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). 

Then, after that little intro, the kids all played horseshoes with me the cowgirl in a magician's hat (since it's nye impossible to find a cowboy hat here) and the Indian, my teacher co-captain. After a rousing tie with a carnival style of horseshoes, we fed teh little ones french fires and gave them their souvenir: a Walt Disney pencil! Oooooooooo. Much to my surprise, I found myself in an unusual place the next day. As I've said before, many like oodles of peeps here take snap-shots of Bule. Being such and being dressed up in my home gear as the Colorado cowgirl that I am...the pictures and questions seemed to double. Then, I found myself the next day...in the newspaper! Local celebrity...SCORE BIG! Only a couple more hops until I fulfill my goal of being on a billboard. Fingers feriously crossed!!

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.

[[April 1, 2011]]

Last weekend we did loads of things. We went to Joint Fellowship at East where I met more Bules. We went out for Hachi Hachi sushi (in a place set up like a jail of bamboo for cows), had another friend (Kalynn) come to stay, did karaoke, bought pirated movies (shhh...what?) and got eleven hours of sleep in one night (fell asleep at like 9pm since I'm officially a grandma). I got to meet a whole crew of new friends from church and on a dare under their encouragement, ate fish eyeballs for 100,000 rupees! As far as I'm concerned, yummy yummy in my tummy and in my wallet yo! But now, as the title says...I definitely got some "eyes" inside of me belly.


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