Indonesia, Stand Up!

This post is sort of an open letter to all Indonesians living around the world, but especially to those here at home. I know that many of you read this blog. 

Do you know that in your country, the sentence for smuggling drugs is harsher than the sentence for murder?

Do you know that in your country, people can be imprisoned with no witnesses or evidence against them?

Do you know that in your country, the penalty for telling a child about Jesus is greater than the penalty for molesting that same child?

It seems that the Indonesian government is trying to prove that this country is sudah dewasa. This administration wants the world to know that nobody can tell them what to do. And in fact, if someone tries to tell them what to do, they sometimes do the exact opposite. Kaya ABG.

Don't get me wrong. Aku cinta Indonesia. From the bottom of my heart, I love Indonesia. But right now, Indonesia is breaking my heart. And right now, aku marah sama Indonesia. Because right now, Indonesia is destroying people's lives in an attempt to prove a point. 

"We don't need anyone bossing us around. Rules are rules. You can't tell us what to do."

As I write this, nine different families are gathered at Nusakambangan. They have 30 more minutes to say goodbye forever to their sons, their fathers, their husbands, their daughters, their brothers, their sisters. And then at midnight tonight, those nine people will be shot to death - some of them without compelling evidence of the crime they are to be executed for.

Hatiku memang berat sekali hari ini.

There has been huge international uproar over so many events in Indonesia even just this year. But the Indonesian government doesn't want to be pressured by other nations. They will not be swayed.

What I don't understand is why is it only the foreigners standing against injustice in Indonesia? Governments and citizens of nations all around the world have pleaded for leniency, have signed petitions, have shown support to the condemned. 

Where is the voice of Indonesia?

Dimana suaramu?

This is YOUR country!

I'm not only talking about cases that have gained international attention simply because they involve orang asing. I don't only care about the other bule like me. I'm also talking about things that happen to your fellow countrymen EVERY. SINGLE. DAY.

This system is broken. It is broken and it needs to be fixed.  Inilah negaramu. Change needs to come, and it needs to start with YOU.

Things I Learn in the Most Unexpected Places

I have this friend. He is Muslim. But he loves Jesus at least as much as me.

He is the kind of person who drops off the face of the planet for weeks or months at a time. Then, when you least expect it, there he is again. And whenever he's there, he's usually asking me to teach him about the Bible. He especially wants to learn more about Jesus. Because he thinks Jesus is a pretty cool guy, and he wants to learn to be more like Him.

So sometimes I teach him about Jesus. One day, we were reading in John 6 about Jesus feeding the 5000. It's a story very familiar to those who grew up in the church. I've heard it from all different angles. Pastors use it as an example of how we should trust in God because he will always provide. Or that we should always be willing to give, because God can use what little we have for His kingdom. Or that we should never put God in a box because He can do far beyond what we can even imagine. I have heard this story preached to death.

 But my friend was hearing this story for the very first time. I asked him if he had any observations about what we'd just read. At first, he was very shy. He didn't want to say anything. But I could see he had something on his mind. So I coaxed it out of him.

He finally said in a voice just about a whisper, "He gave thanks".

I asked him what he meant by that. And the words started to come out. The more he spoke, the bolder he got. By the end, he sounded like a preacher in a pulpit.

"Look at verse 11. Jesus gave thanks. He didn't have enough food for everyone. He knew it wasn't enough food for everyone. I don't know if he knew that it would become enough food for everyone. But he still gave thanks. He was thankful for what he had, even though it wasn't enough. But when he gave thanks, that's when God made it enough. God made it MORE than enough. In my life, my tendency is to complain when I feel like I don't have enough. But I need to stop that. Because if I can thank God for what I have, even when it seems like it's not enough, God will make it enough for me."

Look at me, little church girl, getting schooled on the Bible by a man who has never even read it! What he taught me that day will always be the way that I read that story now.

The day we studied that chapter was one of the last times I saw him. It's been almost a year now. But today I got an SMS from him. He's been living on another island all this time. He says in his SMS, "I've been studying the Bible a lot here - talking about it and living it too!"

This guy though... It's like everything he says surprises me in the best way possible!

He also told me in his SMS that he's coming to town and wants to get coffee. I'm excited to hear from him. I know that he knows the Truth in his heart. But because of his background, he is afraid to claim that Truth for fear of persecution and possible shunning. I'm hoping that the last year he's spent on another island has been good for his heart and soul.

Oh, and whatever religion you are, I STRONGLY recommend that you find someone from a different religion to sit down and read your holy book with. Read the Bible with a Muslim. Read the Quran with a Christian. See it through completely new eyes. You'd be surprised how much you can learn.

Mondays

I've never really had anything against Mondays. People hate on them, but I've never really found them to be any better or worse than any other day of the week on average.

This Monday though.... Today has been.... strange.

I saw a student before school and noticed that his face looked swollen. I didn't want to draw attention to it and potentially embarrass him though, so I said nothing. Then when he showed up for my class second period, his left eye was extremely swollen, very red, and seeping fluid.

Me: That looks like pinkeye.
Student: I know. It is.
Me: You... KNOW?? WHY ARE YOU HERE? Pinkeye is highly contagious!!!
Student: I didn't want to miss the lesson.
Me: NO! Nononononono. GO HOME!
Student: Do I HAVE to?

GAH. People... I think this was the first time I've ever actually had to force a student to LEAVE MY CLASS. Good thing I keep an entire pack of antibacterial baby wipes in my desk drawer at all times. I immediately wiped down my entire body. Just kidding. But the thought crossed my mind. Thank goodness I got to him before he sat down or touched anything. Fingers crossed that the entire school wasn't contaminated by him during homeroom and first period.

In between second and third period, I was chatting with a former student who graduated several years ago. She told me last month that she was engaged, but I had yet to see any pictures of her fiance. She sent me some pictures of the two of them today though and... I definitely wasn't prepared for what I saw - her fiance is about three times older than her!! I was so surprised that I didn't know what to say at first! But I trust her judgement, and as I talked more to her, it was clear how very in love they are, and I am so very happy for her!

Then during third period, I discovered a monkey is on the loose in town not far from where I live. THIS IS MY WORST NIGHTMARE. I think I will lock myself in my classroom to sleep tonight.

So all that happened so far today. And it's only two o'clock.

No Motivation

I have not dropped off the face of the planet.
Things are going well, in fact.
I've had several opportunities to travel lately! So far this year, I've been to Bali twice, Jepara (a beach area on the north coast of Java) once, and Jakarta once. And two of those trips were free!
I've been making slow home improvements, and my little apartment has been getting more and more homey. I had new sheets made for the first time in seven years. I got a large carpet to put in my bedroom so that I don't wake up to cold tile floors every morning. I got my first teapot so that I can heat water for hot beverages quickly. Little things like that.

Like I said, things are going well. It's been a good year.
I've just had ZERO motivation to write about it. I'm not sure why. Usually when I don't want to write, it's because I have a lot of heavy things on my mind and I either don't want to talk about them or I'm not sure how to express them in a way that is accurate to how I truly feel.
That hasn't been the case for the past month. I just have a total absence of desire to write.
So if I don't write again for awhile, I'm sorry. Mostly to my parents who I know are my most faithful readers. :)

I'll leave you with some recent school funnies. Because they are funny. And who doesn't like funny stories? (Answer: NOBODY.)

Student: I like your sweater.
Me: Thanks.
Student: The material is nice. Did you make it?
Me: No. But thanks for thinking that I could have!
Student: I thought you could do anything except push-ups.

Q: In the tennis championship between players A and B at Wimbledon, the first player to win 3 sets is champion. Find the number of different ways for player A to win the championship.
Student: I think something is wrong with this question.
Me: Why?
Student: Three people can't play tennis.
Me: There are only two players....
Student: Then who is Wimbledon??
Me: ...............

While walking past elementary soccer practice...
Coach: CAN WE PLEASE STOP EATING GRASS AND PLAY SOCCER?!?
Me: *silently praying* Thank you Jesus that you didn't call me to teach little kids.

Two 12th grade boys talking about their younger sisters (one in 11th grade, one in 9th grade).
Boy 1: I don't know who would ever marry my sister. She's gross. She burps and farts out loud. ALL the time. It's truly disgusting.
Me: Well, she's beautiful and she's fun to be around. Also, she has a boyfriend. So I'm pretty sure she'll be OK.
Boy 1: But I just don't understand why boys like her. She's gross.
Boy 2: My sister is gross too.
Me: Nuh-uh! Your sister is adorable!!
Boy 1: Yeah, your sister is cute.
Boy 2: No! She's gross! She...... POOPS!