Island Easter

In 1722, Dutch Explorer Jacob Roggeveen encountered an Island on Easter Sunday and most creatively named it Easter Island. While we are not very close to Easter Island here on Papua, we share the same ocean, and relatively the same climate making Easter Sunday rather balmy. So much like Jacob Roggeveen we headed to the beach to celebrate the holiday.

Well, technically we went to the beach on Friday as we had the day off school. We drove to a port, and then had to take a boat to the beach. The boat was built for around 10 people, so in true Indonesian style, we crammed 18 people plus luggage on the boat (yes, Mom, Elise had a  life jacket and we sat in the middle of the boat). We spent most of the day snorkeling in beautiful blue water with Nemo and all his fishy friends, eating our fill of Rambutan (Hairy-fruit), and napping in hammocks. It made me stop and think, “I can’t believe I am here.”

In fact, it was a perfect weekend to think such things because without the Death and Resurrection of Christ, we would not be on this Island. The beach is nice, I’ll give you that, but other than that I wouldn’t choose to live here. Yet, the Good News has taken root in Papua and the Lord has chosen our family to support the spread of it. 

Elsie's first long walk on the beach

Thus to celebrate the most life changing event in history on Papua was very special. We  did do some traditional things like eat ham and have an egg hunt, both of which lessened the sting of not being with family. But the fact is we sat in the beautiful home of a family who also would not be here, eating a non-kosher meal, on an Indonesian Island, all because of Easter.

The hammock club

How to use and Indonesian toilet

As a new mom, I don’t have the luxury of holding my bladder for hours on end like I did before I was pregnant. So I have learned to use the public restrooms here in Papua, and after some practice, it is not quite as scary as before. For those of you intending to visit us I thought I would include some tips on how to use such a device. 

The first time I walked into an Indonesian bathroom I figured, “I’ve peed in the woods, I can at least aim for a hole. But how far down do I squat? Do I just hover? Do I face the wall, or do I turn around? Why is there no toilet paper? How do I flush? Why is it so wet?” 

Truth be told, the first time I used one of these, I got out of there as soon as possible. But now, I have learned a few things and come up with a bathroom kit that I keep in my purse for such occasions. If you don’t have these items, feel free to use the Indonesian way of wrapping up your session, but for now I will explain the American way.

STEP 1: ROLL UP PANT LEGS - OR TAKE PANTS OFF COMPLETELY

In Indonesian culture, wet is equivalent to clean. Thus, when you walk into the WC, don’t be startled when you step into a 1/4 inch puddle of water (Yes, it is quite literally a Water Closet). There are typically hooks in the bathroom there to hold things off the wet floor. I am told Indonesians take their pants off completely and hang their pants on said hooks. This is a time when skirts come in handy.

STEP 2: TAKE YOUR POSITION

Straddle the squatty potty with your back facing the wall. Make sure your feet are secure on the ground (Wet shoes = slippery shoes). Squat down as far as your quads will let you. 

SETP 3: SWEET RELIEF

STEP 4: WIPE

Now you would think that this step would be self explanatory, but remember that there is not toilet paper in the bathrooms. So that brings up the question “How do the locals do it?”  There is a tub of water that has a dipper in it. I am told that they use that to wash themselves by either pouring water down their backside, or using their left hand to splash water upwards. Remember wet equals clean, so it is not very odd to the culture here to rinse instead of wipe. It is also why they take their pants completely off. It is also why you don’t use your left hand to eat. 

STEP 5: DISPOSE OF TP

Do not flush the toilet paper. There is usually a waste basket for you to use, if there is not, I am told that it might be ok to flush the toilet paper. I don’t want to be responsible for creating more plumbing problems, so I bring a baggy with me for back up. 

STEP 6: FLUSH

There is no sensor or self flush. In fact there is no water tank at all. So you must take the dipper and pour water down the hole until all evidence is gone. 

STEP 7: PACK UP AND LEAVE

If you took your pants off, this is the time to put them back on. Pack up your stuff and go searching for the sink to wash your hands.

STEP 8: WASH HANDS

Often there is a sink close to the toilet, but occasionally you have to go searching for it. At one point, I used the restroom and found the sink on the second floor balcony. Or, give up and use the hand sanitizer in your handy-dandy kit.

STEP 9: PAY

There is a box where you can throw a few coins for using the restroom. This helps cover the bathroom attendant. They are the ones you see pushing water around with a squeegee.

Feel free to visit anytime now that you know how to use the toilets.

Church

We are going to church at Newman Chapel, an expat church that meets in the school multi purpose room. It is run like many churches in the states with a few exceptions. The  preachers are all volunteers that rotate and preach either one sunday, or do a mini series, and the worship leaders are volunteers that rotate Sundays as well. It is small enough that there is a brief time for community announcements at the beginning of service, and visitors or new people are introduced. There is also a time or people to share prayer requests and someone will pray for them right away. It has the feel of a big family meeting, the way I imagine the community of the early church. 

This past Sunday, we were singing songs about sacrifice and depending on God, and it hit me. We were living among people that were living out the words of the song. They were not just singing words on a screen, or singing in hopes it would be true, their lives actually reflected God’s calling. Worship was unadulterated. 

I am excited to live among these people for a few years. Both to encourage them and support their work, but also to learn from them the meaning of living our live for the Lord. 

Embrace the Blue

I walked into our apartment and held back tears. After a long week of travel, I was walking into what was to be our home for the next two years. The apartment itself is a basement apartment that we were told was being used for storage. It has two nice size rooms, a bathroom, and a small kitchen, but the fact that it is in a basement makes it rather gloomy. Also the windows look out onto jungle trees, which are beautiful but they do not help with the light. The furniture and appliances were scarce, but the thing that was staring me in the face as I walked in was a bright blue pleather couch with a gold and black trim. A Velvet Elvis poster would have completed my dismay. 

I knew that life in a third would country would be different. I knew there would be a lot of things I would have to get use to or learn how to “deal” with, but sitting on this blue whale taking up space in the corner of our apartment I can only think of it as God’s colorful way of teaching and stretching me. 

I am learning that God is not trying to merely teach me contentment, but to change my value system. I need to remember that my home is not here in Papua, nor even in Spokane, but in Heaven. I need to hold loosely the things of this world and hold tightly to the treasures we have in Heaven. 

Until then, I won’t let the cobalt creature in the corner defeat me. It is there as a reminder God has my needs here on earth covered, and is preparing a grand home for me in Heaven. Now don’t get me wrong. My relationship with the couch is cordial at best, but in my attempt to make our apartment a little more homey, I have bought things that come in blue. Blue storage tubs for the shelves, blue sheets, blue towels. Our mantra: “embrace the blue.”

Aslan is on the Move

We missed the largest snow of the year thus far by one day. It is hard to imagine the tree boughs heavy with snow and the calming effect it has on the busyness of life, when our sweaty clothes are sticking to us, and the bugs create a constant hum. Snow seems so distant, so foreign, a different world. Perhaps it is the magic of snow that makes me think of Narnia, but I can’t help but think of how there are threads of The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe running through our own story. 

Recall the part where Mr. Beaver is telling the children about Aslan and it stirs in them new and strong feelings. 

“They say Aslan is on the move - perhaps has already landed.”

And now a very curious thing happened. None of the children knew who Aslan was any more than you do; but the moment the Beaver had spoken these words everyone felt quite different. Perhaps it has sometimes happened to you in a dream that someone says something which you don't understand but in the dream it feels as if it had some enormous meaning - either a terrifying one which turns the whole dream into a nightmare or else a lovely meaning too lovely to put into words, which makes the dream so beautiful that you remember it all your life and are always wishing you could get into that dream again. It was like that now. At the name of Aslan each one of the children felt something jump in its inside. Edmund felt a sensation of mysterious horror. Peter felt suddenly brave and adventurous. Susan felt as if some delicious smell or some delightful strain of music had just floated by her. And Lucy got the feeling you have when you wake up in the morning and realize that it is the beginning of the holidays or the beginning of summer.

The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe – Chapter 7

Again Mr. Beaver is taking the children to see Aslan and through a turn of events they run into Father Christmas. The arrival of Father Christmas brings excitement to all Narnians, as it means that Aslan has come back and the power of the White Witch is loosening. 

“I've come at last,” said he. “She has kept me out for a long time, but I have got in at last. Aslan is on the move. The Witch's magic is weakening.” -Father Christmas

The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe – Chapter 10

In very much the same way, we have seen the Lord working in the things around us. One thing after another seemed to be nudging, no shoving, us in the direction of us moving to Papua in January. We were able to apply for visas early, we raised 90% of our funds in a few weeks, and all the other little things that were signs we were supposed to leave now. We felt a sense of peace amidst the pain of leaving, and a spark of courage in the darkness of fear. We can only attribute these things to God moving in our lives. For us the snow, was melting, Christmas had come, Aslan was on the move.