Went hiking in Tretes
Sang Sunday night service
Shopping at Mirota and awesome souvenirs
Friday made dinner with friends
Sunday Italian food with a group of friends!
Swimming Sunday mornings
Tuesday: day off with swimming and dinner at pastor's wife Lisa's house with her girls= homemade cheese ravioli and tomato sauce with homemade ranch dressing and salad and homemade apple pie, watched My Big Fat Greek Wedding! FUN!!! (bc it was thunder-storming outside)
~It's over. We're all done. What an amazing chapter filled with intrigue, excitement, love, tears, hopes, and mystery (especially in the food choices). What will the next chapter hold? Regret is only something that I can conjure up myself, especially when it is out of pity or boredom. I pray that my next chapter would be filled with joy, peace, love, learning, hardship, and conquering. Get to work Pen :)
Monday, September 12, 2011
Monday, May 16, 2011
new zealand: round two...ding.
{Easter Holiday 2011}
=>Sunday, April 17th
- met an English couple from Christchurch on the plane...seed planted for Christ.
- did not know this, but on AirAsia, you must buy everything on there: blanket, pillow, food, drink
- met Sam at the airport and slept there right by the police desk
- sidenote: 5.3 earthquake aftershock the night before we landed, the airport was coooo.....old!, and there was a crazy music dance mix all night (joy joy)
- caught up, talked, and giggled all night like at a junior high girl's sleepover.
- amazing shower in the airport and drying my hair under a hand dryer.
- tried to catch the bus to town square, but barricaded off because of the aftershock
- got coffee and played two-fingered exhausted slap-jack :)
- caught the naked bus from Christchurch to Queenstown
- 90 minute unplanned stop...fall leaf cruchin' time
- Lake Tekapo!!
- easily the most beautiful place I have ever seen or been...
- almost missed the bus running to the little church and lake to see it and take pictures...and pick a flower=WORTH IT!
- crazy Scottish driver and his uh...eclectic music taste.
- stop off and flower picking, tall grass dancing, and wish blowing
- wanaka lake...gorgeous with oating and houseboats, and mountains surrounding a beautiful lake. 2 thumbs WAY up!
- Stop off at organic farm stand with loads of free samples and fruit leather
- arrive at Queenstown after sunset..."Never in my life! Are we seriously here right now?"
- NACHOS with my new friends after checking into base hostel (first cheese since February) and bundling up to brave the cold
- walk around town and ship harbour
- *sleeeeeeeeeeeeeep
=>Tuesday, April 19th
- overslept: supposed to meet at 8:30 with the new friends, but uh woke up at 9:30. hmm
- information and then LICK for our belgium waffle breakfast
- today=maple banana and started our tradition
- hike around Queenstown beach: willow climb (gracefully....uh no), feet in the water, xplorin'
- caught bus to schipper's canyon for JETBOATING!!
- one of the only 3 uninsured roads in new zealand
- arrive at point in river from Lord of the Rings: Fellowship of the Ring where Aerowin says "If you want him, come and claim him!" The river come to life...that spot.
- suited up in MASSIVE as raincoats, boarded the boat, and we're off!
- learned about gold miner's and saw the ruins
- 360 degree turns in a rocky two inch deep water gorge with cliff walls on both sides!
- could not stop giggling after the ride= so stoked!
- went up to schipper's canyon bungee (now retired) and walked across the bridge as it moved.
- walk around town, dinner at the hostel's bar called altitude for only $5!
- crazy night-teacher's gone wild! On playground and crazy teeter totter (backwards) and songs and games in pitch black, and a random fire-thrower twirler dude
- gelato in freezing cold sitting on the bay wall and reading crazy as poem inscribed on it.
- "salad day memories"
- walk around town xplorin' more and then serious warm up by the fire
- LICK for our traditional breakfast=today is waffles with strawberry cheesecake gelato and cream
- bought sushi to share and got day pass for bus. Hiked around Queenstown lake
- devotions on a dock out in the lake [they use for water taxi drop-off/pick-up] and some sunbathing
- walk to Frankton to catch the bus to Arrow Town.
- got lost and sat at bus stop sidewalk eating sushi and sunbathing
- bus takes us all the way to Frankton and we're thirty-five minutes early for the bus to Arrow Town
- we sit in grassy intersection and take a little nap in the middle of the road
- bus to Arrow Town!
- GORGEOUS day in A-town with autumn leaves
- natural fireworks
- historic miner's village
- walk around shops (like a NZ brown county)
- trek by stream/river
- chinese gold miner's village [[dudley's cottage...oops]]
- COOOOOOOOOLD!!!
- warm up by the fire while watching rugby
- fat badger pizza!
- tried to go to Fernhill with our day bus pass= ultimate fail. we ride the entire bus there and back without getting off...fernhill was literally just a hill.
- night at Altitude making UK friends and watchin live music, with bar wars in the background.
- early morning brisk walk to Queenstown beach and gardens
- leaf picture fail on self-timer
- exploring gardens, HUGE pines and what tree we would each be. Sam would be a super tall and skinny pine and I'm a willow reaching out for the water that children are always playing in.
- reenacting teachers gone wild night on the playground
- breakfast at LICK= today is banana maple waffles again. num num!
- hike up part of Queenstown hill to catch the gondola and luge down the mountain!
- saw the "kiwi experience" on the way up (bird sanctuary)
- ah-mazing view!!
- ps: Fernhill is totally on the map up there
- freaked out about the view for a while
- went down to the lift for LUGE!
- on these little soap boxes with bike handlebars and raced down the side of the mountain=FUN!
- climbed up the mountain and laid in the grass while paragliders flew by...whoosh
- crazy sign with the miles and kilometers to all the major cities around the world
- farthest=london
- down the gondola and a walk to a local bakery for a yum lunch of spinach and feta roll with a white chocolate raspberry slice (you can tell I've been food deprived eh)
- last walk around Queenstown saying goodbye
- awesome fog {{God's mystery}}
- caught the bus to the airport after picking up our bags from the hostel
- MOST BEAUTIFUL airport of all times! for serious.
- from airport we load on movie star style with stairs going up into the airplane
- waved goodbye like Princess Di and blew a kiss to the South Island on our way up and in
- Richard Simmons flight safety video and quiz game show to keep us occupied on the flight
- saw mt. cook and I think a glacier from the sky
- Suzanne hugs at the airport...Love these :)
- catch up in car ride over disney tunes
- drop Sam at home with her UK house-guests
- go to Pita Pit with Suz and chat
- throw her keys out the window---> while driving!! to see if her automatic remote-controlled future car still runs
- drive pretty far and it SO STILL DOES GO! amazing.
- to the Bell's house after picking up movies for the night
- meet Cammy and Katherine at the house
- first night is a girl's night!
- sleep-over with mattresses in the family room, a movie, girl talk (duh, that's a given), and chocolate pudding!
- so upset at the movie that we kept pausing it to yell at the television and discuss using some serious rhetoric.
- stayed up until 4am talking, laughing, and singing Lion King (pink pajamas penguins on the bottom) and Katherine jokes
=>Friday, April 22nd
- Cammy wanted to wake up early to "slog" on the beach...oops, woke up at 10am (not really an oops though, let's just be honest)
- girls eat breakfast together and get ready to go on an adventure!
- to the beach! one I have never been to on the west coast with a picnic lunch [[introduced them to peanut butter banana sandwiches and they introduced me to potato chip and peanut butter sandwiches. life will never be the same]]
- tic tac toe in the chilly sand
- pants rolled up
- climb on the rocks and able to break the rocks off= crumbly
- storm coming in...YES!!!
- hunt for pizza dough yeast on Good Friday and McDonald's snack
- "lindi's back!" party
- make home-made pizzas...little gourmet wonders! with CHEESE! (oh how I missed it)
- catching up and chatting
- I-phone toilet paper unrolling tournament
- communist charades! uh...with the cat in the hat eating a peanut butter sandwich, putting on running socks, and slipping on hard wood floor...ya what?
- telephone pictionary. great great great!
- coldplay songs and sing-along
- poop poop pow by Black eyed peas :)
- pulled up couches and started a movie with popcorn after midnight
- Great night back with hugs, high 5's, and pillow volleyball.
- sleeeeeeeeep at 3am
=>Saturday, April 23rd
- woke up with Nikki and Suz in the garage painting a mural. help out for a while and paint a tree
- des makes french toast for breakie (experimental)
- girls come= Katherine and Sam, and we go grass sledding down mount victoria (volcano!)
- tumbled quite a few times, had our cardboard stolen, grass angels, box scavenger hunt, UK friends
- spiffedup and made lemon cheesecake slice with katherine
- borrowed her blue 40s dress that I met her in back in the day and loved her style yo.
- went to David and Kathryn's engagement party
- ate about 12 sweets
- saying animal names like the sounds the animal makes (Gooooooaaaat)
- huge group goes to Momo's for food and my favorite, sweet-scented osmantheus (fyi: a flower we saw in Queenstown) milk tea!
- played claps there and laughs
- home, bed for church
=>Sunday, April 24th
- Easter Sunday!
- got to church with a group of friends
- get to talk to Mrs. Greybe! I love her so much!
- home-made pasta with the girls
- HUGE bowls filled with pasta and topped with mozzarella cheese while watching another movie with the couches pulled up
- again...discussions and pausing throughout
- church with dan
- farewell party
- ice cream and a walk along the rocks and water at night with flashlights! that's what's up!
- did not make it without staring out over the waves and crying with sam
- night cap at the bells with goodbyes
=>Monday, April 25th
- wake up WICKED early for the dawn parade for ANZAC day (kind of like memorial day)
- meet the girls at 5am...I was not kidding
- RAIN gear! Poured the entire time and completely drenched with umbrellas everywhere [can we say umbrella etiquette?]
- breakfast by the museum of awesome waffles with Slammin'...tradish.
- walk around park in rain with puddle jumping
- drive through mount albert- my old stomping grounds!
- stop at bakery next to the Herringa's house for plane grub
- airport: talk and cry, pray together and say farewell
So. Jogja.
{April. 8-10. 2011.}
Last weekend, a friend of mine Ms. Rini was wearing the most beautiful blue Batik. We always wear traditional garb on Fridays...just to refresh my own memory on down the road. When I saw her in the teacher's lounge, I complimented her excellent taste. She told me she bought it in Jogjakarta or just "Jogja" for short. I said how I wanted to visit there. Then, she stared at me for a split second and proclaimed, "we're GOING! You and me, next week." and the rest is history. We left that next Friday a bit early from school (2pm) and took one of these....
[after missing our first one with a couple car snag ups] for five hours to Jogja! What a fun experience that train ride was! I always have wanted to travel by train...ever since my second grade field trip to do just that was cancelled!! AHHHH!!! Whelp, just making up for lost time I suppose. This train was seriously special. It had so much character. First off, we were in the business class (lower than executive and cheaper which does this face a :) ) in seats 1A and 1B. this business class had large windows, rickety seats, and osculating fans hanging from the ceiling for air and ventilation. Then, there were people everywhere! There were these vendors that came on the train with all their goods and would walk up and down the aisle shouting for us to buy. Then, you had those extra savvy tricksters who would just chuck their goods on your lap (like pillows, recipe books, crackers, pens, hello kitty 3D posters, and such) and if you ripped or used any of their things, they'd come back later, stick out that little hand, and demand payment. I really can't complain much about this though because honestly I find their skillz so darn amazing. Especially this glittery cat poster lady. She cool for reals :)
After a long train ride, Rine-ster and I got off at Jogja, snapped a couple proof pics and walked to our hotel. We ran into this Canadian couple who were absolutely wiped and trying to find a hotel. Oooops...they didn't heed Rini's advice and got one on prostitute ally. Aw shucks for those 2. Good thing from that though...they inspired me to wear my sweet as Canada shirt that night.When we got to our hotel it was about 11pm...so naive that I am, I assume "shower and sleep ya?" Um....no. I took that shower, got all pj-ed up and then Rini tells me we must go to see Jogja's national symbol. So, I quick whip on some jean shorts and out into the rainy dark wonderland we go! It was about a twenty minute walk through town and ah-mazing graffiti to a large monument that's the pride and symbol of Jogja. My first taste of Jogja bule finger-camera-snapping crazies began here with a few different starstruck groups requesting pics. BOY-OH-BOY do I look white in those suckers. Overall: fun and exciting and beautiful and fun-filled night.
Next morning: Rini wakes me up subtly by turning all the light on, wait for it....at 5am! Oh me oh my what I wanted to say. No worries, I didn't. She did that every day...must be cultural differences.
Well, even with this abrupt and frankly...all too early start to the day, we managed to have a blast. We had the breakfast the hotel provided, hot chocolate milk and nasi gudeg (the famous dish of Jogja) which looks just like this ------------------------------------^Then, we set off to explore the SHOPPING (hey, it's a right of passage and a girl's territory). How much fun was this! We bartered our way to 15,000 rupee sandals ($1.50 American) and tons of bangles, key chains, Batik, instruments, and owls for friends as keepsakes! I even got to see how Batik was made and purchase a picture I watched getting life. COOL!
We went by becak (or petty-cab with 3 wheels) to this factory where they make the most delectable desserts called Bakpia, and I talked and sat with the workers. We saw the sultan's palace, explored his pools and I marked my name (not at all legally...hmm) by the window, "Lindi Sue was here Spring 2011." I got to pick beautiful flowers to adorn my hair with God's creation. Those flowers always whisper in my ear about HIS beauty.
We went to Catholic mass (all in Bahasa for 2 hours) and walked for hours and hours. I gave my new sandals the official Lindi orientation. If they can't pass it's bare feet for me! After mass we went to the East park (about 30 minute walk) where there was a wonderful night festival EXPLODING. There were people and neon lights everywhere. Even these bikes...or carts...or bike carts rather were covered in neon rope lights with a large character or animal lit up on top! Then, peeps all over were shooting off what looked like spinning neon carrots with hair into the sky. We grabbed some street vendor food like Indo carnival or fair food and ate on carpets placed on the sidewalk. Numerous musicians came to take our $, but I enjoyed hearing the tunes and practicing my Bahasa, "Bauhton!" (no thank you) or "Bauhton Mas" (no thanks man).
After din din, Rini took me to the two trees...bum bum bum. No...really these two seriously mammoth trees have a wonderful story. They are in the smack dab middle of the park's field and surrounded by two intricate white walls with benches. The myths goes that if you can start from the road (about 2 football fields back), blindfolded, make a wish, and walk directly in between the two trees without help or peeking, the trees will eat you up! Oh snap, good one Lin! uh....not. Well your wish is supposed to come true. We gave it a shot and the first time when I wished, I ran into the wall. The second time I wished to see the world and I made it. Then, the third time, I started farther back and wished for something secret and I made it again. Bring on the wishes!
Then, I found out that one of these majestic volcs erupted in November! We drove through the destruction and saw the houses wiped away, enlarged expanses of river, emptiness where bridges were once a source of trust in crossings, and mounds of grey fire earth. It reminded and filled me with a holy fear of the Lord and what end times hold for those who are not found in Him. Gotta build a bridge...or show em the way to it...for those souls. Amazing perspective of my smallness and God's plan. Thanks for the reminder Pops :)
We went to one more temple at the top of a mountain that night (Candi Ijo) to watch the sunset. Then, we took the bus home for seven hours and arrived in Surabaya at 3:45sm with tired feet, but pockets full of treasure and souls filled with mental snapshots.Thursday, April 14, 2011
The "eyes" inside.
[[March 25, 2011]]
I've been doing all sorts of things lately...let's mention a few just for kicks since journals are supposed to help us remember things. So....let's fulfill this little journal's purpose!Whelp first off, a couple of weeks ago Buah Hati had a "cultural day." there were five different booths set up representin gfive different nations of the world: Italy, Japan, Netherlands, Indonesia, and AMERICA! Of course, I was the anchor for their USA booth. I dressed up like a cowgirl and told all teh children about American landmarks, Walt Disneyland, and introduced them to President Barak Obama (who they love because he lived in Indo for three years).
My sweet principle, Ms. Dhiana, whom I went to Pasa Ratum and ITC to buy Batik from the Chinese markets there, even made my newspaper clip into a scrapbook page. She didn't even know how much of a craft junkie I am and would appreciate it! Wicked!
Along these same lines, this weekend was Missions weekend at my church. Everyone dressed up in different cultural clothing. Then, after an amazing time in worship, we had a fashion show! Needless to say, if Abby and I would have wrangled in as a Cowboy and Indian, we SO would have had that puppy in de bag.
It was a very fun experience. The last few weeks have held many, countless, boundless adventures. Last weekend a few friends and I went up into the mountains. We went to this local place where you have to work "REEL" hard for dinner. You had to fish, not just for a compliment, but for food. And guess what?!?!?! After an hour and a half hours, I caught one! Then, we fried up the batch of 'em and enjoyed a delicious dinner with friends. To make the afternoon even better, it started to pour all around us and our dinner table (that was covered by a ceiling and raised floor). Wild and authentic times I'd say!Then, we explored rice fields in the rain and once again had our (Karen, Rico, Abby, and Lindi) breath stolen away by God's majesty.
Also, I had the amazing opportunity to unite my passions this weekend through serving children and missions. A group of us went to an orphanage in a nearby village to minister and just to love on the kids there. This town was known for its prostitution circles. In Indonesia prostitution is legal and so many of the children are products of this industry. The orphanage we went to was very poor, they did not even have a covered place to meet. We met in the middle of a graveyard with a portable canopy over us. Mind you, this graveyard is different than ones in America. It has large out of the ground graves made of cement, many with grass and flowers growing out of a patch on the top. When we got to graveyard, a few of the members of our team led them in worship. Then, we put on a short skit and testimonial message. We did crafts with the children where they made pictures from peel-off neon stickers. During the craft time, rainy season kicked in once more with a dramatic thunderstorm! Besides the glorious beauty of this and knowing God's presence there, our makeshift roof started to gather water, sag, and leak! Yikes man! This mad the crafts a bit wet, so I proceeded to get drenched as well. We just branched off from the craft a bit though and started giving high fives and telling stories. The children finished their pictures the best they could and because of our enthusiasm, they treasured those soggy pictures. After the craft, we gave them dinner and prayed with them. What a joy it was to serve and give out the love God has instilled in each of us. Something you can be praying about is that the orphanage would be able to relocate to a better facility. As it is, the graveyard is expanding, making it harder to find a large enough place to gather. Pray that the resources come in so that this ministry may continue to thrive in that much needed environment.
[[April 8, 2011]]
Another weekend and you guessed it, more adventures! This time around, we had another visitor: the one and only Sarah Foster freshly in from her nomad travels around Asia. What a joy it was to meet her and have her Bahasa skillz helping out! One of the first things we did this weekend was to walk to J Walk and back to get this desert that I have no idea what the name is, but oh boy is it tasty! Shoot...right up there with fish eyeballs :) It is a fried cake that is layered with chocolate, banana, cheese, and peanuts. Deadly. The most fun part of this little excursion was that we walked all the way to the place and back, a good hour hike, in the pouring rain! We definitely got soaked through and through and even got side-splashed by a few cars. Rain from the heavens babe. Good stuff and good memories. Oh, and on the way home, we walked the whole way barefoot and then had to climb this fence that was covered in chicken wire. Now, that's definitely hardcore ay!Before we went on this little escapade for fried dessert, the girls and I went out to dinner at this amazingly beautiful place. It was an outdoor traditional restaurant on the water. We ordered family style food and had to take off our shoes before sitting at the short little table with pillows for our bums. So much fun and the river in the rain with sparkle lights was truly beautiful. I love twinkle lights reflected in the water...most def one of my fave. things.
Along the lines of cuisine, I had some interesting food this weekend. I ate some sketch fruit that has scales basically and is appropriately called "snake fruit," had some spikey durian, and on top off all of that drank what my daddy calls "cat-skat" coffee. It is this drink that is made from seeds that these little Asian cat-like critters poo out and then clean and make into coffee. Formal name: Kopi, Iuwak. Check it out. Then, Ishak and Dave Wilcox too me out for lunch Sunday. It was wonderful to see a familiar face and talk fast and punny with someone. However, they ordered this Thai soup that I am convinced they were trying to whack me off with. This soup, I was warned was spicy, so I only took a couple drops of it on my spoon. I put it into my vulnerable mouth and oh my my. I started to cry! It was h.o.t.t. hott.
Some more firsts were an avocado milkshake with chocolate syrup, basil seeds floating in brightly colored juice drinks, and fish where you can eat the bones (I did. proud moment). We also went to that water park behind my house finally to see what all the fuss was about. Loved it. We went to PTC for dinner and coffee with friends. Let me tell you, the mall is definitely where all the Indonesians hang out. The entertainment alone in one mall is astounding. They have carnival rides, all sorts of vendors, chuck-e-cheese, a floor just for animals and a make-shift petting zoo, a place where you put your feet in a pool and fish eat the bottoms of your soles to make em smother, talent shows, exhibitions, and loud random music concerts on small stages all over the place. That's what I call service.
This weekend, we also filled our free time with multiple various crime shows, church, and riding 3 Bules on a motorbike! This was truly a fete since we could not wear helmits so I was holding two on either side of my body and almost flying off the motorbike over bumps while Sarah was trying to snap pictures while riding and having a flash on the camera. I call it a success, and I definitely call these last weekends all a success. Well done Indonesia.
~Lindi Sue
Tuesday, March 29, 2011
rain song
it's raining
my poor room
is flooding!
going to bed
with the sounds of a fountain in my head
to wake up for school in the morning.
-even though my room has a thick coat of water on the floor right now, I still love the rain! You know one of my newest and favorite hobbies and pacts I made with Abby out here is that whenever there is a huge rain storm and we're together, we will go outside and make rain angels! We will dance in the rain, do cartwheels in the rain, sing in the rain, high five in the rain, and anything else you can imagine...you guessed it...in the rain! Since it's the rainy season here right now (they only have 2 seasons: rainy and dry...makes sense right, we are getting heaps of thunderstorms in this part of the world. I'm such a fan!! In the storms I can hear the Lord's voice and know that His rejuvenation is abundant and drenching. His heavens are pouring forth speech, literally. Take time to open up your mouth wide in it and say "ah ah ah ah ah ah ah ah ah ah!" Barney needed all the raindrops to be lemon drops and gumdrops, but I don't. Open up wide and let it all in. Let adventure, spontaneity, and our Father in.
[Gypsy Wanderlust]
journal. READY..SET...here we GO!
Gypsy wanderlust:
I admit it...I have this. Gypsy wanderlust is: a nomad traveler with an irresistible impulse to wander, join nature [and fresh air by walking around barefoot in the grass and letting the rain sweep them away whilst carrying on a conversation with the thunder and eating caramel apples]. Okay, so maybe I tacked on that last part. But right on!
You know...even though I strongly disagreed with the views and mechanics of the movie "Eat, Pray, Love" I find myself longing to see the world as she did. I want to travel fearlessly, but with a purpose and mission: to see lives changed. And what is at the top of little list here to see...well ITALY of course! Ever since I was a little girl I have wanted to see this place. Then, later "While you were Sleeping" and Sandra Bullock inspired me further. I guess it may be about that time for this gypsy with a serious case of wanderlust to create a....BUCKET LIST! Let's do this thang girl.
I got this bucket list thing all written up and junk but I think I'm gonna save it for myself. Personal records you know :) I'll let you know when I check em off. One-by-one.
-Lin Sue
Monday, March 28, 2011
[[March 26, 2011]]
Also in 1 Samuel 16:13 it says that "...from that day on the Spirit of the Lord came upon David in Power." Came upon means literally, RUSHED on David. The Lord couldn't wait to come into David's life. He RUSHED! He did not take His time or come on like a warm blanket...no...He came on like a sudden chill! He came on with Sonic the Hedgehog speed and united with David, the man after His own heart. And it's not just David. When someone receives the Spirit of God in salvation, He RUSHES in! Doesn't that jsut make your heart pump knowing that we may take part in that beautiful process. And then, He comes to stay. From that Day on!
This hit me hard too. She spoke on one of my absolute favorite Pslams...62! Oh read it and love it and treasure it and whisper it and cry through it. She siad that "we will either wrestle all our lives with unmet expectations or intentionally rest our souls in God. You cannot expect of people what only God can deliver! The balance is this: We can't put it up until we have poured it out. Sapak means to spill forth, to pour out (a drink offering), to bare one's soul in sorrow or anger. Used literally to denote pouring out the contents of a vessel "to mound up...to sprawl out...to gush out. and then give it up! We don't just cry ourselves to rest...we cry ourselves to trust. Significant rest comes to the soul when we accept that God alone is in charge of our honor. God does not just defend our dignity...He defines it!" Just chew that over bc that seriously frosts my flakes :)
-Lin Sue
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