“Not that I was ever in need, for I have learned how to be content with whatever I have. I know how to live on almost nothing or with everything. I have learned the secret of living in every situation, whether it is with a full stomach or empty, with plenty or little. For I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength.” Philippians 4: 11-13
So much of our lives are spent telling stories. Weather we’re sharing something with friends, posting on our Facebook newsfeed about a life event, or uploading clips and moments to our Instagram stories, we’re constantly sharing about our lives. Across the past few weeks, I have shared some of the most special moments from life on the field in Bali. To say the days have been magical would be an understatement. But on the flip side, there is a whole lot that social media and most of the world aren’t getting to see– the sweat and grit and challenges that are going into each and every day. “It seems like you’re on a resort vacation!” was recently said to me. While God has been blessing us abundantly with some of the utmost beautiful sights and experiences, there is a lot that the camera phone doesn’t see. It’s my hope in this blog to share some of those moments; some of what someone might call the messier sides, less highlighted sides of things, that are still just as (if not more so) important to our growth and comprehension of life over these next 11 months.
Travel Days- “From the rooftops, shout it out, baby I’m ready to go!”
Challenges to our spirits:
25 hours in planes. 27 hours on a bus. Questionable foods to eat along the way– some covered in flies, but hey, when you’re hungry…! Terrifying taxi rides surrounded by mopeds and drivers that drive directly into oncoming traffic (not even kinda kidding)! Being dropped on the side of the busiest road in Jakarta, because that was where the driver thought he was taking us. Addresses looking like jiberish in comparison to America– so not knowing where to go, nobody speaking our language, 60+ pounds of backpacks in hand, and 85 degrees outside. Realizing our bathroom situation is now going to be a “squatty potty” for the unforeseen future (we’re all pros now). Realizing toilet paper is non-existent in many public bathrooms in Indonesia (reality check, people), and sometimes you even have to pay to use the bathroom! No longer having cell phone service– and no longer having consistent wifi to be in touch with home.
Travel days were challenging,
BUT.
There was excessive favor to our spirits:
Laughing harder than I’ve laughed in months with my squad mates on my first ever international flights. Exploring the wonders of the airport in Tokyo, including Starbucks Tokyo where my girl Megs and I were gifted with little cookies to accompany our espresso! This may have been standard, but it felt special to us! Getting the completely unplanned opportunity to take a bus all the way across Indonesia, which seemed like stress at first, but was the most beautiful blessing! Seeing lush greens and blues across oceans, rice fields, and up onto the mountain tops of God’s earth like you’ve only imagined in dreams. Seeing a Bali sunrise outside of the bus window for the split second I opened my eyes from my bus seat slumber. Dancing and singing with my squadmates to the American 90’s music that randomly came on in between the Indonesian Pop tunes playing over the bus loudspeakers. Learning that smiling is the new official language of communicating with people that don’t speak English– and it’s insanely better than speaking. Having random locals coming up to us and asking for “selfies,” because Americans are so rare to see in the remote locations we’ve been traveling through. Bonding with the girls on my team and among our squad instantly, as if we’ve known each other our entire lives. Choosing joy in the midst of chaos, to where the chaos doesn’t even feel like chaos (this is a big one). Praising God for the AC we’ve had on the planes, busses, and taxi rides, as it’s not a luxury we have this month where we live.
Our new home– “Toto, we’re not in Kansas anymore.”
Once we arrived in Bali, we got settled into our new home for the month, and learned quickly that our new lives would look rather different from life at home in America. Though we’ve gotten Sabbath rest days, as well as adventure days, off site from our compound in some of the most stunning places, our day to day life does not exist in front of waterfalls, sunrises, or with frapuccinos in chocolate factories. We’re in the very much so non-touristy area of Bali in a tiny, precious community of some of the most loving humans I’ve ever met in my life. The village and tribe have referred to us already as “second family.” Yet they have never before had Americans staying here. Irregardless of that, they have welcomed us in as if we’ve been here our entire lives.
We are the pioneers for “cultural exchange” as we’re calling it. We are here to plant seeds of the Good News– to love people and love them fiercely. Much of what our time is here is centered around fostering into the relationships with the locals; truly getting to know the community by means of bringing peace and love. Many people across the world do not exactly view Americans as people of peace and love. They see many of us as people obsessed with money and power. We’re here to help rewrite that norm.
The crazy part so far is that I can’t figure out if we’re doing more in their lives and hearts, or if they’re doing more in ours. My team leader, Courtney, described it the other day in saying that we may never see the fruit of these seeds we’re planting on this side of Heaven. But so far, it seems like the effects on both sides are wildly beyond our initial expectations.
Challenges to our spirits:
We’re sleeping on the ground in the tribes “community center.” Some of us are in 1 of 2 small rooms inside that have two cracked windows and a door for ventilation. Some of us are sleeping outside in tents (shoutout to my girl Caroline for letting me come out to share her tent with her when our loaned room fan got taken away– you my real Queen, Queen.) There is no AC and it’s consistently 85 to 90 degrees. Sweating is a permanent state of life now. And clean clothes? What even are those anyways? 🙂 Spiders, ants, and lizards are our roommates, and sometimes, the lizards fall from the ceiling onto your head in the middle of the night (Hannah, you’re a super human). We have two squatty potties for 13 girls that are also our cold water showering areas. We have a gas stove to access, but no knowingly clean running water, nor a refrigerator, so the local market (similar to a gas station setup) is where we buy a lot of our instant coffee, ramen noodles, bottled water, and ice cream cones! The local market is also the only place around the village that has AC, so this is our favorite spot for minutes of refreshment.
We can’t pray with our eyes closed for safety reasons, we can’t pray or worship in public areas, and we have to be very careful with the language and wording we use when talking to people from the village and sharing why we’re here. Most people don’t speak our language at all, but we are all committed to learning from one another! And we are!
Living arrangements are challenging,
BUT.
There has been excessive favor to our spirits:
We were welcomed in by the tribe leader and several other incredibly kind men on night one– they brought us a fan for each of the two rooms where we’re sleeping, hung our mosquito nets over the windows for us, and gave us contact information to ensure our safety if we needed anything at all. We’ve been literally honored in this community as the first foreigners to ever be in the village– everyone smiles at us, talks to us, bows with prayer hands as a greeting exchange, and have even welcomed us into their homes for traditional Bali meals and coffee on many occasions. We have seen some of the most beautiful moments of special village ceremonies and witnessed adult and baby monkeys at the local “monkey forest.” We’ve had fresh faces with no makeup and sweat glows of joy since the moment we arrived here. I’ve never felt more beautiful in my own sweaty skin, and make up is nowhere in sight (except for some lipstick and waterproof mascara on a beach day)! The cold showers are the biggest blessings because it’s so hot! The instant reaction to anything going wrong or any heartbreak or pain or sadness anyone is going through is to instantly pray, and involve God. Prayer is first choice with these gals on my squad and team– never a last resort. Communicating has been found in the forms of smiling, flower exchanging, braiding hair, singing, dancing, laughter, and body language. So much can be said without using words. More people than I imagined know bits of English, and we’re learning more and more Balinese by the day! Since we’re in the community center, personal time or alone time doesn’t really exist for us! People are constantly coming and going, and we have quickly taken on the mentality of being interruptable at all times. Jesus was. So we will be too. This is growing our hearts in ways we could’ve never seen prior to this month.
Jobs and money are in last place in regards to Bali values. Family, friends, and community are everything here. If one person is struggling, everyone bans together to help them. There is nobody on the streets or ‘going without’ because everyone takes care of each other here. Learning this heart posture of these people from the jump of this journey has been critically influential to how our teams will exemplify living over the next 11 months.
Again, I don’t know if we’re gaining more from them, or if they’re gaining more from us. Thus far, these living conditions have taught me more about myself and my reliance on the Lord more than anything ever has. One of my sweet babes Rachel put it this way to me the other day: “It really makes you think about what you’re putting your hope into in this life. Is your hope in air conditioning, or a comfy bed, or cleanliness, or having nice things? Or is your hope solely rooted in Christ? In living for him and him alone? Serving his kingdom and saying ‘yes’ to whatever he’s asking of you?” It really put things into perspective in the most poignant way. As for me, it’s my goal to choose Jesus every day. It’s surely not the easiest thing I’ve ever done, but my goodness if it’s not the most worth it…
This is only the beginning.
#leavehope #wakeupthewonder
