Beach Retreats and Garlic Presses

-

Several months ago, Darron gave us the heads up that the Shepherdess and Mission Office Staff were heading to the beach for a retreat.  We felt we should join for as much time as possible.  Darron took Jacob and Nathaniel there on the Thursday afternoon, while I covered a shift at the clinic.  Friday, because of school activities and commitments, we could not go.  Saturday morning, we were bouncing down the road early in the a.m.  With coolers full of American food, lots of suntan lotion and water and ready to spend a day with our fellow Indonesian brothers and sisters. 

 

IMG_20151010_104409

We arrived in time for church.  There were lots of special music’s.  They even coerced Aubrey and Andrew into singing a song.  Church was followed by potluck and so amongst the rice and many traditional Indonesian dishes we placed our lasagna, salad, and es buah (a cold icy Indonesian fruit salad/drink).  Do we stand out or what?

 

IMG_20151010_144018IMG_20151010_123832

 

The setting was more than beautiful.  With hand dug boats to float you over  the river to the beach before the inlet leading out to the ocean. 

IMG_20151010_102900

 

After potluck we had a special spontaneous Shepherdess program where I was able to present the garlic presses that several of my readers so generously donated this summer.  They were delighted!!!!  They all expressed their appreciation and I want to assure you that it meant so much to them that they were thought of.  Thank you so much to those of you who donated.  Approximately 10 ladies were not there and those garlic presses were given later.

 

IMG_20151010_134050

 

The afternoon was filled with much singing and laughter as the waves gently lapped and children played in the sand and fell in the water with my boys trying their hands at the dug out boats. : )

 

IMG_20151011_101651IMG_20151010_130310

On the Sunday morning we returned again.  To play with them all.  Andrew has made himself a skim board.  There the water is perfect for this activity because it is quite shallow.  Many of the boys wanted to “try” too.  Andrew makes it look so so easy!

IMG_20151011_101004IMG_20151011_101016IMG_20151011_102442IMG_20151011_101741

 

My heart records many images.  Images of Pastoral families who work hard.  Who endure much.  Who press on because of feeling called.  It is special to be part of encouraging them to keep focused on Jesus and keep pressing (literally and with their garlic tool in hand) on.

IMG_20151010_102830

Comments

  1. UnknownJanuary 10, 2016 at 1:03 PM

    Do many of them speak English? Or is this one of the reasons you are wanting to spend more time in language study? Sounds like it was an amazing weekend!

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Last Flight

-
Image
Bob and his daughter, Stephanie, flying on a different day in Papua . Jan and Bob It was another ordinary Wednesday in Papua.  The rain had come down all night.  Leaving the runway soggy.  6 a.m. I had finished reading my Bible and I hear Bob take off on first flight.  I think, “Wow, he is early this morning!”  Then the typical morning craziness starts in my house.  The cooking of a hot breakfast.  Packing school lunches.  Signing forms.  Arranging pick ups.  Off to school.  Exercise.  Home. Unfortunately, the freezer has frozen over so much that the door is on longer sealing.  It’s a forced, defrost the freezer day.  Out comes all the food.  Towels are laid everywhere.  Drip. Drip.  Jacob is on his 3rd day of not feeling well.  It has been a week of no routine.  No home school.  POP a video into the DVD player for Jacob and lucky little brother to watch.  I go into the office. I hear the plane take off again, 2nd flight. BOOM .  A sickening feeling enters my stomach.  That wasn
Read more

Change Never Happens Fast, Except Today it Did

-
Image
Today (Wednesday, Nov. 1),  Darron and Gary were leaving on an afternoon flight to the Philippines.  The nicer of our two cars had just been picked up from the repair shop ( it was an alternator this time).  They are at that stage.  Always, something falling apart.  With the mission mobile, we can’t complain.  It is 21 years old!!!!  Darron just popped down to the hanger to fill up the tires with air and I heard him pip the horn at the gate, to indicate he was read to go to the airport.  Yet, he had a different message.  The tire needed repaired…..or more probably replaced. Groan.  There is ONE thing, I disdain as a woman and that is handling car problems.  It’s hard enough to do it in your home country and a language you are fluent in.  Try doing it in a foreign country.  Also to me, it is a MANS world.  If you want to plop me in my discomfort zone, tell me I have to get the car fixed. So off we drive.  Air hissing out of the tire.  The good news, my husband is by my side.  The bad ne
Read more

Anguished Hearts

-
Image after image flashes through my mind.  I see little but “growing bigger and stronger” two and half year old Azarya coming towards me on the gravel runway.  Wanting to give me a high five and nothing warms my heart more.  Knowing that this is the little boy who drank his way back to life with goats milk.  More images of all over campus this little boy waving at me and smiling shyly, running and playing like normal children should.  Every time I saw him, I rejoiced in the second chance that Jesus had given him.  More images of being with his Mommy and Daddy and their JOY and gratefulness in Ayarya’s strength and change as he transformed before their eyes from being severely malnourished to vibrant.  Ida, his Mommy, is my closest Papua friend, and I see so many images of her and I chatting and laughing together and enjoying her new fat little baby boy, now two months old.  Despite that Ida was still morning the unexpected loss of her father and still mourning the loss of her first ch
Read more