The words of my host sister this afternoon when I found out more of what I will do this year. That is not always the case here, but at times yes…that is true.
Like right now!
A quick survey of my “work”
The "what is an average day like" question I can’t really answer yet, no day has really been the same. Which in the long run will be great, in the short term, a little confusing.
I have realized that the ball is my court. I will have to take the initiative for things this year, that is the way my supervisor is doing things. I like it. If you allow to take initiative I will run with it. I have lots of freedom to do what I want. Except that freedom is only good when you know what to do with it. I am searching for a rhythm to life here, it will take a while since I have such an open schedule. That is something I am offering to God in prayer.
The way pastoral work is by nature, means that I don’t have any set work times. I work in the morning or evening. I work lots one day or barely for a few days. Well, let me change that. I am always working here—24/7. My “work” here is to live here really. And pastor work can be very broad…..its hard to say that “here is pastoral work, here that isn’t happening.”
Hold on. I am becoming inundated with water on the “porch”. It was drizzling. Now it’s pouring. This is irresistible. I need to dance in it.
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| You can't see this, but a bakery employee is giving me a lecture on the health risks of rain while I pose for a picture. You also can't see that a crowd has formed to watch me. I guess watching me dance is a spectator sport. |
Here is sample of what work looks like so far.
Weekly
o join and sometimes lead high-school/middle school youth worship, bible study and fellowship
o join and sometimes lead young adults (age 20-30) worship and bible study/fellowship
o visit people in the church, neighbors and hospital patients
o pastor’s meeting. What I previously referred to as “captivity.”
o soccer, basketball and biking with youth and young adults
o instrument practice. I am playing a traditional Javanese instrument for the Christmas program. With my music skills, I am not sure who is more doomed, me or the Christmas program.
o Attend church service.
o Quran study with a man who recently came to Christ from Islam.
o Time to reflect and plan with my supervisor—the youth pastor.
o Read books
o Writing for church magazine, Youth for Peace newsletter, university newspaper or blog
Other:
o Monthly deacon church service for the poor
o From now until February, working along with a couple others on a book to train young adults/youth to be peacemakers here in Indonesia
o Plan and lead sessions on leadership training for youth in December
o Think of ideas, and join events for Youth For Peace….a denomination wide young adults/youth movement
o Visiting other SALTers in there places
o Write and preach at least one sermon.
o Spend a month in a branch church in an agricultural village of the central church here.
A collection of short stories.
1. “Hey Justin Bieber!” I heard this while biking the other day from a man on the side of the road. That man was really in for a disappointment if I opened my mouth.
2. I was in this awfully crowded clothing market. I finally veer a corner into a more open area and the "awkward-events of Jason’s life" were taken to a new level. A man who was horribly bored and brainstorming new sales tactics all day decided to implement some of his sales tactics on me. He entered the must unique sales pitch of my life. Verbally, it was the sound you make when you try to scare someone in the dark. You know that dreadful sound. Physically, it was rather intimate. He lunged out and tickled me. Stunned, I entered “herd mentality” and clutched the nearest SALTer. I then advised the man that he may want to change his business sales tactics for the for the well-being of his business.
3. My host father took me to a store to buy some shirts. While trying on a piece from his not-so refined taste for clothing, he asked me how it was fitting. Before I could even utter a response he ripped back the curtain the separates my shocking pale body from the rest of the store. I scrambled “Dad, shut the curtain!” From then on he simply handed me every florescent shirt in the store. Warning: If you thought I had some bad fashion before Indonesia….your in for a treat when I get back.
4. A common theme wherever I go is being teased over girlfriends. I return to my church here 3 weeks ago. The first time I go to church, and the first person I met there is my pastor who is fondly remember as the girl-friend praying pastor. His unashamed first question is, “So, you find a girl-friend?” My response was that he should probably pray harder. Okay, not quite. He is the same pastor that announced in front of the whole church that many people comment on how handsome I am. He is the same pastor the loves long bike rides. We we'll get along great.
5. The other night I was in charge of leading a young adults fellowship/worship/bible study type of thing. I planned a song, game and was ready to tell them about my life with pictures. And also share a few things I have learned about my faith. I get there, and I have only one slot assigned to me—the sermon slot. I had to explain that although I have spoken Indonesian for 2 months, I am not to good at the improv sermon thing yet.
6. I have never seen a water buffalo before. I was playing with some kids, they decided it would be fun to go and chill out with some buffalos. I had other thoughts, but I was tentatively complicit. Deciding that I would try to work on my rugged farm boy appearance I joined. Then they wanted me to be in a photo with it. That was going a bit far. So I settled for photographer. I learned that this beast was actually quite loving so I decided to go in for a photo with it. My inner feelings of bravery were quickly doused when I got completely out done by a kid who thought standing by a buffalo was not enough. He set the bar at sitting precariously on the buffaloes head. Check it out...
7. Do you ever go to an event and think “oh no, oh no, I didn’t know this was going to be serious?” Thinking I could just kick the ball around for a bit and have some good laughs, I joined the young adults playing soccer. Not so. Evertime I play soccer I start the game receiving every other pass because I am the visitor and hey, he might just be good at soccer. In takes around 30 seconds for my first shot to go wide of the net and into a rice paddy and then I only touch the ball accidently after that. So I thought playing with grade 1 kids would change this. The good thing is that I can pick them up and move them out of my way. The bad news is that they just feel a lot more free to make fun of you.
8. Sometimes I am here and I think…..I am such a rookie at this whole thing. Not only am I a cross-cultural rookie, and I also a cellphone rookie. I thought about my rookie status significantly when giving my cell number to a neighbor who has become a friend. After doing some quick cost-benefit analysis of that move, I figured the worst would be being phoned and texted all day. Yup, that is what has happened.
9. There is a huge range in income at the church here. I visited a home with a 6 car-garage, pool and everything looked like it had gold trim. You get the picture. After swimming I was invited in for meal. I looked at my plate and there was an entire crab sitting there. After starring at it for a few minutes make sure it wasn’t moving still, I had to ask a question to the hosts: “Now what? How do you get at the goodness inside?” They tried to train me, but I struggled to pry apart the crab numerous times so eventually the hosts came over and stood by me picking it apart. I played with the joints. I know, so mature.
Questions
My mind runs with questions all day. Sometimes it irritates me that I can’t get answers from others. Sometimes I can’t get answers from God. Sometimes I write down all my questions. Sometimes I just love living in the mystery of those questions. I need to release my haste to have definitive answers. I have been striving for this. Maybe you are too?
I received this from MCC. So I’ll pass along it, it is from a German poet.
"Be patient toward all that is unsolved in your heart. Try to love the questions themselves like locked rooms and like books written in a very foreign tongue. Do not now seek the answers, which cannot be given you because you would not be able to live them. And the point is to live everything. Live the questions now... Perhaps you will then gradually, without noticing it, live along some distant day into the answers."
--Rainer Maria Rilke
More to come soon.
Thank-you for your prayers, support and encouragement. I receive it often from you.
I have an exciting week ahead. Starting with Sunday morning visiting my Muslim neighbors and the mosque where they will slaughter animals for Idul Adha. It is a celebration to remember Abraham’s willingness to sacrifice Ishmael. I’ll take some pictures for you.
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