sheets while I fix the trim and pleats in place.

Sunday
Each time I draw open the curtains, the apartment at the foot of the Project feels peaceful.

The little sitting area overlooks a green sideyard.

We walk and W gets more words. For some reason the hilarious competition song, "Anything you can do I can do better" gets stuck in my head. W finds it online and we have a good laugh together. I hang the "Men Behind the Veil" paintings in my office. I'm no feminist but I am happy with equal opportunities for equal gifting and experience.

It's a quiet morning with a relevant, encouraging online Gathering. We lunch at Homeground, a nearby Chinese-Szechwan eatery. One of our favorite dishes is the Szechwanese green beans. So flavorful.

I order Taiwanese noodles. I like spicy + noodles!

Tota, Tetty, and Reuben drop by. I love the themed outfit - Tetty is a fashionista in Indonesia's colors of red and white.

They bring #TitikBadudu 's flower bouquet in the same colors. The whole room lights up.

Every Indonesian island is filled with craftsmen and artists. This tall screen is from Papua - but was found in the Project's backyard.

Monday - National Day in Indonesia

Hardly anyone is about when we walk after 6am. WE've had the first rainstorm in weeks overnight. The leaves and garbage that collect on the shoulders of the streets have washed into the roads. We step carefully to avoid small sticks that could roll under our sandals.

W has a speech therapy session with Agnes. As I prepare for brunch, I pull out a new-ish commercial wok to steam dumplings. Oh my - someone has scraped up the non-stick coating of our best wok in the main kitchen, stirring in it with metal tools. Generally, our best kitchen tools cannot be not shared with local helpers because they don't know how to care for them. This commercial-sized wok was a find at 90% off in a chef supply store closeout. 

I'm disappointed that the finish is ruined. The helpers say they never use it. So the only other option is that a one-time cook at an event must have scraped it, heating their food. Oh well, off the shelf it goes - along with many other things that have been broken around here.

We eat dumplings and siu mai with baby potatoes and homemade dipping sauce. Melvi, home from her teaching stint up north, has brought back shrimp-flavored crackers. 

Her German-language class has 30! students in it. She's a skilled teacher. It's nice to have her join us at the Porch table.

Sayaka gives W a myocranial therapy session; DrG and Melvi come to say hi and have tea on the Porch. Beside us, the persistent swallows are back, trying for the -nth time to build a nest atop a Porch support post. W chases them off with a squirt gun and dismantles the start of a nest - again. The chirping and twittering of our budgerigars, lovebirds, and a canary and the scattering of their seed attract lots of wild birds. We have big cages and have had our birds for years.

Staff is taking the day off so the Project is quiet and peaceful. Tomorrow everyone will be back at work but for now, we set out dishes and food: tea, cake, and cookies. Cleanup is simple - back to the kitchen go the dishes; the food goes home with our guests.

I started on a pita recipe in the morning. It's a lot of work, kneading, stretching, and proofing the dough. By evening, it is ready to fry in a hot pan. Totally worth it - 1 part yogurt to 3 parts flour, with a pinch of yeast, sugar, and salt. You punch it down after an hour or more, then let it rise again before cutting it into pieces (about 3/4c / 180gm size). Then roll it out and fry - with low or no oil.

Tuesday

What a nice walk. The irises are starting to emergy.

Someone strings a wire between 2 trees at the street and hangs their laundry.

They set up shop about 10 years ago along the street, a small seller of fruit. Then they built a structure with a tin roof. Now it's a family dwelling, illegal but solid, right across from one of the best-maintained Padel clubs in the city. Rich and poor live side by side.

A 10" 25cm spider watches it all from above, waiting for food in the web it built across the street.

Read more:
* You have granted me life and steadfast love, and your care has preserved my spirit. Job 10:12

* For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. Jeremiah 29:11-13

* He answered, “The man called Jesus made mud, spread it on my eyes, and said to me, ‘Go to Siloam and wash.’ Then I went and washed and received my sight.” John 9:11

Moravian Prayer:  Protector, you have sheltered your people in the past. Preserve us this day, we pray, from spiritual blindness and earthly trials by reminding us of your unending abundance and penetrating light. Amen.

Some memories and memorable people

Wednesday, August 12, 2026
W comes back before noon, after an overnight observation in the hospital. Lew treats us to supper at Warung Ethnic. The sun falls as we eat.

W orders chicken and basil sambal (hot sauce).

I have the stewed beef. The rice, cooked in leaves, is one of my favorites.

Alice orders fish, complete with head. She helps me finish my rice.

Thursday
It's good to connect with Will, my brother, as he sits at Mom's bedside in the care home. First, we walk.

W poses by the panel truck, a typical size for Bandung deliveries.

I make our usual: oatmeal porridge.

There's a dead spider in the guest bedroom.

I comfort myself with Keelee's coffee cake and a mug of tea. The tea set was a birthday gift from Kristi and Jojo years ago. Everytime I use it, it brings a smile to my face.

We need groceries and rice for next week's giveaways. The broken pavement at the edge of the parking lot is typical.

A woman rapidly crosses the parking lot as I lean on the wall to wait for the guys. She pulls me away from the wall and the tree above. She points to the clusters of caterpillars that have eaten every leaf off. "They will bite you and sting your skin," she says. I move.

For lunch, I make vegetable soup and dumplings.

JP and Judy left us 3 hanging chairs last year. They've leaned on a bedroom wall for 8 months. I take them to the old "stable". When W comes outside, I show him where they go. He hangs them right away.

At 2pm, five pastors show up - Joel, Esther, Ian, Siti, and Dian. We enjoy chocolate cake and fresh-baked chocolate cookies. The helpers smashed Kopiko candies and added those to the dough - the cookies have just come out of the oven.

On the Project tour, the guests head straight for the hanging chairs (a mere half-hour after they've been put up) and swing, enjoying the view of the yard.

They leave sweet fruit, which W has for a snack after they leave.

Friday
Ps Lew heads back to Jakarta after a week of study. IbuS comes by to give me a massage. In late morning, Amy and Eva drop by with a big basket of fruit. We hang out on the Porch with tea and cookies and tour the yard. Everyone loves those Schultz hanging chairs and has to try them out.

We trot across the street for another go at Ayam Pepes Malarasa, a hit with the gals as well. How we miss the hikes with them! They show us pictures of the last one on Thursday - a beautiful new trail. Can't wait to join.

A second rose is blooming on the kitchen windowsill. The fragrance envelopes the room. Two more buds are getting ready to open.

W has a speech therapy session - and then we feel "done" for the day. I post some of the drying durian logs as a giveaway in the Yard Sale Group on WhatsApp. That app is the global go-to for videos, calls, messages, and groups, though Meta's Messenger seems more popular in N America.

The logs are good for seats or small tables when epoxied and the bark stripped off. They're surprisingly comfortable.

Saturday
17 years ago, we made our first trip to Jakarta, Indonesia. The Bramono family warmly welcomed us, treated us to delicious new foods, and showed us their city. We had no inkling that we would move to Bandung 3 years later. We've loved being here for the past 14 years.

On our morning walk, W clearly says pagi ("Morning!") 13X to passersby who greet us. Wow! Each time we celebrate the miracle of speech.

My friend Martha and I chat online. It's always a blessing to see her face. She's a prayer warrior. We discuss the possible role of prayer among widows in the Early Church. Certainly, they have a vital role and were warned not to gossip. How else would they know the latest news, unless they were privy to prayer requests and/or visited needy believers?

It's muggy and overcast. Seems like it's not a clean-air morning. Oh oh, when I check, the Air Quality Index (AQI) is 191. That would be considered very hazardous in North America or Europe. Here it is just another day. 

I look up the definition of the cause: PM2.5. It means "fine particulate matter with a diameter of -2.5 micrometers. It is a major air pollutant made of tiny solid or liquid pieces from smoke, dust, and car exhaust. Because these particles are very small, they can go deep into your lungs and blood." 

Yes indeed, neighbors are burning garbage and leaves; it hasn't rained in weeks so it's very dusty; and tourist traffic is high for the weekend. Well, that explains that. Is it better not to know?

On another pollutant note: I drop a bowl while getting leftovers out of the fridge to send home with staff for the long weekend. There's glass, sweet water, and corn everywhere. Yuck-y. Although, being a Saturday that kicks off a long weekend, we're happy and thankful.

Read more:
* You are the God of my salvation; for you I wait all day long. Psalm 25:5

* Sing aloud, O daughter Zion, shout, O Israel! Rejoice and exult with all your heart, O daughter Jerusalem! The LORD has taken away the judgments against you. Zephaniah 3:14-15

* Ask, and it will be given you; search, and you will find; knock, and the door will be opened for you. Matthew 7:7

* So he came and proclaimed peace to you who were far off and peace to those who were near. Ephesians 2:17

Moravian Prayer: Jesus, you once said, “Blessed are the peacemakers.” Help us see what we can do to make peace in our lives, in our communities, and across divisions. Heal us from our own judgements and make us whole. 

Savior, we trust in your work of redemption. Teach us to wait for you and listen for your guidance. Open our ears, hearts, and eyes to see where and how you are asking us to be your loving presence. Amen.

Memories made and remembered

Saturday, August 8, 2026 
73 years ago, my parents were married in an immigrant church in Winnipeg, Canada. I remember their enduring love and affection. From her teens, Mom was determined to have a marriage of sustained friendship and intimacy, unlike old couples who hardly had anything to say to each other. She and Dad kept their promise to love and cherish. We kids grew up in a loving home. Dad's been gone 5 1/2 years. We miss him like it was yesterday.

W installs a bell at the gate. Most of his purchases are made online: hardware, gear, supplies for volunteers, and even food. Delivery ranges from free to $5 or $10 for big items. Motorcycle taxis and delivery services are the main ways people and goods are transported in the city. Hiring a small pickup costs more: up to $60 for the whole day, including help from 2 strong-backed movers.

When the dogs know they're not coming on a walk, they watch us leave.

Then they scoot to the gate and wait for our return.

We go into the Padma Hotel a few blocks away. It's one of few 5-star accommodations in the city, though not expensive by Western standards. Friends of our have kids and have stayed here before. A staff member gives us a tour of the newly renovated property.

At the bottom of the hill, they're building an adventure park, whatever that is. The tour guide says, "There will be a 1 km (2/3 mile) trail," pointing to where we used to tramp through the forest.

The family pool is full, though the adults-only one has room to spare.

On the way back, we enjoy the new blooms. The leaves may be dusty in dry season but the flowers are fresh.

I do research for an upcoming book, sitting on the beautiful Project Porch. Some students email in their preferred topics for the doctoral class - approved!

I'm grateful each day to steward this space with W. The sun's out. In the cutout between kitchen and porch, the solar fountains bubble to aerate the fishponds (repurposed garden pots.) We don't need aquarium filters or artificial lighting. Rain refreshes the water, while tropical fish keep the mosquito population down.

I write a few book reviews and make chicken and vegetable wraps for lunch.

Sunday

There's a neighborhood futsal (soccer) tournament going on. 

A crowd watches young elementary boys kick the ball on the small triangle that is the park.

The trees tower overhead on the loop.

Breakfast with DrW, a neighbor in our old neighborhood, is a delight. She is an interesting professor and scientist. Plus she's just plain nice and good company. It's her first time at the Indonesian restaurant across the street. We all enjoy the food.

Mom and I trade videos through Will and Lina, who have arrived from Europe. They're sitting with her in the care home for the next 3 weeks.

This morning, our dear friend's younger brother passes away from cancer. There are no words of consolation or comfort beyond, "God's presence is with you right now. We love you."

May God sustain and hold the family in his arms. Pray with us for C and her family, would you? W and I go to the funeral home mid-afternoon, arriving home before dark. We greet family and friends, share condolences, and pass on a heaped plate of the chocolate cookies Carlos loved.

He liked kids and animals, too. He was hoping to visit with our dogs today. Instead, he's gone to be with Jesus. Who knows what delights and health he is enjoying there? Since the Bible speaks of lions and lambs getting along, there may be puppies, too.

Someone gave me a batik jacket. I tear off the tags and wear it. Batik is the formal wear of Indonesia. Afterward, we take a Grab taxi "straight home" through the hills and up our mountain.

Supper is crackers, hummus, and borscht. So good. Papaya cubes soaked in lemon juice are dessert.

Monday
The morning is cool; I need a furry sweater to ward off shivers. The weather guy says it's 74oF/23C in the city but there's no way it is that warm up on our mountain. The entries to village neighborhoods are being decorated for Indonesia's Independence Day on Aug 17.

W and I walk and talk. I know it could have been me - sitting at the funeral home if God had allowed W to have a severe stroke. We are grateful for each blessing. We pray for C's family, thank him for his goodness, and pray over neighbors and friends.

Our meetings are at 7:30 and 9:00am. I hear a scream of delight when W greets the speech therapist with "Pagi!" (good morning). She's surprised and pleased by his progress. Ps and Bs were not possible last week. He's tired when they finish the day's exercises. He mostly communicates by writing.

I spend the morning cooking. I try a new recipe: energy balls. That's a good name for them: each one takes 5 minutes of energy to make = too costly. I season vegetables, potatoes, and tempeh with a packet of green curry spices we bought in Thailand a few years ago. 

It's a HOT HOT HOT lunch - hot-spicy that is. Indonesians have separate words for "heat:" they say panas for hot temperature and pedas for hot-spicy food. They use hot peppers to season many dishes.

We are honored by an overnight visit from C's family, who are not ready to go home after the farewell service. They've brought supper along, and as night falls, we discuss the hope we have in Jesus. Scripture assures us that our salvation is paid in full at the cross and resurrection. There are no further works or obligations owed by the family to ensure God's favor. Carlos is healthy and whole: "To be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord (2 Corinthians 5:8)."

Tuesday - today would have been Dad's 94th bday. And it's Uncle Erich's 95th.
I send a video to my favorite (and only living) uncle, living in a care home in Winnipeg. W and I eat early and walk.

When we get back, I set out a casual breakfast for our guests. I'm always surprised by God's provisions, just when we need them. There's banana bread, various buns from the funeral, and fruit plus a few choices of tea. 

After sitting on the Porch and chatting about heaven and destiny, our guests join us on a loop to get some fresh air. A little tented pickup catches our eyes, the cab barely as tall as I am. (The SUV ahead of it is about nose-height.)

On the way home, we stop for Indonesian food (Ayam Pepes Balarasa). Yum.

I put out sweet and salty snacks at home and withdraw to rest. W pops his head into the room to say he's in AFib again. (Yay for IWatches that measure such things.) He heads to the hospital's emergency room to see what's going on. He leaves me behind to say goodbye to our guests. I send a fresh banana bread along with them.

PakG takes care of the hospital paperwork. He has to leave his ID with the nurses because he uses W's credit card to pay a $250 deposit for care. W stays overnight for observation, but declines my offer to come in. His usual corner on the chaise is empty. No curious professor is reading here tonight.

Wednesday

Juno and I walk a few miles, expanding the loops because I don't know if W will be up to an evening walk. He has the presence of mind to cancel the speech therapist. With no lower-tier room open, W  has been put in a single VIP room with its own bathroom. It's not that exciting but at least it's clean.

The doctor comes by first thing. She orders blood tests and an EKG (which check out normally) before he gets visits from nurses and the pharmacist. Prayers appreciated that this gets taken care of.

Dr Hendy drops by to say hello on his way to some meetings. We pay the additional fees at administration, sign papers, and get a rundown on meds and care. PakG asks for his ID card back at the nurses' station. We are "out of jail" and home by 11AM. 

I make a beet and vegetable stew for lunch on the Porch. We drink in the midweek quiet at the Project. While the staff washes and irons bedding, our other houseguests are hard at work. The dogs bravely patrol the yard against cats and squirrels.

We reward ourselves with a tiny square of nutty homemade chocolate before it's naptime for our weary souls. Feels good after my 4.5 hours of sleep. I doubt W got much more. My dad always napped on the sofa after lunch. I've forgotten what a treat it is, though I took an afternoon nap during all the years that I was raising our kids.

Danny and George drop by the Porch for conversation, tea (with milk, since George is Scottish,) and baking.

Read more:
* Jesus spoke to the disciples and said, “Take heart, it is I; do not be afraid.” Matthew 14:27

* See, the former things have come to pass, and new things I now declare; before they spring forth, I tell you of them. Isaiah 42:9

* The one who sows the good seed is the Son of Man; the field is the world. Matthew 13:37-38

Moravian Prayer: Wise Gardener, thank you for continually sowing good and new seeds in this world. Thank you for never giving up on us, your seedlings. May we follow your example of sowing good and new things to make your world, your harvest, more abundant. We pray this in your name. Amen.