Finding...

NEMO!

Yes...Nemo, Dori, and Friends have found their way to Banda Aceh.

Let me show you the mural!!! The inside is complete - lots of colors and water life. About the only hitch was the moment I stepped "foot-long" onto a rusty nail - so thankful I got my tetanus shot before I left the country! Nancy and I painted 3 days straight, about 30 hours total - bending, kneeling, all the while talking or silently reflecting...occasionally stretching for "fresh air" breaks...enjoying the swifts of coolness from the fan when they reached us and listening to some Kenny G and Keith Green on our battery-powered tape player. Painting can be quite exhausting and at the same time therapuetic !

We were treated to fresh "iu" (pronounced eey-oo) by some friends in the village. This baby coconut water is very "cooling" according to the Chinese categorization of foods....so refreshing!

I plan to finish painting the outside of the Kindergarten on Monday by adding a few more water animals and the words "Tunas Harapan", which mean 'Seed of Hope'. Tunas Harapan is the phrase written in the Indonesian Bible when God promised Abraham many descendants.

Friends, thank you for praying for me and encouraging me in my return to Banda Aceh. I feel somehow more prepared for life here this time. Just like my heart is settled on it.

How beautiful is Psalm 23 from Sorina (you can read it by clicking on the comments section of the last post). I was reading in Luke 15 about how our Shepherd will go to the ends to find us, and when he does, he will gently thrust us over his shoulders to carry us on, and He's rejoicing!

It is such a great feeling to accomplish something so tangible as painting a picture. I've been learning much in the last few months about waiting, listening, being, examining, changing, resting, healing...but this feeling of completing a task is something I haven't savored lately, and it is sweet. I'm now busily visiting wood and metal shops to order furniture for the kindy...getting estimates and even designing some pieces! Whew...so many things from school days coming together in practical ways: painting, measuring, even playing volleyball :-) Last night I went to the military track (which is often teaming with people in the evenings) and joined a group of peers playing volleyball. A lot of them are on staff with Save the Children and get together every Friday to play v-ball. It's so energizing, and I hope to join them on Fridays!

I have attached some photos of the Thailand retreat to the Post entitled, "To Thailand With the Shepherd". Hope to send some more photos of Aceh soon...the connection speed here makes it a little challenging ;-) - Please pray for the Tunas Harapan (Seed of Hope) kindergarten, which will open July 1st.