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Hey Everyone,
Now that we have had time to sit down relax and go over the last month
we wanted to send out a full update about our trip to India.
Meri and I had an amazing time over the past month. God has used many
experiences to speak to us and through us. We have been blessed more
than we ever thought possible and have seen God do amazing things.
In order for Meri and I to go to India we had to obtain visas. In
Canada or for that matter almost any other country this would be a
very simple matter of mailing off your passports and waiting for it to
return. In our case it involved a week and a half in Jakarta to make
our visas. Meri and I were blessed to be able to stay with friends
from the King's Kids team that had just visited us in Toraja. Our
friends Uncle Hardie and Auntie Lina were an amazing blessing to us.
Uncle Hardie runs a Christian Taxi ministry in Jakarta and he is the
most amazing man of God I have ever met. Uncle Hardie spends his days
ministering to people he picks up with his taxi and blessing the less
fortunate with whatever he can spare. Staying with Uncle Hardie and
Auntie Lina now looking back was God's first step in his plan for our
trip to India. Through staying with this amazing couple of God Meri
and I were challenged to love more unconditionally and to always
portray the heart of Jesus to those around us.
After our time in Jakarta we headed off to India. God enabled us to
receive our Visas just in time and now was allowing our flight to land
right after the team from WPC landed. That night a tired Meri and I
met a very tired team that had just travelled almost halfway around
the world. It was great to meet up with Canadian's after almost a year
of being away. Thankfully along with the very tired team was one very
awake individual Paul East. Paul quickly had us all rounded up and
into our bus and we were off to our hotel for an early mornings sleep.
That afternoon Sue East, Paul's wife met us at the hotel to show us
around New Delhi for the day. Sue took us all over the place from
India gate to the president's palace and to FabIndia (to get some
traditional clothes). Once we were all decked out and seen as much as
we could take Sue took us out for dinner. We had Masala Dosa's which
made Meri and I laugh because Masala Dosa in Indonesian literally
translates to "sin problem". After dinner we all headed back to the
hotel to crash and get ready for our early morning train ride to
Kalka.
The next morning we were all up and on the train and ready for the
beginning of our first train ride in India. For that matter it was my
very first train ride which was a fun experience for me. Six hours
later we arrived in Kalka and got into our cars to head to Sabathu.
After another 1 hour drive we arrived at the hotel the team would be
staying at and got settled a bit before heading off to Shanti Niketan
to meet everyone for the first time. As it worked out the WPC team
arrived on the same day as the Westside Church team was leaving. This
made for mixed emotions for the children as they were saying goodbye
to close friends and saying hello to new ones. That night we had an
amazing time. The kids put on some performances and sang some songs
and then we danced and danced and danced. I wish Indonesian men (and
for that matter Canadian men) would dance like the Indian men so free
and wild. It was such a great time and a great way to meet the
children. We got home very late that evening to find dinner awaiting
us. Dawa the hotel manager took it as his job to make sure we were
well fed and healthy. As we soon found out there was never a lack of
food and if anything we had to plead for it to stop because we could
eat no more.
The next day bright and early we were on our way to the home so as to
not meet the bus on the one lane road. James our fearless leader along
with Stan the man showed us what had already been accomplished by the
Westside team and what was left for us to do. The Westside team had
certainly accomplished a lot but there was still a lot to go. We had
to pour about 12 more 10 ft2 concrete pads, lay out 400 feet of water
pipe, tap into the existing water system, add two 5000L tanks to the
new system, and put a roof on the boys new bathroom. On top of all
that there were gates to be made, a lot of painting to be done and
kids to play with. All these jobs kept us very busy over our one and a
half weeks on site. As well since it was a holiday all the kids were
home and so we had to learn a whole lot of names. We were all
introduced to the kids and immediately all the kids wanted to talk to
Meri the problem was she could not understand as they were speaking
Hindi. The kids all thought Meri was Indian and had just got back from
Canada. It seems that the tribe that most of the staff come from
Mizoram which has very similar bloodlines to the tribe Meri comes from
in Indonesia (mainly Mongolian blood). So the Staff had to explain to
the kids that Meri was actually Indonesian and not Indian. After this
little mix up we started to notice that many people treated Meri as
and India (hawkers would leave her alone etc.)
We were blessed to have two Sundays in the village where we were able
to attend Sunday school at the home and then church in the town. The
church was a magnificent building built by the British around 1917. A
lot of history was there from the honouring of fallen soldiers to the
old bell tower. Every Sunday after church we were able to walk through
the small town and enjoy the sights and smells. It was very
interesting to see a town which had streets so narrow no cars we able
to get through them. Many items we being sold up and down the streets
and cows walked along minding their own business as if the humans we
not there. All in all it was a pleasant experience that was able to
open Meri and my eyes to a new culture.
After our first Sunday off we were right back to work pouring cement.
We did not know how we would get it all done as we were not what you
would call a physically fit construction team. But low and behold God
sent us a group of angles ok so maybe not angles but they might just
as well have been for us. About ten young men that had graduated from
the home and we now working or in school took their holidays to come
back to the home and lend a hand. I feel our team would agree in
saying that without these young men we would not have been able to
accomplish half of what we finished. The young men really put their
backs into it carrying pails of sand, gravel, and concrete, and
digging ditches for the pipes. Our team was so happy to have the extra
help and because of these boy's we were able to finish everything we
had planned to get done.
After a long but fruitful time at the home it came time to say our
goodbyes. The children threw us a big send off party and we had even
more dancing that Meri and I enjoyed very much. Meri and I felt very
sad to leave and have felt God calling us back. Next time we head back
we would like to bring a team from Indonesia with us.
After our return to New Delhi we were able to spend a day in Agra the
city of Love. We were amazed by the Taj Mahal and the Red Fort such
large buildings with such glorious backgrounds. They reminded me of
Salomon's palace though I am sure they would not match a tenth of the
splendour. After returning from Agra we had a day of down time and
then the team headed back to Canada. This was a sad time for Meri and
I but we hope to keep the great friendships we have made and maybe
even have some of the team visit us here in Indonesia.
As for Meri and I we spent another couple of days in New Delhi and
were able to meet up with some of the young men who helped us with the
construction at the home. We had a wonderful dinner at their house and
have become close friends. Meri and I can't wait to see them all
again.
After leaving India Meri and I headed to Singapore to make a new
Indonesian visa for me. We spent 4 days in the big city most of the
time was spent looking for cheap Christmas decorations to bring home
with us and enjoying the Christmas light displays. After Singapore it
was a short trip to Batam by ferry and then a wait for our two plane
rides and a bus ride to get us back home. After all our travel we have
been having some time to rest.
All in all this trip has been an amazing experience that has allowed
us to grow closer to God, build new amazing friendships, and grow
closer as a couple. We want to thank all our supporters and prayer
partners for being behind us. We could not have done this without your
dedication. May God bless you and your families.
Prayer Request:
Travelling Mercies as Meri and I along with my nephew Yabes and Linda my sister in law as we travel to Papua for Christmas.
For Maria as she will be getting married. As well for Kezia as she will be getting a new dad.
Again for travelling mercies as Linda, Yabes, Maria, James (Maria`s husband to be), Kezia, Meri and I travel home. Maria, James and Kezia will be coming to live with Meri and I and James will be working with me on our Project here in Toraja.
Pray for the project in Toraja. We are currently looking for land. Pray God will show us where he wants us and provide the funds we need
for purchasing and building on it.
Pray for my family in Canada as we will not be home for Christmas
Thank you everyone so much for all your prayer and support.
Love in Christ
Jonathan and Meri
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