A-li-as

I used to get irritated with friends who didn’t update their blog posts on a regular basis.  Well, I have now become one of those people who have not posted anything for 3 months…and I sincerely apologize to those friends whom I have grudged in my heart for this minor offense. 

For those of you who don’t know, my current adventure is working at the front desk of a local hotel.  I started in the slow season between Thanksgiving and Christmas and am now learning what the meaning of busy is.  I love the work–not that I hated my former job, but I didn’t realize how much this introvert really likes the personal contact…with people, not just with the phone.  I truly like to see people, talk with people, be able to solve their problems within 15 minutes (i.e. I need 3 sets of towels).  In my last job, all I could do was give them a number to somewhere else, listen briefly, but always on the phone. 

I really miss my former co-workers, all the laughs, the lunches taken together, the crazy afternoons when it seemed like we all had ADHD, the prank calls from each other.  They also gave me my first nickname (and hundreds of subsequent nicknames) since I was 3 years old.  But I’m meeting more of my co-workers now and am learning to appreciate their differences and trying to be a friend as my last job taught me.  I love the fact the most of them are from different countries…and, yes, I’m trying to pick up their different languages as well.  I’ve only been there 2 months and I really love the work I do. 

 I promise it won’t be another 3 months before I write again.

What is the first think you think about when I mention “Christianity” or anything related to it (i.e. Church, preacher, etc.)? 

For those of you who don’t know me personally, you may or may not have guessed that I am a Christian.  This post is referencing my pastor’s sermon from last night (yes, I go to church on Tuesday night) in which he started a series on what non-Christians think of Christians. 

I must admit that ever since I watched the movie Saved, I have thought about this subject–how do I present Jesus?  How do they know that I belong to Him and that He is my best friend? I realize that when it comes to media coverage, most people would think that Christians are either sanctimonious hypocrites or psycho-Bible beaters (literally), and that church is a boring 30-90 minutes that you can check off your “spiritual to-do list” for the week. 

I have to apologize to any non-Christians (and Christians) reading this because I have been hypocritcal at times, but primarily, I’ve been so fearful about what others think that I don’t actually live like Jesus would.  I have held grudges against people; I have judged people, including whether or not they were Christians; I have not loved people as Jesus loved them and have not really cared to help them when needed.  For these things, I understand why you wouldn’t want to be a Christian, much less come to church in the first place. 

Having said that, I also must say that many churches (including my own) is a place where I myself have found healing and grace, where everyone is welcomed.

 I also welcome any comments about anything on this subject: what you think about Christianity and what has happened to you to make you dilike Christians in general.  I’m looking to build bridges here–not burn them. 

So after not posting for about a month, I have to acknowledge that I am not a blogger…at least when nothing is happening in my life.  I am still on the job search and nothing is really happening in my life except for me working around the house and volunteering for different things to get myself out from these four walls.  Because I’m a phlegmatic, I don’t make opinions on a lot of things, and those I do, I tend to keep to myself so I don’t offend anyone.  I guess I’m just chicken when it all boils down to it. 

Sorry everyone that it’s taken me so long to write.  I’m still trying to process everything that has happened over the past 2 months along with acclimating myself back into American culture. Ironically, the only 2 times I’ve experienced a twinge of reverse culture shock is 1) while driving, I’ve noticed the incredible lack of scooters, and 2) how relatively “quiet” it is here (no roosters).
It has been a busy week and a half since I’ve gotten home–I appreciated the welcome I received, especially at Catalyst. At the moment I am in the beginning “stages” of seeing if I can become more involved on a more permanent basis in the organization with whome I just took this trip.  Because of this, my job search takes second place, although it is still always in my mind.  I am doing this because at least once before this trip, once during this trip, and at least twice since I’ve come home, close family\friends have asked me…”Why are you pursuing a job when you know God is calling you to this work overseas?”; I couldn’t come up with a good enough answer for them…or myself.  So here I am…stepping out in faith more than I ever have before…trusting that God will do what He promises.  Why is it so easy to encourage others with that, but so hard to believe it for myself?  Needless to say, I could use your prayers. Also, please feel free to put anything on here that you want me to pray about (or e-mail or call at any time).

Hopefully next time I’ll have a more interesting post.

Wow!  It’s so good to get back and find 47 e-mails and 11 comments awaiting me!  Amazing how absence makes the heart grow fonder.  I am currently sitting in an internet cafe on B-island, safe and sound from any natural disaster.  Just as a short geography lesson, I am in a country as wide as the US and even more diverse.  Both of the occurances happened far away from me. 

I’ve been 2 weeks on K-island in a little village/neighborhood called Landau Kantu with a wonderful lady named Lalani.  I and 2 other people (Dave and Citra) have been helping her to prepare for a workshop that promotes the use of a specific legume that will help add nitrogen to the soil and prevent erosion, therefore allowing the people a greater land use.  Lalani also wants to use this to promote a greater appreciation for reading.  I have done everything from washing dishes, clothes, and myself in the very same river and have been protected by a very great God.  No health problems, only one mosquito bite (malaria is not an issue there), not even any rats. 

These people are very hospitable, as most people of this country seem to be.  They are “Christian” but it is very syncretistic in nature–they still appeal to the spirits (like many Catholics pray to the saints) to intercede on their behalf of the “great spirit.”  Another thing Lalani wants to promote through the workshop that’s happening this week is to teach more of God’s character so that they will learn who He really is and that He is trustworthy. 

 My time is running out, but I will post one more time to tell you a bit about B-island and the debriefing process.  Lots of love to all!

Just a quick post to ask for your prayers.Our big team is about to split up and go to different islands–I’m on a team of five going to K-island and working with D-people.  We are actually honored to be going to a wedding this Saturday there–two on this trip so far (I’ll tell about the J-wedding we went to last weekend when I get back).  I’m posting now because I’ll be away from civilization (i.e. a computer) for the next two weeks.

It’s great to hear about the Zambia team getting back safely. I can’t wait to compare notes in another month!

We have just finished a week of staying with a local family. My friend Lisa and I stayed with a wonderful lady named Ibu (i.e. “mom” or “Mrs”) Tarigan, who goes to church with an employee of the office here. She is from “S” Island (west of J-island) and has 3 children (Fany is 24, Ferdinan is 23, Ronoldo is 20); we were privileged to stay with her for a week and a half.

Ibu lives in a great neighborhood with great neighbors including Pastor and Ibu Suharto, and a sweet “cousin” (I’ll have to explain this term later, along with a lot of other abbreviations 8-( Sorry) named Dini whom Lisa and I spent a lot of time with. During our stay, we went to Ibu’s church 3 times (twice for Wednesday night prayer), went to Taman Mini (a miniature park of the country’s provinces along with different science museums), the fair, and visited the “mal” that our Ibu works at selling handbags.

Speaking of malls, I am absolutely amazed at the number of malls they have here…and how crowded they are. But I do like that most malls have a grocery store in them; you can truly get anything you need at a mall. Because of travelling everyday to and from our homestay, I also learned how truly large J-town is. It took us about two hours there and back everyday… and others had to travel almost four hours to and from Kantor SIL!

Anyway, I know that this post is longer than most, and I so appreciate hearing from you. I’ll write one more time before one team splits into three to go to other islands. More to come…