Tomorrow is the end of the 2009 school year and parents (and grandparents!) are invited to watch the All School Assembly tomorrow. Tris, Matt and Abby each will participate in the program; last year I sang in the choir but this year passed on the opportunity. Tris is singing in the teacher choir, Matt is dancing hip hop, and Abby is in the Junior School choir. Once they're home, they get almost 3 1/2 weeks of holidays off of school.
Our little baby boy update is a good one. He is still in the hospital and has to stay there until he gains weight; he has to reach 3 kilos before heading home. Once home his parents will have to create as sterile an environment as possible when changing him and tending to his medical needs. Over the next year he'll have to have 2 more surgeries, each one dependent again on his weight gain. Please continue to pray for him. His parents are aware that many people are praying for their son.
Tris and Sunny have been here 6 days now and have been having a healthy blend of "busy and rest." We've gone to some slums and met some beautiful women and children, they've had massages (only once...gotta get them back soon!), and shopped for Christmas at both a local outdoor market and at the local mall. Sunny joined me and the ladies at our Wednesday bible study today, and tonight all of the family went to our favourite local Chinese food restaurant ("Eastern").We've toured the school and although it's big, they've got a pretty good grasp of where to go to at least get to the pools. We have some travel plans in the future and I am PRAYING that my camera will be fixed very, very soon. Yesterday we literally had a day of rest, where mostly we just stayed home and relaxed during the day. Sometimes that's very necessary, and it was a good thing.
Nothing much else to report. I hope that those at home are taking advantage of the snow, enjoying the cool, fresh crispness that you just don't get here, and are gearing up for a joy-packed, if not relaxing, Christmas season.
Thanks for reading.
Wednesday, December 16, 2009
Sunday, December 13, 2009
Baby Boy Update
A quick update on the little baby boy I wrote about earlier. So far he's had the surgery and that went well. Now he is supposed to stay at the hospital and recuperate. His mom and dad will be able to visit during regular visiting hours but are not allowed to spend the night. Please pray that he heals well and that he gains some weight. My friend said that when she held him, it was like holding an empty blanket he's so small. My biggest prayer is that this new family will see the hope and love that Christmas season is all about. Christmas means very little here in Indonesia, but I pray that they see the hand of God in the lives of their son, and that they realize the truth.
Ultimate frisbee and swimming are over today, the family is settling into homework and computer work, possibly even a movie, for the night. It's interesting that no matter who has come to stay here, one of the first things our company does is turn on their computer and even during visiting times, emails friends. What was life like before computers?
Thanks for reading.
Ultimate frisbee and swimming are over today, the family is settling into homework and computer work, possibly even a movie, for the night. It's interesting that no matter who has come to stay here, one of the first things our company does is turn on their computer and even during visiting times, emails friends. What was life like before computers?
Thanks for reading.
Friday, December 11, 2009
Please Pray
Yesterday we received some troubling news about a young woman we were in relationship with within the first ten months of our arrival to Indonesia. Last week she had a baby boy who was born without an anus. Because she and her husband were unable to pay the 4.5 million rupiah (approx $450 Cdn dollars) for the first necessary surgery, the hospital discharged her and her baby with the expectation that the baby boy would go home and die. Because of a combination of lack of communication due to language barriers, and of how stories sometimes grow in drama from the initial truth, a friend of mine who is in contact with this young woman wanted to get the correct diagnosis of the baby's health before anybody stepped in to help. She met the woman, her husband and the tiny baby (1.3 kg only) at our local hospital and took them to an appointment with a reputable doctor.
The news we received last night is that the baby was to stay overnight in the hospital and if he makes it through the night, they will operate today. This will be the first of many necessary operations to correct the defect as this little guy grows.
The good news on the financial front is that the Karawaci Ladies have been approached and have agreed to pay the hospital costs for the surgery. However, I know the women that I hang out with and I know that if no one else was to step forward, we would have found the money somehow. Today there is a concert at the university (UPH) and Karawaci Ladies have been baking to raise money for our hospital fund. It's this very fund that will pay for the surgery of this little baby, so it's nice to know that all the fund raising over the year pays off in this way. It's nice to know it's helping someone local, and someone we've all at least met once during our time here.
Please pray for this precious little baby and his mom and dad. I'll keep you updated as to what happens in the lives of their little one as I hear it.
Thanks for reading. Thanks for praying.
The news we received last night is that the baby was to stay overnight in the hospital and if he makes it through the night, they will operate today. This will be the first of many necessary operations to correct the defect as this little guy grows.
The good news on the financial front is that the Karawaci Ladies have been approached and have agreed to pay the hospital costs for the surgery. However, I know the women that I hang out with and I know that if no one else was to step forward, we would have found the money somehow. Today there is a concert at the university (UPH) and Karawaci Ladies have been baking to raise money for our hospital fund. It's this very fund that will pay for the surgery of this little baby, so it's nice to know that all the fund raising over the year pays off in this way. It's nice to know it's helping someone local, and someone we've all at least met once during our time here.
Please pray for this precious little baby and his mom and dad. I'll keep you updated as to what happens in the lives of their little one as I hear it.
Thanks for reading. Thanks for praying.
Sunny and Tris Arrive Safely
They're here, safe, happy and right now, resting. Tris and Matthew went to the airport last night and pickup went without a glitch. It's funny how when you finally get to see someone (it's been 1 1/2 years since we've seen Tris and Sunny) it seems like a bit of a dream for a while, and then it's like you've not been away from each other at all. We're looking forward to showing them our 'bubble' of a village in the next few days, possibly introducing them to the 'life of spa' and also a bit of Jakarta tomorrow after a run into church. They've come from wintery cold Germany with one bag each, so we have to go clothes shopping tomorrow to get them outfitted for the next 5 weeks. Thank goodness for reasonably cheap outlet shopping!
I received a gift from Germany, and as basic as it is, it's one of the best presents ever. "What is it?" you might ask. It's a pine bough, stuffed into a suitcase and as green and fragrant as ever. Every few minutes after receiving it (thanks Jennifer!) I would go and smell the branch, and I plan to do so until the needles drop off and the branch dries out. I might just save all the dried needles and put them into a sachet, smelling them until I've sniffed out all the fragrance molecules. Sunny also brought a bag of lavendar from her garden, which I plan on spreading throughout the house in order to ward off mosquitoes. Again, it smells beautiful.
Today is Saturday, a great day for the first day in Indonesia. We'll eat, sleep, drive around, shop a little, and then probably eat and sleep some more.
Thanks for reading!
I received a gift from Germany, and as basic as it is, it's one of the best presents ever. "What is it?" you might ask. It's a pine bough, stuffed into a suitcase and as green and fragrant as ever. Every few minutes after receiving it (thanks Jennifer!) I would go and smell the branch, and I plan to do so until the needles drop off and the branch dries out. I might just save all the dried needles and put them into a sachet, smelling them until I've sniffed out all the fragrance molecules. Sunny also brought a bag of lavendar from her garden, which I plan on spreading throughout the house in order to ward off mosquitoes. Again, it smells beautiful.
Today is Saturday, a great day for the first day in Indonesia. We'll eat, sleep, drive around, shop a little, and then probably eat and sleep some more.
Thanks for reading!
Wednesday, December 9, 2009
Another Orphanage
I went to an orphanage today. There's not a lot to say about this one, except that it made me really, really sad. As a community outreach the local charity group I belong to raised money at a bbq for this particular orphanage and then made up some little baggies of toiletries. Mostly they were bags of toothpaste, toothbrush, comb, wash cloth, soap, shampoo, etc, but each also had a bag of gummy worms and of crackers in it, too. These children were quite young--I'd say that the oldest one was maybe 10 years old--and so the toiletries were passed over for the treats. After the bags were all opened the caregivers collected all of the toiletries and set them aside, so any intention of each child having their own baggy was sacked. However, I think that going in as foreigners, we tend to look at distribution a little differently. The workers were putting aside the goods until they were needed, and I think we were hoping that each child could hang onto their own and use it as needed. I guess in the big picture this doesn't make sense, because eventually all those toiletries will get lost and mixed up anyways.
There were children from one month old to probably 10, mostly boys. There was one girl in particular, Nadia, who came to me as I sat on the floor and just leaned into me and eventually over my lap. Who can say no to a snuggle with someone who takes the initiative? I didn't do much as my camera is broken and there wasn't much to do except chat with the kids, so I sat there and watched. What caught my attention was how the young children were helping the younger children. I saw a three year old holding a juice box for a one year old, and a five year old opening the gummy worms for a three year old. The children were a little dirty and some had open, oozing sores, but overall they looked reasonably healthy.
What made me sad is the rumours that are told about this place, how the man who started it isn't necessarily accountable for what comes in, and it's thought that donations have been sold (ie/ toys, etc) for whatever reason. From the outside looking in, this doesn't look good. Who knows what's true and what's not. Maybe they are selling toy donations so that the kids can eat and for diapers and formula for the babies. Maybe they're making money off the donations and using the profits for themselves. Who knows. All I know is that there is an orphanage that is raising about 40 kids, most of whom are under the teen years, and that this is just a small representation of probably hundreds of other orphanages just like it here in Indonesia.
Out of curiosity, when we first moved here I spent a few hours googling adoption in Indonesia. What I remember is that you can foster a child for 2 years while living in Indonesia, during which you have a home check done and someone checks the child periodically. After the two years an authority (can't remember which, gov't or the orphanage head or both) says whether or not you can adopt that child. If it's yes, then the paper work starts. If it's no, then you have to give up the child at some point. This seems like a pretty heart-wrenching way of setting up an adoption.
Thanks for reading.
There were children from one month old to probably 10, mostly boys. There was one girl in particular, Nadia, who came to me as I sat on the floor and just leaned into me and eventually over my lap. Who can say no to a snuggle with someone who takes the initiative? I didn't do much as my camera is broken and there wasn't much to do except chat with the kids, so I sat there and watched. What caught my attention was how the young children were helping the younger children. I saw a three year old holding a juice box for a one year old, and a five year old opening the gummy worms for a three year old. The children were a little dirty and some had open, oozing sores, but overall they looked reasonably healthy.
What made me sad is the rumours that are told about this place, how the man who started it isn't necessarily accountable for what comes in, and it's thought that donations have been sold (ie/ toys, etc) for whatever reason. From the outside looking in, this doesn't look good. Who knows what's true and what's not. Maybe they are selling toy donations so that the kids can eat and for diapers and formula for the babies. Maybe they're making money off the donations and using the profits for themselves. Who knows. All I know is that there is an orphanage that is raising about 40 kids, most of whom are under the teen years, and that this is just a small representation of probably hundreds of other orphanages just like it here in Indonesia.
Out of curiosity, when we first moved here I spent a few hours googling adoption in Indonesia. What I remember is that you can foster a child for 2 years while living in Indonesia, during which you have a home check done and someone checks the child periodically. After the two years an authority (can't remember which, gov't or the orphanage head or both) says whether or not you can adopt that child. If it's yes, then the paper work starts. If it's no, then you have to give up the child at some point. This seems like a pretty heart-wrenching way of setting up an adoption.
Thanks for reading.
He's Here!!!
Fisher Hayes Saxby, 7 lbs, 4 oz, arrived December 7, at around 6:30 pm. Hello Fisher! Mommy Tanya called my little brother (her husband) around 4 pm to say she was pretty sure she was in labour, and in a few short hours later (short for me...I wasn't there and didn't find out until it was over!) Fisher arrived. I've seen photos and I'm not sure it was Tanya who gave birth....she doesn't look like she'd just had a baby. Lucy and Elijah are over the moon, and now Eli thinks it's time for a dog. He's a little confused as well, because the baby came home today and Elijah wasn't sure why his parents weren't putting baby Fisher in the high chair to eat. This is gonna be good!
Last year I had only lived here for 5 months before Christmas arrived, and it was our first Christmas away from home. Although my parents were here, we weren't here on Christmas Day, and things were chopped up. This year I am feeling more settled and as much as I love and miss Canada, I can now call this place home, at least while we are here. It was so much easier to "create" the holiday season and today was the best day yet. I had our bible study girls over and when they arrived, the Christmas tree lights were on, the yule tide log was on the tv (gotta have a fire at Christmas time!!) and the smell of mulled apple cider was wafting through our house. Poinsettias scream Christmas, and so the one I have on the side table pulled "the look" together for me. Our place is small and we don't need many decorations; if I was to buy many more it would be too stuffed in here. The very best part of this party for me was singing Christmas carols. Music pierces the heart, and when you sing songs that you've sung with loved ones over the years, or at least listened to them on cds, tapes and even records years back, it hits hard. Not painfully, but emotionally. I admit that my own tears accompanied a few other ladies' tears as well. Not loud ones, just Silent Ones.
I am thankful. I am healthy, I am where I am supposed to be living in this point of my life, my family is strong and content, my in-laws are on their way over, and baby Fisher has arrived safely. God is good!
Thanks for reading.
Last year I had only lived here for 5 months before Christmas arrived, and it was our first Christmas away from home. Although my parents were here, we weren't here on Christmas Day, and things were chopped up. This year I am feeling more settled and as much as I love and miss Canada, I can now call this place home, at least while we are here. It was so much easier to "create" the holiday season and today was the best day yet. I had our bible study girls over and when they arrived, the Christmas tree lights were on, the yule tide log was on the tv (gotta have a fire at Christmas time!!) and the smell of mulled apple cider was wafting through our house. Poinsettias scream Christmas, and so the one I have on the side table pulled "the look" together for me. Our place is small and we don't need many decorations; if I was to buy many more it would be too stuffed in here. The very best part of this party for me was singing Christmas carols. Music pierces the heart, and when you sing songs that you've sung with loved ones over the years, or at least listened to them on cds, tapes and even records years back, it hits hard. Not painfully, but emotionally. I admit that my own tears accompanied a few other ladies' tears as well. Not loud ones, just Silent Ones.
I am thankful. I am healthy, I am where I am supposed to be living in this point of my life, my family is strong and content, my in-laws are on their way over, and baby Fisher has arrived safely. God is good!
Thanks for reading.
Monday, December 7, 2009
Countdown for the Whites' Arrival!
Happy Birthday to Grandpa Tris, who we will be seeing in only 4 more days! Our family is excited, anticipating the arrival of both Tris' parents and of Christmas. Christmas is just so much better with family. We're off to Bali while they're here and are looking forward to relaxing in the sun.
We are also patiently awaiting the news of the arrival of our new niece or nephew. As before, we are wondering if this one will be a redhead like his/her pretty mom. Tanya, my baby brother's wife, was due December 2nd and is still waiting on this little one. Elijah and Lucy are eagerly awaiting baby's arrival as well, although it's a toss up between the dog ("Muddy") that Elijah seems to think he's getting next summer, and the new baby. Being the talker that he is, I'm looking forward to hearing Elijah's stories of baby's first few days home. Six year old Lucy will be good for filling in the gaps that four year old Elijah leaves out.
Christmas here is definitely different. Although it's becoming more so in North America, here Jesus is not typically see as the reason for the season. There are trees, carols in the malls, tinsel and decorations, but very few "Merry Christmas's" and those only from foreigners. I did see Santa tonight, sitting in a horse-drawn sleigh, making his rounds of each gated neighbourhood. Mostly he was authentic, but rather "brown" to North American standards. I think he was a little overdressed for the heat as well, but he had the nice round belly all Santas need to jiggle while they laugh. As of yet there have been no nativity scenes on front lawns. I am looking forward to the grade 6 Christmas concert this Friday afternoon, and then another all-school one next week. My Moms' bible study will meet here this Wednesday and we'll have some mulled cider, exchange cookies and even sing some carols around the piano. Now THAT'S celebrating Christmas:)
If I have ever had need of prayer, it's now. My camera died and is in the shop, and everyday I see things I NEED to photograph, like the naturally-occuring heart shape in a tree on main street, or the old bicycle leaning on a palm tree. We have no idea when it'll get fixed and I am feeling desperate to have it for when Tris and Sunny are here.
As for celebrating, I also want to wish my mom and dad a happy 44th anniversary (again, I am so bad at math! Please forgive me if I'm wrong) for last Friday, 4th of December. Thanks for being the example of a good, strong Christian marriage.
Thanks for reading, and
MERRY CHRISTMAS!!
We are also patiently awaiting the news of the arrival of our new niece or nephew. As before, we are wondering if this one will be a redhead like his/her pretty mom. Tanya, my baby brother's wife, was due December 2nd and is still waiting on this little one. Elijah and Lucy are eagerly awaiting baby's arrival as well, although it's a toss up between the dog ("Muddy") that Elijah seems to think he's getting next summer, and the new baby. Being the talker that he is, I'm looking forward to hearing Elijah's stories of baby's first few days home. Six year old Lucy will be good for filling in the gaps that four year old Elijah leaves out.
Christmas here is definitely different. Although it's becoming more so in North America, here Jesus is not typically see as the reason for the season. There are trees, carols in the malls, tinsel and decorations, but very few "Merry Christmas's" and those only from foreigners. I did see Santa tonight, sitting in a horse-drawn sleigh, making his rounds of each gated neighbourhood. Mostly he was authentic, but rather "brown" to North American standards. I think he was a little overdressed for the heat as well, but he had the nice round belly all Santas need to jiggle while they laugh. As of yet there have been no nativity scenes on front lawns. I am looking forward to the grade 6 Christmas concert this Friday afternoon, and then another all-school one next week. My Moms' bible study will meet here this Wednesday and we'll have some mulled cider, exchange cookies and even sing some carols around the piano. Now THAT'S celebrating Christmas:)
If I have ever had need of prayer, it's now. My camera died and is in the shop, and everyday I see things I NEED to photograph, like the naturally-occuring heart shape in a tree on main street, or the old bicycle leaning on a palm tree. We have no idea when it'll get fixed and I am feeling desperate to have it for when Tris and Sunny are here.
As for celebrating, I also want to wish my mom and dad a happy 44th anniversary (again, I am so bad at math! Please forgive me if I'm wrong) for last Friday, 4th of December. Thanks for being the example of a good, strong Christian marriage.
Thanks for reading, and
MERRY CHRISTMAS!!
Wednesday, December 2, 2009
Christmas has made its way into our home
We have successfully produced a feeling of Christmas in our home. The plastic tree is up, complete with sometimes blinking, sometimes solid white Christmas lights, some favourite Christmas decorations brought from home, and new decorations to fill in the gaps. This year's purchase: teal balls. I noticed that our tree has a rather "red" theme and so the teal really breaks it up. Very pretty. Very small. In fact, I can look our beautiful German Angel right in the eyes. As for baking, the smell of "Nonnie's Almond Tarts" is filling the air, and the sugar cookie and gingerbread doughs are cooling and hardening in the fridge as I type. Earlier Bing was singing about bells ringing and it was quite the treat. The banister is green with, well, greenery, and I have even been able to squeeze some more cinnamon scent out of the pine cones mom and dad brought over last year. Last June, thinking in advance, I bought some cinnamon sticks which I have now spread throughout the pine cones. Looks woodsy, if not Christmasy.
With the decorations, as expected, come the emotions of the season. Today is my nana's birthday and each year a tear or two squeezes out as I go about my day, remembering her. I think of her sitting on her green couch, under her lamp, crocheting while watching tv, usually with a really fat poodle-type dog either at her feet or at her side. Either that, or Nana standing in her kitchen, either over the sink or next to the oven. I remember things like Alphaghettis, vanilla pudding pops, home made raisin pie, or even better, home made bread. In honour of Nana on her birthday, I am baking in one of the aprons mom brought me from home. I'm not sure if she made it, but it was Nana's at one time. It's amazing how much you can miss someone even when they've been gone for over a decade. I often wonder if I ask God, if He'd pass on a message to her and tell her I love her and miss her? No harm in trying.
***Those first two paragraphs were written a few hours ago. Since then I joined a friend and headed to the plant store on the side of the road. I bought one hanging plant and two varigated bush type plants that will go in some wall pots (one side of the pot is flat so you can hang it on the wall). I am covered in sweat from drilling holes for screws into a cement wall. It took me about 45 minutes to hang the potted plant, which isn't unusual with cement walls. Seems to be about the average! I am going to go to the school for a swim and then when I return, I'll turn on the Christmas tree, put on some Bing (or maybe Ella Fitzgerald for tonight) and try and recreate the ambiance I had earlier when the smell of Christmas baking was floating through our home.
More Christmas to come...
Thanks for reading.
With the decorations, as expected, come the emotions of the season. Today is my nana's birthday and each year a tear or two squeezes out as I go about my day, remembering her. I think of her sitting on her green couch, under her lamp, crocheting while watching tv, usually with a really fat poodle-type dog either at her feet or at her side. Either that, or Nana standing in her kitchen, either over the sink or next to the oven. I remember things like Alphaghettis, vanilla pudding pops, home made raisin pie, or even better, home made bread. In honour of Nana on her birthday, I am baking in one of the aprons mom brought me from home. I'm not sure if she made it, but it was Nana's at one time. It's amazing how much you can miss someone even when they've been gone for over a decade. I often wonder if I ask God, if He'd pass on a message to her and tell her I love her and miss her? No harm in trying.
***Those first two paragraphs were written a few hours ago. Since then I joined a friend and headed to the plant store on the side of the road. I bought one hanging plant and two varigated bush type plants that will go in some wall pots (one side of the pot is flat so you can hang it on the wall). I am covered in sweat from drilling holes for screws into a cement wall. It took me about 45 minutes to hang the potted plant, which isn't unusual with cement walls. Seems to be about the average! I am going to go to the school for a swim and then when I return, I'll turn on the Christmas tree, put on some Bing (or maybe Ella Fitzgerald for tonight) and try and recreate the ambiance I had earlier when the smell of Christmas baking was floating through our home.
More Christmas to come...
Thanks for reading.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)