Science Fair

Science Fair this year was set for December 10, but because of scheduling conflicts it was moved to December 17.  This was a good thing for the Selzer household considering that we tend to wait till the last minute to complete our projects.  Abby and Zach actually chose  topics very early on and went through their experiments.  Abby discovered that her results could not be measured and Zach's experiment didn't work.  After researching on-line Abby decided on an experiment involving yeast and the production of carbon dioxide.  Zach had a hard time and finally with Daddy’s help he decided on an experiment.  He tested how the slope affects the distance traveled by using a ball and a ramp.  Deciding what to do seemed to take the most time because after decisions were made they both set to work and completed their projects and display boards.  What a surprise it was to all of us when Zach won the award for "Science Genius" for the 4th grade and Abby was announced as the “Science Fair Overall Champion” for grades 4-6.

Dream Whip and Velveeta!

Sorry this post is so long in coming.  I wrote it weeks ago and then with the busyness of the season didn't get it posted to our blog.  We are extremely grateful to our family and friends who continue to remember us in prayers and with e-mails.  Our children want to say a "HUGE" thank you to the Bible Memory Crew at Pleasant View Mennonite Church in Hydro, OK, for the Thanksgiving surprise box.  It was wonderful! 

There are times when living on the other side of the world from everything you know gets to be extremely hard...holidays are the hardest!  You start reminiscing about "Thanksgiving dinners" from the past (which is not a good place to go in your mind) especially when every meal is chicken and rice!  This year we spent the day with friends and our Thanksgiving dinner was delicious as always.  We ate way too much turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes and pumpkin pie.  We were happily uncomfortable.

Now why did I title this post "Dream Whip and Velveeta!"  We received a surprise package from America last week... when we opened it we discovered that it was from the Bible Memory Crew at Pleasant View Mennonite Church.  To our delight it was filled with Thanksgiving surprises!  We were especially excited to see the Dream Whip and the Velveeta.  We have been eating pumpkin pie without Cool Whip for 18 months now and well, it's just not the same.  First only Jeff and I were excited about the Dream Whip until the kids

realized what it was...  That was the first item we fixed from our package. 

I realize it's pretty sad to be excited about Velveeta, but in a land without good cheese Velveeta becomes a desired item by Americans.  As soon as we saw that golden colored box we started dreaming about the

grilled cheese sandwiches and the cheese sauce for broccoli or even mac and cheese (good mac and cheese!).  For those of you who have never lived outside of America this blog entry may not make any sense to you, but if you have lived somewhere internationally even for a short time maybe you can understand the delight we felt when opening this package.

Halloween through Indonesian Eyes



Zach, Levi and Else finish harvesting their pumpkins' seeds



Living in a different country forces one to decide what traditions they will chose to maintain and which ones they will let go of.  For the traditions that are practiced, one must be ready to explain why, especial to people how do not share the same culture.  Of course this dilemma is nothing new to the hundreds of thousands of people who throughout history have moved to different or distant lands.  What is new is the fact that we are now a part of those numbers.
Two weeks ago, people in the US and in other parts of the world practiced the tradition of Halloween.  Growing up in the Midwest, Halloween was an excuse to have parties in school, dress up and pretend to be someone you're not, go door to door getting candy or simply to celebrate the end of the harvest season.  For our family it has also meant going somewhere to pick out pumpkins, carve jack-o-lanterns and roast the pumpkin seeds.  I particularly enjoy eating the pumpkin seeds.  However, what seems harmless in the US Midwest feels much different in Indonesia.
Here there are witch doctors who have the power to heal, dances designed to enable demon possession and the common belief that volcanoes erupt because the volcano god is angry.  Superstitions abound in Indonesia and with good reason.  From trustworthy people, we have heard stories of broken bones being healed by witch doctors, people eating light bulbs or climbing down coconut trees head first while possessed and swords adorned with a deceased chieftain's hair flying around a room.  Indonesians are quite conscious of the spirit world that is all around us.
As we learn more about Indonesia, we begin to see how strange our own traditions look.  Here, Halloween is not associated with the end of the harvest season because crops grow year-round,  Jack-o-lanterns seem like an odd use of food and dressing in frightening costumes really is scary.
Recently I assigned my New Testament students the task of answering the question, "What does your life bear witness to?"  I explained to them that our lives bear witness to something and I wanted them to start thinking about what their lives bore witness to.  I was compelled to apply the  same question to my life and the practice of traditions associated with Halloween.  Needless to say, I think differently than I used to. 
This year we didn't celebrate Halloween, but we did get pumpkins as a way of remembering the Fall season.  Without football or colder temperatures it's easy to lose track of the seasons in Indonesia.  We journeyed south about 20 minutes to an agricultural area known for its vegetables. After passing a number of roadside vendors, we stopped at one that seemed to have a nice selection of pumpkins.  Most of the pumpkins here have green exteriors instead of orange, but they taste the same.  After purchasing some pumpkins, we returned home.  Later that night we gathered with friends to eat pumpkin pie, carve pumpkins and roast pumpkin seeds.
I'm finding that the longer we live in Indonesia, the more we learn about ourselves.  I hope that our lives bear witness to more than the country in which we were born, but to something a bit more eternal.  No matter where we are I hope this is always true. 
Enjoy Fall for us especially the cool nights and brilliant autumn colors.

Safe in the Face of Danger

It's been over a month since our last blog.  It's not for the lack of content, but energies to post something.  I got twelve hours of sleep last night so I'm feeling up to the challenge of covering some of the highlights since our last blog.

Mt. Merapi one month before it erupted.  

I'll begin with a local reaction to the volcanic activity now going on near us.  Mt. Merapi is the second of two major peaks located just south of where we live.  Between us and Mt. Merapi is Mt. Merbabu.  Mt. Merapi continues to erupt spooing ash and hot gases.  The gas clouds created are very dangerous.  They're estimated to move at speeds of 300 kilometers per hour and contain super heated gases; as high as 600 degrees Celcius.  The deaths related to Mt. Merapi's eruption have occured in villages located close to Mt. Merapi's peak.

Quintin's JV Soccer Team

We have recieved many concerned emails as to the threat Mt. Merapi poses to our safety.  We feel safe being separated from Mt. Merapi by the equally large Mt. Merbabu.  Life in our community continues, untouched by the volcanic activity of Mt. Merapi.  Should a major eruption occur, the greatest change in activity would be welcoming refugees and possibly some ash.  Rainy season is upon us, so dust in the air is neutralized quickly.  Please continue to pray for those living in areas affected by the volcanic activity.

Quintin in action!

With "fall" in Indonesia comes the soccer season at our school.  Quintin played on the JV team this year and I coached varsity girls' soccer.  Everyone had a good time.  Our school competes with local schools and with other international schools located on the island of Java.  This league is called IISSAC (Indonesian International Small Schools Activity Council) and currently is made up of six schools.  Last weekend the varisty teams travelled roughly nine hours to participate in this year's soccer tournament.  Both teams made a good showing.  The varsity girls' placed 3rd.  Also at this tournament was the Battle of the

Battle of the Books Champions

Books.  Started by the school's librarian as a way of promoting reading, the Battle of the Books asks teams questions from 10 different books.  The format is similar to a quiz bowl.  This year, our school won the battle and the right to take the traveling trophy home with us.  Inaddition to playing soccer, Quintin also got to participate in the Battle of the Books.  It was a good way for him to use his love of reading.

Varsity Girls' huddle up

At the end of the nine weeks, staff and students got to enjoy a week long "fall" break.  I continue to use the word "fall" loosely as we only have two seasons, dry and rainy.  Using the word "fall" helps me keep track of the seasons in a land of only two.  This year for fall break, our family joined a number of other teachers and visited Karimunjawa.  Karimunjawa is a small island located off the north coast of central Java surrounded by a number of even smaller islands.  By small, I mean islands that you could walk around in an hour or so.  After a six hour ferry ride from Java and then a 30 minute boat ride from the main island of Karimunjawa, we arrived at our island.  The pictures tell most of the story.  For three days and two nights we lived quite simply.  Our days revolved around trips to area reefs to snorkel, rice and fish for meals and hunting for shells.  Our island was significantly off the gird but our hosts were very gracious.  We did have electricity at night.  They ran a generator from 5:30 PM to 5:30 AM to power the floor fans that were located in our rooms.  The kids really seemed to have a good time.  They even got to wade with sharks!
This past month, I've been reminded of the impact teachers at our school make, including our own.  For a significant number of students both in the elementary and high school, Mountainview is their first experience with school outside the home.  Many grow up in places where home schooling is the only option until children are old enough for boarding school.  Mountainview provides a college prep high school education in English and boarding opportunities for youth 7th grade and older.  Located beside an Indonesian language learning center, Mountainview provides education to many children who's parents are here for a year to learn the langauge before going out to live among unreached people groups.  Many of the parents taking langauge have expressed appreciation for Mountainview's role enabling them to do so without compermising their children's continued education.

For now, we continue to serve where God has called us, hopeful of His care and continued guidance.  Blessings, Jeff

Strange, But True!

Over the past few years, Mountainview, the school where we teach and our children attend, has been working to improve their use of technology.  Slowly, they are trying to put at least one computer in each classroom that can access the internet.  Unfortunately, my classroom doesn't have a computer yet, maybe next year.  However, there is wireless access to the internet in some parts of the school.  Fortunately on most days, I can access the Internet via the wireless router.  The internet is important to the school because we've begun using an online grading system.  Today I was trying to do some work online, but was having trouble maintaining an internet connection.  So, I picked up my laptop and headed for the pavilion.  In the pavilion I always have a better wireless internet connection.  Today was no exception.  While I was typing at one of the many picnic tables where our students eat lunch, I was bothered by a fly.  I causally swatted at him hoping to encourage the fly to move on.  Unsuccessful, but undaunted, I made a few more attempts to rid myself of the fly.  By this time, I was ready to take the fly's life.  I waited for the fly to land which he did on part of the iron structure supporting the timbers that made up the top of the table.  Slowly, so as not to alert the fly, I moved my hands into their killing position.  I was just about ready to clap my hands together, when a gecko came from under the picnic table and swallowed the fly!  Though pleased by the outcome, I was shocked by the gecko's sudden appearance and equally sudden disappearance.  Only in Indonesia, I thought, only in Indonesia.

First Year Reflections

Beautiful mountains can be seen from just about anywhere on a clear day 

Some days it feels like we just arrived in Indonesia, while other days it seems like we’ve been here for years. No matter what it feels like, the return of the dry season reminds us that our first year in Indonesia is over.

We’ve waited until now to reflect on our choice to obey God’s call to serve in Indonesia. God has certainly cared for us during this first year and has used us to help meet the needs of the students at Mountainview International School.

Transition is rarely easy. Transition into life in Indonesia has not been easy. Freedom is the greatest thing missed; freedom to speak and listen with whoever you want, freedom to go wherever you want and freedom to get whatever you want.

Home Sweet Home

Our language study has been slow. Dana and I can read a little Indonesian, but struggle to hear it spoken. The result is an inability to converse with neighbors beyond just saying “Hello” and “How are you?” In a culture where community is everything, not being able to communicate has been disappointing. Our language learning struggles has certainly given us both greater appreciation for those who can speak the language and greater empathy for those trying to learn English.

It’s surprising how trapped one feels when you can’t go where you want. Of course, the lack of language is a big part of this but the inability to jump in a car and go where you want can feel really limiting. We have a motorcycle which helps but it is just a bit small for the whole family. Of course having a larger vehicle doesn’t necessarily solve your problems. Getting from one city to the next isn’t as simple as jumping on the highway or the interstate. In Indonesia, most roads are lined with stores, street vendors and homes. The constant merging of people and machines makes traveling slow and tiresome, not to mention dangerous. The upside to this sense of a lack of freedom is that you plan trips more carefully, even when just shopping downtown. When we go out of town we hire a driver. This is a blessing for everyone. For our driver it is a blessing because he can provide food and shelter for his family. For us, me specifically, I can sit back and enjoy the trip without experiencing the exhaustion of driving in Indonesia.

Fresh food, very fresh food

In the US, a person can get just about anything they want. Moreover, they can get the product they want in a certain brand that they prefer. This is true in Indonesia if you’re buying rice, cooking oil or Coca-Cola. Of course we miss the things that we can’t always get like pancake syrup, popcorn, Milo (a type of breakfast cereal) and most recently whipping cream. Please know that we’re not complaining, but just identifying some of the differences that limit our freedom to get the products we want whenever we want them. Again, it is not a bad thing to not always get what you want. In fact, it teaches us to enjoy things a bit more when we can find them. For example, Dana went shopping in Semarang (a large city about one hour from Salatiga) with some ladies from school. She brought me back a treat that I could enjoy in the states daily if I chose; cheese (real cheese that tasted like real cheese!) and saltine crackers. I savored them over the next two weeks enjoying only a small quantity at a time. Actually, once you get past the initial frustration of not getting what you want when you want it, it can end up feeling quite liberating.

Even a smile can be charity

At the core of our experience of life I think we must ask one simple question, how well are we cooperating with what God is trying to do in our world (for us, Indonesia)? Some days, I’m quite confident of our cooperation with God in our service at Mountainview. Life is good when prayers are answered, students do well on tests and our own children don’t complain about being here. Of course, there are other days; days when God is silent, teachers and students don’t feel like being in the classroom and our children speak of nothing except of how wonderful the food is in America. Yet, through it all we seek shalom and shalom is what God is all about. We end this first year, much like we started it, seeking shalom. Of course, we know more Indonesian now than we did, our students learned something if only that we love them and our neighbors know we smile a lot. Even a smile can be an act of charity or that’s what it feels like when they smile at us.

Good Ole Family Entertainment

I continue to be surprised by the plant and animal life that we have in Indonesia.  It seems like there is something always moving.  Tonight as we prepared to wash dishes, we spied something behind the trash can which sits under the sink.  It took a moment, but we quickly realized what we were looking at; a dead gecko being carried away by ants.  Of course, seeing ants and geckos in our house is nothing to get excited about, they peacefully co-exist with us 24 hours a day.  What caught our attention was that our "dead" gecko was moving.  It's tail kept moving back and forth.  Upon closer inspection, we could see that the ants were trying to carry the gecko away, unsuccessfully I must add.  Groups of determined ants lined up on each side of the gecko's tail and attempted to move it.  The ants couldn't move the whole gecko, but they could move it's tail.  Back and forth they moved it, giving our dead gecko the appearance of an almost but not quite "dead" gecko. 

Perhaps the most bizarre part of this story is not the dead gecko under our sink or the ants who were trying to move it.  The most bizarre thing was that we kept watching the ants moving that dead gecko's tail back and forth. (apparently we're starved for entertainment here.)  It was amazing and inspirational to watch the ants determination in the face of what seemed like an impossible task.  Perhaps we need to stop and watch ants try to conquer the impossible more often.  Maybe then we would be less apt to fear and quicker to try.  Maybe then we might learn to live under the reality that nothing is impossible with God.  It's surprising what we can learn from unwanted creatures when we try to see them through their Creator's eyes.  Blessing to you as you try.

Reflections of Summer

We can't believe that summer is over for another year.  This summer, unlike the previous two, didn't find us moving to another state or another country.  Even though summer is a much needed break it gave our family too much time on our hands and on our minds.  We were able to think about everything that we were missing from home...the people...the food...the familiar smells...wheat harvest...my list could go on and on.  Needless to say the month of June seemed to pass slowly, and then July arrived and with it so did family.  We were all excited to see Jeff's parents, Gerry & Jean Selzer, arrive safely from Hesston, Kansas.  While they were here we went to see Borobudur Temple as well as traveled to Jepara to spend a little time at the beach.  We were able to spend two weeks with them and our children loved having Grandparents around to play games with, in fact two weeks wasn't nearly enough time.

Then the Oklahoma side of our family arrived bringing not only a grandma and an aunt but cousins!  The kids had a blast showing their two cousins their Indonesian world.  Upon their arrival Quin, Abby, Zach took their cousins to a local warung to buy ice cream.  While my family was in Indonesia we traveled to Bali and Prambanan Temple.  The kids would say that the best part was boogie boarding in Bali with their cousins.  For Jeff & I it was having family near rather than far away and actually being able to touch them.  For this reason we wish summer could of lasted just a bit longer if it meant having our loved ones near us, but like all things summer to has to end.  Now we are looking forward to our second school year at MICS and we pray that God will use us to bless our students and their families.

A Visit to the Country

With school out, we have time to explore some of the local countryside.  One of the favorite things for many people to visit are the waterfalls.  There are a number of waterfalls hidden in the heavily wooded hills and mountains surrounding Salatiga.  With friends from school as our guides, we ventured into the countryside to take in some of the natural beauty of Indonesia.

A forty-five minute drive uphill and over rocky roads brought us to two waterfalls.  There's something inspiring and peaceful about waterfalls.  Cool water flows down the mountainside converging on the lowest areas of the terrain and then crashing to even lower lands below.  The soil is washed away leaving only rocks to bear the force of the falling water.

Adding to our enjoyment of the waterfalls was the cooler air of the higher elevations.  Here, in small villages, people eek out a living farming small plots of rice or vegetables on the terraced slopes.  It's hard to imagine how long it took people to terrace the ground.  Here, heavy equipment is used only in the cities.  In the country, oxen teams still cultivate the ground.  The villagers' primary tools are a large hoe and a short sickle.  Looking at the small terraced fields makes me wonder if all of the work has been worth the effort of someone's endless days work with nothing but a hoe to move earth.  The answer of course is yes.  Like longterm investors, whoever created the terraces knew that the ground would provide income for themselves and their descendants.


Sometimes the beauty of Indonesia is lost on me.  With each passing day, our lush surroundings, seem less lush and more just apart of everything.  I wonder if the same is true for those who live and work near the waterfalls.

Kids enjoyed the waterfalls.  It was a chance to get wet on a hot day.  They played for over an hour in the cool 55 degree water.  There was even a short natural waterslide just down from the waterfall that the kids tried out.

Like most pictures, there are things that the camera misses; things that the photographer didn't want you to see.  The pictures posted on this blog show the beauty of Indonesia.  Hidden, but still present are some of the ugly reminders of the transformation taking place in Indonesia.  This third world country is rapidly becoming a first world country.  And with that transformation comes the effects of industrialization.  Wood is being consumed and sold to build more houses and furniture for those houses.  Waste is being generated by the huge population that calls Indonesia home.  In the pools at the base of one of the waterfalls we visited, flip-flops, food wrappers, plastic sacks and other human waste combine with twigs and leaves.  Slowly the beauty of Indonesia is being transformed.

One of the amazing things about living in Indonesia, is seeing the great diversity of nature.  I'm not sure what I thought bamboo looked like when we lived in the States, but I know it didn't include the huge groves of bamboo we've seen.  Bamboo, like the variety pictured, is used in all kinds of residential construction, many serving as posts for terraces and awnings.  This grove of bamboo were probably 50 ft. tall.
Our visit to the countryside was enjoyed by all.  We hope to make more excursions into the world surrounding us.  We'll take pictures and share what we see just in case you never make it to Indonesia.

Poetry by Abby

With school out, Abby hardly knows what to do with herself.  The school provides Day Camp three morning a week for K-6, but that isn't enough for Abby.  Here is some of her work.  Enjoy seeing the world in poetic free verse through the eyes of a 10 year-old American girl living in Indonesia.

POETRY By Abby Selzer

Blue

Blue is the sky

Blue is a bird

Blue is a color

Blue is a flower growing in the ground

Blue is the wire for the printer

If only everything could be blue

Red

Red is a color

Red is the sunset
Red is a campfire roasting hotdogs

Red is a ball bouncing around

Red is O.U. the best football team

Green

Green is the freshly cut grass

Green is the tops of trees and bushes

Green is the rug that sits in the living room

Green is the stem of beautiful flowers

Green is the best so pretty and clean

Orange

Orange is the sunrise

Orange is a pumpkin growing bigger and bigger

Orange is a carrot ready to pick

Orange is an orange sitting in the sun

Orange is amazing so why not be it

Yellow

Yellow is the sun shining upon us

Yellow is a banana being gobbled up by a monkey

Yellow is millions of tennis balls bouncing around

Yellow is my brothers’ teeth

Yellow is the school bus that stops in front of my house

Without yellow we’re all in the dark

Purple

Purple is a round plum made into a plum pie

Purple is grapes being picked in a vineyard

Purple is a dodge ball getting ready to be thrown

Purple is the dress that a woman wears to the ball

Black

Black is a beautiful night

Black is the book bag I take to school

Black is the pen I write with

Black is the end of my pencil

Black is the tires our sepeda motor

Zebras

Zebras run fast

You could never catch them

Even if you are fast

Zebras are faster

I will tell you the reason

They are striped

Worms

Worms are so little

so slimy and stinky

There’s only one good thing about them

F-I-S-H-I-N-G

Monkeys

I am a spunky monkey

I am chunky

I am funky

I always eat bananas

But I never sl-ip

Ahh thump

“Ah Man’’

Tigers

Tigers are striped

They like to eat meat

They need to brush their teeth

But if you try you

DIE

Lions

Lions are mean

They growl a lot

Grow big mains

To become the

ALPHA LION

Elephants

Elephants have big trunks

They do a lot with them

They drink through them

They spit though them

Elephants do so much with them

Pink pigs

I’ve seen

Green pigs

Blue pigs

Yellow pigs

Red pigs

Orange pigs

Even black pigs

But never pink pigs

I guess they don’t like me

Yes now I’ve seen pink pigs!

Places to eat

Places to eat there are so many.

Where should I eat? Arby’s Wendy’s

Which is best? Which is fastest?

McDonalds! 

Where to go?

Where to go?

I want to go to Africa

But I also want to go to China

Where to go

I is so hard to pick

To Europe

Or Russia

Which one

I cannot choose

I guess

I will just stay right here

Hard to Choose

Hard to choose

Between a robot or an army man which one

I know I will

Flip a coin

Heads is army man

Tails is robot

Aduh!

(Indonesian for Ugh!)

Landed on its side!

Me

My name Is Abby Selzer

I like to do a lot

I play sports

I have fun

That’s what I like to do

B.E.L.L.E 1

Stands for Belle!

Belle

Active pup

Likes to jump

I miss her so

Dog 

B.E.L.L.E 2

Stands for Belle!

Belle

Amazing pup

Likes to hope

She rocks my socks!

School's Out!

We can't believe that an entire school year has passed while we've been in Indonesia.  I don't mean to sound cliche when I say that "it went by way too fast."  As the kids have been saying for the last week "Yeah! School's Out! It's Summer! Now what...?"  In fact I think Jeff and I joined right in with their chant.  We have found that during the summer the community here around the school tends to clear out.  Most of the Korean families have returned to Korea for the summer and all of the families that were going on furlough for the coming year have left, along with those families who were only here for language school.  This year the school has had 10 teachers decide that their time was over here at MICS plus 3 teachers leave for the states on furlough.  The remaining staff is in the process of regrouping and getting prepared to welcome new teachers to Indonesia and to MICS beginning the middle of July.  Our family will be bridgers for one of the new families that is coming.  Being a bridger includes welcoming them at the airport and helping them get settled into their new home.  As well as showing them around the campus and the town.  We will be available for their questions and to help in anyway possible.  We are very thankful for those people who were bridgers for us when we first arrived in this "strange and new land."

Now you may be wondering what is going to keep us busy for the rest of the summer...  Jeff and I are required to work for one month during the summer, so we will be spending the month of June working on curriculum for our classes.  We are also continuing to study Bahasa Indonesian with private tutors.  Quintin is working at the school as a counselor for the MICS Day Camp.  Abby and Zach are attending the Day Camp as well.  So for the month of June you can find the entire Selzer family still at school, but only for the mornings.  We are planning to do a little more exploring here in Salatiga and who knows what we'll discover.  On June 30, Jeff's parents (Gerry & Jean Selzer) will be arriving from Hesston, Kansas, and will be here for two weeks.  We will then be hosting a young girl from Holland who will be visiting friends of ours.  She is coming to Indonesia to work on her English.  I know that this sounds strange, but we do have a large American population here in Salatiga.  She will live with our family for one week and help at the Day Camp.  Then on July 24, my mom (Lynn), sister (Betty), and nieces (London & Sydney) will be arriving for a two week visit.  We can't wait to see everyone and have been saving some of the many beautiful sights here in Indonesia to enjoy with family.  Then suddenly the summer is over and we will begin our second year here at MICS.  But summer is not over yet... in fact we're just getting started!

P.S.  Please forgive us for not blogging during the month of May.  Between the many school functions we attended as teachers and then the programs we attended as parents we had little extra time as bloggers.

The Stuff of Life

Rainy season is in full force here in Salatiga. The upside to the rainy season is that there is no dust. The downside is that we have mud and mold. At least every other day we receive about 2 inches of rain. Yesterday, it rained hard and then on and off for the rest of the day. We easily exceeded our usual 2 inches.

We've had to adjust our thinking toward rain. In the Midwest we welcome rain. It's something that happens throughout the year. While we are accustom to rain in Oklahoma, it is not a season in and of itself. Here, there are only two seasons and they are named by the frequency of rain; rainy season, rains almost daily, and dry season, rains occasionally.

During the rainy season we have discovered what it means to have and maintain stuff. Our first experience came when the hard rains began to fall. A collection of leaves where two roof lines converge caused the rain to come in. Frantically we moved furniture and "stuff" to somewhere dry and then spent the next couple of hours soaking up all of the water. After this initial soaking, the mold has been growing everywhere. We've tried to repel it by running ceiling fans 24 hours a day. We've been fairly successful at stopping the mold from growing on most of the walls and ceilings.

However, what do you do about books, clothes and shoes? We're familiar with items feeling and smelling damp when stored in a basement. But what happens when everything everywhere feels damp? Clothes mold, books mold and everything made of leather molds.

Over the Christmas break I left my pair of leather shoes up at school. I usually wear sneakers to and from school and then change into my dress shoes once at school to avoid tracking mud everywhere. I didn't think about mold growing on my shoes. After two weeks, the mold had taken root. Even after a good cleaning and multiple coats of brown shoe polish, my shoes still bear witness to the realities of the wet season. Another causality of the wet season has been my leather sandals. The picture tells the story. The mold developed in just a few short weeks. Colorful, right? Well, I cleaned them multiple times before I smartened up and had our maintenance crew install light bulbs in our wardrobes. The bulbs provide just enough heat to dry out the air inside the wardrobe and keep the mold from growing. Now we keep anything that can mold in the wardrobe with the doors tightly shut.

Our experience with "stuff" and the rainy season has lead to a new perspective on Jesus' sermon to the people gathered on the hillside somewhere in Galilee. "Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust [and mold] destroy and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust [and mold] do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also."

Perhaps we all need some type of rainy season in our lives to remind us of what is important and what is just "stuff".

A Typical Day In Indonesia

It is amazing how quickly one gets used to things being a bit different. While the differences seem obvious when you first arrive in a new place or start a new job, they quickly become "normal" for you. I was reminded of how much we've gotten used to Indonesia this morning while shopping downtown. Dana and I took our motorcycle downtown. Traffic was a bit heavier than usual but we zoomed in and out of the traffic without too much difficulty. One of the ways I measure the traffic is by how many people in the opposing lane pass forcing me to the far left of my lane. Remember, we drive on the left here. While oncoming traffic crossing the middle of the road to pass really bothered me when I first started driving the motorcycle, I barely notice now. I'm even comfortable with forcing opposing traffic, specifically motorcycles to their far left so I can pass slow moving traffic. I know that this sounds like aggressive driving but I’ll ask that you withhold judgment until you’ve visited.


After finishing our weekly shopping, we headed home. Suddenly the heavens opened and the rain began to fall. A motorcycle is a bad place to be in a downpour so people usually park their motorcycles and head for some type of shelter. Today, like everyone else, we parked the motorcycle and sought shelter in an abandoned eating place along the road. The downside of this decision was that it was next to a garbage collection site. Yes, it smelled. Looking around I noticed a barber shop. Needing a haircut, I went in. I say went in loosely because the shop is just one small room, actually more of a temporary shelter then an established place of business. After a few confusion moments where I tried to explain how I wanted my haircut, the young man began. Drops of rain continued to fall both outside the shack and inside. The radio, which was up too loud, was playing a mix of Asian and Western pop music. Geckoes darted between holes in the wall. In about 15 minutes my hair was cut. Most barbers on the street charge 5000 Rupiah. (US 60 cents). He did a good job and looked like he needed the money so I paid him 10000 Rupiah. Anyone in a temporary shelter cutting hair next to the garbage collection/distribution site needs money because clearly they don’t have many options. As a practice we’ve started trying to pay more for services/products from Indonesians instead of giving handouts to people who come to the door. In this way, I hope we can be a blessing to people in need without enabling folks.

While I was getting a haircut, Dana was waiting under the food stand awning. She was joined by about five other Indonesians who, like us, didn’t want to get soaked. While they were trying to overcome the language barrier, a big rat run through their midst and across Dana’s feet. I say “big rat” to distinguish it from other smaller rats. There are a lot of rats here. Most of the time Indonesians pay little attention to rats aside from killing them. Dana said that this particular rat was big enough that even the Indonesians jumped! What makes this even more impressive is that some of the Indonesians that had sought shelter were folks who worked at the garbage collection/distribution site. I assume that if anyone is comfortable with rats, it would be these guys.

Eventually the rain let up enough for us to make our way home. As I’ve been writing this entry the rain has come again. When the rain comes, the power often goes out. Anticipating this I had unplugged the computer from its charger just before the power actually went out. Like rice and chicken, rain and rats, the power going out is just one more thing that happens here often, almost daily, and we hardly think twice about. While we miss the States, I think we are getting used to Indonesia.  Blessings from halfway around the world. Jeff

Here's A New One

"Okay, what do you get when a gecko crawls in an outlet?"  I think everyone knows the answer to that one.  We're not sure why the gecko crawled behind one of the 22O outlet covers in our kitchen, but I do know that when I touched him he squirmed in further.  About the same time that Jeff was trying to grab him, the gecko's tail suddenly went very straight.  In this moment, both Jeff and the gecko got the shock of their lifetime.  For the gecko, it was his last moment.  For Jeff, it was a surprise that left his hand and arm a bit numb for a few minutes.  Unlike the gecko who remained very still, Jeff was fine.

I can honestly say that we never know what to expect and life is definitely not dull here in Indonesia.  Part of the reason for that is the nature that surrounds us.  Just this morning I was telling Jeff that it was extremely noisy here, between the birds, the insects, and our neighbors' goats and chickens...let's just say that it's hard to sleep beyond 6 am.  There are many other noises throughout our neighborhood that are beginning to become a part of our life.  I think we've gotten used to the neighborhood mosque and their call to prayer at 4 am.  In fact we don't usually hear it anymore, it has become background noise. 

As for the geckos...they are everywhere, small ones, long ones, dark ones, light ones.  The little ones, an inch or so long, are quite fun as they will crawl all over your hand trickling you with their small feet.  They do provide a bit of amusement, if you can catch one.

The Wedding

After being in Indonesia for eight months the thought of returning to the states was....I don't think there is a word for what I was feeling.  I was sad that the rest of the family couldn't go as well, but was extremely happy to be returning to "what I knew!"  To finally hear "English" or at least "Okie English" and to be able to read a menu without having to translate a word at a time and to walk into Walmart and know that I could buy everything in one stop...needless to say I was a bit excited and didn't sleep much the entire 38 hours it took to arrive in OKC.  The best part was seeing my family waiting for me past security and to actually touch them instead of only seeing them on SKYPE. 
The entire trip is a bit of a blur considering I was sleep deprived when I arrived and didn't get much sleep while there.  I am thankful for a few aspects of my trip.  I am glad that Pleasant View Mennonite Church gave me the opportunity to share about our family in Indonesia.  It was "wonderful" being with our church family and expressing our gratitude for their support.  I wish I had had time to visit our church family at Bethesda Mennonite Church in Henderson, Nebraska.  We also thank them for their support, love and prayers that they send our way.
I also had the special priviledge of visiting Thomas Fay Custer Public Schools and visiting with former students and co-workers.  I miss working in that environment and with the students there and continue to pray for them.  I was also able to visit with my family, my aunts and uncles, as well as many cousins.

But the whole reason for my visit was to be there for Betty and I am very glad I was able to.  I will be honest when I say that the lure of relaxing at a tropical location was a perk, but then again at present I am living on an island that has beaches.  Pretty ironic when you think about the fact that I traveled from one tropical location to another one on the other side of the world... but all the travel was worth being with Betty at the beginning of her marriage to Eric.
Before leaving I was told that it would be hard to return to Indonesia after being in the states.  They were right.  When I am surrounded by what I know I am very comfortable and returning to a place where everything is unfamiliar is in one word "uncomfortable."  But maybe God doesn't always want us to be comfortable and maybe when we're "uncomfortable" that's when God is able to work through us and in us.  Our prayer will continue to be that God is able to work through our family while we are here in Salatiga, Indonesia.

My Poems by Abby

I fly through the sky on a golden airplane

As a butterfly swiftly flies in the rain

Belle

Active Pup

Likes to jump

I miss her so

Dog

Let's Play Some Basketball!

At the beginning of January I was asked if I wanted to coach the JV Girls Basketball Team.  Because I didn't want to do it alone I recruited some help from my loving husband.  We actually make a good coaching team and seem to compliment each others strengths and weaknesses.  The most important attribute is that we both love the game!  We have been very lucky, our players are very eager to learn and to improve their game.  We have ten girls on the team and so everyone gets playing time.  The JV Team's season is very short, only about six weeks.  We only have two weeks left.  So far we've played five games and are 3 - 2.  The girls improve with every game and as coaches that is what we want to see.  We are also getting to know the girls in a different setting, the gym instead of the classroom.  Which can also be reversed...the girls are getting to know us in a different setting as well.

Not only are Jeff and I involved in JV Basketball, but Quintin is playing on the Boys JV Team.  His team is made up of 7th and 8th graders.  He is improving daily with his skills as well and seems to be developing a love for the sport, or maybe it's a love of the 3-pointer.  During one game his team could not seem to score.  Coach put Quin in and he shot a three and sunk it!  GO QUIN!  I'm not sure who looked more surprised...Quin or his parents...

 

Life's Questions

Who is the one and only?

Who made the earth?

Who do the mountains bow down to?

Who can make the earth be covered by water?

Who do the angels worship?

Who made man?

Who made you and me?

Who is the three in one?

Who is this that Christians sing of?

It is the Lord, God Almighty!

 - Quintin

A Few Days at the Beach

We have a new appreciation for those who have the discipline to update blogs or journals daily or even weekly for that matter.  Blessings to all of you who have a gift for communication.  Please continue to be an inspiration to everyone.  For those of you who have difficulty maintaining contact with people in far away places, may God bless us with new gifts and nurture what we have been given. 

During our first six months in Indonesia we didn't venture too far from Salatiga.  Salatiga is basically located in the middle of the island of Java.  Java is home to Indonesia's capital city, Jakarta and 130 million of Indonesia's 242 million people.  This gives the island of Java a population density of roughly 1000 people per square kilometer.  In farming terms, this is roughly 1000 people per half section of land.  Living in the city we feel the population density.  So, during our Christmas break we wanted to see a bit more of Java and be reminded that we do in fact live on an island. 

After celebrating Christmas in Salatiga, we headed to Pacitan, a city located on the south coast of Java.  We spent our time at Happy Bay Beach (HBB).  We had a great time relaxing and playing with friends.  The kids had a great time learning to boogie board that first evening.  The next day we couldn't get them out of the water.  None of us realized how potent the sun is at the equator, and we were all a bit pink by the end of the day despite multiple applications of 60 SPF sunscreen.  Quintin and Abby were in the most pain.  In fact Quin spent the rest of the time recouperating in the hotel room. 

Abby didn't let the burn stop her, but it did slow her down.  During our stay in Patican, our family discovered a new "love"...Boogie Boarding.  According to Zach "At least there is one good thing about living in Indonesia...the Beach!"  Jeff & I even tried to boogie board, I have to admit it is quite a feeling to catch the "perfect" wave.  Missing in these pictures is our camera woman, Dana, who braved crashing waves with the camera raised high in one hand.  Also missing is Quintin, who despite his mother's best efforts eluded the camera by staying out in the deeper water.

Having visited the ocean only a few times previously, our trip to Pacitan was both restful and full of new and interesting sights.  We look forward to visiting more of God's creation here in Indonesia.  If you are willing to come to Salatiga we promise to take you with us.  Blessings.