For the last three days we stayed in a little village in the center of the island. In my head I didn’t know whether we would be staying in the jungle or somebody’s house. My expectations were once again thrown out the window when we pulled up to the local Hindu temple where we would be staying. We pitched our tents in the pavilion of the temple grounds. Towering over our tents each night was a 20-foot statue of Ogoh Ogoh, an ancient demon in Balinese culture. It was a blessing though that they had covered most of him in black plastic to save him from the weather. I have a feeling that I wouldn’t have been able to sleep with him staring at me all night.
The first day we were there, I came down with a terrible case of Bali Belly. So I basically laid there useless while my team taught English and played with the kids. But a little girl, Kadek, came up to me and poked my cheek to wake me up. “Who are you?” she tilted her head and asked. I was so miserable that I didn’t really want to talk, but I sat up and forced myself to. “My name is Elizabeth.” She looked at me like I was speaking a different language, which I was! So I sounded it out for her. “E-liz-uh-beth” and she repeated “A-litz-eh-bet?” I smiled and shook my head yes. She smiled from ear to ear and before I could say anything else she ran off to play with the other kids.
The next day we woke up at 6am to the call to prayer. The speaker was on top of the roof where we were staying so it was loud enough to shake my bones. The next thing I knew I was getting in traditional Balinese dress and makeup for a photoshoot in the rice fields! That afternoon we hung out with the kids again and taught English, told the story of Jesus calms the storm, and played tons of games. The favorite among the kids was by far baby shark.
When we came back our pavilion, the village threw us a traditional barbeque. I don’t mean hotdogs, hamburgers, and steaks. I mean we made fish sticks and chicken soup. It was such a blessing to be welcomed by the community the way they did.
The men of the village were so passionate about the children learning English to save their community, “because without progress there is no village.” I can see the thirst they have for their community’s prosperity. It was a unified passion. They are willing to let us share our faith so that we can also share our language. Without a doubt, God is moving in Batuan. He has opened their hearts and their homes to us and to the future teachers willing to give up the comfortable to help in the uncomfortable.
This community, as well as many others in Bali, are desperate to learn English. What a gift we have growing up speaking English. I never thought that would be a privilege. Money and power are a privilege to me, but not my language. My very language is what keeps others from making a living. Most people here cannot afford to send their children to the international school to learn English. I don’t ever want to forget about the passion these village leaders had for their children to learn English.
The third day we taught the children left, right, forward, and back. And the main reason we taught them that was so we could do the Cha Cha Slide with them. It was great! But we reinforced the previous lessons as well. Before we left, we had a graduation for the kids. They each got a certificate with their full names and our signatures to make it official. They were so proud. While the leaders of the village explained that we would be leaving, it was hard for me not to cry. I’d only known these children for 3 days and I couldn’t help but want to stay forever. I know God has a plan for Batuan.
There are so many places to help. These countries need us. If you are feeling that tugging in your heart then follow it. God wants us to be uncomfortable for him! He wants us to step out of our lives and into the lives of others. How can we learn empathy without walking in their shoes first? You never know what will happen in Bali. As our host always says, “In Bali always bring a change of clothes.” Because more than likely you will end up swimming wherever you go. So this is Elizabeth Hahn, signing off from Sanur-Bali, Indonesia. P.S. If someone offers to take you to a waterfall, just know that you will literally have to climb a mountain to get to it…
