Happy 3rd Birthday, Ella!

Ella helping Mommy make cookies...as you can see, she's my taste-tester too!

Our youngest daughter is three now. And what a fun 3-year-old she is! Her sense of humor and silliness keeps us laughing. Her affection towards her family melts our hearts. She adores her sister. She is enraptured by her daddy. And she mimics her mommy's every move. We simply want to envelope her in our arms every chance we get!

Here are some things Ella is doing now:

* Her giggles are amazing!

* She loves to play make-believe anything. Dolls, dress-up, talking on the phone...ANYTHING!

* She is a very picky eater, but what she does love she devours immediately.

* She gives the BEST hugs.

* She loves to "read" books by herself.

* Second to her reading by herself, she really likes it when Catelyn sits and reads to her.

* She knows many worship songs and loves singing them loudly in the house.

* She prays for everything...and I mean, everything: her books, her stuffed animals, her family, the window, etc.!

* She would not make a very good veterinarian (our poor kitty cat). Maybe one day that will change.

* She is really into the Disney Princesses now. She loves to dress up like them.

* She prefers drinking over eating. Put something in liquid form and she's all over it!

* She loves to take pictures. She calls them "smiles."

* Her favorite sentence that she says multiple times a day, "I don't wanna go to bed!" (even if she just woke up 5 minutes ago.)

Happy birthday, Ella! We love you.

Happy 6th Birthday, Catelyn!

[Because we will be out of town on their actual birthdays, I am posting these birthday posts a few days early!]

My little girl is six years old now. Wow. I am so proud to be her mommy. She truly is a joy (her middle name). Her heart for people is simple, yet deep. Her compassion and care is exemplary. Her creativity is inspiring. Her love for God is evident. What a gift we have in her! I enjoy watching her grow up. I'm thankful she is in my life, and that I've been entrusted to be her Mommy.

My friend does a little interview of their kids on their birthdays. I thought the idea was cute, so I interviewed Catelyn.

What is your favorite color? Yellow, pink, purple and green! I don't like just one.

What is your favorite animal? A cute little puppy.

What is your favorite food? A fresh salad with ranch dressing. (Yes, she loves salad!)

What is your favorite season? Spring, because of the pretty flowers.

What is your favorite weather? Snow.

What is your favorite word? God, Jesus, and Holy Spirit. They are one...so that is one word, right?

What is your favorite song? Your Great Name.

What is your favorite movie? The Chronicles of Narnia - all of them.

What is your favorite place? Here with my family.

What grade are you in? 1st grade.

What is your favorite subject in school? Art while Mommy reads a good book to me.

What is your favorite part of your day? Ella's nap time. That's when the house is quiet and I get to play alone for a little while.

Who is your best-friend? Ella.

What do you want to be when you grow up? What you are, Mommy...a good wife and mommy. (sigh...I love her.)

What have you learned while you were five years old? I learned about the world that God made. It's big.

What do you want to do now that you're six years old? I want to go to Ohio and play with my Nanas.

What do you do for fun? I like to act.

Finish this sentence: I want people to know this one thing...Jesus!

Cake or Cupcakes? Cupcakes! They're cute!

What is your favorite ice-cream flavor? Vanilla with sprinkles and gummy bears.

Happy birthday, Catelyn. We love you!

It's Birthday Celebration Week

This is probably the most fun week for our girls...their birthday week. Our girls birthdays are only one day apart. Ella's is on the 12th and Catelyn's on the 13th. We like to make a big deal out of their birthdays - because it is their special day (we don't lavish lots gifts upon them at Christmas because it's Jesus' special day). So, this is the time when they get showered with lots of gifts, blessings, and fun stuff! The celebration starts tonight with a private family celebration for Ella. Then tomorrow we will have a friends party at a local play place, followed by a private family celebration for Catelyn. Then on Sunday, we will head to Malaysia (yes, another country!) to take a week-long birthday vacation with the girls, where we will eat fun food, go see a movie in a theater, pick out a birthday toy at Toys R' Us (YES...there is a Toys R' Us where we're going!), go to a butterfly park, swim in a pool, and anything else fun we find to do! Good times will be had! I'm so thankful for our daughters...we enjoy them so much.

More birthday posts and pics coming...

A Typical Weekday Morning

Just a typical morning in the Kirkwood home - schooling.

I love teaching my girls! It brings such joy to my heart to pour my life into theirs.

It's Been Two Years

Today marks the two-year anniversary of our arrival in Indonesia. In celebration of this occasion, we have listed 25 things that we've learned in these past two years.

Here they are in no particular order...

1. Even the smartest of people can feel very stupid when not able to communicate well. Resorting back to talking like a toddler to a group of adults is very humbling.

2. One doesn't need to possess a lot of things to display generosity.

3. An "uncomfortable" life invites unimaginable blessings.

4. Children make friends quickly despite language barriers.

5. Cookies go a long way in making friends!

6. What is considered dirty to one person, is clean to another.

7. Often times we are out-loved by the ones we've come to love.

8. Living in the tropics means living with LOTS of humidity. Great for the complexion, not so great for the curly hair!

9. The storehouse of rain is often opened up right above our house.

10. Having more is frequently embarrassing.

11. The Bible speaks more loudly and clearly when reading it from an uncomfortable life than a comfortable one.

12. We have MANY people who love us and support us back in the States!

13. We rent our house from the ants. We get in their way, not the other way around.

14. Cooking from scratch is fun and gives a sense of accomplishment.

15. It is completely acceptable for a family of 4 to ride on a motorcycle together.

16. There is no need to check the weather channel to find out the weather...its always the same.

17. UHT milk is still disgusting.

18. Skype is a great blessing.

19. Poverty has a face.

20. The sun here can dry clothes faster than a dryer.

21. God's creation is truly beautiful.

22. A smile can melt away cultural differences.

23. Sleep is necessary.

24. Health is important.

25. The hope that we have in Christ is tangible and real.

Let's Make Music Together

I love my daughter's creativity. She loves to create things. I see her Father in her creativity. She continually draws pictures, writes poems, builds churches with her LEGOs, makes pretty bouquets of flowers for her mommy. I love her heart. I love the beautiful person that God is forming this young girl into.

One of her most recent creations was a song that she wrote for God - a worship song. My sweet girl's bent is towards the shy side, so when she asked (albeit timidly) if we could sing her song during our worship service on Sunday, we were a little taken aback. That is very courageous for our little songwriter! So, we chose to encourage her new-budding gift of creating and told her if we are going to do this, that she would have to teach the song to all of us on Sunday. Well, she did. Our whole group sang her song a capella. We were so humbled and thankful for everyone's eagerness to come alongside our daughter and worship God through her song. I'm sure it meant more to her than we even realize.

After service that night, our teammate, Amber, asked Catelyn if she would like to work with her on putting the song to music. Catelyn was thrilled! So, one night this week, Amber came over for dinner, and together they put chords to Catelyn's song. I love our team.

Amber getting ready to encourage my daughter's heart for worship.

The songwriter and musician at work.

Ella graciously offering her talents on this project too!

"Sing to Him a new song; play skillfully with a shout of joy!" Psalm 33:3

What's So Great About Living Here?

There is always the temptation to compare life to what it was like "back then," you know, "back in the good ol' days when..." Living in a developing country certainly invites such thinking for those of us who did not grow up here. I confess that there are days that my mind wanders off to the "if only I still lived there, then I (or my kids) could do this or that." But, dwelling on those thoughts only leads to discontentment, which leads to ingratitude, covetousness, bitterness, self-pity and the list of sins goes on and on. I can't praise my God in Heaven while I'm submerged in a blinding, ungrateful heart.

Instead, I grab hold of the exhortation in 1 Thessalonians 5:18, "in everything give thanks, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus." This verse is saying that in everything there is reason that can be found to give thanks. And that perspective changes things, it changes the heart, doesn't it?

It goes without saying that living here we live without some perks or luxuries of living in the States. However, for all the things that we "don't get" there are some pretty incredible things that we do get - watching our kids grow up where their love and compassion for "the least of these" is being more keenly developed and nurtured. They get to see with their own eyes poverty and pain, and are able to help with their very own hands. Meeting the dusty shoeless person in their despair, and giving them hope (realizing that we, too, were once this person). What a gift we have here! So, what's so great about living here? Loving like Jesus.

A house we got to help build for a family in need.

Catelyn doing her part. ;)

The girls "helping" with the wood work.

Ella's best skill of all being utilized: simply being cute and making people smile! Her asking "Sedang apa?" (translation: "Whatcha doin?")

Overcoming Fear with Love

As I continue to press on in learning how to love the way that Christ loves me, I am being deeply challenged and stretched in areas that I didn't anticipate. Such as fear. What does love have to do with fear? God tells us in 1 John 4, that if we truly understand and believe the love which God has for us, then within us we have perfect love. And those who have perfect love need not fear, because we have confidence before God. "We have come to know and have believed the love which God has for us. God is love, and the one who abides in love abides in God and God abides in him. By this, love is perfected with us, so that we may have confidence in the day of judgement; because as He is, so also are we in this world." vs. 16-17.

When I have confidence before God (knowing that I am loved and accepted by Him) - I am free. I no longer have to impress anybody...because the only One worth impressing already loves me (even in spite of me!). I am free to live and love as God desires. I do not have to be paralyzed by fear. I do not need to be held back by doubt. I can be vulnerable and courageous because I am certain of what I already have - Him.

For me, my most-common daily fear(s) is rooted in pride. When I think about the things that I fear most commonly (not the obvious tiger-standing-in-front-of-me-with-its-teeth-gnashing-at-me fear, but rather the day-to-day fears), in almost every instance, it is embarrassment. I don't want to be embarrassed. Ugh...ridiculous, I know. Selfish? Absolutely. When I give into these fears of mine, I am choosing to think only of myself -how it will affect me. I am not caring enough about others to think about them - how I might be a blessing to another, or show love to them in some way. By choosing to allow my fear to lead, I choose to forgo any potential opportunity to actively love someone whom may have crossed my path. By allowing the fear of making a fool of myself while speaking my new second language to win, I lose out on the opportunity to learn more about my neighbor and how I might best serve and love them. Fear is paralyzing, but love is liberating. Instead of choosing to allow my fear to lead, I need to remind myself of God's love for me and His acceptance of me, and to seek His strength to proceed in love and faith through prayer. I need to see these situations as an opportunity to love another and allow that love to cast out any fear. "There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear..." 1 John 4:18.

When I think about God's perfect love for me; how I am fully embraced as His dearly-loved child, then the varying opinion of others begins to sink lower and lower on my list of cares. Thoughts of myself seem to fade away, while the desire to love like Christ grows more and more in my heart. To choose love over fear is to choose to believe and delight in God's love over me and allow that to propel me to love others. I must remind myself that despite whatever might happen, God sees me just the same - as His daughter whom He deeply cares for. So, in that truth, I can boldly go out and fearlessly love -whether it is by using the language I am uncomfortable with, riding in a taxi with my ever-upset stomach issues, speaking in front of a group of people, or paying the pizza man (if you know me well, then you will probably laugh at this one). No matter what the outcome, I am accepted, my place is secure, and I have confidence to pursue love without giving way to fear.

This is not at all to say that I won't feel fearful...that I can't control. But instead, choosing to see past my fear. In the same way that if someone broke into my house and tried to attack one of my children, of course I would be fearful and scared, but that fear would be quickly pushed aside in light of doing what must be done...protect my children! It is choosing the better way despite the fear...in this case, it is choosing to love. I will choose to love others more than my desire to be liked, thought well of, or accepted by others. I will choose to love like Christ.

The meek man is not a human mouse afflicted with a sense of his own inferiority. He has accepted God's estimate of his own life: In himself, nothing; In God, everything. He knows well that the world will never see him as God sees him and he has stopped caring. -A.W. Tozer

"We love, because He first loved us." 1 John 4:19

A few of my favorite things...

Can I fail at loving? Only if I fail to love.

In my pursuit to love well this year, I'm finding such freedom and joy. It truly is better to give than to receive. Especially, when I think about my action as ultimately being done for the Lord and not for the person. Of course, as I easily predicted in my last post, I have already fallen flat on my face dozens of times (yep...and it's only been a few weeks into the new year), but there has been, by God's grace, times of great victory over selfishness, and in turn, the blessing of displaying Gospel-love to another grace-needy soul. To Him alone be the praise for this!

At times, the sacrifice of choosing to love hurts or grates against my own (selfish) wants/desires. Sometimes I just want to think about me. I want to do what I want to do, despite what is going on around me, despite whoever might want (or possibly need) my attention. Sometimes I want others to do for me - shouldn't they serve me too! (Ugh. Truly, I am a great sinner in need of grace, and I am thankful that I know my Savior who bestows upon me that much-needed grace.)

Even though I fail at times, the times when I do choose to turn against my selfish desires and pursue love, it never fails. It would only fail if I chose not to love. Whether or not the recipient appreciates (or even acknowledges) my effort, my Heavenly Father, the One whose good opinion really matters to me, sees and acknowledges my deed done in love...for Him personally. I have not once regretted acting in love - even when I've gotten taken advantage of (hugely) or ridiculed (even by those who ought to have spurred me on) - because I trust and rest in knowing that God sees it all, the hidden and the seen, those things done in secret and those that are obvious. I rest in knowing that "His reward is with Him to render to every man according to what He has done." Revelation 22:12. It is to Him alone that I am accountable. It is to Him alone that I rise or fall. It is for Him (and through Him) I do these acts of love - because He loves me.

God's love compels me to love more...to forsake my sin and selfishness more...to seek to follow Christ's example more. More like Jesus... this is my heart's desire. Not to earn His love, or to repay Him, but to respond to His love in like fashion...with a love that gives. Loving isn't easy, at sometimes it just plain hurts. But through it all, I know that I'm being molded and conformed into the likeness of Him whom my soul longs to be with. I'm being formed into that which the Potter desires me to be. And it is beautiful, though at times looks very messy. But in the end, the result will be perfect. And all the while, the work being done in me (and in turn, through me) may assist in effecting the eternity of another!

So, please, if and when you think of me, please pray that I would not fail to love (as I am a work-in-progress). But that I would love until it hurts...just like the One that I seek to display with my life did. "...that you love one another, just as I have loved you." John 15:12.

I Will Love - 2012

Thanks to my gracious and generous husband, I was able to have a few hours of relaxing and resting with God this morning, while he took the girls out on a Daddy & Daughter Date.

I sat on my patio with the Bible laid open before me and a pen awaiting its use. It was my precious time with God. There we were, engaging in a life-enriching (and sometimes playful) conversation through the pages of His Word and my prayers. He is my Friend. He is my Savior. He is my God. As usual, this time of year I seek Him as to an area of my life that He feels needs to change or that I need to grow in. As will ever be the case, until I meet Him face-to-face, He kindly and clearly pointed to a specific area of my life - love. As I was praying, this is the word that kept coming to my mind. Passage after passage, verse after verse flooded my thoughts. Love God. Love my husband. Love my daughters. Love my extended family. Love my neighbors. Love my enemies. Love.

Paul exhorts those of us in Christ to "pursue love" in 1 Corinthians 14:1. So it is something that we can pursue. Jesus tells His followers that "all men will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another" in John 13:35. God's Word tells us believers to be like Christ in our love, "be imitators of God...and walk in love, just as Christ also loved you and gave Himself up for us." Ephesian 5:1. So, I can imitate His love (even when I don't feel like it).

So in 2012, I am seeking to love with a love that is bigger, stronger, and deeper than my own. A love that is based in truth and not merely emotion. This most certainly will be a battle at times (daily!), as undoubtedly there will be times that I don't feel like or want to love someone. There will be times when, sadly, I will want to be angry, or want to be left alone (moms, can you relate?), or want someone else to serve me - I'm a sinner in need of grace...daily! But praise be to God that He is greater than my heart and my flesh (Ps. 73:26)! Loving like this will indeed be a fight - but a worthy one. Only "because He first loved {me}" 1 John 4:19, can I love like this. It is by Him and through Him alone...it is the fruit of His Spirit, not my own. I anticipate falling flat on my face and failing many times (again...daily), but instead of giving up, I will choose to repent, seek forgiveness, ask God for His help to stand back up and try again...and He will provide the strength - because He is faithful.

May they be drawn to His love as I seek to love like Him...as His Word says, His "love never fails." (1 Cor. 13:8). What encouragement!!

Happy New Year!

Spreading More GOODNESS by Wearing a Pillowcase and Carrying A Stick!!

For the past few weeks Catelyn has been memorizing her lines and preparing for her part in a Christmas play. She was to play a shepherd. Tonight was the play (yes, a few days after Christmas...why can't the celebration continue on past the 25th???). She did a fabulous job! We were so excited and proud of her.

On an educational and developmental standpoint, this was good for her to participate in something that requires teamwork and dependency upon one another. And she did work as a team and knew others depended on her to do her very best. Spiritually, this was so good to reinforce, and bring to life, the story we've been talking about for the past month. It was so fun to see her really embrace her role...she was in awe of the angel's news and in awe of the Baby that she went to see. Great job, Catelyn!

Afterwards, on our ride home, we shared with her who all was in attendance watching the play (there were many she didn't know), her eyes lit up and she was overjoyed to be a part of spreading GOODNESS through her acting - the telling of the true and beautiful story for all people. We are overjoyed too.

Finding Joy in the Ordinary

As our family was driving home today, I was looking around. I began to see deeper than the surface. I watched faces of strangers walking alongside the road carrying their loads. Some talking with others, some sitting silently alone. Some faces wrinkled in laughter, while some in pain. Stores were filled with people as usual. Motorcycles and cars heading to their destinations. It was a typical day in our town. Nothing exciting, nothing out of the ordinary.

But that is the very thing that caught my mind's attention.

Today is a normal day. There is nothing special about today. It doesn't look like Christmas Eve - although it is. That caused me think about the day before Jesus was born so long ago. It was most likely a typical day, just like today. It didn't feel like the world was about to receive the best and most life-changing gift ever. Probably no one in Bethlehem took much notice of the man and woman entering that town; nor did they realize that the precious child within that young girl would "cause the rise and fall of many" and that through Him the "thoughts from many hearts may be revealed." There it was, a day like any other - except it wasn't.

I began to look more intently at these faces that flashed past my car window. I imagine what I was seeing at that moment might be like those in the town of Bethlehem on that "ordinary" day long ago. People going about their day not realizing, "upon them a Light dawned." Oh, if only they had eyes to see what was happening! What joy! What awe! What tears would flow!

So, as weird as it sounds, this moment driving in the car, excited my heart and brought more of the "Christmas spirit" into my soul than any street lined with snow and lights and carols and beautifully-wrapped gifts every could. It made me realize what a gift I have in knowing and embracing what an UN-ordinary day it is today; and that I can joyously and fearlessly look forward to the next "ordinary" day that will amaze us all!

It is most definitely GOOD news of GREAT joy! Merriest Christmas to you all!

Mmmm...Now that is Good!

We are thoroughly enjoying our purposeful and intentional Christmas season. God is so amazing, and we're so thankful for the gift of His Son.

Catelyn and I are hosting a Mom & Daughter Christmas Party/Cookie Exchange tomorrow night. We are really excited to be doing this together. We are having fun planning it, baking for it, and being able to practice hospitality together. I love the sweet and thoughtful ideas my sweet girl comes up with. I'm finding this to be such a beautiful Titus 2 time with her.

In keeping with the purposeful and intentional celebration of this season, we have a 3-fold purpose to our evening tomorrow. First, to spend time discipling/mentoring our daughters as we bake and talk about what we are doing and why. Second, to spend time in fellowship and worship with other ladies and girls who love our Savior. And third, to love our neighbors as we love ourselves. We are all baking more than enough cookies for not only us to enjoy together, but enough to bring some home to our families, as well as, bringing some baked goodness to our neighbors as well!

I'm so thankful and blessed to be serving and worshiping alongside my daughter (and fellow sister in Christ)!

One of our batches are some yummy pre-packaged deliciousness from the States! Woohoo! It's pretty funny that when all we do is bake from scratch here, to have pre-packaged food is gourmet to us!

Learning how to measure correctly.

Time to mix it all together - and sneak a few tastes when Mom's not looking!

"O taste and see that the Lord is good." Psalm 34:8. May we all pass on a little goodness to our neighbors this season.

A New Christmas Season

Christmas season in Aceh is different...in, dare I say...a good way.

Of course the obvious comes to mind: we are not surrounded by the commercialism that so annoys and haunts Christians (although they often succumb to the temptation). The lack of commercialism is a no-brainer; you don't have to live outside the States to assume such a thing. However, we live in a region where there is no sign of the Christmas season, except for the handful of believers whose homes are decorated, but you wouldn't know it unless you entered them. There is no Christmas music playing on the radio; no decorations for sale; certainly no cooler weather to invite Jack Frost to come visit! When we step outside our door, it is just a regular day as if it were August 12th. That's our new city during the Christmas season.

However, I'm finding in my heart that this is a very good thing. Because, throughout this past year I experienced many of the holidays of my new Acehnese friends; I had question after question regarding their traditions and why they would do this or that. Many times their actions seemed silly to me because they didn't have an answer. Well, a few days ago, as my family and I were decorating our home for Christmas (which consists of a tree and a few small other items), I began to imagine a future conversation that I might have with one of my new friends: Why a tree? Why ornaments? Why THOSE ornaments? Why lights? Why cookies? Why Christmas parties? Why? Why? Why? All very good questions that are worthy of good answers. This made me think...hard.

First, my mind quickly raced to wondering if I even have answers to these questions. And if not, what does that mean? And if so, what are they? Are they answers that align with my ultimate and sole purpose of this holiday - the worship and exaltation of Christ? If not, then what?

Second, my thoughts went to being encouraged and giggled with creativity - that here in a region where Christ isn't worshiped, where this holiday isn't celebrated - that this is a blank canvas yet to be painted upon! This is an opportunity for GREAT worship! This is where the Light shines most clearly and brightly - it is absolutely unmistakable. Simply light a candle or light bulb in a dark room and discover what happens. This is a blessing in disguise...and I'm glad it has been revealed to me!

Third, after my mind wrestled through the first two series of things, it settled on a resolution. Our Christmas celebrations will be intentional, purposeful, and meaningful. Constantly asking myself, "Why am I doing this right now?" If the answer is not Christ-exalting, then something must change. And to actively and intentionally seek new ways to display our worship of Him. Simple as that...adoration of the King.

Then, a still small Voice as though whispering in my ear, "What if you asked yourself that question every day for the rest of your time on earth?"

Oh, what a Wonderful Counselor, indeed!

Vacation

Ingredients that make up a wonderful vacation:

A place to sit and relax...

with easy access to have fun...

with a group of people I adore to spend time with!

We had an amazingly restful and fun time away last week. Some of our week's accomplishments were:

• We ate delicious food that we've missed such as bacon, nachos, good burgers, and GOOD cheese!
• Catelyn learned to swim - WOOHOO! By the end of the week she was swimming all the way across the pool! Way to go, Catelyn!
• Ella drank her body weight in freshly-squeezed juices (with a side of french fries!)
• Megan enjoyed being pampered in the spa (and Catelyn joined in as well!)
• Corey rode wave-runners (sometimes bringing the girls along for the ride)
• Enjoyed plenty of time in God's Word overlooking His breath-taking creation!

We are thankful to God for this blessing!

Happy Thanksgiving!

I find it deeply encourages my faith and my joy when I physically list out things that I'm thankful for. And as I do so, I realize a couple of things: (1) that these things didn't just "happen" to me, nor did I cause them, but they were given to me. And (2), there most certainly was a Giver behind each one! So, it is not enough to be thankful, it is only right to thank the One who gave the gifts! So, today our family is giving thanks to the Giver behind all gifts - our gracious and generous God.

Here are some of the things I'm thankful this year:

• Jesus (for apart from Him nothing else would taste as sweet)
• My husband (the one my heart loves)
• Catelyn Joy (the one who makes my heart smile)
• Ella Faith (the one who warms my heart with her hugs)
• My family back home (whom I love and miss terribly)
• God's grace in the midst of continual illnesses
• Finishing of language school (we can now speak two language - albeit, now, neither fluently! LOL!)
• Our temporary stay in Papua (where Corey gained more experience/training and we made new friends and enjoyed more time with old ones!)
• Our new home in Aceh (God's positioning of His people is impeccable)
• Our team in Aceh (a group of people who one can depend on and enjoy living life with)
• Our work in Aceh (difficult at times, but so worth it in the end!)
• Our supporters back home (a group of people who amaze us by their commitment and faithfulness toward us!)
• God's Word (by which my hungry and thirsty soul is satisfied as I encounter the Word)
• All the tiny, intimate ways that God reveals Himself to us each day - as if to say, "I AM here."

May you find joy bubbling up inside and overflowing into praise as you reflect on all that the Lord has given you. I'd love to hear your of your list!!!

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

Remembering

One year ago today, our teammate and friend, Ben Uskert, tragically drowned while attempting to save the life of a young person here in Banda Aceh. His story and sacrifice has made a lasting impact and impression on this community. He brought such a Light to this place. He is dearly missed.

Today, many of us gathered together to remember him and celebrate the life that He was given here on earth, and to pray for his wife and son, Katie and Jeremiah. The Lord has shown such great peace and comfort to them that goes beyond understanding - it is the grace of God.

Ben's gravestone

A close-up of it.

Planting a yellow Plumeria tree (Ben's favorite) in honor of him.

Afterwards.

Such a fragrant flower - much like the life Ben lived.

"Greater love has no one than this, that one lay down his life for his friends." John 15:13.

Another Celebration

Today was another Islamic holiday celebrated by the Acehnese (as well as, by Muslims around the world), Eid al-Adha (Feast of the Sacrifice). For more info on the meaning of this holiday, feel free to Google it.

In celebration of the holiday, our workers invited us to their homes again. We enjoyed conversation, laughs, food, and sweet syrup drinks. I became the resident photographer at one of the homes - I became quite popular when my camera emerged from my bag. EVERYONE wanted their pictures taken. And not just candid shots - they wanted portrait-type sittings! Crazy. There is no quicker way to make LOTS of friends than pulling out a camera! The following are some pictures from today.

NOTE: Make no mistake, they are OVERLY ecstatic to be having their pictures taken despite their traditional stoic faces.

(Ella meeting our helper's newest niece - she's only 1 month old.)

(One of four of our helper's sisters with her children.)

(A group of neighborhood kids coming to see the orang bule = white people!)

(Hesitant to come in.)

(But slowly...)

(The temptation of the camera overcame them!)

(One of our helper's nieces - she is beautiful.)

(Yep...more pics of them. They seem bored and unimpressed in the photo, but right before and after the picture is taken they are running around with excitement!)

This was another opportunity to deepen our relationships with these families. And another opportunity to learn more about the culture here. Today we learned a little more about how the Acehnese care for their babies, struggles they have in raising their children, and how roles are played out within the marriage. We are ever the students in this place...and ever seeking to build a solid foundation of Hope for these precious people. In due time.