2013 Visit to Indonesia
Leaving on Wed @ 6:00 a.m., and full of anticipation for the adventure of 6 planes and 58 hours of travel, we started our journey from Milwaukee to Chicago, to Los Angeles, then to Tokyo. After spending the night in a nice hotel during our 14 hour layover, Dad and I enjoyed a hot drink and snack from Star Bucks in Tokyo for breakfast. We're ready for the next 3 flights:)
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Angie met us in Jakarta after her shopping spree of two chain saws, household items, and fabric. We added her packages to the 7 boxes and trunks we brought with us and sent them ahead of us to be shipped to Sentani. Then we left Friday at 9:30 p.m. & we took the red eye flight to Sentani making a stop in the middle in Makaasa and arriving at 6:30 a.m. on Sat. The mountains and clouds greeted us along with the warm temps. We are ready to continue our adventure.
After a good day of rest on Saturday, we attended a special service celebrating 85 years that the Christian and Missionary Alliance has been in Indonesia. The C&MA Indonesian church is led solely by nationals at this time. Renting the city's University hall in which to house all the nearby congregations, it was very nostalgic joining the people as they sang many familiar hymns with Indonesian words and even ended in a parade with the people dressed in their traditional clothes. Even though we didn't understand what they were saying, we knew they were very joyful and excited to remember how they were brought from death to life when the good news of Jesus came to them.
Several pictures of their house:
the front door with shoe rack/helmet shelf. The two doors on the left are Raquel's room and Gideon's room. The rounded door on the right is Angie and Dylan's room.
A view from the front door - this is the back of the house where the family eats:)
Front of the house - Dylan put in the grass, poured the cement for the walk and driveway.
Gideon playing outside the front door on their porch with Cocoa, the dog. Dylan made the slide and little playhouse with some extra wood.
The kitchen - in order to get drinking water you plug in the cord between the 2 cupboards, then flip a switch near the 2 cylinders and then turn a knob to get the water flowing, but be sure the tube coming down from the apparatus is going into a container. And then remember to turn it off when the container is full or there is a wet mess.
Their stove they hope to take with them to the tribe.
They have sold this refrigerator as they will not be able to take it with them. The water cooler is a friend of theirs who was in the States, so we were able to use it. Actually, the water was never cool, but it WAS wet.
The water closet with a shower area - no sink - wash hands in the kitchen.
Right outside the bathroom door is the washing machine. Do one load a night so the clothes can dry during the night in the living room on the removable clothes rack and then be put away before people can play with them & so they won't be in the way.
Angie and Dylan's bed with the headboard painted on the wall:) Very comfy - they gave it up for us. We were very thankful and had good rest.
Ione Gibeaut gave the van Rensburgs $$ for a generator. Thank you SO much. When the power goes off during the day, which is a common occurrence, they can get this running and continue on. Usually we just waited till it came on again, but one time Dylan needed to work on his sermon and needed the computer, so he turned it on so he could work.
Riding around the lake for 30 minutes to Sentani, there are beautiful skies and mountains to see and unusual sights.
Someone's house off shore connected to land by a foot bridge
Somebody with a store on their motorbike.
Here's a monument to the leader of the OPM who was assassinated. The OPM is the movement of the Papuans who would like to be independent of the Indonesian gov't.
In Sentani is the Hillcrest International School (HIS). The kids love the playground here.
Ask Raquel about the time Grandma tried the zip line:)
Raquel is able to check out books from their library.
Roman likes the feel of the rug as he isn't accustomed to that with their tile floors.
Checking out
The waiting room of the clinic at the school.
At the New Tribes Mission Guest House. This is where Angie sometimes stays with the kids while Dylan is in the tribe.
While there, they received a package from the Jen & Joel Sohre's. They had such fun discovering what was inside.
Roman was more interested in exploring than the package:)
We ate lunch there - yummy food at a reasonable price.
The great cooks
One day we all went to Jayapura to renew the 5 van Rensburg's passports. Scott and I waited in the very warm waiting area while the vR's were getting their pix taken and filling out paperwork. Unfortunately the computer wasn't working properly so after taking 5 pix of Raquel, progress was halted and they needed time to figure out the glitch. So Scott and I went to a "pharmacy" to get some eye drops for Scott. The combination of dust and his cold made for some very itchy eyes.
After some time (lost track) they were all finished and we stopped at KFC to have some lunch. While waiting for our yummy food, we noticed an interesting plaque on the wall. I hope "maniac" means he is a very energetic, engaging, helpful employee:)
We celebrated Valentines Day one day early due to a dinner party with their pastor and his wife.
Raquel is handing out the valentines she made and stored in this box. Pictures following will show how Angie became as red as the Valentines:)
Angie and Dylan with Pastor Petrus and his wife Mary. We had such a nice visit with them.
One day we took an excursion to the beach - here's one we just stopped at, but didn't venture into.
Here's the nice new bridge we crossed. Because the bottom scraped on the way to the beach, Raquel, Angie, and I walked across on the way home while the men drove across.
Raquelly holding a coconut
Nets left by the fishermen - it's wonder they can untangle all that AND I wonder if people leave that alone or if there are people who help themselves to the nets.
Making our way over to the swimming beach
This was the "drier" of the two market visits while I was there.
The people bring their beautiful produce to the market.
It all looks delicious and fresh.
I'm glad Angie could do the talking - All I could say is "one", "two", "three" - and even that was questionable. Delicious papya
I forgot the name of this fruit, but it's very tasty - sort of like a huge grapefruit. The woman is cutting it and peeling it for us - no extra charge:)
Fresh beans!!
Time to wash your feet, Angie. Cuci tangan, also:) Tell Raquel I looked at the picture she drew and little phrases she wrote to help me remember how to say "wash your hands"
Scott was fascinated by the ants and I was usually at war tryin to do away with them. However, the ants won the battle and Angie told me early on to just learn to live with them. They even were attracted to a cup of water next to our bed.
We were able to visit with Bri & Jay Stokes and Mel & Jered Currie and their children
We went to a museum that had great maps of the interior tribes.
Angie's pinky is showing where they live now.
Her pointer is showing where the Dem are located where they plan to live in the tribe.
You can see the Dem tribe which is relatively small compared to some around them
We are posing with the man who explained to us many of the artifacts in the museum.
Dylan preached - fortunately he told us what he was going to talk about the night before.
The people put money in four different boxes during the service.
Ruth and her family were the ones helping them feel part of the church
when they moved to Abe last year.
Ata is a special teacher and friend of Gideon.
A tribute to MacArthur for leading the American troops in the invasion of Indonesia
when they were under the control of Japan during WWII.
The cement blocks were the base for the barracks built by the Americans.
The Americans are responsible for building the airstrip and many of the roads still in use today.
Some tanks left by the Americans where they first arrived in Indonesia during WWII.
Angie and Bri took their little boys for their immunizations.
Roman getting his shot:)
Getting weighed
Ready to ride home on the motorbike at 8:30 p.m.
Opening the trunks - Dylan showing the yummy beef jerky the Smiths sent.
Tools from Josh Rittenhouse
Gideon using the boxes as ramps for his cars.
