Creator, is your heart not broken for your J*kartans?
You have pursued them and still they have hid their faces.
You hold the answers with an open palm
And your tears continue to puddle for you long to play in the streets with the barefoot, you long to sit a child in your lap to take a ride on the waterslide, you long to reroof the home that flooded.
How long will I have to wait? I am ready today.
I will continue to dream over you while I look lovingly upond you. My creations inspire me.
Come mothers, come fathers, children. You have been degraded enough.
I will sew the patches on your uniform,
I will pay your remaining school fees,
Daughter, throw off your head covering, let me see those beautiful eyelashes I crafted to compliment your dimples.
I hear your labour pains daughter, I am with you.
Do not fret, for your husband is here to hold your hand.
Yes, have more children, you will be fruitful and I will provide.
Rejoice over your newborn, wrap him tightly in your batik.
He is smiling over his redemption.
I have told him of the lies that no longer remain.
He will know fresh water from the sink
He will crave bok-choy and spinach
He will dance in the streets free from garbage and pollution.
Your curiousity will bring the answers
I am in the wind.
Hear my voice J*karta, I am speaking to you. I yearn for you.
I will be here holding your newborns until you are ready for rebirth.
Thursday, October 30, 2008
Wednesday, October 29, 2008
Finally, geez wiz.
Packing up our home in Perth, in style. These are our "doctor suits" (dubbed this name by Becca's little sister Lizzy). I think you will get used to seeing us in these. :)
It looks like a lot of stuff, I agree. Considering though, 8 months, 14 people (homeschooling work included), well I am impressed.
Labok Balus is a garbage sorting slum. One of those places you don't really believe exists until the stench meets you a mile up the road. Again, not the way God intended for anyone to live. This is our family, we will start small, just by teaching, and the rest, well, it's up to us.
And for the first time ever, I would like to introduce to eggs besides the ones you use to make omelettes...what an amazing moment. These women are inquisitive and ready to learn the minute we arrive in their community.
No slum is complete without the view of a western mall.
Mowhawk child, there is no other. He is actually the chunkiest baby in the community, thank you breastmilk.
Lectures are never complete without group time, usually a time to remember. Can you tell what we are doing? Our staff are so creative.
One of our faithful mothers in the Mampang community.
"We are the crabs, your..."
This is Tenan Abang, the same slum with the view of the western mall. Don't step too far out your front door, you might get hit by a train. We are really connecting with the women of this slum, they are thirsty for teaching and love to be prayed for, they are an important and overlooked piece of their society.
Saturday, October 25, 2008
what to say...
Okay, I think it would be easier if I made more time during the week to update my blog and then it wouldn't all pile up once a week. Now if only I could get this through my head...
The past four days have been divided with lectures and ministry. In fact, in about 15 minutes we are beginning lecture on inserting cannulas and catheters. I am SO excited.
Well recapping on this week, I have had time to reflect a lot of our ministry. We currently have four women's classes, a maternal hospital visit and church/day of Compassion weekly. This week though, it seemed like I just had more time to sit and process. I am reading the book called "Irresistable Revolution". Just one thing that he has been talking about is the fact that many of us know the teachings of Jesus, but we don't live them out. We know of Jesus, but we don't know Jesus. Jesus loves the poor, but we don't even know the poor. I have been tossing these thoughts back and forth. He shares a quote from Rich Mullins, ("there is thunder in his footsteps and lightning in his fists) "You guys are all into that born again thing, which is great. We do need to be born again, since Jesus said that to a guy name Nicodemus. But if you tell me I have to be born again to enter the kingdom of God, I can tell you that you have to sell everything you have to give it to the poor because Jesus said that to one guy too, but I guess that's why God invented highlighters, so we can highlight the parts we like and ignore the rest." Now, I ultimately am still processing this. I don't know about context and studying which Hebrew word was used for which word, but I am fully enveloped by this thought. I guess I am just really entranced by the life that Jesus offers us. The richness of life comes from meeting palpating bellies in dimly lit rooms and drinking green apple jolly rancher juice while hearing about different ways to mop houses. This is what is bringing God's kingdom. There are seeds waiting to be planted, fruit waiting to grow, sweetness waiting to be tasted...
I want to know the poor, I feel really challenged. I don't want to let go of this.
This week we again taught in the railroad slum. Nearly eight feet off the tracks are where the houses begin. I know this isn't how God intended for anyone to live. Sarah was waiting for an antenatal check to finish up and she watched a boy stand in the meter wide walkway and pee all over himself onto someone's house. This week began the rainy season, the slums will begin flooding up to a meter high. We must be wreckless hopers and lovers.
I am meeting God here. He has gone before us.
I have really had to fight to write this blog. I don't know why, I guess I don't want it to sound like peaches and cream (yum), but God is bringing beauty from ashes and is meeting us in the mountains and the valleys.
What is going on in America? Election time is coming...
Miss you guys. Thanks for reading friends.
The past four days have been divided with lectures and ministry. In fact, in about 15 minutes we are beginning lecture on inserting cannulas and catheters. I am SO excited.
Well recapping on this week, I have had time to reflect a lot of our ministry. We currently have four women's classes, a maternal hospital visit and church/day of Compassion weekly. This week though, it seemed like I just had more time to sit and process. I am reading the book called "Irresistable Revolution". Just one thing that he has been talking about is the fact that many of us know the teachings of Jesus, but we don't live them out. We know of Jesus, but we don't know Jesus. Jesus loves the poor, but we don't even know the poor. I have been tossing these thoughts back and forth. He shares a quote from Rich Mullins, ("there is thunder in his footsteps and lightning in his fists) "You guys are all into that born again thing, which is great. We do need to be born again, since Jesus said that to a guy name Nicodemus. But if you tell me I have to be born again to enter the kingdom of God, I can tell you that you have to sell everything you have to give it to the poor because Jesus said that to one guy too, but I guess that's why God invented highlighters, so we can highlight the parts we like and ignore the rest." Now, I ultimately am still processing this. I don't know about context and studying which Hebrew word was used for which word, but I am fully enveloped by this thought. I guess I am just really entranced by the life that Jesus offers us. The richness of life comes from meeting palpating bellies in dimly lit rooms and drinking green apple jolly rancher juice while hearing about different ways to mop houses. This is what is bringing God's kingdom. There are seeds waiting to be planted, fruit waiting to grow, sweetness waiting to be tasted...
I want to know the poor, I feel really challenged. I don't want to let go of this.
This week we again taught in the railroad slum. Nearly eight feet off the tracks are where the houses begin. I know this isn't how God intended for anyone to live. Sarah was waiting for an antenatal check to finish up and she watched a boy stand in the meter wide walkway and pee all over himself onto someone's house. This week began the rainy season, the slums will begin flooding up to a meter high. We must be wreckless hopers and lovers.
I am meeting God here. He has gone before us.
I have really had to fight to write this blog. I don't know why, I guess I don't want it to sound like peaches and cream (yum), but God is bringing beauty from ashes and is meeting us in the mountains and the valleys.
What is going on in America? Election time is coming...
Miss you guys. Thanks for reading friends.
Friday, October 17, 2008
Teaching Time.
We have been here for 16 days now. It feels like much longer. A lot of the time we have been going into the slum communities and getting to know the women. Getting to know their education, birthing practices, schedules...Yesterday began it all.
Although we have taught one time ("Breast is best"), yesterday was one of the most mind boggling experiences of teaching yet in my life.
Before we headed into Mampang slum, we spent an hour sorting out what God was saying. We highlighted past impressions and words from God about what we felt for the women. Then we entered into a new prayer time. The final words were; "life", "anatomy" and "reproductive system". So, the plan was set, female reproductive teaching for our first lesson. We all took a piece of the teaching and planned it in a half hour.
We waited for our friends from the church and our translator Anita to come. It is our goal to connect with women from the church we have been attending and have them do outreach with us. We don't want this to just be a burst of evangelism and then die after we leave. It would be amazing if we could find two dedicated women in the church to come in with us weekly and then keep the teachings up after we leave. This is still something we are seeking out. We did however, have two men from the church who are committed to working with local slums come with us. They say that it is hard to break down the barrier between the rich and the poor. Kind of reminds me of everywhere else in the world.
Anyway, flash forward, ten Muslim women, no circulation and one dark room later...Melisa begins sharing about our bodies being fearfully and wonderfully made from the "Holy Scripture". I was the first to teach. I introduced "Anatomy of the female reproductive system" and the women nodded their heads. As I pulled out my teaching aid of a uterus and ovaries, the women zoomed in. I asked them if this was something familar, they shook their heads. I then asked them "Have you ever seen this before?" and they shook their heads. In a city where malls are bigger than Safeco and Quest put together, times four, there are still women who have never learned about their reproductive system. Unbelievable.
The time continued with the women eager to learn and open to ask questions. It was a lovely time that we will get to take part of each week.
God is using education to empower and love women. He is renewing the value that the world has stripped them of. I don't really know what to expect after that, but I am anticipating great things to come of our time spent with the women. Jesus loves His little children, all the children of the world.
Although we have taught one time ("Breast is best"), yesterday was one of the most mind boggling experiences of teaching yet in my life.
Before we headed into Mampang slum, we spent an hour sorting out what God was saying. We highlighted past impressions and words from God about what we felt for the women. Then we entered into a new prayer time. The final words were; "life", "anatomy" and "reproductive system". So, the plan was set, female reproductive teaching for our first lesson. We all took a piece of the teaching and planned it in a half hour.
We waited for our friends from the church and our translator Anita to come. It is our goal to connect with women from the church we have been attending and have them do outreach with us. We don't want this to just be a burst of evangelism and then die after we leave. It would be amazing if we could find two dedicated women in the church to come in with us weekly and then keep the teachings up after we leave. This is still something we are seeking out. We did however, have two men from the church who are committed to working with local slums come with us. They say that it is hard to break down the barrier between the rich and the poor. Kind of reminds me of everywhere else in the world.
Anyway, flash forward, ten Muslim women, no circulation and one dark room later...Melisa begins sharing about our bodies being fearfully and wonderfully made from the "Holy Scripture". I was the first to teach. I introduced "Anatomy of the female reproductive system" and the women nodded their heads. As I pulled out my teaching aid of a uterus and ovaries, the women zoomed in. I asked them if this was something familar, they shook their heads. I then asked them "Have you ever seen this before?" and they shook their heads. In a city where malls are bigger than Safeco and Quest put together, times four, there are still women who have never learned about their reproductive system. Unbelievable.
The time continued with the women eager to learn and open to ask questions. It was a lovely time that we will get to take part of each week.
God is using education to empower and love women. He is renewing the value that the world has stripped them of. I don't really know what to expect after that, but I am anticipating great things to come of our time spent with the women. Jesus loves His little children, all the children of the world.
Saturday, October 11, 2008
Is once a week too infrequent? Is "infrequent" even a word?
This past week has contained several moments of wondering, "How did this all happen?", "Why am I allowed to be a part of this?". There are plenty of moments to reinforce my questions and ultimately the answers come back to God giving me the desires of my heart, more than I even understood that these were the desires of my heart, God knew and He gave them to me.
1. Yesterday while walking through the slums, I able to sit with a woman who was searching her friend's hair for lice. I was blessed by hearing her story of coming to the city. Including being married at 17, delivering her only son at 7 months and selling herbal tea to make ends meet. She wants to learn about preventing diarrhea and fever because her family gets sick during the rainy season since the slum floods during the rainy season.
2. I played hopscotch with 20 Indonesian children who were practicing their english while we waited our turns.
3. Asking a gentleman if I can hold his baby and having him light up that I would want to. She was three months old and had a rat tail.
4. Going to bed knowing that there are 7 other girls in the room who are committed to unifying themselves with me and Jesus. We remind ourselves of the disciples: Ministry together, cook together, clean together, sleep together, hehehe.
5. Each morning coming downstairs to a oatmeal and a secluded courtyard. Following, a time of spirit filled worship and then a couple hours of lecture on obstructed labour with experience filled leadership.
6. A couple of girls being able to meet a woman who was paralyzed from a stroke. She lays on her bed in a dark room because she is embarassed of what the community will think. After praying over her they asked if she would like to come to our teachings. She was fully blessed.
Our life is a gift. God wants to use us. There have been several challenging moments this week, but at this moment of typing to you all, I want you to know that we are blessed to be breathing and knowing our Saviour. When God asks us to obey, it is because He has the absolute best in mind for us. God is bringing healing to our nations.
One last story...
As Robyn, Anna and I headed to Bible reading last week, we had the chance to stop and pray for a man who had a burn on his right leg. He was belssed that we asked him. As we began to pray, heaven opened and we were asking for healing. Before our eyes, the brown skin moved into the pink skin...as we walked away, we knew we had seen God's hand.
Praise God!
1. Yesterday while walking through the slums, I able to sit with a woman who was searching her friend's hair for lice. I was blessed by hearing her story of coming to the city. Including being married at 17, delivering her only son at 7 months and selling herbal tea to make ends meet. She wants to learn about preventing diarrhea and fever because her family gets sick during the rainy season since the slum floods during the rainy season.
2. I played hopscotch with 20 Indonesian children who were practicing their english while we waited our turns.
3. Asking a gentleman if I can hold his baby and having him light up that I would want to. She was three months old and had a rat tail.
4. Going to bed knowing that there are 7 other girls in the room who are committed to unifying themselves with me and Jesus. We remind ourselves of the disciples: Ministry together, cook together, clean together, sleep together, hehehe.
5. Each morning coming downstairs to a oatmeal and a secluded courtyard. Following, a time of spirit filled worship and then a couple hours of lecture on obstructed labour with experience filled leadership.
6. A couple of girls being able to meet a woman who was paralyzed from a stroke. She lays on her bed in a dark room because she is embarassed of what the community will think. After praying over her they asked if she would like to come to our teachings. She was fully blessed.
Our life is a gift. God wants to use us. There have been several challenging moments this week, but at this moment of typing to you all, I want you to know that we are blessed to be breathing and knowing our Saviour. When God asks us to obey, it is because He has the absolute best in mind for us. God is bringing healing to our nations.
One last story...
As Robyn, Anna and I headed to Bible reading last week, we had the chance to stop and pray for a man who had a burn on his right leg. He was belssed that we asked him. As we began to pray, heaven opened and we were asking for healing. Before our eyes, the brown skin moved into the pink skin...as we walked away, we knew we had seen God's hand.
Praise God!
Friday, October 03, 2008
“Thank you God for my roommates…”
It has been a while since my roomies have heard me talk in my sleep. I am convinced it is because they are used to it. This was the muttering from my tired mouth last night as I crashed just after midnight.
We arrived in Indonesia on Wednesday afternoon after 24 hours of travel. Although Indonesia is a four-hour flight from Perth, we took the scenic route. In the midst of our stop in Bangkok we were informed that we had to actually enter Thailand and re-check our luggage for the next flight. 7 hours later, we were in line with our bags to check into our flight to Indo. Being the first in line, we seemed to be on top of things. I wasn’t worried about getting all the bags checked through since we had breezed through in Perth. As a team we were allowed 325 kgs, we had only 309! That is incredible. Everyone intentionally packed. Anyway, long story short, we were on a budget flight which only allowed 15kgs per person. As Becca later put it, “That is just too hard for our team”. She is right, although nearly everyone’s personal bags were under 15 kgs, the team bags compensate for the light weight. We have probably 70kgs of supply. All of this to say, they weren’t going to let it slide. After an hour of repacking, divvying up new carry-ons, layering our clothes the airline wasn’t budging. They informed us that we only had 30 minutes to catch our flight. Becca ended up dashing to an ATM and paying a fee and we were able to lug our way to customs. We “exited” Thailand, headed to security. In the change of carry-ons, we carried on my bag since it was only 9.8kgs. Mind you, it was packed to be a check-on. Hahaha…I didn’t have any back space, so Robyn was lugging it, along with being a mom to 4 children. I was ahead of them and as I sat down on the plane I realized, “The liquid…wait, oh, no, they are going to have to repack the whole thing…” I made my way to the check in counter and asked the gentleman to wait for my teammates, I boarded the plane, free seating. It took me back to backpacking Europe. Easy Jet/AirAsia. No food. No drink. No leg room. Absolutely exhausted from travel, running on two hours of sleeping under chairs, hauling though the airport and heaps of spiritual warfare, Melisa and I sat and waited for everyone else.
We made it. All of us made it on the flight. Praise the Lord.
Later when we recapped, we talked about any discouragement people felt, like “Where was God?” Some shared about doing spiritual warfare over themselves because they felt like we needed a miracle and God didn’t come through. As they shared the revelations they had, I think we were all encouraged. We really fought our hardest. Whether in silent or group prayers, singing, everyone took part in the battle. Becca shared that we did see miracles, like all of us making the flight, especially when they asked her to unpack my bag and she knew that she only had 5 minutes to make the flight. Or that they let one “carry-on” team bag get through with piles of medicine and syringes when they probably should’ve confiscated it all. Finally, I think the best part was we saw a new depth of unity. We were all scrambling at the ticket counter, loading carry-ons until they weighed more than our check-ins. Carry each others stuff, submitting to the leaders in whatever they needed. We did not labour in vain.
Anyway, we are now in our cozy home. The past two days have been spent in orientation, Bible reading and organization. There is a lot of settling to be done. Before we do ministry we will read the whole Bible aloud. We are in 3 hours shifts. As of yet, we are into 1 Samuel. I am up next! I think the truth is cutting through to the southern region.
I will put up some pictures soon.
Some prayer requests:
-Sarah, one of our leaders is in the U.S., she will be coming to meet us in a couple days.
-Communication, whether with our regional coordinators or Perth Coordinators, we want to be on guard of any miscommunication.
-Opportunities in mother and child healthcare would continue to open up.
Thanks Guys!
We arrived in Indonesia on Wednesday afternoon after 24 hours of travel. Although Indonesia is a four-hour flight from Perth, we took the scenic route. In the midst of our stop in Bangkok we were informed that we had to actually enter Thailand and re-check our luggage for the next flight. 7 hours later, we were in line with our bags to check into our flight to Indo. Being the first in line, we seemed to be on top of things. I wasn’t worried about getting all the bags checked through since we had breezed through in Perth. As a team we were allowed 325 kgs, we had only 309! That is incredible. Everyone intentionally packed. Anyway, long story short, we were on a budget flight which only allowed 15kgs per person. As Becca later put it, “That is just too hard for our team”. She is right, although nearly everyone’s personal bags were under 15 kgs, the team bags compensate for the light weight. We have probably 70kgs of supply. All of this to say, they weren’t going to let it slide. After an hour of repacking, divvying up new carry-ons, layering our clothes the airline wasn’t budging. They informed us that we only had 30 minutes to catch our flight. Becca ended up dashing to an ATM and paying a fee and we were able to lug our way to customs. We “exited” Thailand, headed to security. In the change of carry-ons, we carried on my bag since it was only 9.8kgs. Mind you, it was packed to be a check-on. Hahaha…I didn’t have any back space, so Robyn was lugging it, along with being a mom to 4 children. I was ahead of them and as I sat down on the plane I realized, “The liquid…wait, oh, no, they are going to have to repack the whole thing…” I made my way to the check in counter and asked the gentleman to wait for my teammates, I boarded the plane, free seating. It took me back to backpacking Europe. Easy Jet/AirAsia. No food. No drink. No leg room. Absolutely exhausted from travel, running on two hours of sleeping under chairs, hauling though the airport and heaps of spiritual warfare, Melisa and I sat and waited for everyone else.
We made it. All of us made it on the flight. Praise the Lord.
Later when we recapped, we talked about any discouragement people felt, like “Where was God?” Some shared about doing spiritual warfare over themselves because they felt like we needed a miracle and God didn’t come through. As they shared the revelations they had, I think we were all encouraged. We really fought our hardest. Whether in silent or group prayers, singing, everyone took part in the battle. Becca shared that we did see miracles, like all of us making the flight, especially when they asked her to unpack my bag and she knew that she only had 5 minutes to make the flight. Or that they let one “carry-on” team bag get through with piles of medicine and syringes when they probably should’ve confiscated it all. Finally, I think the best part was we saw a new depth of unity. We were all scrambling at the ticket counter, loading carry-ons until they weighed more than our check-ins. Carry each others stuff, submitting to the leaders in whatever they needed. We did not labour in vain.
Anyway, we are now in our cozy home. The past two days have been spent in orientation, Bible reading and organization. There is a lot of settling to be done. Before we do ministry we will read the whole Bible aloud. We are in 3 hours shifts. As of yet, we are into 1 Samuel. I am up next! I think the truth is cutting through to the southern region.
I will put up some pictures soon.
Some prayer requests:
-Sarah, one of our leaders is in the U.S., she will be coming to meet us in a couple days.
-Communication, whether with our regional coordinators or Perth Coordinators, we want to be on guard of any miscommunication.
-Opportunities in mother and child healthcare would continue to open up.
Thanks Guys!
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