some neighborhood happenings

Went to the barracks this week…so fun to help my friend, Santy, teach English to her 4 faithful students. They have been learning WHO, WHAT, WHERE, WHEN, WHY, and HOW words and associated phrases…The girls invited us back to their place to hang out last Saturday night. We walked ("jalan-jalan") around the barracks (in the mud, in the dark!), singing songs like Twinkle Twinkle Little Star, London Bridges Falling Down, Someone's In the Kitchen with Dina (a classic of my mom's!), and any other songs the night air stirred up!

Sam (the 9 year old son of my Singaporean colleagues) and I were walking through one of the neighborhoods near our house the other evening, and we turned down a new, tree-lined road. All of a sudden several (we’re talking 20 plus) kids and young people came out and greeted us. They asked if we could come back and teach English, so, the next day we carried our whiteboard and pens with us and ventured out on the 10 minute walk to where they live. An older woman in the neighborhood opened her home up for our lessons! We didn’t really know how our new teaching venture would fare, but the kids are SO eager to learn English that all they could do at the conclusion of our first class was urge “besok, besok”, meaning “tomorrow, tomorrow”. So, today was our third class, and we’ve covered some good ground…How are you? I’m fine. It’s nice to meet you. What is your name? I am ___ years old….From age 4 to 14, they come faithfully before we arrive and are seated on the floor with their pencils and UNICEF-sponsored notebooks in hand. Their favorite part of “class” is when we sing “Head, Shoulders, Knees and Toes (knees and toes!)”…the song gradually gets faster and faster with each repetition until the kids just burst out in laughter…Today about half the class accompanied Sam and me back to our house… tomorrow we’re all going to play futbol (soccer).

By the way, is anyone keeping up with the World Cup? It’s a huge social event here; people stay up almost all night to watch the games! There’s a theory circulating that our constant power cuts are the government’s way of cutting down on the nightly noise pollution from the cheering futbol fans (just a theory (smile!)) ...these are some of my friends living out their dream of playing in the Aceh Cup!

The opening of the kindy is this Sat...three goats have been purchased for the celebration meal…banners are being designed by the community committee…final touches are being made to the building and program…should be exciting! Dawn is coming in to run a training session for the teachers this Wed. We are all looking forward to having the MTI directors here…

There are two frogs jumping across my living room floor right now, headed for my feet!

Ya Abba Bapa ini aku anakmu

...lines from an Indonesian song our language teacher taught us last night....literally "Here I am Father, your child."

Father’s Day was a few days ago…I got to talk with my Dad! He called me right before heading to Atlanta for a national church conference. Our phone connection was bad, but my heart was so thankful for just the opportunity to tell him I love him -just a taste of the fullness of love of our Heavenly Father, the Almighty yet so-close God who loves us. I was listening to a recording from IHOP’s Bob Hartley with a few friends here in Aceh the other week, and here’s what I heard …and am enjoying praying …

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Approachable God, who redeems situations;
Passionate, pursuing, loving God.

You see the multitudes and have compassion; pluck me out in my wrong guiding of my life (when I say “Yes” to my potential and “No” to your presence. You let me be alone, silent and draw near to you; You are so thoughtful; You’ve been a friend and you loved me first; You are abundantly available in your love.

Psalm 56 This I know, this God is for me. I turned away from Him, but nothing can separate me from the love of my God!

You look past my faults (I Cor 13). Ps. 149 says you are for us, not against us. Song of Solomon exclaims how your heart dances at a glimpse of me. Areas, buildings are redeemed for your purposes. Beyond my ability or wisdom, you bring opportunities from your heart for me. You are graciously compassionate, the forgiving, drawing near God.
Peter denied you 3 times and you pursued him and made him the Rock of your people. When I’ve hoarded resources, acted out of fear, your generosity and benevolence continued to flow. You are quick to restore, you’re the loving, reconciling God.

You’ve forgiven us when we’ve said we’re not enough. When we stare at our condition (broken and sinful) rather than our position (in Christ as your redeemed children), when we’re more impressed by our sin than your rich love. You more intimately know us than we know ourselves, and we want to know you intimately. We want to love you.

There is nothing we could do to remove your love. Life habits-addictions: you reconcile and restore. I always thought those things were my plight, but I said “I’m sorry” and you promise that as I hold to you, you make things beautiful in your time. You are the Very Near God in your love; Show us your face. Shepherding God, who brings contentment (Ps. 23:1). YOU satisfy; there’s nothing else that satisfies.

My house, my pilgrimage ~ I love them because they are an intimate pathway into your presence. You have been drawing me the whole time. I am waiting on you; you make things beautiful JUST IN TIME. You teach us that we can trust your perfect leadership. You guide us uniquely to enlarge our hearts. You guide us. You’re the Protector. You protect our interest and our dreams.

Ex. 15:13 In your strength you will guide us. Your sheep hear your voice. You guide us in our priorities. You meet us where we live and in our various needs. You’ve guided us in dealing with people to grow our hearts. You are the nurturer feeder of life with hope. You don’t treat us in our depravity. You lift my head and nurture me when I feel broken….healing, refreshing…bringing fresh faith. We don’t have to carry our burdens; we cast them on you, the Burden-bearing God. Not out of debt, but by your character do you act. You deliver- take us out and set us in fresh fields to prosper.

You are my best friend. You are generous in all your ways; better than life. You treat us better than we deserve. You’re the Building God; You’re the Miracle-working God who loves to bring something out of nothing. You are perfectly competent. Awesome, Beautiful, Comforting, Dad, Vivacious, Full of Zeal, Living and Active. Your mercies are new every morning. You move the boundaries of nations so that Christ will be All in All. You are perfect. Mt. 14 describes you as the Wounded Healer. In John 7 you declare yourself as the Living Water. You knew your life would be taken. When we denied you, you loved us.

By the Light of YOUR Presence, in the nearness of You, I live. You see in to my deepest parts. You give me the most precious gift of all – Yourself. You give an invitation to intimacy so I can commune with you. They will know your love by our worship, for your presence is upon us. We are anointed in the Spirit (Eph. 2:10).
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We can claim these realities in Jesus, which are guaranteed by the character of God revealed in His Word. What a powerful language of connection with our God, fit for Father’s Day– every day is Father’s Day with our God!

Spirit of burning — [IHOP-KC phrase] This is a cycle of maintaining a passionate desire for Jesus so that you are in a place of emotional pain whenever He is absent; hope and excited expectancy because of the knowledge that He loves to come to the hungry and thirsty heart; real experiential encounters with His beauty and presence causing you to have an even greater intense desire to be close to Jesus (Matthew 22:37; Luke 24:13-32)

From International House Of Prayer’s website: www.ihop.org

CHICKEN FEET!

Yep, that's what I ate for dinner yesterday! Ever tried them? They're "gelatinous!" (like Jello)...

Method of Consumption: Put the whole foot in your mouth and use your tongue to extract the bones; swallow the skin and tendons; spit out the bones!

Actually, the Chinese cuisine accepts a lot of "parts" that others reject. According to my friends, that's why it has been called "poor man's food". The Chinese have learned the art of taking the parts that others toss and making them into delicious delicacies, or at least energy-supplying morsels. Maybe we should learn a lesson in valuing our resources? Well, it's neat to see how people live and to learn about God's creation through them. I will never look at the foot of a chicken in the same way. [Reminder: please pray against bird flu!]

I'm sitting in the Aceh e-Learning Centre, an initiative of the Taiwanese government to provide free internet access to Aceh. They are hoping to help the people of Aceh improve their computer/internet skills and develop their resources...meeting some neat guys from Taiwan.

Praise the Lord for a wonderful team time last night...things have been so busy, even stressful with the amount of work to do...but last night, just sitting together and crying out to God, listening to "Depth of Mercy", "You Ran to Me" (this is the theme line...I'm not sure of the actual title; I usually call this song "Prodigal's Father"), "Who Am I?" (Casting Crowns), Hearts of Servants (Shane & Shane), "Sometimes A Light Surprises" (Indelible Grace). The ministry of music blesses. I often spend my free moments with the guitar. My flute is back in S'pore, but I'll be playing it during the conference I'm going to attend the second week of July in Malaysia...I'll tell you more about that conference ("Out of the Comfort Zone") soon...

I hope to post as often as possible during this month of June, esp. as I'm not sure how much access I will have to communication during the second half of the year. Governments are particular about what information they allow in and out of their "borders".

Yarn Dolls and DREAMS

Meet some of my neighborhood friends here. The YMCA kids I taught last fall in Quakertown made some really cute yarn dolls for the children I would meet in Asia... Jamie, Lauren, Kaylee, Caitlyn, Gabby, the kids here LOVE the dolls you made for them :-)


Please pray that I would be more fervent in prayer. Pray that God would grant me a heart of a servant and teach me to dream. Ever thought of dreaming as a spiritual discipline? The pastor yesterday challenged my thoughts on this! And prayer is the "dream incubator". Sometimes God gives us a dream, and then it seems like it dies. We experience delays, difficulties, confusion. Nehemiah mourned and fasted and prayed days on end when he had the dream to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem. God moves us from a state of independence (also called sin) to a state of dependence on him (funny how this is the opposite of what human parents do with their children!) in prayer and life. He is jealous for us. He pursues us that we would rely on Him fully. Dreams are a way that God stretches us spiritually, for we are left with no other option than to depend wholly on God for their result. Often God gives us a mere glimpse so that we are motivated to go under His discipline. Our dreams might be 1000 miles away! They might seem impossible or far-fetched. John Maxwell said "The power of a vision causes you to give up today for what you can have tomorrow." This is the pursuit I long to develop - steadfast sacrifice and dependence on the Lord to see and follow His heart.

So Dream On, fellow travelers! and PRAY with fervency!

"Truly, I say to you, if you have faith and do not doubt, you will not only do what has been done to the fig tree (cause it to whither and never bear fruit), but even if you say to this mountain, 'Be taken up and thrown into the sea,' it will happen. And whatever you ask in prayer, you will receive, if you have faith." -Jesus

This country has seen many disasters ...Lord of all creation...

of water, earth and sky...the heavens are YOUR tabernacle...

Why?...glory to the Lord on High

Why does the earth quake? Why does the thunder roll?
Why do the floods come? Why does the lava flow?

We are longing for redemption. Come, Lord. Maranatha!

I am safe...thank you for your concern and prayers. Mom told me friends have called the house, Renee - thank you! so I thought I better post to let you know I'm okay. Jokjakarta is actually quite a ways away (over 1,000 miles from Banda Aceh), so we didn't even feel the tremors. But, many from here are going to Central Java to help. The death toll is still rising (latest is 6,000 plus) because there is not enough medical treatment available. Please pray for the people hurt by the earthquake. Pray for their homes, their health, their souls.