Moving Forward
Language
I have now completed the 4 weeks of Level 1 Indonesian. The class has helped me tremendously and I am planning to take the 4 weeks of Level 2 (beginning next week). I was encouraged when the teacher said I was the most advanced in the class (teacher's pet!). But seriously, thank you all who have helped me pay for the class because since taking it, I have been able to understand more and more what people are saying to each other. Now, I just need to talk back with them. At the moment, I am talking like a 2 year old. Instead of "hey! what did you do last summer?" it comes out more like "excuse, what do summer ago........you?" It's quite funny to hear and my friends love to giggle when I mess up.
By the way, for those of you who want to learn another language, here's a tip. Learn to laugh at yourself. Because, most likely, others with be laughing too :)
What else?
While I'm staff on the training base here, I have been recruited to help with a 2nd level training program. It trains people to do what I'll be doing next year. The students stay on base for 3 months receiving training and then are sent out to all parts of this country to reach the unreached. There's a lot to prepare for and so I'm helping with that.
Ahead
Even though I'm diving ahead into language, I haven't forgotten why I'm here. Next year, I'll be heading to another island to live among an unreached people. We plan to start teaching the locals stories from the Bible. Since many of them don't read or prefer not to, we teach them about God through teaching them stories.
Anyway! I have never been to the area so I've decided to take a scouting trip next month. Of course, I didn't want to go alone since I don't know the culture and can't speak the language fully. After praying God would send someone with me, BOOM! A girl from that area said she would go with me on the scouting trip! "Whoohoo" I say. Now, she's not of the people group I'm going to work with but she's close. Yay! Please continue to lift up this trip.
Culture
Here's a little more about the culture here. In the last post I covered the exciting world of toilets. This post, it's the driving.......THEY'RE CRAZY!!! First, they drive on the other side of the road. Thanks to the years of living in Australia, it wasn't hard to switch back. Only the rich drive cars or take taxis. Most people drive motor bikes (as seen below). I couldn't figure out how to post the video I took but here's the link.
Things to notice:
1) they never look behind before switching lanes (it's expected that people will get out of the way)
2) it's perfectly ok for bikes to drive between the cars
3) toward the end of the video, you'll notice a bike to the left. On it is a guy (driving), a woman, and a
baby (you can see its' feet hanging out). It's common to see whole families on bikes. The guy
drives, the woman sits behind, with the baby between them and if there's a small child? he gets to
stand in front of the dad on the foot pad holding onto the handlebars. Yes, safety is not as much a
concern here. They drive like this out of necessity
The key to surviving driving here is to relax and NEVER go on autopilot.
Questions you must ask yourself are:
Is that car/bike going to get over in front of me
Are there any bikes behind me (using your rearview mirrors only)
How fast is that car going and do I have time to get in front of it?
Can I squeeze between those 2 cars?
Is that truck going to hit me?
Have I prayed today??
Let's just say my reflexes are very quick now :)
Let's just say my reflexes are very quick now :)
Traffic rules and lanes are more suggestions. I always see people driving their bikes on the shoulder, sidewalks, and running red lights all the time.
Here is how I look when I drive to the language school. This is my bike and I'm wearing that bandana because when driving, I usually gets stuck behind these massive work trucks. Here, pollution is not as much of a concern so their trucks billow out black smoke. After getting sick from breathing in that smoke, I though I'd follow the Indonesian drivers and wear something.
A friend and I were driving from church when we got a flat tire. We had to push the bike to the nearest fix shop. Pushing the bike against traffic is scary but luckily, this shop was near by
The bike shop also doubled as a restaurant. This was the lady who ran the place. Nope! I don't know her from Adam but they looooove getting their pictures taken :)
Many of you know I love to dance. Here, a few of us are doing a dance on the main tourist beach. This was a part of the base evangelism. The dance worked as it drew a small crowd. As we danced, some others talked with them about Jesus.
Random picture, I know, but this is my Grandmother who just passed away. She loved God and knew God was going to use her to reach many. I don't think she ever knew how many people are being reached because of her obedience. Love you Grandma!
Requests:
1) The scouting trip next month
we need good connections with the local people once we arrive
we need to know which town we should live in
we need to find accommodations
2) Language (always)
that I will learn quickly so I can relate to these amazing peopel in their own language
3) Team
I still need a people to commit to go with me
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