– We went on a crazy cool adventure day where we got to see a huge Hindu water temple, rice paddies, taste the famous Luwak coffee, play with monkeys, go white water rafting and eat heaps of traditional Indonesian food. Here we also met our incredible friend and awesome tour guide Ezra. This friendship was such a sweet representation of the hospitable, kind and loving culture of Indo. Our friendship extended outside of our tour day, and that week he took us on a “food-safari” (his words for a food tour of local Indonesian food) where we got to chat about life, travel and Jesus! We got to share about what He means in our life and what how His love has changed our life in incredible ways. The friendship continued through our month there, and so did the conversations and chats about community, worship and life with Christ, and we got to meet again in Jakarta before we left the country!
– We met our sweet friend Kristin in Malang. Our person of Peace. Our sweet sister in Christ that took us in as a part of her family. We shared meals together, we shared laughter and memories, we ate with her family, we got to share our testimonies with her family, we worshipped at her house and we went on a crazy mountain adventure together. We embraced the importance of community, encouragement and love as she was just now moving back into her hometown. We are excited to see all the ways in which we hear about her adventures and stories in sharing God’s love and light with her community at work and friends in the area
– We were famous everywhere we went. Indonesian love taking pictures with foreigners, because were we have been they dont see many, or any at all. So we got asked for selfies daily, no matter where we were. Thankfully that opened the doors for friendships and converstations. It opened doors to share His love, light and good news! We spoke at a small group in a local college that is mostly Muslim, they asked us to sing and dance, so we did. We put up “Free English Practice” at local coffee shops and people came in through the afternoons for conversations, which of course God always uses as wide open doors to chat about Him
– We ate like no other. Our hearts we so full due to the hospitality and loving souls of indonesia. Our tummies were full of rice, martabak, delicious noodles, yummy fruit and juices for days. We realized that as backwards as it sounds, accepting the local’s ways of trying to bless you and love you is the best way to bless them and love them. Twist my arm, I will have another cookie and tea
– We made fools of ourselves with the local language multiple times. Prime example: we were trying to tell someone that made us dinner that the noodles were incredible and that our tummies were happy. Well, the word for Delicious in Indonesian is VERY similar to the word for weird…. guess which one we used when commenting on the food. Also most of the words I knew the first few days were food items since it is what I can read (I am a visual person) on menus, so a lot of me showing off my language skills was counting to 10 and then listing types of rices and noodles with people. NASI GORENG AYAM!
– My heart was melted when meeting the sweet souls of a local small children’s home in the area. The founder and Momma Bear of the orphanage opened the doors after a quick text from a random stranger (me) asking if we could swing by. We chatted for hours, about her story, her passions, and laughed with her and enjoyed her mean cup of coffee (such a grace moment). Then the kiddos came home from school. We played, we laughed, we chased each other around. The following days we spent our days with the biggest smile on our faces helping with their English, taking them to the pool, playing together and even rollerblading. It was such a sweet place where we got to remind the kiddos of how loved they are by their Heavenly Father. Cheryl (momma) was such an incredibledisplay of being obedient to God and being full of His joy. She filled our days with the best conversations, the funniest of stories, wisdom and straight up love and we tried to do the same
– We rode probably the craziest of bus rides of my life. I don’t think I have ever hung on so tight or gone so fast in my life.
– I learned to find God in the hidden places, in the corners, and to intentionally seek the treasures that He has left behind for me. This caused me to go around my day and find His footprints every where I went. They were sweet, they were goofy, they were small and they were influential. They were loving and surprising, all I had to do was look.
– Realization: God’s love for me is what I base my foundation on and His love is the truth that I stand on. And this small yet huge fact, creates ripple effects in my life. His thoughts about me, His thoughts about others, His desires for my days and His daily pursued of His children, dictate my position, my actions, my words, my heart posture, it dictates it all
– I am a type 7 enneagram, not a type 2 like I always thought. And I actually read about why so many type 7s girls with a personality like mine get misdiagnosed as 2s. This has helped me discover more of who I am and it has also in so many ways helped me learn more about who God is through knowing myself more. No, I don’t believe personalities are a box you put yourself in, or that you can use personalities as excuses or “that is just the way I am“ statements, but they do connect the dots, help you see your patterns and be more intentional with your thoughts and actions. You should go take the test, and then go check out the podcasts under “The Road Back to You”. I feel like someone is reading my journal and dairy every time I read/listen more about 7s. Also podcasts rock. They are incredible specially when all churches and services around you are in a completely different language.
– Take God everywhere you go. Don’t leave Him at the kitchen table after your quiet time in the morning, don’t pack Him up after bible study and don’t let Him slip away depending on a situation. Take Him everywhere you go. Chat with Him as you are walking through the grocery store (or fruit stand markets), tell Him your goofy remarks through your day, share with Him when you see something cool or beautiful on the spot. Ask Him questions as you go about your evening. Carry Him everywhere you go, conversarte with Him in the daily mundane and get excited with Him in the grand adventures.
– EXTRA ONE: We got to hang out with refugees from Afghan and Pakistan in Indonesia as they wait to be placed in a new country. Their endurance, their hope and their joy besides the extremely tough circumstances opened my eyes to so much. Listening to their stories made me want to hug them and pray for them, and hearing about their perspective and all of their future dreams and hopes encouraged me and empowered me. It is incredible how much young refugees are the ones empowering and motivating their community of refugees in Indonesia. The people at the refugee learning center showed me what it is like to be meek in a situation, to not let outside circumstances bring them down but instead how to make the best out of the situation they are in. The youth in their community volunteer daily at their learning center to teach the children English, Math and General Knowledge in the hopes that they can dream and achieve their goals once they get to their new country. The latest news is that the waiting period in Indo (in which they can’t attend school, work or own a home) has been extended from 5 years to 25 years before they can be resettled in a country that allows them to work, go to school and be an actual part of the community. Please join me in prayer for this community.
Sending all of the hugs and love to my friends and family back home. Thank you for your prayers. Thank you for your encouraging words. Having a loving community at home is truly such a blessing here on the field. I can feel your love, your prayers and your sweet thoughts all the way here across the world.
PS: please eat some queso, Chick-fil-A and ice coffee for me! Send me a pic so I can smile and enjoy it through you!
Love,
Vielka
