Chu-Seok WHATTTTT? and ELCA Hangout

Today in our class we got to celebrate" Chu-Seok" which is Korean Thanksgiving. It was very interesting to hear what they do to celebrate this Holiday. Traditionally this Holiday is a time to get together with family to be thankful for the harvest, very much like ours. However in their tradition they go and present offerings to the ancestors and bow down to them. It was cool to hear though that Christian Korean's see the wrong in this, so instead they gather together as a family and worship our Savior. This was also a great day because it marks the 2 months that I have been able to be in Jakarta. There are constantly things that God brings to mind to be thankful. God's blessings are there it is just sometimes hard for me to notice them. Today was a reminder that I have had parents heavily involved all five years of teaching. So thank you to all you parents over these past years that were willing to come and help in my sometimes crazy class. God has used you immensely to help this non artistic teacher in many ways.  

Song-pyun rice with something good wrapped around it

Jegi-chagi like hacky sack

A dad showing us how to do it. He did well, for wearing dress clothes.

The mom's presenting the power point.

 Another blessing that I go to be a part of this week was Google chatting with my past students from ELCA. It was so much fun to stay up late talking with them about all that God is doing in this country as well as sharing some of the silly things I have learned. I hope that I will be able to do another chapel soon.

Prayer:

Please continue to pray for the life group meeting in my apartment. That we would grow closer together and have a Gospel focused growth.

Pray for safe travels and good fellowship as I leave for Bali this Friday. (super excited this will be my first out of city/off Java trip)

This week I also get to lead chapel, so please pray that the message will focus on who Jesus is.

Things I miss:

outdoor playgrounds

As always thanks for praying and being a part of God's mission.

ACTS 2

Ten days from now will mark the fact that I have been out of the states for 2 months (twelve Timbers games). It does not seem like it has been that long. It really seems quite longer. During that time I have had to set up an apartment, a classroom, a routine, and knowledge base of Jakarta life (they each have many areas to grow, especially Jakarta know how). Not only have I had to set all that up, but also begin to build/grow new and old friendships.
Acts 2:42-47 discusses  what the fellowship of believers should be like

And they devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers. And awe came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were being done through the apostles. And all who believed were together and had all things in common. And they were selling their possessions and belongings and distributing the proceeds to all, as any had need. And day by day,attending the temple together and breaking bread in their homes, they received their food with glad and generous hearts, praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to their number day by day those who were being saved. (Acts 2:42-47, ESV)

 The following are some of the many ways that God has brought this together for me here
PRAYER answered 1: Great people to fellowship, eat out, play games, and watch american sports (hand and foot with Phineas and Ferb cards). It has been great to be able discuss God's word with the people here.
PRAYER answered 2: A church to attend that teaches God's truth. It has been amazing to see how God has brought this about. Even after trying to do it my own way and getting lost and sweaty. God has it in His hands.
PRAYER answered 3: Have an apartment that can be used by God for His work. This was answered in at least one way so far. Today my Life Group began meeting in this small little living room.
PRAYER answered 4: God's continued Grace on close quarters. As I stated before that, I think 18, staff all live on the same floor. It can be crazy working together and living so close but I praise God that He allows us to have favor with each other.


PRAY:
That I would be bold in sharing the Gospel.
That I would constantly long to Love like Christ loved us
That my apartment would be a place devoted to God's work.

Thank you for continued prayer,

Things I Miss:

Doritos

Indonesian Sicknesses and Birthdays

What a sick week and celebratory week all in one. I want to start off by saying to any of you who ever plan to travel anywhere and be there for a long period of time let's say to year, please follow these 3 important things you should do before getting sick.
1. Buy all of the medicine that you could possibly need and have your cupboards overflowing. Just like it was when you were growing up and all you wanted was a band-aid and 600 other medicinal things are covering them up.
2. Stock up on all comfort foods that you enjoy having around when you feel disgusting. If your country does not carry those things then stock up on crackers and bananas. These are always good fall back items.
3. Don't get sick. Really just avoid it as much as possible. It is not a fun thing to be away from home and be sick.
If you hadn't guessed after a month and a week I finally got something. Thankfully it only lasted the weekend and I was better by my birthday.

I got to celebrate my birthday this year by teaching then having an open house. It is kind of funny because my first year teaching at East Linn we had our open house the same day as my birthday as well. (Josh Becker one of my students now a 6th grader, Yikes!, wished me a happy birthday.

Well this year I my class parent had been informed it was my birthday and brought me a great cake with trick candles. All of the students and parents enjoyed that.

great cake

I think that day during school I was sang to 4 times in class and 1 time at lunch.

Afterwards I was able to go with a group of friends from here to eat some A&W and bowl. These pictures are of that experience. It was a blast. I am thankful for the fact that God is even interested in the small details of birthdays.

This is my host family 

They already know me so well

Jory this one is for you

So there you have it, just a great day.

Please be praying for two of my friends who have the opportunity to be a part of a softball team playing in Vietnam. Pray that they good witnesses, and safe while they travel. (and to make all flights:) *Chris and Erik

Pray for all of us newbies as our bodies adjust. 

Thankful for healing for one of my friends who was hospitalized, as I recovered.

Thanks for praying

Things I miss from home:

Griddles

Camp Fires

South Dakota Trips

Honeymoon and no accent

Let me start off by saying wow what a week. This week has been pretty fun getting to finally begin the school year. That final stretch was brutal. There was a point on Tuesday 30 minutes before the new students came to check out the class that I freaked out. Thankfully God has already brought around a strong support group. My friend Megan looked at me and said really Peter what are they going to remember about today? How you welcome them or what your classroom looks like? She said she would be praying I slapped a few posters on the large blank white wall, stepped aside and prayed that this year would be God's and not mine. It has been hard and there are going to be many things about this year that I think will be a constant struggle, but like I said God has already brought around so many great people that will challenge me at school. Just like Tanya, Teesha, Heide, and Kim at East Linn. Just can't get away from people like that:)

School started on Wednesday and I had 20 of my 22 students show up. Now for those who are teachers you know of the "honeymoon" period. Those who don't get it let me explain, normally in the last 4 years I have been teaching, the kids no matter if they are new or returners they are quite and listen. By about the second week out you want the kids to start acting up. Well there was absolutely no honeymoon period. So the first day was quite different than I normally start the year. Making me once again needing to rely on Christ than on myself. The second day we made it through a little more. While doing that I wrote on the whiteboard with permanent marker. You are probably thinking really? but here in Jakarta the permanent markers and white board markers look almost the same minus the word board marker on the permanents. BAHHH! So picture trying to teaching a lesson while also trying to remove permanent marker. Another time to trust God. It may seem like these epiphanies came after each event but it more came as I look at these pictures and was reminded of what God has me here for. Look at these children, each one of them precious in His sight (up to 23 now:).

batik Friday

making name tags

grades 1 and 2 chapel

break time at the park

This last part is short. Tonight I was at church and met a couple from Australia and one of them asked me where I was from. I said I was from Oregon. The lady then said, "So you are from America?" I told her yes. She could not believe it and went on to tell me that I had no accent. Which is kind of funny because normally I never think I have an accent anyway. But some of my other friends from Oregon said that they get teased about having an accent. That is really funny since my sister is told in Germany that she too does not have an accent. What does this have to do with anything? I was thinking afterwards that as a Christian would somebody look at me and say that I don't have an "accent?" Meaning would they know that this is not my home, but that Heaven is my home? Just something that I thought I would pass along.

Prayer:

Please pray for the first full week next week.

Relationships to be built at church

Things I miss:

electric pencil sharpeners

Walls that you can put tacks in

As always sorry for all the grammar mistakes. Thanks for praying.

Red Ants and Newbies

Red Ants, these disgusting little bugs are crazy. In the states we may have bigger red ants, but here these little guys are fast and mean. I am discovering what it means to be super clean. (Taking after Gayle :) If I am not quick to clean up after a meal or leave a crumb somewhere they find it and hang out. One or two would not be so bad, but then they begin to come by the hoards. I have to be careful because then they will come and decide to snack on me. Their bites hurt! The other interesting thing is that if you kill one you and don't clean that up they will come and eat the remains. Nothing is sacred to these little fiends.

Now you are probably wondering why I bring these pesky critters up. I cannot remembered if I mentioned the living situation. I live in an apartment that is directly below the school. Not to different from living next door to East Linn last year. I loved it! I could quickly drop by the school and get tasks done even in the wee hours. Here is how it is different in Indonesia, all 19 apartments are filled with other staff. I have really enjoyed this. It has been easier to get to know the other staff. However, it can be so easy to become like those red ants I had today. I put out some poison, as the blurry video below shows. They took this poison back to their nest. 

Each day I have the opportunity to work for a common purpose with the people I live with, which is to serve Christ. There are always things that come up in life that I want to want to go quickly towards. Some of them are great, but some of the things can be like the ants bringing home poison or eating a downed ant. These things can be bitterness, selfishness, pride, gossip, and lack of patience. If these are allowed to enter the relationships of those I work with then soon it will be like the anthill, a bunch of bodies that are no longer furthering the Gospel of Christ.

So please be praying for those of us living here. Pray that we would build one another up. That we would Gospel centered fellowship. That when troubles arise we would seek biblical restitution. That our lives would be a light to the security and cleaning staff and others who see us.

NEWBIES
Tomorrow is the day that new students to the school get to come and check out the teachers and the school. I have no idea how many of my students are actually new.
Imagine what it would be like to be six years old starting at a new school, and for some it is also a new country. This is what I will be encountering tomorrow with my kids.
So please be praying for these students that they would be at ease and not anxious. Pray for the school year, that we it would be one filled with the Gospel in all areas of learning.

Things missed:
Every once in awhile I might add this to tell you things that are missed. Most of them are just random silly things, because I hope you all know that I miss you already and am thankful for the many avenues of communication that we can share life's happenings.
So here is the things that have come to mind lately
Dollar Tree
Back-to-School isles
Taco Bell (Liz knew I would)
Carpeted floors

As always I am sorry for all the grammar mistakes. Thanks for praying!

Starting at Nothing

So when I came to Jakarta I had an idea in my head of what it would be like teaching and living here. Some of these things were pretty accurate, like drinking bottled water all the time, living many stories above my comfort zone, and that there would be pollution and a lot of people. That is pretty much where my preconceived notions all abruptly ended.
Let me just start with the apartment, I love it. It has furniture, washer/dryer combo, oven, stove, refrigerator, couches, chairs, tables, a bed, great bathroom, some dishes, lamps, and a TV. But this being the first time that I lived in a place without other people was an eye-opener to me on how much stuff of other people I used. The first full day we were here, all of the new staff was taken to the mall next door to a place called Hypermart I would say an equivalent of a K-Mart (AKA Big K) with a grocery section as well. We were supposed to find things to help us in our apartments. Can you say overwhelming? Because that is exactly what it was, overwhelming with a loud aaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhh in my head of course :) I think all I walked out with that day was laundry soap, trash cans, hangers, toilet brush, and hand soap. You are probably think random, right? Remember AAAAAAAAAAAHHHHH was all that was in my head. All that to say thanks to all those who have made it so I was not alone these last 27 years, because I am still slowly figuring out what is needed. I did finally get pots, pans, and some cooking utensils. Finally today I actually bought food.

I also knew this was one of the largest Muslim countries (they are referred to as cousins). I just had not fully prepared for what that meant. During my first month here they are celebrating Ramadan. So everybody fasts during the day and is not allowed to break fast until sundown. This holiday is like Christmas is in the states. Every mall that we have gone in has a replica of a mosque. All the stores have leberan (sp) sales, which this is the 5 day holiday in Ramadan where many people go back to be with their family, this begins on this coming Saturday.

School wise it seems like I have always had things at my fingertips. Not so here, posters that I would have, all my books bought or given. So it is taking time to adjust and be stretched as a teacher. I also met my co-teacher today she has been teaching for 12 years so it should help me learn a great deal of things.

There is so much more, but I have been working on this since Sunday so I should get it out.

Please pray for this week of meetings and getting to know how my co-teacher works
Thanks

It is hard to believe

So I am finally here, but what has happened since then... Well let me catch you up on the last six days or is it five things are blending together.

The Plane Ride

 As you may recall my plane ride took me pdx-san fran-tokyo-singapore-jak. Not once did it feel like, what the heck did I get into. Why is that? Because God is good. Every flight and every connection God was working things out. I am going to focus on two of those. The First was on my longest flight from San-Fran to Tokyo (11 hours). On this flight I had an empty seat next to me which was nice. But the best part was just across the isle was a couple that was also coming to teach here. So I was able to get to know them and not feel so alone on that large of a flight. The other part of the trip where God was evident was in the Tokyo airport waiting for my connection to Singapore. I was standing in line waiting to board and this little lady originally from Singapore now living in Seattle asked me what I was doing. I explained to her what I would be doing and she said she wanted to help me out and pray for me. So before we boarded, she did just that and gave me 25 Singapore dollars. God was watching out for me because I only exchanged 20$  that was not near enough for the taxi ride for the hotel.

2nd plane ride very long and exhausting

Singapore YMCA Hostel

 That is all I have time for now I hopefully tomorrow can update on actual JAK. Please continue to pray for time adjustment and Gospel Centered relationships.