This morning I woke up and stared around the room for a moment. Was I really back in America? Had I not merely dreamed the previous forty-eight hours? Did I have the motivation it would take to walk to the bathroom? The thoughts bounced around my head like lazy mice not too interested in finding their way of the maze. Eventually, however, I made my way to the bathroom for my usual morning tribute to society; and lo, I took a hot shower. It was so hot it burned my hand at first, but ultimately I gave in to the moment rather stoically and breathed deep the vapors of the American luxury. (No, I don't feel bad or guilty in the slightest: indeed I was taking the hot shower on behalf of all Asians who otherwise didn't have the opportunity: it was a publicly spirited pleasure I assure you.) From there Jerry's father invited me upstairs for some bacon, eggs and toast; the offer alone made me want to hug him. I followed him to the kitchen, ate the food he prepared and began to feel the surrealism melt away like the cheese on my eggs: I am back in America.
I decided to write this post like Quenton Tarantino directs his movies—starting with the ending—because my mouth still has the taste of bacon and eggs and I wanted to write about it. But also to first announce that, yes, Jerry and I are back in America; I am celebrating the occasion by doing what I do best—writing—and Jerry is celebrating in his own gifted way; i.e. sleeping, but with talent. So now that my breakfast has been appreciated and our return notified, I can now explain the end of our time in India and our trip home.
After our trip into the mountains of Ooty, India, Jerry and I went home and crashed for a bit: I had a blister on my toe (a big one) and we both were sore from all the hiking. So for the following week we visited the orphanage and attended an engagement party, but otherwise relaxed. At the orphanage we did what we do normally: smile a lot, play with the kids, and play countless games of thumb war and the palm-fist game—something like patty cake. The engagement party was quite interesting as well, for the groom looked a bit nervous and the bride terrified. Ultimately we found out that it was a good arrangement (for it was an arranged marriage) and the two cared for one another, but at the time we thought there was something inhumane going on. Needless to say the experience broadened our minds to a completely different sort of thinking as pertains to marriage.
The following week we went with the orphanage kids and some others to another set of mountains within India. Not Ooty, but frankly I don't remember the name of the place we went in the slightest. To be perfectly honest it was meant to be a vacation, but when all was said and done we felt as though we needed a vacation from our vacation: the bus ride, for example, was in the sort of old bus that people joke about but never figure they would actually find themselves in: it wasn't horribly uncomfortable, but the engine worked under serious protest and would periodically overheat; i.e., a 'six hour' trip turned into a ride of over eleven hours. On the way back, actually, it took around sixteen hours. I'm not complaining, as there's no point, but merely trying to get across the fatigue of the situation and the bruised state of our tailbones. The good news of the trip is that we got to spend plenty of time with the kids—which we enjoyed immensely—and were able to ride a camel. For those uncertain, camels are massive creatures with a back which measures around seven feet off the ground; you get on the creature by it sitting down first, or, if you're black and athletic, you jump on. Otherwise we wandered through a muddy playground, went for a short boat ride, and visited the local 'zoo'—which prized a deer as its main attraction. It was a fun trip, truly, but I would be lying if I described it as the pique of comfort and entertainment; we often stole our enthusiasm from the perpetuity of the kids'.
Once we got back it was the final week of our stay, and much of it was spent in spiritual and circumstantial preparation of our departure; most details of which would not be worth describing, but the final spiritual preparation was most wonderful in an indescribable sort of way. Four days before our departure the Pastor's son, Samuel, flew in from America to stay for a couple months. We hung out with him for the most part thereafter. Otherwise Jerry was sick the final week with an impressive plethora of illnesses and drug induced lethargies. I pretended to be a nurse and made a few calls home with medical questions—the answers of which only a veteran mom would know. He did recover though and even managed to ride an elephant in the temple the day before we left, which made him happy. We then bid our farewells and Jerry tossed propriety to the wind and hugged our very nervous tangachi: Tamil for little sister: Muthu (moo-too), one of the maidservants we befriended during our stay. That was early Sunday morning, and we then left for the airport.
Sunday and Monday, for me, basically merged into a single long day: like eating a foot long hot dogs instead of two normal-sized ones—in that it gives one indigestion. Once we arrived from our first flight into Chennai, India, we were driven to a local hotel and slept for some hours. We then woke up to Pastor John—a man of absolutely remarkable character which I will elaborate on in a moment—knocking on our door as to meet us and give a tour of Chennai. Indeed it was a splendid tour, as we visited three landmarks of the Apostle Thomas: the place where he lived and hid, the place where he fled and was murdered, and the church which they built over his grave (which we saw). I can't provide much commentary on the experience as it only means something if one goes there; i.e., if one sees the places, stands there and thinks about it, and part of the Bible suddenly becomes more than ancient, abstract information: but true, historical fact with no concern as to whether or not people believe in it. There were Thomas' bones. It was all very fascinating, and Pastor John offered his own commentary and explanation to what we were looking at and some of the story therein. We then went back to the hotel to rest a few hours before our flight, and Pastor John talked to us for a bit about ministry. It was very welcomed, considering the character of this man, and we finished by having a very powerful prayer together.
It's a bit frustrating for me as I think how to explain Pastor John, for indeed I hardly knew the man, but there was an awesome understanding that we were three within the Spirit of God. I'm not talking about the thought or idea of being 'brothers-in-Christ', but a real, conscious sense; like three people standing, talking on a mountain. Ten years ago Pastor John gave up his social position and went to live among the people in the slums. He has no job at all, but pastors the people in the truest sense of the word—a pastor is one who shepherds—for he serves day and night the people, lives among them, and treats them like friends and family; they love him. He never knows how he will financially or otherwise survive, but for ten years has trusted God to provide in the truest sense his daily bread. It's a remarkable story, and the man has such a love for God and his people. That's the most incredible thing about him: not what he does or who he helps, but the splendorous love which simply illuminated from the man for life itself; he was not strange or foolish, but aware of himself, what he believed, and why. Please pray for this man and his ministry. He shall likely never be made famous by his ministry, but without a doubt it has tremendous eternal impact.
So, with that said, we made our way to the airport very early in the morning of Monday and departed without incident for Qatar. (I don't usually do this, but I highly recommend Qatar Airlines (Airways?) for international flights: the experience as a whole was pleasant and comfortable, and the long flight to America was easy with the impressive accommodations for even the economy class patrons.) We had a short layover in Doha, Qatar; Jerry ate a cheeseburger, wished he hadn't, and we were on our way to America. Jerry's father and sister greeted our tired selves at the airport, took us home, fed us, chatted with us, and sent us to bed. By that point I was running for around forty-eight hours with a couple hours of sleep, so my tired little mind simply grinned stupidly and quietly praised God for his goodness, and family.
That about does it. Jerry and I will be debriefing at his uncle's beach side property for the week, and hopefully friends and family will drive out there to visit us. Please, if I may, pray for us. We want not merely to relax, for we're sure that will happen, but also that God would help us to conclude and set permanence to our growth and experience within previous months. We long to grow ever closer to our King and Holy Father, and are quite sure there are many more lessons to come, but we want to make sure these lessons are understood first and settle within our minds, hearts, and characters. What's the use of experience if we don't learn from it? And, finally, thank you: thank you so much for your prayerful and financial support. To go to Asia as missionaries was a privilege and life-changing opportunity. I do not exaggerate in the slightest when I thank you all for having a major role in changing our lives; in changing my character to be better yet, and with an insatiable hunger for love, life and therein the Lord—the Author of all such good things. Again, thank you, and know that we love you all and pray for you as well.
Tuesday, June 2, 2009
Saturday, May 23, 2009
Update from India!
Jakarta:
Our last week in Indonesia was spent in the capital city of Jakarta. This visit was definitely a highlight of the trip for Jason and I. The friendships we made, the family of God we were able to be a part of, and the different culture seen gave our month in Indonesia a great finish.
From Steven, his roomates, the Legacy small group, and church friends to our friends at the orphanage, the guys at the catering business, and all in the Rock ministry- everyone quickly became dear friends and we instantly connected with our family in Jakarta. As far as what we did in Jakarta goes, we played American football and shared testimonies at an orphanage, we shared some testimonies at churches, spoke at a small group and catering business, and spoke at a worship night led by Irwan. As meaningful as speaking and "doing ministry" was, the people we were with, quickly became the heart of our stay for the week.
We were taken care of like family from day one of arriving. After just a couple days of living with these guys, Jason and I started wondering when the next time we would return to Jakarta would be. As far as ministry goes, Jason and I have a heart for connecting with people- really opening up and sharing the truth about our lives, what we're going through, and everything God is doing. That's what happened for the week. As the guys would ask us questions about our lives and the ministry we've been doing- we were really able to process everything God, in fact, had been doing in our lives. So I want to give a special thanks to Steven, Mike, Irwan, and Danar. Thanks guys, you and our other brothers in Indonesia will never be forgotten- thanks for everything.
India:
As new and different as all the cultures have been so far on this trip, none have been as new and different as India. The food, marriages, music, clothing, caste system, religion, weather, relationships, and traffic are a couple of the adjustments in culture we've been a part of so far this month. As far as my travels go, India is the least "western-influenced" culture I've ever been in. Here is a rundown of what this month has been like thus far.
We've been involved with Rev. Dr. John Arul and the ministries he's apart of here in southern India. This has led us from Madurai, our main living quarters, to the mountains of Ooty- home of monkeys, elephants, and tigers. "Dr. J" has been very instrumental in starting churches all over the southern part of this country. He does a lot of traveling, corresponding with local ministries, and preaching throughout the week. We've gone on three mini trips to other parts of the region so far, along with our brothers (tambi) and sisters (tangachi) in India. Here are four highlights from our stay so far.
Orphanage 8 hours north:
Sadly, we are not sure of the names of all the places we've gone, so please excuse the titles of these sections. We spent 2 days with the great kids at an orphanage in the area. Games, stories, fun at the beach- all things Jason and I enjoy doing anyway. We took walks around the area, as the kids walked barefoot beside us. The area we were in is a very popular Catholic, Indian area. People would travel for hours to spend one day of "pilgrimage" there. A common practice of worship was for men and women to shave their heads and burn their hair as sacrifices to Mary. Jason and I didn't get around to participating in this ritual, but simply observed the practices of the people there.
Mountain area near city of Ooty:
Jason and I agree this was one of the most beautiful places we've been to. Mountians filled with tea bushes, "redefining the color green" as Jason put it. We hiked about 3 hours down a mountain where no car could go, to get to a mountain village church. We stayed there for the day- cut down jackfruit from trees, bathed in an area of giant rocks, walked as monkeys threw little twigs and flower buds at us, and had a communion service at night. The following morning we hiked down again to another village 3 hours away. During that hike, we had to all walk quietly for the area had many elephants around (elephants there don't smile and eat peanuts as in the zoos in the states, they're more of the giant dangerous animal you stay away from in India). Thankfully, we didn't run into any elephants but rather just avoided many droppings and saw hundreds of bamboo trees knocked down by their earlier visits. We bathed in a river once we reached the bottom and headed back to Madurai.
Madurai:
This has been our central base of operation. The schedule tends to be quite surprising and unknown many times, but we're learning to trust and follow where He leads. In Madurai, Jason and I have spoken and assisted at Vacation Bible Schools around the area, spoke in churches, and made many friends at an orphanage. Even though our month has had it's share of unique experiences and different ministries, Jason and I both feel the focus of ministry for this month is us. The Lord has been really stretching and shaping us- strengthening our relationship with Him everyday. Our relationships with Him growing has been the best part of the entire trip by far.
Money? :
So through a little miscommunication and some misunderstanding, we found out when we got here, that the church expected Jason and I to pay $15 each per day during our month's stay... in May. I have to admit, I did have a time of very unique prayer with the Lord asking, "What do we do?!" How I look back now and smile, knowing how faithful He is. It's still His trip. I phoned my mother on Mother's Day, and chatted for a little, then dropped the news that the church is expecting $900 by the end of the month, and we simply do not have the money... My parents were walking into church and my dad said he'd say something to the church... to make a long story short, we were so blessed by our church family back home- three churches took offerings and within a couple days, and we had nearly double what was needed come in. As I heard more and more news of the Lord providing, I had to smile, look to the Lord, and say, "Wow. I don't think 'thank you' covers it, Lord." Just another "His trip" experience with some new understandings of trust.
I do want to apologize because we are not able to post pictures with the internet connection available here. We will have posts once we get home of pictures from Indonesia and India.
Thank you again to everyone for your prayers and the recent financial support. If the Lord ever puts it on your heart to send us any encouragement or letters, our email is servetheworld@gmail.com and if anyone feels led to give and help with the continuing of the Lord's ministry with Serve the World, all support can be sent to:
Serve the World
PO Box 305
Lumberton, NJ
08048
Jesus bless you all. Please pray we are able to finish this month and trip strong. With just over a week left, we often think of home, but know we still have a final exciting week ahead. Jason and I have been forever changed and are so blessed for what the Lord has done through us. Thank you all for being a part of this. We love you all.
Jerry
Our last week in Indonesia was spent in the capital city of Jakarta. This visit was definitely a highlight of the trip for Jason and I. The friendships we made, the family of God we were able to be a part of, and the different culture seen gave our month in Indonesia a great finish.
From Steven, his roomates, the Legacy small group, and church friends to our friends at the orphanage, the guys at the catering business, and all in the Rock ministry- everyone quickly became dear friends and we instantly connected with our family in Jakarta. As far as what we did in Jakarta goes, we played American football and shared testimonies at an orphanage, we shared some testimonies at churches, spoke at a small group and catering business, and spoke at a worship night led by Irwan. As meaningful as speaking and "doing ministry" was, the people we were with, quickly became the heart of our stay for the week.
We were taken care of like family from day one of arriving. After just a couple days of living with these guys, Jason and I started wondering when the next time we would return to Jakarta would be. As far as ministry goes, Jason and I have a heart for connecting with people- really opening up and sharing the truth about our lives, what we're going through, and everything God is doing. That's what happened for the week. As the guys would ask us questions about our lives and the ministry we've been doing- we were really able to process everything God, in fact, had been doing in our lives. So I want to give a special thanks to Steven, Mike, Irwan, and Danar. Thanks guys, you and our other brothers in Indonesia will never be forgotten- thanks for everything.
India:
As new and different as all the cultures have been so far on this trip, none have been as new and different as India. The food, marriages, music, clothing, caste system, religion, weather, relationships, and traffic are a couple of the adjustments in culture we've been a part of so far this month. As far as my travels go, India is the least "western-influenced" culture I've ever been in. Here is a rundown of what this month has been like thus far.
We've been involved with Rev. Dr. John Arul and the ministries he's apart of here in southern India. This has led us from Madurai, our main living quarters, to the mountains of Ooty- home of monkeys, elephants, and tigers. "Dr. J" has been very instrumental in starting churches all over the southern part of this country. He does a lot of traveling, corresponding with local ministries, and preaching throughout the week. We've gone on three mini trips to other parts of the region so far, along with our brothers (tambi) and sisters (tangachi) in India. Here are four highlights from our stay so far.
Orphanage 8 hours north:
Sadly, we are not sure of the names of all the places we've gone, so please excuse the titles of these sections. We spent 2 days with the great kids at an orphanage in the area. Games, stories, fun at the beach- all things Jason and I enjoy doing anyway. We took walks around the area, as the kids walked barefoot beside us. The area we were in is a very popular Catholic, Indian area. People would travel for hours to spend one day of "pilgrimage" there. A common practice of worship was for men and women to shave their heads and burn their hair as sacrifices to Mary. Jason and I didn't get around to participating in this ritual, but simply observed the practices of the people there.
Mountain area near city of Ooty:
Jason and I agree this was one of the most beautiful places we've been to. Mountians filled with tea bushes, "redefining the color green" as Jason put it. We hiked about 3 hours down a mountain where no car could go, to get to a mountain village church. We stayed there for the day- cut down jackfruit from trees, bathed in an area of giant rocks, walked as monkeys threw little twigs and flower buds at us, and had a communion service at night. The following morning we hiked down again to another village 3 hours away. During that hike, we had to all walk quietly for the area had many elephants around (elephants there don't smile and eat peanuts as in the zoos in the states, they're more of the giant dangerous animal you stay away from in India). Thankfully, we didn't run into any elephants but rather just avoided many droppings and saw hundreds of bamboo trees knocked down by their earlier visits. We bathed in a river once we reached the bottom and headed back to Madurai.
Madurai:
This has been our central base of operation. The schedule tends to be quite surprising and unknown many times, but we're learning to trust and follow where He leads. In Madurai, Jason and I have spoken and assisted at Vacation Bible Schools around the area, spoke in churches, and made many friends at an orphanage. Even though our month has had it's share of unique experiences and different ministries, Jason and I both feel the focus of ministry for this month is us. The Lord has been really stretching and shaping us- strengthening our relationship with Him everyday. Our relationships with Him growing has been the best part of the entire trip by far.
Money? :
So through a little miscommunication and some misunderstanding, we found out when we got here, that the church expected Jason and I to pay $15 each per day during our month's stay... in May. I have to admit, I did have a time of very unique prayer with the Lord asking, "What do we do?!" How I look back now and smile, knowing how faithful He is. It's still His trip. I phoned my mother on Mother's Day, and chatted for a little, then dropped the news that the church is expecting $900 by the end of the month, and we simply do not have the money... My parents were walking into church and my dad said he'd say something to the church... to make a long story short, we were so blessed by our church family back home- three churches took offerings and within a couple days, and we had nearly double what was needed come in. As I heard more and more news of the Lord providing, I had to smile, look to the Lord, and say, "Wow. I don't think 'thank you' covers it, Lord." Just another "His trip" experience with some new understandings of trust.
I do want to apologize because we are not able to post pictures with the internet connection available here. We will have posts once we get home of pictures from Indonesia and India.
Thank you again to everyone for your prayers and the recent financial support. If the Lord ever puts it on your heart to send us any encouragement or letters, our email is servetheworld@gmail.com and if anyone feels led to give and help with the continuing of the Lord's ministry with Serve the World, all support can be sent to:
Serve the World
PO Box 305
Lumberton, NJ
08048
Jesus bless you all. Please pray we are able to finish this month and trip strong. With just over a week left, we often think of home, but know we still have a final exciting week ahead. Jason and I have been forever changed and are so blessed for what the Lord has done through us. Thank you all for being a part of this. We love you all.
Jerry
Monday, April 27, 2009
Skydiving
The more time I spend trying to think about how to explain what Jerry and I have been doing, the less I want to write about it. Don't get me wrong; not for the purpose of not informing you - our fine friends, family, and supporters - but because I'm certain I won't do it justice. Things will be forgotten, exaggerated and minimized, but I'll do my best. Thank you for understanding.
I'll start with what I am sure of. God is large, incredible, unpredictable, and lovely. This month has proven that God does not have to follow any such formula or pattern as the previous months followed. We began in Nabire, went to Napan (which I'll explain), and now find ourselves in Jakarta - on an entirely different region. Presumably, we were going to Nabire for some of the month, and taking a flight to the natives in Sugapa. This clearly did not happen, and at times I think God is grinning so widely I can hear it.
First of all, if I were to describe the month in literal terms of 'we did this, this, this and some of this', then it may sound as though, at times, we were rather lazy. For we taught English, met with some teachers, and spoke a few times while in Nabire, but most days we had the largest span of the day to ourselves. So what did we do? Well, frankly, it seemed as though in these times we found the past couple months of our lives (and, at times, and then some) catching up to us. It was like jumping out of a plane with a parachute: initially there is such rush of speed that you find yourself simply doing things, but eventually you have to deal with the ground. And when you do hit the ground, you suddenly realize that you not only have the landing to deal with, but you suddenly recognize that the jump and fall themselves did something to you, and you must deal with this as well. Indeed, Jerry and I jumped headfirst, as strangers to one another, into a series of cultures, events, opportunities, etc... Then Indonesia happened, and we had so much downtime that we had to deal with it all and what it did to us. It therefore goes without saying that we prayed. A lot. Much like new skydivers do, I suppose.
On top of it all, we ate an incredible amount of peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. This brings me to Ado and Steven - our most gracious hosts. Ado is the sort of fellow who loves God, follows God, and has much to say, but does it all quietly. He picked us up from the airport, drove us anywhere we needed to go, and all in all took care of us. I've noticed in the past two months there were definitely two women who assumed the position of our mother for the month, and Ado, you could say, was our father this month. He is a man worth admiring, and Jerry and I are very thankful for him. Steven, on the other hand, was more like a brother and cohort in crime. Daniel Alexander sent him to assist us in Nabire (as he natively lives in the western island of Java, in the city of Jakarta) with his 'mad linguistic skills'. Indeed, as far as the language barrier goes, this has been the most difficult month, but Steven has helped us through it. (Indonesia is home to thousands and thousands of islands, and almost an equal amount of cultures - many with dialects of their own. Indeed, there was no unity of language until the beginning of the twentieth century, and it hasn't spread entirely just yet.) Steven is but a bit older than us, and we have enjoyed our conversations with him and his care and generosity toward us, and fancy the possibility of future correspondence. Praise God for the global church - of which, frankly, most of us are ignorant.
Nabire acquired the first two weeks of the month, and Napan the second. Napan. The word makes me want to get up, find Jerry, and make sure that we actually did go there and what happened really did. I believe Jerry is the same, but I went to the island with the understanding that it would almost be recreational with a touch of teaching. A marvelous couple - Refly and Maili - invited us to the island as a sort of neat idea, and as Jerry and I enjoy neat ideas, we aimed for doing it. What we didn't know was that it was a rather remote island of limited technology (no cars, few computers, etc...) and that we would be the first Americans to set foot on the island. Ever. And we would be the first westerners there in a very long time - since the Dutch were there generations ago. This, however, was unknown to us until the last day or so on the island, and it was said rather matter-of-factly. I think the only way to really explain the trip would be to start at the beginning - which is rather old fashioned.
Jerry, Maili, Refly, Steven and I were driven to the Nabire beach in the early evening. We went down to the water and admired the boats which would be taking us: something like a large canoe with bamboo flotations far out on both sides to help it balance (sorry seafarers, that's the best I've got). Complications arose, however, so we weren't able to leave immediately and wouldn't really be able to do so until night. (Not city 'night'; rural night where even the bugs carry lanterns its so dark, and you better understand the impossibility when people talk about counting the stars.) So it was night, storming, and our drivers were taking us on an hour (plus) trip with not so much as a compass. I was ecstatic. In blatant defiance to what some philosophers and English teachers may suggest, the experience can only be properly expressed with the word sublime. It was a sublime experience. We flew through the water (using a small engine) - twenty of us or so - on water so black it looked flat in spite of the waves. The sky was cloudy like gray, wet, dripping cotton, and hid most of the stars. It was cold and uncomfortable, but as Jerry and I later reflected, it was such a stoic experience that it had to be. But back to the water. It was so black and flat in appearance, and the sky so beveled, that it looked as though we glided along the sky and the ground was above us. What made this complete were the plankton. Thousands, no, tens or hundreds of thousands of very small fish flew by us glowing a profound green. How can I describe it? for they looked like thousand upon thousands of stars which shot passed us in the sky beneath. It was a sublime experience. Jerry and I prayed, and worshipped, and sang. We had to: God was so big and incredible, and we knew it.
From there we stayed our nights in a bungalow, but twenty feet from the waters edge. During the day we visited the natives, and spoke at different churches every day. The island of Napan was actually the first in its region to be missioned to many years ago, and actually was historically the reason that Nabire is a prominently Christian town. The island, therefore, is Christian, and of a very traditional variety. I felt as though God wanted me to quietly observe in the visit, so Jerry spoke at the churches on the subject of taking a traditional religion and making it personal; that God is a God that deals with us on a personal basis, and not only on Sunday. It was meant to encourage and challenge a deeper and more meaningful relationship to God, and we understand that it did just that. I'm afraid some of the circumstances and situations we found ourselves in were so strange and incredible that I would only feel comfortable telling the story in person. But it was awesome, and I challenge all who read this to immediately stop reading and pray for the people of Napan: that God would do a work in their hearts and bless the leaders who give their all every day. Pray now, please. Don't worry, this post will be here when you're finished.
Jerry and I then returned to Nabire and, once again, hit the ground: 'What just happened? and what did that do to us?' Then God decided to change plans a bit more and the trip to Sugapa fell through. We prayed about this and decided He wanted us to go to Jakarta with Steven (who had returned to his home city but a few days previous) instead. So we are here now, and I am writing this from one of the malls in Jakarta. More has happened since we got here but, quite frankly, I need to chew on my own recollections for awhile, and I'm getting a haircut. Priorities.
Please, as we always say, continue to be in prayer for Jerry and me. Indonesia has been an absolutely incredible month, and I'm only beginning to really be aware of the foundational changes God has been making in my life. I should like to say what they are, but, instead, I shall keep my eyes on Him and let his works in me reveal themselves. I am quite sure Jerry would agree, and I thank you all for your constant prayer and support. Please be in prayer for everyone and everywhere we have mentioned, and pray God continues to work in us as we conclude our time in Jakarta and head out for India on Thursday. I have a feeling there is much more skydiving to be done.
To God be all the glory, all the honor, and all our unceasing worship. Amen.
I'll start with what I am sure of. God is large, incredible, unpredictable, and lovely. This month has proven that God does not have to follow any such formula or pattern as the previous months followed. We began in Nabire, went to Napan (which I'll explain), and now find ourselves in Jakarta - on an entirely different region. Presumably, we were going to Nabire for some of the month, and taking a flight to the natives in Sugapa. This clearly did not happen, and at times I think God is grinning so widely I can hear it.
First of all, if I were to describe the month in literal terms of 'we did this, this, this and some of this', then it may sound as though, at times, we were rather lazy. For we taught English, met with some teachers, and spoke a few times while in Nabire, but most days we had the largest span of the day to ourselves. So what did we do? Well, frankly, it seemed as though in these times we found the past couple months of our lives (and, at times, and then some) catching up to us. It was like jumping out of a plane with a parachute: initially there is such rush of speed that you find yourself simply doing things, but eventually you have to deal with the ground. And when you do hit the ground, you suddenly realize that you not only have the landing to deal with, but you suddenly recognize that the jump and fall themselves did something to you, and you must deal with this as well. Indeed, Jerry and I jumped headfirst, as strangers to one another, into a series of cultures, events, opportunities, etc... Then Indonesia happened, and we had so much downtime that we had to deal with it all and what it did to us. It therefore goes without saying that we prayed. A lot. Much like new skydivers do, I suppose.
On top of it all, we ate an incredible amount of peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. This brings me to Ado and Steven - our most gracious hosts. Ado is the sort of fellow who loves God, follows God, and has much to say, but does it all quietly. He picked us up from the airport, drove us anywhere we needed to go, and all in all took care of us. I've noticed in the past two months there were definitely two women who assumed the position of our mother for the month, and Ado, you could say, was our father this month. He is a man worth admiring, and Jerry and I are very thankful for him. Steven, on the other hand, was more like a brother and cohort in crime. Daniel Alexander sent him to assist us in Nabire (as he natively lives in the western island of Java, in the city of Jakarta) with his 'mad linguistic skills'. Indeed, as far as the language barrier goes, this has been the most difficult month, but Steven has helped us through it. (Indonesia is home to thousands and thousands of islands, and almost an equal amount of cultures - many with dialects of their own. Indeed, there was no unity of language until the beginning of the twentieth century, and it hasn't spread entirely just yet.) Steven is but a bit older than us, and we have enjoyed our conversations with him and his care and generosity toward us, and fancy the possibility of future correspondence. Praise God for the global church - of which, frankly, most of us are ignorant.
Nabire acquired the first two weeks of the month, and Napan the second. Napan. The word makes me want to get up, find Jerry, and make sure that we actually did go there and what happened really did. I believe Jerry is the same, but I went to the island with the understanding that it would almost be recreational with a touch of teaching. A marvelous couple - Refly and Maili - invited us to the island as a sort of neat idea, and as Jerry and I enjoy neat ideas, we aimed for doing it. What we didn't know was that it was a rather remote island of limited technology (no cars, few computers, etc...) and that we would be the first Americans to set foot on the island. Ever. And we would be the first westerners there in a very long time - since the Dutch were there generations ago. This, however, was unknown to us until the last day or so on the island, and it was said rather matter-of-factly. I think the only way to really explain the trip would be to start at the beginning - which is rather old fashioned.
Jerry, Maili, Refly, Steven and I were driven to the Nabire beach in the early evening. We went down to the water and admired the boats which would be taking us: something like a large canoe with bamboo flotations far out on both sides to help it balance (sorry seafarers, that's the best I've got). Complications arose, however, so we weren't able to leave immediately and wouldn't really be able to do so until night. (Not city 'night'; rural night where even the bugs carry lanterns its so dark, and you better understand the impossibility when people talk about counting the stars.) So it was night, storming, and our drivers were taking us on an hour (plus) trip with not so much as a compass. I was ecstatic. In blatant defiance to what some philosophers and English teachers may suggest, the experience can only be properly expressed with the word sublime. It was a sublime experience. We flew through the water (using a small engine) - twenty of us or so - on water so black it looked flat in spite of the waves. The sky was cloudy like gray, wet, dripping cotton, and hid most of the stars. It was cold and uncomfortable, but as Jerry and I later reflected, it was such a stoic experience that it had to be. But back to the water. It was so black and flat in appearance, and the sky so beveled, that it looked as though we glided along the sky and the ground was above us. What made this complete were the plankton. Thousands, no, tens or hundreds of thousands of very small fish flew by us glowing a profound green. How can I describe it? for they looked like thousand upon thousands of stars which shot passed us in the sky beneath. It was a sublime experience. Jerry and I prayed, and worshipped, and sang. We had to: God was so big and incredible, and we knew it.
From there we stayed our nights in a bungalow, but twenty feet from the waters edge. During the day we visited the natives, and spoke at different churches every day. The island of Napan was actually the first in its region to be missioned to many years ago, and actually was historically the reason that Nabire is a prominently Christian town. The island, therefore, is Christian, and of a very traditional variety. I felt as though God wanted me to quietly observe in the visit, so Jerry spoke at the churches on the subject of taking a traditional religion and making it personal; that God is a God that deals with us on a personal basis, and not only on Sunday. It was meant to encourage and challenge a deeper and more meaningful relationship to God, and we understand that it did just that. I'm afraid some of the circumstances and situations we found ourselves in were so strange and incredible that I would only feel comfortable telling the story in person. But it was awesome, and I challenge all who read this to immediately stop reading and pray for the people of Napan: that God would do a work in their hearts and bless the leaders who give their all every day. Pray now, please. Don't worry, this post will be here when you're finished.
Jerry and I then returned to Nabire and, once again, hit the ground: 'What just happened? and what did that do to us?' Then God decided to change plans a bit more and the trip to Sugapa fell through. We prayed about this and decided He wanted us to go to Jakarta with Steven (who had returned to his home city but a few days previous) instead. So we are here now, and I am writing this from one of the malls in Jakarta. More has happened since we got here but, quite frankly, I need to chew on my own recollections for awhile, and I'm getting a haircut. Priorities.
Please, as we always say, continue to be in prayer for Jerry and me. Indonesia has been an absolutely incredible month, and I'm only beginning to really be aware of the foundational changes God has been making in my life. I should like to say what they are, but, instead, I shall keep my eyes on Him and let his works in me reveal themselves. I am quite sure Jerry would agree, and I thank you all for your constant prayer and support. Please be in prayer for everyone and everywhere we have mentioned, and pray God continues to work in us as we conclude our time in Jakarta and head out for India on Thursday. I have a feeling there is much more skydiving to be done.
To God be all the glory, all the honor, and all our unceasing worship. Amen.
Wednesday, April 8, 2009
Four days, four countries...
Jason and I have made it to Indonesia! We are currently in Nabire, which is in the region of Papua, which is on the large eastern island of Indonesia- the island shared with Papa New Guinea. But before I go into our Indonesian adventures, let me fill you in on the ending of the Philippines, and our journey to Nabire. Because of our internet connection here, we'll be posting pictures at a later time.
As Jason told me, the Philippines could be summed up with one word- "Pastor." We spent the month giving Pastor Romy a one month sabbatical- the first one he's had in 8 years. From our time with Mamong, to leading Bible studies, to preaching, to spending time with the youth, Jason and I were missionary-pastors in the Philippines.
Every Sunday morning of the months was an opportunity to preach for Jason and I. While I've been continuing my preaching on the greatest commandment, Jason has been focusing on the topic of "Who you are." Jason and I would meet back up every Sunday afternoon after preaching in different churches with smiles on our faces. God does His thing every time.
Leaving our new friends was a bitter sweet moment for us- even now, we look back with fond memories of our Filipino family. Thank you all for a great month- we miss you and look forward to seeing you next time. Our final day was spent with my friend from New Jersey, Denart, who made the initial connection to the ministry in PI, and his friends from school- Dustin and Belle. We had our final Filipino meal and set off on the 31st for a 4 day/3 night layover in Singapore.
We were blessed to stay with Pastor Vic, Pastor Arnell, Pastor Jerry, and other Filipino Christians while in Singapore. We had times of sightseeing like our day spent on Sentosa Island as well as times of discipleship. The pastors had a powerful message of deliverance that left us challenged and praying. Times like those keep smiles on our faces and increase our faith in the way God works everything out in His timing.
For one of our days in Singapore, we decided to go to Malaysia. Since Singapore is only 40km long, our travel to the Malaysian border was only 30 min. and we continued to spend the rest of the day in the city of Johor. Jason sat next to a missionary from Mexico on the way to Singapore named Mariana, who accompanied us to Johor. We spent the day exchanging stories of God working, learning Malaysian, and trying new foods.
That brings us to our travel to Indonesia. On April 3rd, Jason and I flew from Singapore to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia at 1pm. At 4pm, we flew to Jakarta, Indonesia, where we met our contact and new friend, Steven. At 10pm, we flew from Jakarta to Makasa. At 2am, we flew from Makasa to Biak. At 1:30pm, we flew from Biak to our final destination of Nabire. I have never taken five flights to get somewhere before, but let me tell you, it is quite exausting.
So for the last couple days, Jason and I have been living in the beautiful town of Nabire, Indonesia.
A man named Daniel Alexander has been establishing schools and orphanages over the last couple years in this area for children from the tribal mountain areas of Papua. We have had the privelage of teaching English in one of these schools here in Nabire. All the students are great! We are greeted with huge smiles and high-fives everyday.
Over the next couple weeks, Jason and I will continue our teaching at the school. We also have the opportunity to fly into the tribal areas to teach English to those living in the mountains. We've been preaching and teaching at several church meetings and will continue to do so throughout the month as well.
Thank you all for your prayers- I don't know how else to say this everytime. Just know that we are truly grateful for your prayers for us and we hope you know that you are helping make a difference here in Nabire. All credit and attention goes to God for the great things He's doing. Til next time,
Jerry
As Jason told me, the Philippines could be summed up with one word- "Pastor." We spent the month giving Pastor Romy a one month sabbatical- the first one he's had in 8 years. From our time with Mamong, to leading Bible studies, to preaching, to spending time with the youth, Jason and I were missionary-pastors in the Philippines.
Every Sunday morning of the months was an opportunity to preach for Jason and I. While I've been continuing my preaching on the greatest commandment, Jason has been focusing on the topic of "Who you are." Jason and I would meet back up every Sunday afternoon after preaching in different churches with smiles on our faces. God does His thing every time.
Leaving our new friends was a bitter sweet moment for us- even now, we look back with fond memories of our Filipino family. Thank you all for a great month- we miss you and look forward to seeing you next time. Our final day was spent with my friend from New Jersey, Denart, who made the initial connection to the ministry in PI, and his friends from school- Dustin and Belle. We had our final Filipino meal and set off on the 31st for a 4 day/3 night layover in Singapore.
We were blessed to stay with Pastor Vic, Pastor Arnell, Pastor Jerry, and other Filipino Christians while in Singapore. We had times of sightseeing like our day spent on Sentosa Island as well as times of discipleship. The pastors had a powerful message of deliverance that left us challenged and praying. Times like those keep smiles on our faces and increase our faith in the way God works everything out in His timing.
For one of our days in Singapore, we decided to go to Malaysia. Since Singapore is only 40km long, our travel to the Malaysian border was only 30 min. and we continued to spend the rest of the day in the city of Johor. Jason sat next to a missionary from Mexico on the way to Singapore named Mariana, who accompanied us to Johor. We spent the day exchanging stories of God working, learning Malaysian, and trying new foods.
That brings us to our travel to Indonesia. On April 3rd, Jason and I flew from Singapore to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia at 1pm. At 4pm, we flew to Jakarta, Indonesia, where we met our contact and new friend, Steven. At 10pm, we flew from Jakarta to Makasa. At 2am, we flew from Makasa to Biak. At 1:30pm, we flew from Biak to our final destination of Nabire. I have never taken five flights to get somewhere before, but let me tell you, it is quite exausting.
So for the last couple days, Jason and I have been living in the beautiful town of Nabire, Indonesia.
A man named Daniel Alexander has been establishing schools and orphanages over the last couple years in this area for children from the tribal mountain areas of Papua. We have had the privelage of teaching English in one of these schools here in Nabire. All the students are great! We are greeted with huge smiles and high-fives everyday.
Over the next couple weeks, Jason and I will continue our teaching at the school. We also have the opportunity to fly into the tribal areas to teach English to those living in the mountains. We've been preaching and teaching at several church meetings and will continue to do so throughout the month as well.
Thank you all for your prayers- I don't know how else to say this everytime. Just know that we are truly grateful for your prayers for us and we hope you know that you are helping make a difference here in Nabire. All credit and attention goes to God for the great things He's doing. Til next time,
Jerry
Saturday, March 28, 2009
Mamang
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On Saturday, March 21st, our dear friend "Mamang" ("mother" in Tagalog) passed away. Jason and I both wanted to take some time to reflect on our time her.
Mamang was one of the first church members we met coming into our time with the UBCC. Pastor Romy let us know she had developed lung cancer and wasn't doing that well. I remember the first time she looked up and showed us her beautiful smile. Over the last couple weeks, we visited Mamang regularly sharing stories from the Bible, stories from our lives, and singing songs to her. I was so blessed by her during our second visit when we were going to pray for her and she asked us to just be thankful to God. Her attitude in the midst of greatly challenging times left quite an impact- one request- thank God. The next couple weeks we spent thanking God- especially for Mamang. Every visit was welcomed by a smile that I will always remember.
The week following her passing away was her wake- having a nightly service, followed by a full night of games, food, and conversation every night until her funeral on Saturday. I was able to speak on Tuesday night- sharing my experiences with her as well as going through John 3- sharing new life in the spirit. The entire time from Saturday to Saturday was very impactful- not only were we able to remember and cherish the memories of Mamong, but we were able to meet her family, spend quality time with church members at night, and moved deeply by the reality of God's timing in bringing Jason and I to the Philippines.
Thank you Father for our time with Mamang- it brings joy to think about her smiling for eternity with You.
-Jerry
Truly, it is incredibly difficult for me to express my heart as relates to Mamang. In life, spending time with her was a cherished, almost numinous experience. When I think of those times of stories, song and silence, her countenance reminds me of Titus where elder women are told to be worthy of reverence - i.e., awe and respect. In death I was shook to my core yet further still in experiences which shall forever come to define a part of me; experiences which I dare not write as are too precious, terrible, awful and incredible to share without certain injustice.
I was, to my honor and astonishment, asked to speak at the last night of her wake when all of her family had gathered from the Filipino islands to mourn her death and celebrate her life. I stood before the crowd absolutely shaken, with nary an idea of what to say; some were Christians, most were not, a couple were drunk to fight their grief, and others soon to follow, yet all loved this woman and knew her better than I. Frankly, I felt terribly unqualified to be before them. With a trembling heart I sang before them Mamang's favorite song - Psalm 23 - and told them what it meant, concluding with the line, "'I shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever!' That," I said, "means home." From there I poured my heart out with what I could and said while many would tell me how she lives, and others of us how she died, I wanted them to know that she lives and where. To many, I suppose, it could have appeared a shameless moment of taking advantage of pain to peddle a religion, but to me it was my gospel; my good news, and summarized my final wish for the woman I knew only at the end: 'I love you. Thank you. God loves you. I'll see you soon.'
-Jason
-Jerry
Truly, it is incredibly difficult for me to express my heart as relates to Mamang. In life, spending time with her was a cherished, almost numinous experience. When I think of those times of stories, song and silence, her countenance reminds me of Titus where elder women are told to be worthy of reverence - i.e., awe and respect. In death I was shook to my core yet further still in experiences which shall forever come to define a part of me; experiences which I dare not write as are too precious, terrible, awful and incredible to share without certain injustice.
I was, to my honor and astonishment, asked to speak at the last night of her wake when all of her family had gathered from the Filipino islands to mourn her death and celebrate her life. I stood before the crowd absolutely shaken, with nary an idea of what to say; some were Christians, most were not, a couple were drunk to fight their grief, and others soon to follow, yet all loved this woman and knew her better than I. Frankly, I felt terribly unqualified to be before them. With a trembling heart I sang before them Mamang's favorite song - Psalm 23 - and told them what it meant, concluding with the line, "'I shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever!' That," I said, "means home." From there I poured my heart out with what I could and said while many would tell me how she lives, and others of us how she died, I wanted them to know that she lives and where. To many, I suppose, it could have appeared a shameless moment of taking advantage of pain to peddle a religion, but to me it was my gospel; my good news, and summarized my final wish for the woman I knew only at the end: 'I love you. Thank you. God loves you. I'll see you soon.'
-Jason
Saturday, March 21, 2009
March of the Philippines
So check it out everyone- here's an update on our month so far in the Philippines. Jason and I have been serving at the United Body of Christ Church in Quezon City, Manila, Philippines. We have been actively helping Pastor Romy with Bible studies, youth activities, visiting Mamang (a member of the church who Jason wrote about previously), preaching, and leading discussions. This is a picture of where we're staying- and no, we're not living in the Coke store, the entrace is the gate next to it with a warning sign referring to their great dane "Copper" who greets us daily without fail.
Jason and I with Kate and Unice- Jethro (aka Guapo) is taking the picture. These are the gardens of the roof of the Trinoma Mall in Quezon City. They've been helping us get around the Tandang Sora area.
The group below is from one of the Bible studies we've been teaching. Weekly, we teach 3 Bible studies for mothers. Currently, the Lord's been leading us to discuss the beginning of Matthew 5- encouraging others with the words Jesus spoke to us. Our focus has been on being blessed, salt, and light.
Thanks again to everyone for their prayers! This is God's trip and we give Him all credit for everything happening out here- please take some time to thank Him for all He's doing- Until next time,
Jerry
Friday, March 20, 2009
Some pictures in Taipei
Below are some pictures of our last couple weeks in Taiwan!
Pastor Joanna, Claire, and Brotha Joseph took us to the Palace Museum showing much of the Taiwanese history and artifacts brought over from mainland China.
Here is the Antioch Baptist Church- wonderful people and great friends!
Henning (From Germany), Jameni (Taiwanese), and Bynum (From Alaska) with Jason and myself at the beach! This is where Jason almost lost all of his toes on the razor shells.
This is me speaking on Sunday morning at the Antioch Baptist Church with Claire, the interpreting master, translating the message.
Jason and I on top (as far up as one can go) of the 101 Building- the tallest completed building in the world.
Outing with young people of ABC to wildlife and nature park.
The "Makeup" Small Group Jason and I spent time with.
Elaine took us to the beautiful Yangming mountains with some friends from school. Fountains, waterfalls, and flowers filled the paths we walked through.
Thank you to everyone in Taipei for a wonderful month! We miss you all- til next time!
Jerry
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