"Up, up with people" (anyone remember that song?)

Avery celebrates her 23rd birthday

Tonight our hearts are overflowing. We've spent two of three days with expats who serve in Indonesia. We're all doing unique work. Most of us are new to the country, first learning the language and culture.

Monday, January 5
We've been looking forward to this day for over a month. The director and his wife have flown in from the Philippines. The Indonesian committee is meeting to help us new arrivals acclimate to Indonesia. We have dinner at Applebees, newly opened in a mall in Jakarta. It's a bit surreal to eat American-style food; we seldom have burgers or Caesar salad here.

We are a very noisy bunch. We celebrate coworker Avery's 23rd birthday. The restaurant staff sings an enthusiastic and off-key ditty and we all cheer.

Getting ready to eat together

The entire back section is filled with new friends from oldest to youngest. The children are very good: they run and play together between eating. In Indonesia, the nanny follows the children around to feed them. Locals don't seem to understand that a child can be corralled in a chair and fed in one location. The Americans capture their kids, feed them, and then let them play.

Jakarta feels less traditional than Bandung. There are a lot more expats. People's clothing is more Western, their attitudes more modern, and their speech and manners are more abrupt. It's easy to see why these urbanites consider Bandung a small town rather than a big city (though it has over 7 million people). In some ways, Bandung feels like a collection of villages. People are connected to each other and look out for their friends and neighbors. We miss Bandung the minute we leave it: we've fallen in love with the people and the city.

A kind mentor and friend

Tuesday
I'm awake at 4am, thinking through the brunch planned for 30+ women at our house next Tuesday. Chairs - do we have enough? (Nope! During the day I text Dr W who arranges for security guards to pick up extra seating from the community center. She sends us their phone numbers so we can call them on the day.) What will I cook? I organize a mental list of foods that can be prepared by 9am. Will the older ladies need help negotiating our steps? Maybe W can help them get up and down to the front door. Etc.

My phone battery is almost dead so I can't listen to the scriptures which often comfort me as I begin to rest. I stuff earplugs in my ears instead and fall back asleep for another hour.

The hotel cafeteria serves a good breakfast. W loads up while I choose a little rice porridge and half an omelet. I'm still full from the American-sized portion last night. Katie joins us with a cup of coffee. One of the delights of being here is seeing the passion and tender hearts of the young interns. They're quicker to pick up language, careful observers, and enthusiastic about ministry and community development.

Asian lights

Some of today's speakers have lived in Indonesia for a decade or more. They provide insights into power distance (who's boss and underling), making donations (carefully, through local organizations), and how to train, teach, and engage with respect. An Indonesian leader reminds us that we are not here to make up our own agenda. For maximum benefit to locals, we must respect and partner with existing charities and projects.

For lunch, we go downstairs to Pesto, an Italian restaurant. My half-plate of salad with a few pear slices and a taste of Gigi's pizza takes me through the afternoon. (Boosted by a few cups of tea in my Contigo thermos, of course.) We break into groups late in the afternoon, sharing what we've found surprising about living here. It's reassuring to hear that others sometimes feel as unbalanced and topsy-turvey in their "new normal" as we do. The veterans remember their first year being the same. We are cautioned to focus on our strengths, not to compare ourselves to others, and to seek God's guidance as we settle down.

Supper in a Thai restaurant provides the backdrop for conversation that is warm and friendly, loud and cheerful. Afterwards, we hug a few people goodbye (early returns home) and say "see you tomorrow" to others.

Genius food warmer, fueled by 2 tealights

W and I are looking for a Brabantia food warmer like the one W found at Christmas. Though we're becoming accustomed to cold food, we prefer to serve heated food hot! And we have lots of guests. We head into the mall, find the warmer, and arrive in our room just before 10pm.

Our income record shows up in our email today. Donations sometimes take a few weeks to be recorded so we don't always know right away when a gift is sent. How grateful we are for the year-end giving entrusted to us. We couldn't be here without generous and faithful partners! W and I thank God at the end of the day. He is Good.

The day has flown by. We've learned a lot and spent hours among fine people with big hearts. A success, I'd say. W's asleep already and another long day lies ahead. Time for bed.

Read more:
*Out of my distress I called on the Lord; the Lord answered me and set me in a broad place. Psalm 118:5 ESV

*O Lord, you have examined my heart and know everything about me. You know when I sit down or stand up. You know my thoughts even when I'm far away. You see me when I travel and when I rest at home. You know everything I do. You know what I am going to say even before I say it, Lord. You go before me and follow me. You place your hand of blessing on my head. Such knowledge is too wonderful for me, too great for me to understand! Psalm 139:1-6 NLT

*Forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. Matthew 6:12 NKJV

*In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace. Ephesians 1:7 ESV

*You are God’s own people in order that you may proclaim the mighty acts of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. 1 Peter 2:9 ESV

Moravian Prayer: Light of the world, thank you for responding to us in our time of need. We declare ourselves to your holy way. Help us respond to others and proclaim your amazing grace.

Heavenly Father, you who are unseen are able to see all. Forgive us for forgetting that you know what we need before we can even ask. Keep our hearts open to sharing your forgiveness with the world. Thank you, Lord. Amen.

Neighborhood council meeting

The neighbor's porch. Hard to believe it's January

As of January 3, we've been here 6 months. Friends who live overseas told us to expect the unexpected. That things would not be like we imagined or maybe hoped. That we might achieve more or less than planned. They said learning a new language was a difficult challenge but worthwhile. And they were right.

Friday, January 2
We walk down to town. It's downhill all the way so it doesn't seem far. Then we walk some more. By the time we get home, we've done about 6 miles (10 km). And the cable TV shop closed before we got there. (Our TV doesn't work; we get a "disconnect" signal. It's hard to hear enough language without it. But W will try again tomorrow.) My feet are tired when the taxi picks us up far from home drops us at the house. The fare is $4.

Potholes can be serious obstacles

Saturday, January 3
W and I walk around the corner with Dr W at 9:20am,  headed to the Community Center for a meeting of the neighborhood council. We are the first to arrive so we go next door first. The lady who lives there cooks beef "floss" = meat fried, dried, and pulled into fluffy bits that are sprinkled on rice, baking, or soups to add flavor. We'll order some when we get back next week. The cook sells through a well-known bakery for twice the price. Better to buy as a neighbor!

About 60 families live in the neighborhood. The main business of the day is affirming a permit to remove and replace a house: a non-local family has purchased the old place and wants to tear it down. "It normally takes a year or two to build," they tell us. Their son is an architectural graduate who is helping his parents as they plan. They show their intentions to the council.

W has to leave: he has to try again to get the company to hook up our TV. I stay to find out how the neighborhood is run and learn a few things:

A mini-pickup truck = motorcycle conversion

• The community leaders are esteemed and educated people. They are polite and respectful to each other. Most were scientists (or spouses of scientists) who worked at LIPI, a scientific research institute established  in 1967 by the government to oversee national scientific progress. When the Bandung facility closed, the government allowed the researchers to purchase land or their rental homes near the institute. (We officially have a neighborhood section number. However,  the sign at the entry uses the old name so that's the easiest way to self-identify.)
• The community center is used for prayers. The man who used to call prayers passed away this fall so prayers are held once or twice a week instead of daily. On one side long runners underlay prayer rugs. 
• Dr W introduces me to Ibu S, who teaches Arabic at the center. She also schedules rentals. Functions must be cleared by the committee, but the center rents @ Rp500.000 (about $45) for neighbors and double that amount for outsiders. The chairman encourages me to rent the building for next week's Ciumbuleuit women's gathering if my house is not big enough. (We may have 30-35, for which we will order take-away boxes from the local bakery, as well as providing food. What oh what shall Ibu A and I cook for so many?!)
• Women are encouraged to join and attend bimonthly LIPI meetings. I was at my first meeting last month at Ibu Wigar's. Ibu Wiwi has just been voted as head of the women's gatherings; we sit next to each other after Waldemar leaves.
• Security guards get minimal pay but can be subsidized by private contributions. We may consider a donation now and again.
• Before the meeting is over, one of the very respected members asks what we're doing here. Our immediate task is learning the language. We are professors so we will be teaching as well. I tell them that we have always had company, so they can expect people to come and go from our house. Our guests will be respectful and pleasant but if there are any problems, would the council please feel free to let us know? If we are inadvertently impolite, will they please correct our manners?
• We each get a lunch box packed with a bottled water and 5 foods, savory and sweet. Oh my. Yum. I taste a few things and take the rest home.

Heron batik

Dr W and I walk home about 11:30 when prayers begin. I'm working in my office when I start to feel peckish. It's after 1, the usual time for lunch. I haven't heard Ibu A cooking so I go down to see what's happening.

She's ironing. I leave her to her work and make soup. After checking out the fridge, I gather the leftovers: sausage in gravy, shredded chicken and mushrooms, eggplant, peppers. We leave tomorrow; I have to use the food up. I boil up a broth, seasoning water with a Maggi beef cube. I toss everything in to blend and heat. In another pot, I cook two rounds of noodles. Then I call Ibu A to join me. "Aren't you hungry?" I ask her.

She gets the giggles when she comes into the kitchen. "What? You are cooking?" She is aghast but between us we communicate that she thought I had already eaten (acc. to W's brief chat before he left) so she made lunch for one: herself. She tries the soup, which is flavorful and spicy. I have two helpings before the noodles run out. Then it's back to work. 

Ibu A washes the dishes and dashes out the door after 3, leaving a clean counter, a pile of ironed laundry and sheets, and washed floors. The marble tiles are still gritty in places so I keep my indoor flip-flops on, as usual.

Ikat fabric: one of a kind

Ibu W calls to let me know that Adeline, the batik artist and community development director, has dropped off the fabrics we were considering Thursday. Would I like to come get them? The invoice is in the bag. I pull out bills from my pocket and pay for the two lengths I want to keep: a lavender and peach ikat that I shall use for a skirt and a 3-tone brown and grey heron pattern. I haven't decided whether it will be for decor or another shirt for W.

W comes back with the errand undone. Yesterday, the staff sitting on the steps after closing said the shop was open 9-2 each Saturday. They neglected to mention that this Saturday was some kind of store holiday. Sigh. He brings in the canary from the porch, who fluffs up his feathers and gets ready to sleep.

We relax in the evening. And we pray over the neighbors, the community leaders, the friends we've met. Over the churches and pastors who will meet tomorrow. Over the house and our surroundings.  Then we fall asleep until morning.

Sunday, January 4
We read the scriptures and pray. There's so much to talk to God about. We are grateful for safety. For a house to sleep, cook, and be hospitable in. This year stretches ahead, unknown and untested. We move forward day by day, asking God for guidance and insight, for connections and favor.

Mobile kitchen: fridge on wheels

We drive to Jakarta in the afternoon. We have an Indonesian Orientation course Monday through Wednesday. The drive takes 2 1/2 hours. That's excellent, one of our fastest trips. Apparently Jakartans have not yet left Bandung after their shopping weekend.

I'm tired after W weaves through traffic. Avery's gone to enjoy karaoke with friends so the flat is quiet when we arrive. While I blog, I absorb the TV reports of Indonesia's recovery efforts after the AirAsia crash on Dec. 28.

The word for sacrifice, scapegoat, and victim is the same in Indonesian:  korban. Our hearts are heavy when we think of the families who waved goodbye to loved ones at the airport ... and will not see them again. We are especially sorrowful for a church in Surabaya who lost over 40 members. The news shows families mourning those they miss.
In the evening, W walks to a neighborhood vegan restaurant for pseudo-burgers. They're cold and kind of hard by the time I pull the "veet" out of the bread and microwave it.

For us, life continues as before. For those who have lost loved ones this Christmas, time stands still as they learn to cope. I look forward to the place without sadness or sorrow, to the time when God wipes the tears from our eyes. Blessings and peace on you in the New Year.

15 years after the millennium scare...

15 years ago, media hype predicted the end of the world. Computers would fail. Data would be lost. Catastrophic electronic shutdowns might signal the start of WWIII or life in the dark. Yet here we are in 2015.

Dr H's house filled with laughter and friendship

One of the most reassuring passages in scripture says that Jesus sustains the universe, down to the last detail. That means we don't fear "end of the world" scenarios. It won't be over until God says so. He is in control, powerful enough to tame nature to his will:

For by Him all things were created, both in the heavens and on earth, 

visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities-- 

all things have been created through Him and for Him.

[Jesus] is before all things, and in Him all things hold together. (Colossians 1:16-17)

We've had a busy ending of the last year and a very sweet beginning of the new. God is holding all things together so our hearts are at peace.

Sunday, December 28
We get word of Air Asia's lost flight as we are on our way to church. All the breath goes out of us in shock.

We read the list of passenger and crew names on our phones. We're walking to an Indian restaurant with 4 Indian friends. Surely families haven't been notified yet. All week, we and our friends will listen to updates. Pray for families. Ask God that people turn toward him for comfort rather than away in blaming and despair. We hear that 40 passengers were Christians on a service trip. Oh Lord.

The groaning brunch table at Dr H's

Monday, December 29
W and I walk to Dr H's house nearby, where her friends have gathered for a post-Christmas brunch. Dr H is hospitable. The variety and selection of dishes keeps growing as guests arrive. Soon the table is full. We begin with casseroles, Vietnamese spring rolls, and Indonesian dishes and end with desserts, including vanilla and coffee-raisin ice cream. 

While W and Dr H's husband talk in the courtyard, about 15 or 20 women visit in the living room. They are teachers, professors, businesswomen, and artists. Some women have active careers and some are retired. I finally get to put faces with names, including the owner of the bookstore-gallery where we found artwork last month. It's inspiring to listen to the history of friendships between the ladies. Some have lived in Indonesia for 40 or 60 years and most are fluent in Bahasa Indonesia.

We meet Dr H's children again, having first shaken hands at the Baptist church yesterday. What an interesting morning. What a nice family.

Delicate beauty

Tuesday, December 30
When the sun comes up at 6, life is already buzzing around Bandung. People head to work, the neighbors' roosters crow, the cats yowl, and the motorcycles rev up. We rarely sleep in. This morning I cook hot muesli for breakfast. Our helper arrives promptly at 8.

About 9:30, Dr H comes by with her sister and a friend. Traffic congestion is no hindrance to Ibu I, who seems unfazed as she negotiates her car through the narrow roads to Dago. Ibu I loves orchids and offers to show us her collection. She is becoming an expert grower. Her three corgis protest our arrival but she shoos the jumpers outside to the courtyard where they trot back and forth. The youngest is blind but runs around the yard and digs in the flower beds like any other corgi would.

Dozens of orchids shelter under shade-cloth or hug bark strips that dangle from metal gridwork. Stunning spikes give us an inkling of the variety Ibu I collects. Some orchids need daily care; others are less needy. All are beautiful in bloom. Her gardening books are marked with acquisitions. My green thumb itches! and my eyes can hardly believe the details of the flowers.

In a corner of Eden

The Dago golf course is near the house, stretching up a steep valley and straddling the ridges of two hills. Only the greens are level. What a workout! Golfers seem focused and hard at work as we drive the upper perimeter of the course. Ibu I points out homes her architect husband is renovating and noteworthy homes.

Before noon we arrive at Ibu R's house at the top of the Dago ridge. It is a miniature Garden of Eden. full of palms, vines, gardenias, roses, fruit trees, and herbs like lemon grass, a basil hedge, and thyme plants overflowing their pots. And she's a fellow orchid-lover. I get tired of hearing myself exclaim over the specimens thriving in the cooler breezes. I can't help it: with tall trees shading the garden overhead, it's the perfect microclimate ... with a devoted gardener in attendance.

A 3-foot spray of orchid beauties

The ladies speak Dutch, Bahasa, and English. It's a good chance to listen to conversation: often people want to try their English on us. It reminds me of when our families get together with a similar mix of English and German. Ibu R prepares soup with squid, fish balls, spinach, peas, and bean sprouts in chicken broth. Delicious - so we all have a second helping.  I still feel full from yesterday's feast at Dr H's. Another friend, Ibu H, arrives as we're almost finished. She's allergic to squid so has to skip the soup, but she eats sticky rice smoked in bamboo and dessert with us.

About 2:30pm, we head home. Elvis croons on the radio and the ladies sing along. The three women, all with similar names starting with H, come in briefly when they drop me off: they want to see the 5' Good News wreath in our living room and they admire the batik hanging from Dr H. 

Meanwhile, W heads to town and finds that artificial Christmas trees are now 70% off. He texts pictures of the limited selection. We agree on a pre-lit one, which he brings home. He sets it up in the stairwell above the living room, a pretty backlight for the movie night coming up.

An inviting entry

Dr W from across the street comes by to ask if I want to walk over to Ibu W's house; apparently she is outside gardening so perhaps we can view her place. We need to move, her house is nearby, and it will soon be vacated. I really want Waldemar along (oh so many Ws and H's today!) but he's not back from town. 

We sit down on Ibu W's back porch. She and her husband move during the next few weeks so she prefers not to show the house. I ask a few questions about its condition, the furniture that would remain (unknown at this point), and any problems we should be aware of. There are little termite droppings under a rattan sofa: Ibu W says they spray at the first sign of termites in the structure, at which the bugs "disappear." Hmmmm. They have ants in the kitchen (as do we) and fruit bats compete for the harvest of their many trees. 

She's planning to take at least half her potted plants with her (a good thing) and utilities are about double what we pay now. Lots of details will have to be worked out before we'd shift. We can come again in mid-January once they've moved most of their things out. At that point we may also take pictures. I put my camera-phone away.

Ibu Ada models how to
wear a sarong and scarf

Wednesday - New Year's Eve
Dr W comes by before 9 to walk us to her friend, who is named Adeline (like my mom's). Ibu Ada's specialty is community development. She has built up a thriving factory that executes her batik designs and provides income to villagers. Her dyes are mostly organic and plant-based and her patterns are unique.

Dr W explains: "Suits are too hot for our climate, so batik takes the place for formal occasions." Waldemar finds a great piece of fabric for a formal shirt.

I find a few fabrics which Ada promises to hold for a few days and take home a lovely silk sarong and scarf.

We tidy up a bit when we get home before jumping in the car and heading to Yogya grocer. We don't know how many guests to expect but have several cancellations during the afternoon. After loading up, we stop for a quick soup at Kolony food court. Then it's time to cook. By the time I've got 4 breads rising (2 for pizza dough), sausages cooked in gravy, and cookies set out, it's mid-afternoon. Time for a nap soon? I'm getting tired.

Except, "Yahoo. Ist Waldemar in? Ist Waldemar itu?" the voice persists at the gate. W opens the door and ushers in Mrs. B. This Swiss-German expat has lived in Indonesia for 40 years. She trained as a landscape artist and horticulturist in Berlin when she was young. Recently widowed, she's moved into a friend's house nearby. We have tea and cookies together but I get up after 5 to resume cooking. She waves goodbye around 5:30 and I dive into our room for a brief snooze.

Holiday greetings from the kids

By 7, we're up and finishing preparations for guests who arrive about 8:30. We're a small group - 6 of us. The movie is A Walk in the Clouds, accompanied by popcorn and ginger tea (Dr W's contribution). Intermission gives us time to munch on pizza and talk.

And afterwards, what a sweet time. As midnight rolls around, we choose verses I've printed on cardstock tags and read them aloud. Each of us chooses a significant promise and blessing. We feel deeply touched, reflecting on what we wish we could have done better and what we accomplished in 2014. 

Firecrackers explode across the hillside as we share our hopes for the New Year. It's so noisy! We pray around the circle to request God's favor and help in 2015. Finally, Waldemar speaks a blessing over us:

The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make his face to shine upon you and keep you; 

the Lord make his face to shine upon you and be gracious to you;

the Lord lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace. (Numbers 6:24-26)

Crepes in process

What a special beginning to the year. Sumathi and Augustine help clean up. Most of the dishes are done as we fall exhausted into our beds in the wee hours of the morning.

Thursday: Happy New Years everyone!
Sumathi and Augustine have slept over. By 10:30, we're drinking coffee and tea and eating crepes. W and I bought lingonberry preserves at IKEA and have been saving it for a special occasion. This would be it! With whipped cream, the crepes and apple pastries Sumathi found are a treat. Fresh fruit and home-baked bread from last night completes the meal.

Farewell to the Christmas season,
before the decorations come down

I walk our friends to the angkot and wave goodbye. Then it's back home to pack up Christmas trees and decorations. We pull the festive tablecloth from under the protective glass of the dining table and toss it in the wash. The lace comes off the nails sticking out of the living room walls for laundering, too.

While the washing machine swishes the dust and dirt away, W and I watch Eat, Pray, Love. We've heard so many positive things about it. But we are mystified about why people think it's a great movie. The scenery is pretty, the food looks interesting, and we like to travel. But what a confused and conflicted theme. A woman leaves two lovers behind and ends up in a relationship with a stranger in Bali? Hardly a good role model for viewers. Jesus said life was more than food and clothing. The self-centered and self-destructive quest for "god as me" should send shock waves through anyone calling themselves a follower of God.

W and I tug the metallic threads straight in the damp table cloth. I hang it to dry, along with  the bedding and lace, pulling the drying rack into the kitchen which has better air flow. By 10, we're in bed and before midnight, the blog is written.

Our love and wishes for a great year to you and yours.

The most wonderful time of the year

Glimpses of the family via internet

What a lovely time we've had. In past years, I've disassembled "Christmas" decor the day after Christmas. Here the tree's still up, the decorations are out, and we're not done yet meeting people.

Christmas Eve
We'd come to Jakarta the night before so a relaxing morning is welcome. Avery has decorated the flat with lights and a little tree. W and I walk a few blocks on rugged sidewalks and gutters to the Rempoa Outlet for a top and trousers (under $20 for both). Then we turn down the street for "House of Lamb" cuisine. Pretty good, actually!

A mostly mutton menu

On the way back, we wander through the neighborhood and almost get trapped in a dead end. The fellows watching us point out a narrow sidewalk alley where we can get back on track. A few twists and turns, a walk back toward the way we'd come, and there we are back at the flat. Hot. Sticky. Stinky. Ready for a shower and nap.

We leave for church a few hours before the 6pm service. W and I join other staff members to greet guests as they arrive. "Merry Christmas sounds odd to me after saying it hundreds of times," one gal whispers. So true. Good thing Indonesians are very gentle in shaking hands or we would have had crushed fingers.

Pastor Dave introduces the staff "family" to the congregation and expresses his appreciation. We are always touched to be included. Hearing the story of Christmas through song and sermon is reassuring and affirming.

A policeman pads his Christmas bonus by
relieving W of Rp500.000 ($45) for an
imagined offense in Jakarta

God with us. Such a mystery! Only God could come up with the idea of being born in the lowest circumstances to experience life and suffer death as a human. (We always try to avoid pain and insignificance, wouldn't we?) To think he was reconciing us to himself. It's hard to grasp but wonderful to contemplate!

Between evening services, about 50 staff members and musicians eat together in the offices upstairs. Supper choices: mie goreng (fried noodles) or nasi goreng (fried rice), boosted by several Dominos pizzas courtesy of Bramonos. W and I arrive on time to split the last piece of pizza.

The 9pm service is just as good as the first. We head home once people stop coming in (3/4 hour after service starts), riding home with Avery and reflecting on the goodness of God. Our driver does a snazzy turn through an almost-empty neighborhood to avoid congestion. Except that the other end of the street is blocked off so we have to return and fight traffic anyway. We are home by 11pm.

PD preaches the Christmas message

Christmas Day
The services are wonderful and well-attended. A few people come early and most arrive within a half hour of the set time. The musicians outdo themselves and the Word is spoken with power and grace. Our hearts are full as we listen and respond. God with us.

God with us. I am staggered to think of it.

About 15 of us have lunch together at the Grand Hyatt. It's a feast for the senses: beautiful decor, excellent food (including "real" bread rather than the fluffy stuff that's common in bakeries), and good company. We sit and chat until after 3pm, when we head back to the flat. I have a brief snooze.

A jungle stroll

Then W and I drop by Dave and Gigi's briefly, before driving back to Bandung. Hard rain and lightning accompany us most of the way home. W follows busses and trucks onto the shoulder of the road, bypassing traffic that is too slow. We're home within 3 hours and happy to drive into the yard.

Boxing Day
We're up early. By 8am we're at the Bamboo Shack, a little restaurant in Dago owned by an Australian and his Indonesian wife. The menu, a combination of Asian and Western foods, looks interesting. But we're gathering with other expats to hike in the hills. When 7 or 8 of us have gathered, a driver takes us to a parking lot at the trailhead.

One couple brings their huge golden retriever, who trots off-leash. The Indonesians along the trail almost melt with fear: they hate dogs. It's about 4 km. down the jungle trail to the lower parking lot. The trail is paved somewhat regularly, especially considering the damage by motorcycles tearing up the path. A few boulders have rolled down over the paving and the trail diverts around them. Monkeys chatter, watching watch us from the tree canopy.

W takes pictures. I meet a German student who is in Bandung for a few days visiting a fellow from her university in Berlin. She's studying in Thailand, not going home for Christmas for the first time ever. At the bottom of the walk, we pause for grilled corn-on-the-cob.

The Dutch etched tunnels for water turbines through the hillside but the hydro project was never completed. We walk through the cool passageway toward the parking lot.

New friends at the Bamboo Shack

W buys tea for the restaurant owner and ourselves as we wait for the rest of the group to come by. After a half hour we give up and have the driver take us to the Bamboo Shack. The others walk the rest of the way and meet us there.

Meanwhile, the owner grills up sausages and the staff serves tea and coleslaw, rice and potatoes, and drinks. Delicious! We chat until after 2pm when W and I head home. It starts to rain in earnest on the way back and there's no one else in the angkot. So the driver veers off his route to take us to our door. W tips him generously.

At 5, we walk around a few corners in our neighborhood to find out who tucked an invitation for a Christmas open house in our gate yesterday. Oh, it's Pak Alan (whom we've not met) and his wife Christine. We're the second family to drop in, meeting their children and indulging in some home-cooked food. We have to leave by 6pm. They and the other family are conservative believers, reminding me of the people we grew up with. Familiar and sweet memories bubble up in my head.

The beautiful couple enters

By 6:30, we are on our way to a Sundanese wedding reception with Dr W. It's my second and W's first Sundanese wedding. We again have no idea how to dress. "Not too formal, not like last time. I'm wearing trousers," says our friend. So W wears a large-scale batik-print shirt and I'm in a skirt and blouse topped by a white shawl, hand-knitted by my Auntie Edith 20 years ago. But when we look around the room, it's obvious that W needs a great-quality batik: the men wear gorgeous patterns on silk or cotton fabric. Dr W makes an appointment for us with a friend for next Wednesday: she's a clothing designer so will help us find a proper shirt. Whew.

The bride and groom wait under a golden parasol while a traditional orchestra plays and dancers parade the red carpet ahead of them. Then the couple enters, followed by clergy and both sets of parents. Their clothing is splendid: sparkling pastels, beautifully wrapped head-dresses, and shiny shoes. After the family lines up on stage, the dancers perform another set between them and their 1000+ guests. The women beat drums, twirl, and bow, then both men and women performers line up on the platform for a picture. Soon the receiving line starts.

Traditional Sundanese music and dance

A separate area of tables is sectioned off for the family, but the food is abundant for all the guests. Besides two central buffets of Sundanese foods, there are a few drink tables. (No alcohol of course.) One caterer cooks fish and chips. Other vendors offer noodle and beef hide soup, filo-pastry-topped chicken and veg soup, chicken saté, nasi goreng, and other dishes we don't recognize. There's an entire circle of tables laden with desserts, from ice cream to coconut concoctions, to jellies, to other sweets.

On stage: beautiful clothes for the receiving line

We circulate around the room. Everyone is polite but our poor choice of clothing is obvious. Dr W hasn't seen some of her university friends for 30 years. One man, widowed 3 weeks ago, has been persuaded to come and his friends surround him all evening. Dr W encourages us to speak Bahasa but most conversation flows around us in local Sundanese. The loud music makes talking almost impossible.

After 9pm, we are ready to head home. "So much food was left over," our friend observes. "Such loud music makes it difficult to eat." We pick up party favors - little batik-print wallets - as we leave. (To get them, we exchange coupons received when we signed the guest book upon entry.)

Classmates catching up

Dr W's driver is waiting in the parking lot. He easily negotiates the car through still-thick roadways, taking us up the hill, turning into the narrow lane of our neighborhood, and parking in Dr W's gated driveway. We wave our goodbyes from the porch, waiting for her to go safely into the house.

Sunday, December 28
We call the family in the morning to catch up on their Christmas. Then it's off to church downtown. Only about 80 people are in the Baptist's English service. Among them are our friends Dr H and her family and Sumathi and Augustine. The pastor reads from Peter's epistles and talks about leadership traits.

A street vendor carries New Years favors

After service we have lunch at a nearby Indian restaurant with Sumathi, Augustine, and two other friends. It's their anniversary tomorrow, and the other husband had a birthday yesterday; his wife's birthday is tomorrow. The food is neither the best nor worst we've eaten. We finish off the spicy mutton, curried chicken, and roti with rice. We use our fingers to pick up the food. "It tastes better than eating with cutlery," they tell us.

W and I walk to Istana Plaza to see if Christmas trees are on sale. At 50% off, the only one that looks good is $200. No deal. We catch an angkot back to our neighborhood and walk home. The rain holds off; we are still dry when we get back and the back hall has not flooded. (Mind you, W swept pools of water out of the hall after last night's rain. The little rugs that capture water before it can go into our kitchen were soaked so they got hung outside.)

The rest of the day is relaxing, a true Sabbath. Now it's almost 2am, time for sleep. We're expected for an early brunch at a friend's in the morning.

Read more:
*Bless the LORD, O my soul, and all that is within me, bless his holy name! Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits. Psalm 103:1-2 ESV

*Guard your steps as you go to the house of God and draw near to listen. Ecclesiastes 5:1 NASB

*Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Matthew 11:28 ESV
*(After seeing the infant Jesus, old Simeon) took him up in his arms and blessed God and said, “Lord, now you are letting your servant depart in peace, according to your word; for my eyes have seen your salvation that you have prepared in the presence of all peoples, a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and for glory to your people Israel.” Luke 2:28-32 ESV

*But when the fullness of time had come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under the law, in order to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as children. Galatians 4:4,5 NEV

*Rid yourselves of all sordidness and rank growth of wickedness, and welcome with meekness the implanted word that has the power to save your souls. James  1:21 NEV

Moravian Prayer: Holy One, guide us in your way, lead us back when we stray from the path you set before us and renew us with your presence, we pray. Amen.

C. S. Lewis in The Problem of Pain
On self understanding: Be sure that the ins and outs of your individuality are no mystery to Him; and one day they will no longer be a mystery to you.

The implications of Christmas

Foyer of the Jakarta Grand Hyatt

It's our first Christmas abroad. We attend church services, meet lovely people, and feast during Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. When we head home on Christmas night, rain pours down and little streams gush along the sides of the road. The motorcyclists push past, eager to get off the wet roads of Bandung.

We've been praying for people we know, for IES Jakarta, and for our future. As we pass a university, we make a request: "Dear God, protect the students. Give them peace and keep them from moral failure."

Which leads us to wander into theology. What did we just pray for?

Friends by the
IESJakarta Christmas tree

Our trail of thinking starts with this question: is it significant to pray that people live good lives, whether or not they are Christians?

Scripture says sin separates us from God. It also says that Jesus came into the world to redeem us, paying the penalty for our sin. In this way he reconciles us to God. Therefore, Christmas is about celebrating the coming of God-among-us. God-with-us, called Immanuel.

We read in the Bible that when we try to save ourselves by keeping the law and living "righteously" by religious rituals and rules, we must keep each and every law perfectly. (James 2:10)

Once we've made one mistake, we are separated from God. We are imperfect before a Perfect God. It might make us angry to think that Someone has the right to judge our limitations and flaws. But not liking God's standard doesn't negate it.

Which leads us to consider the effects of sinning. Does committing a lot of sins - or do the kind of sins we commit - matter?

Exquisite food

1. Sinning more doesn't separate us more from God. Our relationship is already broken by our first sin.

2. In our separated state, "more sins" do have an effect. They harm us and our fellow creatures. So when we pray that students will avoid moral failure (lying, cheating, sexual sins, etc.), we're praying for their protection. That they do not harm themselves or others by their actions.

All of us suffer from bad choices and sins. Sometimes those decisions are ours, but sometimes other people have followed evil desires with consequences to us. When we pray for each other, we plead for reconciliation and reconnection between us and our Maker. But we also ask God to keep us from hurting each other or from damaging our reputations and our futures.

A selfie at Starbucks on Christmas day

3. By accepting God's forgiveness and forgiving others, we purposefully do less harm to ourselves and to others.

We choose freedom to live graciously, to love wisdom over convenience, thoughtfulness over self-interests, and longterm good over temporary pleasures. Imagine a world filled with people who lived this way!

Let's extend the freedom and generosity offered by God's Christmas gift to others. Then the blessings and peace of the season will be ours all year long.

0 MERRY CHRISTMAS, EVERYONE! 0

Read more:
*For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the greatness of his government and peace there will be no end. He will reign on David's throne and over his kingdom, establishing and upholding it with justice and righteousness from that time on and forever. The zeal of the LORD Almighty will accomplish this. Isaiah 9:6-7 NIV

*Indeed, there is no one on earth who is righteous, no one who does what is right and never sins. Ecclesiastes 7:20 NIV

*(Jesus says,) "In the same way, I tell you, there is rejoicing in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents." Luke 15:10 NIV

*God will repay each person according to what they have done. To those who by persistence in doing good seek glory, honor and immortality, he will give eternal life. But for those who are self-seeking and who reject the truth and follow evil, there will be wrath and anger. There will be trouble and distress for every human being who does evil: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile; but glory, honor and peace for everyone who does good: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile. For God does not show favoritism. Romans 2:6-11 NIV

*For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles at just one point is guilty of breaking all of it. For he who said, “You shall not commit adultery,”also said, “You shall not murder.” If you do not commit adultery but do commit murder, you have become a lawbreaker.

Speak and act as those who are going to be judged by the law that gives freedom because judgment without mercy will be shown to anyone who has not been merciful. Mercy triumphs over judgment. James 2:10-13 NIV