Life in a Bubble

Today we had assembly for all of Junior School.  Each grade takes a turn leading one of the assemblies through the year. 

Today's worship included a few songs I know quite well, "God of this City" (Christ Tomlin), "City on Our Knees" (Toby Mac), and "Send Me Out" (Fee).  These songs really caused me to pause, worship, and reflect, in the midst of my day and surrounded by hundreds of children.  You've probably heard them, but listen again, and you'll get an idea of what started my thinking today.

What am I doing here, for my city?

I sang all three of these songs countless times at church services while in college.  I sat in student chapel and church hearing the message of "You're here, now.  So minister, here now.  Don't wait until you're there, later."  So I sought out ways to work in Marion, Indiana.  I went into the public schools to tutor.  I volunteered at the Boys and Girls Club teaching Bible lessons and hanging out with the kids.  I went on prayer walks.  I served my church by joining the leadership team.  All to be involved in my community.

And I thrived.  I was exhausted a lot, yes.  But it was the tiredness of a life well lived.

What am I doing here, for my city?

I am currently in the "there, later" phase that I imagined while I was in college.  The world of flooding and overflowing garbage dumps and sheet-metal houses and mal-nourished children.  All of which are similar problems to what I saw in Marion.

At IWU, we talked about the IWU bubble.  And I worked hard to make sure that I didn't stay in my bubble full of white, middle-class, college students getting a good education at a pricy, private college.  While across the street sat houses in foreclosure, kids who ate one meal a day (the free one at school), and prostitutes who worked out of their homes while their kids played down the street. 

If I thought coming to Indonesia got me out of the bubble, I was wrong.  SPH has our own little bubble, and it's not all that different from my IWU bubble.  The teachers aren't all white.  But who do I mostly hang out with?  Sadly, I'd rather not answer that.  All the teachers we'd consider middle-class.  But to the world on the other side of the fence, we're living the high life.  My students' parents pay huge bucks to send them to this pricy, private, Christian school where they get an education that is far beyond any education they could receive in a national school here. 

Apart from my ojek ride to school, greetings to all the guards and gardeners at my apartment and school, and trip to the shopping mall a few times a week, my interactions outside of my bubble are minimal. 

What am I doing here, for my city?

I'm stuck in a bubble.  My bubble where I am comfortable, can speak my own language, and know what to expect. 

What can I do to change?  I'm helping with the Senior School's 30 Hour Famine this weekend.  They're supporting organizations in Jakarta.  So that's one thing.  Maybe what I need is a trip to the orphanage.  A trip to the flood victims.  A game of soccer in the kampung. 

Lord, open my eyes to the city around me.  The city beyond the polished walls of the school.  The city beyond my air-conditioned apartment. The city that cannot afford anything in the mall.  Give me courage to step out and minister to them.  Give me the strength.  Give me the same passion I had at IWU to get out of this bubble and into the city You've given me.  Let me be exhausted from being Your hands and feet in the city.

"Greater things are yet to come, and greater things are still to become in this city."

Forever a Bule

If you've ever spent time in Asia, you will resonate with this post...

The bule.  The foreigner.  The Měiguó rén.  That is who I am.  

I may try to fit in to the Indonesian culture.  But I will forever be six feet tall.  I will forever have a long pointy nose.  I will forever be white.  I will forever speak English.

And this means that I will forever, be subject to photos.  

As shown by my experience today.  With reports coming up and piles of papers to mark accumulating, I knew I needed a day to work and a cup of coffee to get me through.  So after church ended, a couple girls and I made our way down to Starbucks.  As I ordered my drink today, the barista knew my name... since I've been in there about every other day the last two weeks.  (It's because my Starbucks card gets me a free drink... so I've gotta make use of the great deal!  Don't judge.)  

It's so fun to have my routines set up, to have places that I can feel comfortable in.  And having the baristas that know me is one of those homey features.  

After about four hours of sitting there this afternoon, they offered us free coffee samples.  How sweet! we thought as we sipped on the French pressed coffee.  And then the truth came out...

Photo with you?

So they came out from behind the counter and smiled with us. Even in our home... the Starbucks just downstairs from our apartment, where we bules sit every day marking... even there we cannot escape the fact that we will forever be novelties while living in Asia.  

Wedding Bells

A few weeks ago, the secretary walked into the pod and handed me a large embossed envelope.  I opened it up and pulled out a fancy invitation to a wedding.  At first, I was quite confused... since none of my friends at SPH are getting married, but then I realized what it was.

Indonesians typically invite tons of people to their weddings.  Their friends and family.  But also any friends and family of their friends and family.  Four hundred is a small wedding.  And anyone who wants to come is welcome, whether or not you know the happy couple or not.

Well, this wedding is the wedding of the son of the people who started the school that I work at... yeah.. crazy connections, right.  All the teachers at my school were invited to the wedding, and a group of us decided to go together.  Let's face it, it's not every day that you get invited to a billionaire's wedding.

We hopped on the bus with the other teachers to go downtown and arrived at the convention center.  We were some of first of the three thousand... THREE THOUSAND people who attended the wedding... craziest thing ever.

Decorated like a garden, even the floors were covered with fake grass

 Part of the two hour wedding included watching the couple thank their parents for raising them to follow  Christ.  It was quite touching.  We also got to watch the family group photos... not as touching.

We were all invited to the immediate reception, which was full of delicious food from around the world.  Later in the evening, the special guests who have a closer connection to the family were invited to a banquet... but we only got the unlimited sushi and calamari and Peking duck and truffle-filled chicken.

Full choir... there was also a full orchestra

We signed the guestbook to get the ticket for our party favors

Indonesia does this thing where whenever they want to congratulate someone, whether for opening a store, a birthday, an anniversary, or a wedding, they send these foam signs with flowers.  This wedding had more than I could count.. that went further than I could see from where I stood... they have friends in many places

Tearing down after the ceremony

You know it's a big-time even when there are this many cops

Aussie Chrissie Part Four: Sydney

We flew from Melbourne to Sydney on the morning of December 31.  We had the best taxi driver on our way to the hotel from the airport, and we talked all about our new years resolutions!  The night would be his first night driving for New Years, so we wished him best of luck transporting all the late night party-goers.  And we headed off to our party!  

The Botanical Gardens, we heard, were one of the top places to watch the fireworks over the Sydney harbour.  So we got in line about 10 am, and waited with the thousands of others ready to get into the park.

2014!

It was probably one of the crazier things I've done with my time... spend 15 hours waiting for fireworks that would last less than a half an hour... but it was an experience I wouldn't trade for anything!

The rest of the time in Sydney was spent wandering the streets, visiting Manley Island (Which isn't actually an island where we rented bikes, eating Western food, sitting in the lawn near the opera house reading and enjoying the sunshine, visiting the fish market, and climbing up the Sydney Harbour Bridge! 

Our super sketch hostel

Lookout from a park on Manly Island

Aussie Chrissie Part Three: Melbourn

We arrived in Melbourne, returned the car, and then hit the city for the coffee shops, book stores, and restaurants found in the hide aways of the city.  It's such a hipster city, with street art and late art and boutiques with expensive crafts.

Happy Birthday Teresa! 

We did not eat here... 

Love this girl so much!