in pictures

I haven't been posting pictures lately because my camera freaks out every time I plug it into my computer - or any other computer, for that matter. Courtesy of Rachel Lee's computer, I was able to grab pictures off of my SD card (the only impetus being that I gave a presentation about my work and domestic workers, at Sekolah Pelita Harapan at a class for one of my Life Group members - Mr. Eric - and I wanted to share with the students some of my pictures with the TKW from work, that I also show below). And now without further ado, I give you, in no particular order, glimpses of my life here, in pictures:

::September babies:: Karissa and I at our Team dinner on my birthday. And the candles on my cake really do confirm my age in my heart - five years old. (Oh, and the awesome red bag on my right is from my dear roommate, Ruth Gao).

Post-karaoke. L-R: Yumiko, Anita, me, Frency, Sam, Irene, and John
Yumiko is an Accounting student at UPH, and our neighbor from 15B. Anita was connected to us by Frency, who works with my roommate Rachel at Sekolah Pelita Harapan.

My LCG Lea! I found out over dinner one night that she and I were born in the same year, four days apart. Lea teaches Bahasa Indonesia at SPH, and has been helping me to learn more of the language here. We have been going deeper into the Word each time we meet with one another. I am learning so much from her about culture and character, and I praise God that our paths were able to cross here in Indonesia!

::Game Night:: I love this picture because everyone is laughing hysterically. To be honest, I can't remember why, but I love seeing the enjoyment experienced within the community.

::teman-teman baru [new friends]:: Ika (far right) was one of the first people in the library to share vulnerably with me about her life. She flew to Hong Kong in the middle of September. It's so hard to say goodbye to new friends, but a joy to share life while they are here, and to wish them the best as they go on their way. I feel challenged by people like Ika because she is my age, and is brave enough to go overseas and do menial work, all in the pursuit of seeing their dreams for a better life come true.

Praying during our Inaugural Sunday Celebration

One of my favorite pictures here, ever. Notice Irene peering up at Sam like a creeper. This was taken at Ace Hardware, while we were looking for Christmas lights. The sign says "Terima Kasih - Anda sudah berhati-hati diarea ligthing" [Thank you in advance for your caution in the lighting area] except the most significant word on the sign to us that day was "diarea." (Yes, we are very mature).

Planning for Operation Campus Reach at Universitas Pelita Harapan (UPH), at apartment 6F (also known as Home Sweet Home)

Irene and I at Viper (Villa Permata), for a team dinner. In front of us is a fried, flying fish - which was subsequently devoured. And yes, it was very delicious (enak sekali) (and I can't figure out how to rotate this picture, sorry...)

Hotel Indonesia Traffic Circle, Central Jakarta. I saw a picture of this once before moving to Indonesia and I love seeing for myself things I thought I would only dream about seeing. This picture caught the fountain at a moment when traffic was just ahead of and behind our car - otherwise, Jakarta is always traffic, traffic!

Sam, reading to us before starting life group on Wednesday. I love this picture because I realized after the fact that in it are our three target groups (L-R): (1) expatriates living and working in Indonesia (Eric, a teacher originally from Montana, working at Sekolah Pelita Harapan); (2) Indonesian nationals (Iwan, a P.E. teacher at SPH); and (3) Indonesians who have studied abroad and returned to Indonesia (Grace Liu, Michigan Alum '08)

::Sharing life:: At the canteen, with the TKW. The two women on my right, Dwi and Daisy, flew to Hong Kong yesterday to start their new two year contracts and I miss them dearly already. I used to cry as I was learning more about the plight of Indonesian migrant workers overseas, and I think that the things that they experience are important to know about (see links in upper right-hand corner of this blog). But when I see these women and hear their stories, I have been challenged to hope the best for them rather than pity. Dreams are their inspiration for bearing through the menial work, "for my future," they always say.

::Lunch at Supermal Karawaci with our new friends::

L-R: Joe, Irene, Hendry (Karawaci Life Group), John, Alex (JKT Life Group), Lucas (Karawaci Life Group), David (JKT Life Group), Darvin (JKT Life Group)

Hendry returned recently to Indonesia after having studied in the States. Alex is from Bekasi, just east of Jakarta and is a singer. Lucas also returned recently from studying abroad, in Vancouver. David works for ASEAN in the Singapore Embassy. Darvin studied at the University of Texas at Austin, and returned to Indonesia a few years ago. He is currently doing theological studies here in Jakarta. It really is all about connections and relationships here in Indonesia. Here's a (hopefully) simple diagram about how these people were connected to us:

Hendry - Amelia (Grace Liu's colleague) - Grace Liu - JKT Team

Alex - Sassha (David's friend from church) - David - Grace Liu - JKT Team
Lucas - Grace Liu - JKT Team
Darvin - David - Grace Liu - JKT Team

I walked outside to write some e-mails during lunch one day, and ended up having an impromptu photo shoot with some of the women - many of them who attend our Friday Bible study. This is just after they were sharing their impian [dreams] with me (one wants to start her own business, a car wash; one wants a beautiful house and a car; one wants to continue in her studies). Dreams I might have ordinarily considered simple, things I took for granted before... Challenges me to be thankful for everything I have experienced, to see that the best things in life aren't really things - and how special to have community, no matter where one is in the world!

Thanks for looking/reading! More next time...