Today is my 3rd day on the compound, it is my 6th day in Indonesia. If there is one thing that I have really begun to "discover" it is really what it means to live in the moment. As I have spent time here I have caught myself a number of times in a strange place. It is a place where everything in me is pushing forward to the next thing, that I cannot wait to speed through this just so that I can see what is going to happen; yet, at the same time everything in me wants to stop and never leave, I want to stay in the car and never actually get there, once I am there I never want to get back in. I want to stay in the store I am in, but I cannot wait to see the store down the street. Even now, though I cannot wait to see what will happen when I move on, I am so enjoying the sensation of writing this blog that I never want to leave.
I believe that this is truly living in the moment. It is a place of no fear for the future, but still being content where you are, no fear of being left behind. It is utter peace with who you are, and what you are doing, and at the same time a longing to better yourself through experience and understanding. There are so many things that I have yet to learn, and I am full of the expectancy of learning them, but not at all anxious. This is a place that I don't think that I have ever been before. All that I can do now is thank God for His amazing grace and guidance in bringing me here, and say that I cannot wait to see what He will do next.
Tuesday, September 27, 2011
Monday, September 26, 2011
I'm Here!
What a time I have had! I am finally sitting down to write you after 5 days of traveling. I flew to LA, then to Taipei, then Jakarta, then after a few days in Jakarta we flew to Salateiga, and now, I am finally here. I have already had many wonderful experiences, and I thought that it would take me some time to figure out what to write about, but there was one experience that I think takes precedence.
On Sunday, I had the opportunity to go to an Indonesian Church, and listen to a sermon in Indonesian. This was my first experience where English was not around the entire time, and I had no idea what Pastor Sam was preaching about. As I was standing in the worship service, listening to an Indonesian song, they began to sing "Hallelujah"and I remembered my Dad telling me all the time growing up "hallelujah is the same word in every culture." Well, on Sunday, that was proven true, and not just that, I realized that when we praise and worship the Lord, it doesn't matter what language you do or don't speak, because it is not important. Praise and Worship are the same in every culture. He is the same in every culture. We as Christians can connect with each other because we know Him, not because of cultural similarity, in fact, that is the way that we should be connecting.
As for my trip, I will tell you that I have been having a wonderful time. The apartment that we stayed in in Jakarta was on the 43rd floor on top of a 4 story mall, so we had a wonderful view, and there were a lot of restaurants and stores to visit while we were there. The City is amazing, I think 8 million people. Everywhere you go there are slums next to big beautiful houses, and we now have a running joke that no matter where you are or what time of the day it is, you will end up in a traffic jam.
Well, it is time for me to get a look at the compound, you are all in my prayers, and I will write again soon.
On Sunday, I had the opportunity to go to an Indonesian Church, and listen to a sermon in Indonesian. This was my first experience where English was not around the entire time, and I had no idea what Pastor Sam was preaching about. As I was standing in the worship service, listening to an Indonesian song, they began to sing "Hallelujah"and I remembered my Dad telling me all the time growing up "hallelujah is the same word in every culture." Well, on Sunday, that was proven true, and not just that, I realized that when we praise and worship the Lord, it doesn't matter what language you do or don't speak, because it is not important. Praise and Worship are the same in every culture. He is the same in every culture. We as Christians can connect with each other because we know Him, not because of cultural similarity, in fact, that is the way that we should be connecting.
As for my trip, I will tell you that I have been having a wonderful time. The apartment that we stayed in in Jakarta was on the 43rd floor on top of a 4 story mall, so we had a wonderful view, and there were a lot of restaurants and stores to visit while we were there. The City is amazing, I think 8 million people. Everywhere you go there are slums next to big beautiful houses, and we now have a running joke that no matter where you are or what time of the day it is, you will end up in a traffic jam.
Well, it is time for me to get a look at the compound, you are all in my prayers, and I will write again soon.
Tuesday, September 20, 2011
Balance
How do you find a balance between excitement and sorrow? All week I have been intense in my preparation to go. I have been in prayer, I have been packing, I have been making sure all my paperwork is in order, I have desperately been trying to finish my book so that I don't have to bring it along (it's heavy), I have been spending time with family, and have been full of joy and excitement. But tonight as we were packing up the last of my belongings, we got a difficult phone call. One of the young people in the Church we were part of for most of my life was killed in a violent car accident. She was 17. They don't know how it happened, but the car went from air born to on its side, to being hit by a semi. This is the second accident that has killed a young person from our little church of less than 50, the other one was in May.
My prayer has shifted. We must begin to understand that this is not a game we are playing. This is real, what we are doing, where we go, who we are with and what we say are all "for keeps". I am grieving for my friends, and their family. And yet, I am still boarding a plane tomorrow to start the adventure that I have been planning for. Only Jesus can bring us the peace that we need to go on and do what we must do while there are people that we love who are suffering. I had written a blog earlier today called "Getting Ready" and it was all about the inner peace that I had acquired as I prepared, but I lost it. That inner peace has been shaken, but I think that the shaking was more getting air bubbles out than a breaking.
So now, I spend the last few hours with my family, I make sure that everything is ready to go, and I pray a new prayer, one that goes deeper in me as well as in Him. I know that it is simply the grace of God that I am where I am, and I know that even as my heart opens to Indonesia, it does not close to my home.
Sunday, September 4, 2011
Sent
When I decided to start a blog before leaving I had a bit of trouble with the name. I had a ton of really classy names in my pocket to try, but none of them seemed to work. They were all either taken, or just didn't work for what I was trying to say. Then the phrase "Sent Traveler" popped into my mind. Now, I know that it doesn’t just roll off of your tongue like some of them do, but it seemed to say what I wanted it to. I am sent.
There have been times that I have almost talked myself out of going on this trip, thinking to myself "what in the world do I have to offer these people?" But the truth is that I have not only been invited to go, but God has made it very clear that He is sending me, which means that to stay would be unthinkable. Though this is the most important aspect of being sent, it is not the only one. Another part of being "sent" is having the people around you support you, with prayer, love, and the little practical things that are needed. I have no trouble telling you that this spring my sister and I took a step of faith and gave some money to someone to send them, and I can tell you now that I have received over 3 times the amount that I gave. Such is the grace of God.
I am so blessed to be surrounded by people that I love and that love me, and I know that I can go in faith and courage, though these things do not always come easy to me. My pastor and his wife have decided to pray for me every Sunday before I leave (and afterward too). This is such a blessing to me, and I just want all of you to know that I know that I am sent, and say that I am so blessed and thankful to you all for sending me.
There have been times that I have almost talked myself out of going on this trip, thinking to myself "what in the world do I have to offer these people?" But the truth is that I have not only been invited to go, but God has made it very clear that He is sending me, which means that to stay would be unthinkable. Though this is the most important aspect of being sent, it is not the only one. Another part of being "sent" is having the people around you support you, with prayer, love, and the little practical things that are needed. I have no trouble telling you that this spring my sister and I took a step of faith and gave some money to someone to send them, and I can tell you now that I have received over 3 times the amount that I gave. Such is the grace of God.
I am so blessed to be surrounded by people that I love and that love me, and I know that I can go in faith and courage, though these things do not always come easy to me. My pastor and his wife have decided to pray for me every Sunday before I leave (and afterward too). This is such a blessing to me, and I just want all of you to know that I know that I am sent, and say that I am so blessed and thankful to you all for sending me.
Saturday, September 3, 2011
Here We Go
I have decided that since I am going to be in Indonesia for the next 6 months, that a blog may be a really good way to keep in touch with everyone, and let you all know about what I am doing. I will start by telling you all that I have all of my paper work done, and that I am in the process of finishing up all of the details...like getting a storage for my stuff while I am gone.
The real challenge that this trip will provide is being away from my family. Growing up homeschooled, and with a dad that works from home we were all very close. My friends were my sisters, my parents were my teachers, and being away from them will be very difficult, but I know that it is time for me to step into the next part of my life. I only have 3 weeks left before I go, and during those three weeks I am going to be busy getting ready, and spending as much time with the family as I can.
The real challenge that this trip will provide is being away from my family. Growing up homeschooled, and with a dad that works from home we were all very close. My friends were my sisters, my parents were my teachers, and being away from them will be very difficult, but I know that it is time for me to step into the next part of my life. I only have 3 weeks left before I go, and during those three weeks I am going to be busy getting ready, and spending as much time with the family as I can.
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