the good, the bad, and the “HORAS!”

I don’t know if I’ve told you about my neighbors. Oh, my sweet, sweet neighbors. Next to my house, there is a kos. A kos is like a dorm, with young people renting rooms and sharing a main living area, kitchen, etc. Well, most of the students that live in this kos belong to the Batak tribe. If you spend much time on this island, or in this country for that matter, you’ll quickly understand the reputation that follows this tribe. To be honest, most of them seem to be quite proud of the loud, overpowering, sometimes stubborn, almost manic preconceived notions that characterize the people of their culture. It’s true though. Most of the time, I really enjoy these Batak people. They are a little more my style than the quiet, reserved, always so gracious people from another tribe here. Now, of course, with everyone on the planet, sometimes you just need a break.

My neighbors, while I love them, sometimes drive me crazy. They love to sing, LOUDLY. It does not matter how much or little talent you have either. Most people here, they have some mad guitar skills. Seriously, it’s impressive. I can handle that. They are loud, no doubt, but I generally stay up later than they do, so I have a hour or two of quiet after they’ve gone to sleep.

What I didn’t anticipate is what noise filled my room a few weeks ago. It’s pretty early in the morning, maybe around 7ish. I wake up to a new noise, almost like a recorder. Who plays a recorder that isn’t in elementary school or a music education class ? I don’t know. I remember my roommate learning to play some songs on one while we were in college. Good times, ha! Anywayssssss, that’s what I hear at 7 a.m. Not only that, but in all seriousness, it is the theme from “The Good, The Bad, & The Ugly.” I kid you not. Although mornings aren’t my favorite, I laughed out loud at the reality of what was actually happening at that moment.

As far as the weeks after that, it became less and less amusing, until this weekend. We went to one of the treasures of this country – a beautiful lake only a few hours from my house.






See what I mean? Gorgeous. The photographs don’t even come close to doing it justice. We went for one of my national friend’s birthday. I did a lot sitting, a lot of reading, a lot of coffee drinking, and a lot of listening to Father’s voice. We even went out on bikes and explored a little. We ate some of the most delicious fresh fish. It was wonderful. One of my favorite parts was Saturday night. They had a traditional Batak song and dance night. Around 7 p.m., 5 beautiful girls and a full band showed up. We sang, danced, laughed, and had an awesome time.




It was in the midst of all of this carrying on that I noticed one of the instruments…somewhat foreign in appearance, but the sound was so very familiar…the recorder. Well, the village version. All of a sudden, the annoying sound I hear every morning became very different. Now, don’t get me wrong, it will still be less than welcomed sometimes, but I see where it comes from. Honestly, I see where the people come from. You see, there are about 3 million people that live in my city with me – my loud, harsh, overbearing, very crowded city. Those people aren’t far removed from this place though - the village.


And in seeing where they came from, I understand more and more about them. The more I know them, the more I love them. The same is true of our Father. The more I know Him, the more I love Him. Out of that also, the more I know Him, the more I love them. In knowing Him and knowing them, I grow to love them more and more.


As I was a participant in one of the traditional dances, one of the sweetest old men I’ve ever met spoke to us (in English, impressively!) about the meaning of one the the words in the Batak language here. Each tribe, aside from knowing the national language, also has a tribal language. I’ve heard them use “Horas!” as a greeting, but I’m not sure if anyone had ever explained to me the full meaning. Come to find out, it’s because it can mean just about whatever you want it to mean, “’Horas!’ can mean ‘Hello, Greetings, Good to see you, Good luck, Good-bye…”





For me, it served as a precious reminder of the rich beauty of these people and this culture. What a good Father to give such a real reminder of His goodness in this place. What a great privilege it is to serve Him all the days of my life! And although there is an ocean between me and much that I love, I know that I would never have traded moments like that night.

Yes, LORD, walking in the way of your laws,
   we wait for you;
your name and renown
   are the desire of our hearts.
Isaiah 26:8

the voice.

I’m laying beside my little buddy and we’re talking about his day. One of the many joys of living in this city is being able to hang out with this one particular family of four. Tonight, it’s just me and the kiddos, and I still count it all joy.

“So how was your day?” I asked.

We talk about random things – playing with trains, making messes, eating McDonald’s, and then we decide to tell stories. I chose to let the Good Book help me out a little. We said some prayers, and I tell him that I’m still going to be here after he falls asleep, and he can come get me if he needs anything, that I’ll be close by.

Then he asks to call his Dad. Not out of the norm, which his Dad had already told me. I dial the number and hand him the phone. “Hey Dad…I love you Dad…I wanted to tell you goodnight Dad…okay…I love you Dad…” That’s all. No crying, no whining, no anything. Just wanted to hear his Father’s voice.

And after that?

Peace. He goes straight to sleep. He’s not upset. He’s not stalling. He just hugs me and says goodnight.

I started thinking. In the same way, how much do I long to hear the Father’s voice? How much peace and rest comes in knowing that He speaks and He listens? How precious is the joy of knowing that He is always there and I can always call upon Him?

My little buddy didn’t need to see his Dad. He didn’t need reach out and touch him. In that moment, all he needed to do was to hear his voice. That was enough.

And y’all, it’s enough for us. It is His voice that constantly reminds me that “faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen,” as it says in Hebrews 11.  My buddy didn’t have to see his Dad to know that he existed. He knew his Dad enough to know that his voice was the guarantee that He is. There was peace simply knowing that his Dad is.

The same is true of the Father. We don’t, with our human eyes, see the Father, but we know that He exists. How? Because He speaks.

    Ascribe to the LORD, O heavenly beings,
        ascribe to the LORD glory and strength.
    Ascribe to the LORD the glory due his name;
        worship the LORD in the splendor of holiness.
    The voice of the LORD is over the waters;
        the God of glory thunders,
        the LORD, over many waters.
    The voice of the LORD is powerful;
        the voice of the LORD is full of majesty.
   
The voice of the LORD breaks the cedars;
        the LORD breaks the cedars of Lebanon.
    He makes Lebanon to skip like a calf,
        and Sirion like a young wild ox.
    
    The LORD sits enthroned over the flood;
        the LORD sits enthroned as king forever.
    May the LORD give strength to his people!
        May the LORD bless his people with peace!
(Psalm 29 ESV)

We know He is because He speaks. And His voice, it fills His people with peace. It is filling me with peace when I’m far away from friends who are struggling. It is filling my friends with peace after they lost their unborn baby, with peace as the literal storm rages on the other end of the island, and with peace in my family’s heart even though we are miles apart. There is peace in the assurance that the Maker of the universe is our Father, “and we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose” (Romans 8:28).

Peace comes from knowing and hearing His voice, believing all that He is and all that He has said He will do. And sometimes a little boy and a bedtime routine have to remind me.

And he awoke and rebuked the wind and said to the sea, “Peace! Be still!” And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm. He said to them, “Why are you so afraid? Have you still no faith?” And they were filled with great fear and said to one another, “Who then is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?”
(Mark 4:39-41 ESV)

strangely familiar.

As of today, it has been four months since I stepped foot on this island. As of today, it has been four months of changes – changes in language, changes in living, changes in eating, changes in loving, and, most importantly, changes within. There are a lot of things here which become more and more normal as I live here, and there are other things that will never cease to feel foreign. Also, there are things that I have forgotten used to be normal for me. So today, in honor of my new normal, and for your reading enjoyment, I’m going to list some of these things out.


Things I don’t say/do/hear anymore:
1. “I wonder if I need a sweater.”
2. “I wonder if this is spicy.” (Answer: It is.)
3. Drive in a lane. What are lanes?!?
4. Get everything in one place.
5. Choose. In a lot of different things. You get what you get and you don’t pitch a fit, right Mom?
6. Sit in an air-conditioned house.
7. A lot of people who’s first language is English. This is still weird to me.
8. Brush my hair…because my hair is hardly ever straight. This curly, “Hagrid-like” mop on my head is untameable, I tell ya!
9. “I wonder if they have rice.” Ere’body’s got rice.
10. “That was way easier than I thought it was going to be.” Okay, so maybe this phrase isn’t totally removed from my vocabulary, but it almost is!


Things that I do/say/hear now that are the same(ish):
1. Drink a lot of coffee. This activity might have exponentially increased now that I live on coffee island.
2. “I love you.”
3. Smile. Cheesy, I know, but it is the same in every language!
4. Sannnnnnnnnnnnng. A lot of singing goes on in my house, in the market, on the street, in the mall…
5. Sweat, although this too, has exponentially increased. And dry season is just starting…
6. Get mail. Although now, it is exponentially more treasured and exponentially more wonderful! Also, it is sometimes exponentially more difficult to receive…but get it I do, one way or the other! I have some good “get it done” genes!
7. Go to the  mall. Eat, shop, buy groceries, see a movie, and, my personal new favorite, go to ACE Hardw@re. I go to ACE and pretend I’m in T@rget. Is this bad? Don’t answer that.
8. Take a shower. Although now, almost every day I take two. You can’t get into your bed at night with SE Asian dirty feet (or I can’t anyway)!
9. Cook. Yummmmmmmmmm. I’m going to miss having so many cheap fruits and veggies! Although you won’t see the likes of too many pre-made sauces, soups, or anything of the sort around these parts!
10. Live my life. I’m the same. I have the same shortcomings and the same country accent (which sometimes turns ghetto). I still love to be crafty and compassionate and colorful (especially my fingernails). I still love the same things and the same people; Father is just growing my heart to love even more.


Things I say/do/hear now that I didn’t before:
1. “I’m gonna take a becak to the market.” Go to the mall and the market in the same day.
2. “Does this milk have to be refrigerated?”
3. Argue with my driver over 30 cents. (Translated – “I am not paying 80 cents to get there! The normal price is 5o cents!”) Haha, it matters!
4. Have my feet exfoliated (eaten) by baby fish!
5. Kill multiple ants on a daily basis.
6. Eat food off a cart from the street. (Yes, I know the risks. Yes, I’ve suffered from the risks. Yes, I still eat it. YUM!)
7. SPEAK IN A DIFFERENT LANGUAGE! Oh yeah! And oh yeahhhhhh, still working on that one. Daily.
8. Celine, Whitney (RIP), or some 90s boy band playing in stores and on the street. On a daily basis. Also, the little eating place at the end of our street plays The Beatles! It’s so nice to walk out to “Love, love me do…you know I love you…”
9. Avoid large, LARGE holes while walking down the street. My roommate may or may not have fallen in one during rainy season.
10. Have cats (and other animals) live on my roof, on my terrace, and in my yard.
11. Live with a bunch of geckos (known here as cicaks :: chee-chaks) crawling on my walls. They have the cutest little babies! We have 3 that live in our kitchen, a couple in our living room, and a whole bunch on the awning above our front terrace. They eat bugs…terima kasih cicaks!
12. Think that a meal that costs more than $5-6 dollars is REALLY expensive! We like to float around the $2-3 category.
13. Have someone tell me I’m beautiful every day. I’m really going to miss this one!!
14. “That massage was so cheap!!”
15. Personally, one of the weirdest, yet most normal, but still most "alerting" things I hear every day is the call. The call happens 5 times a day, every single day, and it is a call for Muslim people here to pray. It ranges in length, and no matter where you are, there is a masjid close enough by where you can hear it. The first one starts around 3:30 AM. The last finishes around 8:00 PM. Here’s a brief moment:

THE Masjid.

Some days here are harder. Some days here are just the same. And, maybe, some days here might even be easier. But what I know is this: Every day is worth it.


Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to [the Son], the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of G0d. Consider Him who endured from sinners such hostility against himself, so that you may not grow weary or fainthearted.
(Hebrews 12:1-3)

cooking 101.

This weekend we had a little fun. I asked for some help in becoming more and more like my people here, and of course, we all love to eat! A couple of my friends came over to cook some traditional food here. Now, first, let me tell you…they love to fry things, so that was quite an experience! But the number one thing I wanted to learn to make: Sambal.

“What is sambal?” you might ask. As far as the quantity consumed, I would liken it to ranch dressing in America. Or maybe ketchup (since that comes from tomatoes). Actually, they may consume enough of it here that it would equal the amount of ranch dressing AND ketchup consumed in America. THEY LOVE IT. And well, I do too.

It’s ingredients are simple. Some garlic, small red onion, tomato, and red pepper (cabe merah aka SPICY little guy). Now you can also add some lime (which I personally love, haha), but that’s less traditional. We were going for home with this one. All in all, a spicy and delicious sauce for just about anything you’d like. I’ll explain a little more as the pictures comes up!


My sweeeeeeeeeeet friends!



These are most of the ingredients you needed for our meal (minus chicken, rice, eggs, and a few other things).



They are skilled choppers!



My friend is slicing up the tempe (like a soybean cake). I LOVE THIS STUFF, especially when you do what we did to it….





My friend getting all the ingredients ready for Sambal. Remember how I told you this one was number one on my list? YUM.

          Before and after!


   




It’s a “little” hot here anyways, but the kitchen heats up in a hurry! We took a little break.



So here is the finished product! Ayam Sambal (Sambal Chicken) & Tempe Goreng (Friend Tempe)! Yes, we battered & fried that soybean cake, and yes, it is DELICIOUS!


 
Of course, we had to have fried rice too!! Can you count how many fried things I ate last night? Yes, Jillian Michaels and I had a date after that!

seasons.

Today, I am feeling guilty because I haven’t written anything on this blog for over a month. January has been really busy, but not too busy to post something! Forgive me, if you’re in the habit of reading this story of mine, because I have been lazy. Jangan malas (Don’t be lazy)!! What’s coming in the next month though, is a whirlwind of funny stories, life lessons, and some photographs (I hope, yet to be taken) of my life. So much of that has been swirling around in my head, and it is time to get it down in writing.

Today was a kick-start for the blog. Today was a day that I’ve been thinking about for a long time.

Well, let me back up for a minute.

We’ve been studying this wonderful language here for three months. We finished on Friday. We finished on Friday!!! That doesn’t mean I’m done learning, but the formal classroom language school is over. We actually went out for ice cream during our final evaluation, ordered it ourselves, and talked with some people. Later that night, we went over to our language teacher (also good friend)’s house for a sleep over…complete with TV! Haha, it had been a long time since I’d watched TV. And wouldn’t you know? White Collar was playing. Father just knows what we need all the time. (Yes, I like TV. Sue me!) Anyways, that was a huge milestone. 3 months of language study. Over? I still can’t believe it. I can’t wait until I wake up on Monday and I don’t have to walk down the street and hail a becak and go to school.

But, in some ways, I can wait. Because the end of language school meant Rachel was leaving to go to her final destination. And it meant my constant companion for the last 4 months was not going to be here anymore. So in a lot of ways, I didn’t want it to end. Of course, the end came. My mom used to quote Hope Floats to me a lot…

Beginnings are scary. Endings are usually sad. But it’s the middle that counts the most…
Thanks, Mom. Those are some very true words. We took Rach to the airport this morning.



It was a sweet and hard goodbye. But you know, I’ve seen His faithfulness over and over and over again, and I know that I will continue to. So while I’ll be once again finding a “new normal,” I know that He provides. The beginning was scary. The ending was sad.

The middle counted the most.

After a sweet and emotion-full morning, tonight we all gather together. There was so much joy in tonight for so many reasons, but one thing a dear friend said really stuck with me. Of course, it comes from the Word.

Trust in the Father, and do good;
dwell in the land and befriend faithfulness.
- Psalm 37:3

That’s really a packed verse. Trust. Do good. Live where you are. Befriend faithfulness. Sounds a lot like what I’ve been saying to myself lately in a different way – just walk.  Intentionality has be swirling around in my head lately. Best friend says there are two types of people. Those who know and those who don’t. We walk in a manner worthy, in a manner that points every person closer to the Truth.  To befriend faithfulness.

be·friend/biˈfrend/
Verb: Act as a friend to (someone) by offering help or support.
Synonyms: assist – help – aid – support

That’s what I want to do. Befriend faithfulness. I want to act as a friend to faithfulness by offering help or support. Help it. Aid it. Give it opportunity to grow in the lives of people and in my own life. Walk intentionally. I want to faithfulness to the Father to be cultivated in me as I walk with Him over the next year or so. And the overflow…well, I want it to make an impact in lives here. It’s interesting the order that these four things come in. The most interesting, in my opinion, is that trust comes first and foremost. After that, the others follow.

So in as much as I can say on this blog, with so much more in my heart, those 4 things are my desire in this season of life.

Trust.
Do.
Dwell.
Befriend.

my best friend.

First of all, she probably won’t be too thrilled that I’m writing this post about her, so that’s why I’m not going to tell her I’m doing it until afterwards. She’s already had to put up with shenanigans like that for almost 8 years now.  What I know is, sister has walked where I’m walking right now, and she’s been speaking truth into my life.

Some days, moving far away is hard. Far away from everything you know and far away from everyone that knows you. Some days, living in a second culture is hard. Living where you don’t know what’s appropriate and where you don’t know how things are supposed to be done. Some days, you wind up feeling totally inadequate. Well, let’s just be honest, pretty much every day I wind up feeling totally inadequate.

Here’s the thing. All of this inadequacy only leads me to understand more and more of the grace the Father has lavished on us. While we are so unable, He is ever able. Able to do all things through me for His sake. Able to rescue me. Able to cover up all my mistakes and failures. Able to be enough. Able to do the work, with or without me. Able. He is able to make Himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, and dying a death beyond compare…

For me,

And for His Name’s sake. That's what I'm walking in right now. So I digressed away from what all of this talk has to do with my best friend. You see, most of the time on this blog when I write to y’all, often I just feel like I’m writing to her. Therefore, some of you, though you don’t know me well, really get a good story into what my thoughts, my life, my feelings, and my emotions are. You can thank her for that (or blame her, well actually, me)! All in all, so much of what I’m learning comes out on this blog. And what I’m currently learning has a lot to do with a list and a life that my best friend gave me before I stepped on to this island. If we’ll do these things, faithfully, we will walk ever increasingly with the Father and ever increasingly be transformed into the image of His Son. It looks like this:

1. Know Him.

2. Be with Him.
Some days when you feel like you’re not doing anything and all you’ve done is be with Him, that’s the best thing and that is enough because that moves us to action.

3. Learn to be satisfied in being in the background.
If no one remembers you, but they remember He was there, you’ve done enough.

4. Be hard to offend.
We’re called to be slaves and servants and to put everyone above ourselves.

5. Learn to rest.
When you’re feeling crazy and everything is chaos around you, it is okay to just sit, rest, be, and be filled up with Him.

6. Guard your heart.
Just constantly repeat to yourself, “Let the meditation of my heart be pleasing to you.”

7. Be intentional.
If we’re available, He’ll use us. Remember the two types of people.

8. Respect your authorities.
Just don’t let people keep you from what you believe the Father wants you to do.

9. Have fun!

10. Love God. Love people.
Love Him first and most, and everything else will follow.

very merry.

Selamat Natal! Merry Christmas from this beautiful country!

What is Christmas like here? I don’t think I can totally describe it with words. My heart has been so full this year for so many reasons, but most of all because a new version of Christmas has emerged.

I’ve always loved Christmas. Growing up with a Kindergarten teacher Mother and a Christmas light extraordinaire Father left little room for any sad faces during the Christmas season. Our house was filled to the brim with trees and decorations and lights and all kinds of happiness. The Grinch (for those of you who know me well) was always, always playing. You could have called us all the Holiday Cheermeister. I have a new appreciation for putting lights on the house with gloves because my fingers are so cold, and I really did miss it more than I thought I might this year. Being in this far from cold country during this season has really changed a lot about how I view Christmas. It’s not cold here, but people still drink coffee and tea like crazy. It’s highly unlikely that we’ll ever see any snow. There are a lot of things that are different, but mainly, my family ain’t in this country…well not at least my blood family.

There’s more, as there always is. This country’s weather reflects it’s people. Warm. I have never been welcomed into so many homes, invited to so many Christmas services, received as many Christmas “SMS'”, and given so many precious gifts. I’ve been asked by bule and local alike how I’m doing, how my family is, if I need anything, if I want to hang out, and on and on and on. I feel and felt so loved and cared about by so many. And you know? Even if that wasn’t the case, He would still be enough. But these people have shown me what Christmas is. That’s the message of Christmas right there. We’re never alone. Even in the darkest night, we are never alone, because He came.

Immanuel, God with us.

That’s it. He came. And I’ve been overwhelmed this Christmas season that Christmas is, in so many ways, the beginning. Of course, the Redemption story began before the foundation of the world. But the baby in the manger is the beginning in so many ways as well. It’s new this year because when I look at the manger I can’t help but look at the Cross. And I see that although I’d rather be hangin’ with the family, I know that He’s worth it. And to be honest, I’ve been filled with a really unexplainable peace and overwhelming joy this season. Of course, there are ups and downs, but I know that He is always good in all of it.

I would’ve missed this:

Some of our sweet neighbors came to our house for a Christmas party!

Long time ago in Bethlehem
So the Holy Bible say
Mary's boy child Jesus Christ
Was born on Christmas day
Hark now hear the angels sing
A new king born today
And man will live forevermore
Because of Christmas day

I got to Skype with the family so much over the holidays, what a blessing! It doesn’t look all that different than the videos above! I am so, so, SO blessed!