On Wednesday, we fly to Jakarta to meet up with the rest of our squad. We’re so excited to see them and hear about what God has been doing throughout Indonesia, though sad to leave our Bali family. It feels like we’ve been here forever yet not long at all. I’m beginning to think this will be the year of goodbyes.
This week we went to the village of Batuan, where the village leaders asked us to teach English for three days. It’s about 20 minutes outside of Ubud, and known for its artisans. The leaders were incredibly gracious and welcoming; they offered us a protected place to stay, provided transportation for all seven of us, served us meals and gave us the inside scoop on village life.
The goal of our trip was to have an English camp like our Fun Friday events– helping the elementary school kids learn English by games, songs, and skits. The kids were eager to learn, eager to make mistakes. When you would mispronounce something in Bahasa, they were quick to teach you the correct way and we’d laugh at our shared awkwardness.
The first evening, we received a performance by the kids and a Balinese dance lesson. The village leaders taught us girls to dance with our eyes and fingers, while the boys learned to play the percussion piece that the girls danced to.
The next morning, we were dressed in traditional clothing for a photoshoot in the rice fields. We were dying to try on traditional dress and didn’t think we’d get a chance.
After an afternoon of singing and games, we learned how to make a traditional Balinese barbecue with the village leaders. We found that the men do most of the cooking in their village. We chopped peppers and made fish satay, while the men made the soup and roasted our satay over the fire.
On our final day, they took us on a tour of a nearby waterfall and to rest in a treehouse for a bit. After our English lesson in the afternoon, we had a graduation ceremony for all the kids. The look of delight the kids had when they realized they were getting certificates was priceless!
One little girl, with the kindest eyes, brought me the most thoughtful gift. I will cherish for years to come.
Batuan hopes to host more English speakers in their community to enable more children for their futures. Sustainable jobs are hard to come by in Bali, with most of the economy coming from tourism. Learning English will provide more job opportunities and give them a better chance to provide for their families in the future.
Please pray and share among your friends the need for English teachers in Batuan. As the first westerns to openly help our friends in Batuan, we’ve never felt more honored to trade knowledge amongst our new friends.
Thank you for following along and supporting me with your prayers and finances. By grace alone, I have $1,305 left to raise. THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU! This entire year felt like a hard ask, and I’m honored to have you by my side.
Prayer: We’re still suffering from Bali belly as a team. Please pray for healing as we prepare to leave for our next destination, Manila!
