Thoughts on Culture: Children

““Let the little children come to me and do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of heaven.””

While only about 10% of Indonesians agree with this quote from Jesus in Matthew 19:14, the other 90% still have a culture of valuing families and children. In a previous post I have touched on how much Indonesians love children and eight months later I am still amazed by their love of children.

The culture’s value of family is demonstrated in many ways throughout daily life. The simplest is that adults of all ages, both males and females, cannot seem to walk by a small child without trying to get a smile out of them. While our children get a little extra attention because we’re foreigners, most small children get positive attention whether they are foreigner or native.

It is also seen in the malls here. There is at least one play area for children in each mall here in town. Some malls have up to three. The play areas do cost money, so there is financial gain for the malls to have these, but when we walk past them we see parents or grandparents playing with children in them. They are one more place that the family can bond.

In addition to play areas in malls where a family might elect to go, there are also play areas in many government offices. We have seen play areas in two different immigration offices. This shows that the government knows waiting in an office is not fun for children and so they try to create a space that is fun for the children. If they will spend time and money on creating a space for children then they must value them.

Caroline is almost 5 months old and she’s been on 4 plane trips already. This shows how much we travel and go through airports and immigration. Every airport we have visited has a play area for children and family restrooms, complete with small toilets for small children. There are also special lines for families with young children to get through immigration. At the Medan airport there is literally a red carpet for this line. I always feel like royalty walking down it (except for the fussing baby I’m usually carrying).

I’m very happy to be raising our girls in such a family friendly culture. I want them to grow up to value children and families, just as God does. He calls himself our Father and us children of God. I can’t think of a better example that shows the value of being a part of a family than that.

Pray for Indonesia after Flooding, Mudslides, and an Earthquake

Over the past week we have been getting a couple concerned questions and prayers regarding the floods and mudslides in Indonesia. In addition on January 7th there was a 6.2 Earthquake off the coast of the Island of Sumatra. Prayers are certainly needed for those affected by the flood and mudslides in Jakarta and other places on the Island of Java. Most reports indicate that some 60 people have died. We have a close relationship with a pastor in Jakarta He, his family, and his congregation are all safe. Thanks be to God.

Prayers of thanksgiving are also appropriate after the earthquake off the coast of Sumatra. There was very minimal damage and reports indicate that there will be no risk of a tsunami. As you may remember many died of a tsunami which followed an earthquake in 2018. Additionally many will recall the devastating Christmas tsunami of 2004. Praise be to our Father in Heaven that this earthquake resulted in no injuries, deaths, or tsunamis. You can read more about the flooding and the earthquake here and here.

In Medan we did not feel the earthquake and we are about 800 miles from the flooding in Jakarta. So we are safe. Nevertheless, please reach out to us if you ever have any concern. We always appreciate hearing from those who are praying for us and supporting us. We are encouraged and uplifted to know that many are thinking of us any time Indonesia comes up in the news.

Unexpected Opportunities

At the Christmas party last Friday, December 13th. I was asked to explain some of my family’s Christmas traditions. I was not warned that this would happen, but I probably should have expected it. It is very common to have native English speakers talk about their family’s traditions as a way to teach about both language and culture. Even though I had not prepared anything specific I knew that it was important to take advantage of the opportunity. Talking about my family’s Christmas traditions means talking about Jesus. So this was an opportunity to do more than just talk about Jesus, but to tell everyone what He has done and what that means for them.

I think being put on the spot with no warning and asked to talk about your faith makes most people a bit nervous. I assure you that I am no different. It’s a tremendously important topic of conversation and we have been trained to think of it as taboo or off limits. It makes one feel vulnerable.

I began by lightheartedly saying that I am a pastor so my Christmas traditions are to work hard planning events, parties, worship services, and sermons. I was happy to mention Christmas Eve dinner at Concordia Lutheran Church in Maplewood, MO, where I previously served as pastor. We sang Joy to the World together. They were surprised to see me enthusiastically singing. I don’t think they are used to seeing that from a western male.

Finally I got my thoughts in some sort of order and tried to focus on an explicit proclamation of what Jesus has done for us. I share that because Christmas is all about the arrival of Jesus Christ our God in the flesh, we as a family take time to focus and prepare during the season of Advent. I explained our tradition of having a Jesse Tree. Each night our family reads a story about the family of Jesus from the Old Testament, a devotion, and hangs an ornament on our Jesse Tree. These stories about our ancestors in the faith prepare us for the coming of Jesus because they remind us that the whole story is all about Jesus and what He has done for us.

Then the event moved on to other things. However, my head was not in it. As is common after having an opportunity to share the most important message, my mind was racing. What should I have said? Were there better words to say? Better traditions to share? I know they didn’t give me any warning before they asked me to speak, but I should have expected it or at least been prepared just in case! How could an opportunity like that take me unawares! Oh the things I should have said! The things I could have said! Have you had thoughts like these right after having an important conversation about faith and Jesus?

I highly doubt that I am the only one. Well here’s what I tell myself and this is probably true for you too. These doubts and attacks of conscience are no good! Unprepared? Hello! The holy Spirit has been at work through the Word each time it hits my ears, each time my Bible is opened, each time my daughter asks me about Jesus or the Bible. Unprepared?! What an accusation against the Holy Spirit. What an accusation from the Devil himself.

There will always be a better way you could have said it. There will always be something else that you could have said or something that you shouldn’t have said. Write them down, pray for more courage and more winsome words, repent where there is need, but do not think you are unqualified or completely unprepared to talk about your faith. You have been baptized. You have the Holy Spirit. Whatever happens and however it goes the results are in the hands of God. So don’t let Satan convince you it wasn’t worth it or that it’s all your fault that it went wrong.

When the Lord gives you a chance to talk about your faith take it. Stay in the Word, be prepared in season and out of season, and trust the power of the Holy Spirit. It’s always worth it.

Christmas Party

Everyone is enjoying a plate of Christmas cookies.

On Friday, December 13th Kali and I took the kids to a Christmas party at our school, LCE Medan. We have learned that parties here are much more structured. You don’t just show up, talk for a bit, have a cookie or two, and go home. There’s MCs and a schedule of events! We even had assigned seats at one of six tables. There’s no messing around!

Shortly after we arrived and found our assigned seats one of the American LCE workers explained some of her family’s Christmas customs. This is common at events like these where people want to learn both more English and about Western Culture. I even had the opportunity to stand and share about our family’s Christmas traditions. I was happy to do so (I have been replaying the situation over and over in my head. Stay tuned for a post about what I said and how it went!)

I mentioned that my favorite Christmas hymn is Joy to the World (It’s my favorite Christmas hymn that I thought they might know). “Sing it” they enthusiastically exclaimed and—be careful what you wish for—I sang it as loud as I could. (I’m thankful that I have it memorized!) It’s probably somewhere on the internet now. They are not used to Americans singing, so I think that it took them by surprise.

Then it was off to other things. As is common here in Indonesia, the next activity was a talent show of sorts. Each table sang a song or did a little skit. My group ended up singing Feliz Novidad. Kali’s sang Jiggle Bells. After all six tables had an opportunity to display their creativity and talents the winner was declared. It was table 6 and their skit of Joseph and Mary’s journey to Bethlehem and the birth of Jesus.

What is a Christmas party without a gift exchange! We did that too. Maybe some of you are familiar with it. Everyone stands in a circle and someone reads T’was the Night before Christmas and you have to pass your gift to the right or left every time you hear the words right or left. Eleanor and I received a teacup and saucer. Kali and Laurel received a reusable water bottle. Then we got to eat the cookies. This is what Laurel had been looking forward to all night. She helped Kali make our contribution of gingerbread cookies. I’ll let you guess which ones Laurel and Eleanor decorated.

I continue to be amazed and excited by the opportunities we have hear to talk about our faith. At least in Medan, religion is not a taboo or off limits subject. It’s common to ask about religion in a regular small talk conversation. We have such an opportunity to help people articulate their faith and proclaim clearly what Jesus has done.

“In your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you.” 1 Peter 3:15

Thanksgiving

It’s been too long since we have provided an update here at the S.E.A.Side. Our apologies for that! Let’s start with a brief word about our Thanksgiving as it was our first major holiday here in Medan and so far away from family and friends back in America.

We were able to get almost all the food that we needed to make a traditional Thanksgiving dinner. (Kali made sure to pick up some pecans on our way through Singapore). We invited an American family that we have gotten to know over the past few months and their friends (also an American family) came over as well. It was Amazing. We had the complete spread: turkey, mashed potatoes, sweet potatoes, green bean casserole, rolls, cranberry sauce, pecan pie, and pumpkin pie.

We were also blessed by the great conversation with the two families that joined us. We were able to share our common frustrations with the process of getting a visa, we received a lot of tips and tricks for life here (both other families have lived here for over a year), we talked about what we love (fresh fruit, the friendliness of the people, the love the people here have for children and families), and we talked shop a bit too.

The children also got along wonderfully! They were busy playing together for hours and hours, which left the adults time to sit and do boring adult things like talk and drink coffee.

Of course, we miss our friends and family back in the states. Yet even with that weighing heavy on our hearts, God abundantly blessed us this Thanksgiving and brought us a lot of joy. We can see that God is working for us as he helps us to form friendships and put down roots here in Medan.

Please join us in thanking God for our wonderful new friendships. Please also join us in prayer that as we strengthen our language skills, we will also forge deep and lasting friendships with Indonesians.

Visa Update

We have some exciting news: Matthew, Laurel, and Eleanor have received their E-Kitas! This is the visa which lasts for one year and grants multiple entries. Kali and Caroline are still waiting on receiving theirs. This is because Kali was under travel restrictions when we needed to go to Singapore as part of the application process. So her application expired and we had to start again from the beginning.

One of the many new things I have learned here in Indonesia is the complexity of the visa application process. (I would guess that the process is just as hard in America.) Our family has been buried deep in Indonesian Bureaucracy since we moved, but even more so since Caroline was born. Now that we see the light at the end of the tunnel I started reflecting on the work that brought us here. As I think back on the process I realize how many people God has provided to help us! We certainly could not have gotten this done on our own.

Here is our road to getting Work Visas in Indonesia:

• Language And Cultural Visa: We entered the country on a Cultural Visa, which allowed us to begins studying Bahasa Indonesia. To obtain this we needed our sponsor to apply for the visa. We then took the approval letters to the Indonesian Embassy in Jakarta, filled out another application, had pictures taken, and paid. The next day we had visas in our passports and we could enter Indonesia. Upon arrival we had to go to an immigration office in Medan to have our pictures and fingerprints taken. This visa was good for 60 days and could be extended up to 30 days four times (180 days total). Each time we extended our passports had to be brought to Immigration. Thankfully a staff member at our language school took care of this for us.

• E-Kitas: Once we were in the country we started the process of getting our E-Kitas. We needed a sponsor to apply in Jakarta, thankfully the GKLI was able to work with some contacts in Jakarta for this. Once we had the approval letters we needed to go to Singapore to turn in another application. Unfortunately by the time we received these letters Kali was under travel restrictions due to being pregnant with Caroline. So she could not continue the application process.

• Caroline Birth & Passport: Once Caroline was born we had 60 days to apply for her Indonesian Birth Certificate at the Population Control Office in Medan, acquire Consular Report of Birth Abroad and passport, register her birth, and obtain her stay visa.

• Caroline Birth & Passport: We started by applying for the Indonesian Birth Certificate, but due to the fact that we did not have our E-Kitas yet the process became complicated and took Matthew about 8 hours through 5 trips over three weeks to get the birth certificate.

• E-Kitas: Matthew, Laurel, and Eleanor still needed to get to Singapore to continue the E-Kitas application process. (Kali and Caroline could not leave at this time because Caroline did not have her passport yet.) Matthew, Laurel, and Eleanor received a visa in their Passports which allowed us to return to Indonesia and continue the E-Kitas application process.

• Caroline Birth & Passport: We also needed to get Caroline’s Consular Report of Birth Abroad (This is a document proving that she is a US Citizen even though she was born outside of the US) and Passport. For this the whole family had to fly to the United States Embassy in Jakarta. We were so nervous about having everything we needed! Thankfully everything worked out.

• E-Kitas: To continue the E-Kitas application our passports had to be taken to an immigration office in Siantar and another application needed to be filled out with further documentation from the GKLI. Thankfully a pastor from the GKLI did this step for us.

• Caroline Birth & Passport: Caroline’s Consular Report of Birth Abroad and Passport were approved and sent to the US Consulate in Medan. Matthew Picked them up and staff from our language school helped us report Caroline’s Birth to Immigration just before the 60 day deadline.

• E-Kitas: Matthew, Laurel, and Eleanor had to travel to an immigration office in Siantar (about two hours away) and have pictures and fingerprints taken there. A few days latter a pastor from the GKLI dropped by our house and delivered the completed E-Kitas to us.

• E-Kitas: We have restarted the process for Kali and Caroline. We are waiting to receive letters to bring to the Indonesian Embassy in Singapore, then Kali and Caroline will go to Siantar, and shortly after that hopefully receive their E-Kitas.
  
  
  

Bahasa Indonesia & Ten Commandments

In mid October the pastors of the Indonesian Christian Lutheran Church (GKLI) gathered in Sihabonghabong, Sumatera Utara, Indonesia for their annual Pastors’ Convention. The Lord had blessed Kali and Caroline with health after Caroline’s birth in August. Kali and I were also still on a maternity break from Bahasa Indonesia Class. So I was able to travel to Sihabonghabong to attend the convention. The last time I was with all the pastors of the GKLI was in June for the Hymnal Workshop. At that time Kali and I had only taken one month of Bahasa Indonesia classes. I could say good morning, talk about the food I liked, discuss the weather, and have a surface level conversation about family. Now, four months after that initial meeting at the Hymnal Workshop I met with all of them again.

The pastors’ conference was a great opportunity to measure how far Kali and I have come since we last met with these pastors. At that time I could not understand much of anything that was being said around me. Unless someone was using the simplest words in response to a direct question, I had no clue what was being said. The pastors convention in October put our Bahasa Indonesia classes and learning to the test. My time in Sihabonghabong showed that we have indeed made progress in learning Bahasa Indonesia. Rather than having no clue, I could track along with the general topic of conversation, but lost almost all of the particulars. For example, I could tell that the pastors were talking about new members in their congregations and something about Roman Catholics and their need for teaching. We have indeed come along way, but I also realized how much more work is ahead of us!

Still, the Pastors’ Convention was a great opportunity to get to know the pastors of the GKLI. They graciously set aside five hours of their convention for me to teach from Luther’s Small Catechism. On Thursday, 10 October, I started with the Ten Commandments and spent five hours reading and teaching from Dr. Luther’s Small Catechism. The pastors were engaged, had good questions, and good conversation. We made it through the Lord’s Prayer before we ran out of time.

The pastors were most interested in the numbering of the Ten Commandments. There are three traditions for numbering the Ten Commandments. Lutherans have historically used the Augustinian tradition which is reflected in the Small Catechism. However, the missionary that brought Christianity to Indonesia, Ludwig Nommensen, used a different tradition. So a different numbering is used in the Small Catechism that is familiar to the GKLI.

As we walked through the Ten Commandments, the Apostles’ Creed, and the Lord’s Prayer I focused on the certainty of the work of God in Christ Jesus. We know where we stand before our Father in Heaven because He sent His Son to die and rise again. We know that we stand in the righteousness of Christ because the Holy Spirit has called and gathered us through Word and Sacrament. Certainty in our right relationship with the Heavenly Father is the gift of the Gospel.

For this convention GKLI Pastor Eben Ezer Aruan translated for me. Having such a knowledgeable translator is a great blessing. Pastor Aruan knows his theology and he knows the GKLI. He not only translates, but also helps to point out what needs more explaining. Still, using a translator means that everything has to be said twice. Thus 5 hours of instruction becomes 2.5 hours. Kali and I work hard to learn Bahasa Indonesia, and an important goal for me is to be able to teach and present in Bahasa Indonesia. So we are always asking for prayers that the Lord would bless our language learning.

That Great Heavenly Banquet

“On this mountain the Lord of hosts will make for all peoples a feast of rich food, a feast of well-aged wine, of rich food full of marrow, of aged wine well refined. And he will swallow up on this mountain the covering that is cast over all peoples, the veil that is spread over all nations. He will swallow up death forever; and the Lord God will wipe away tears from all faces.” Isaiah 25:6-8a (ESV)

In October during their Pastors Convention I ate many meals with the pastors of the Indonesia Christian Lutheran Church (GKLI). During dinner on Thursday 10, October the Holy Spirit brought to my mind these words from Isaiah. The Word of God frequently describes our eternal life in the resurrection as a feast or a great banquet. In my mind I have always imaged something like a big wedding feast where everyone is at the same table and somehow converse with everyone at the table, in front of us plates full of food with still more in the serving dishes. Fork and knife in hand I am ready to dig in and have my fill of steak, potatoes, roasted vegetables, shrimp, rolls, salad (the salad isn’t for eating it is just for looks), well aged wine, beer, and cheesecake for dessert. Then of course there are cigars on the patio overlooking the streets of gold and the river of life.

I was thinking of these verses as we ate that night and the thought struck me that these pastors most certainly have a different vision of what this heavenly banquet looks like. No plates, probably no silverware, maybe not even a table. Food, certainly food, rice and stewed fish, maybe some dried and smoked boar, coffee that is more sugar than coffee, fresh fruit for dessert. And, of course, conversation after, but they’ll let me have the cigar and enjoy a cup of tea that’s more sugar than tea with some sweet crackers. The whole event is surrounded by festive flower boards.

Later that night I went to my room and looked up the whole passage. How differently we view the great banquet. But the verse goes on to talk about on what God himself feasts. He will swallow up death forever. No matter how differently we imagine that great feast, we all experience the pain and sadness of death. The reality of death is not left up to our imagination. We might try to deny the pain in different ways, but death remains death. We know that Jesus has already defeated death. We know that we share in His victory now. At the great feast we will see and experience Christ’s victory over death fully and completely. Indeed the apostle Paul proclaims, “When the perishable puts on the imperishable and the mortal puts on immortality, then shall come to pass the saying that is written: ‘Death is swallowed up in Victory. O death, where is our victory? O death, where is your sting?’” 1 Corinthians 15:54-55.

Ten New Congregations in the GKLI!

Mid way through September the leadership of the Indonesian Christian Lutheran Church (GKLI) traveled some 300 miles from their office in Sihabonghabong to the Mentawai Islands off the west coast of Sumatra. The journey was not easy. The roads are rough, the ferries do not do much beside keep everyone afloat, and the already hot weather is compounded by the smoke from fires throughout the Island of Sumatera. The journey was worthwhile, however, because on Sunday September 15, 2019 ten new congregations were received into the GKLI.

In Indonesia every congregation must legally be part of a registered church body. This law threatened the existence of these ten congregations as the government did not recognize their church body, The Christian Lutheran Church of Mentawai (GKLM). They could not in good conscience join church bodies around them, because they wanted to remain faithful in their Lutheran identity. So they sought out a Lutheran church body, and found the GKLI.

A quick internet search reveals that the Mentawai Islands are internationally known for excellent surfing.  So most the pictures you find of the islands are of tourists and big ocean waves. Unfortunately these pictures do not tell the whole story of the people of Mentawai. They struggle with severe poverty, isolation, many lack quality education, and the congregations there need help as they seek to be faithful to Jesus.

The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod has been fostering a budding relationship with the GKLI for several years now. As the GKLI expands so does our work in Indonesia! Plans are already underway to bring them a seminar on the Small Catechism in early 2020. These new congregations also diversify the GKLI. The people of Mentawai are not of the Batak tribe. So they will help the members of the GKLI to understand themselves not as a Batak church, but as an Indonesian church.

Please give thanks to God that these congregations have found a place in a legal church body, the GKLI. Give thanks to God for his work through the GKLI to preserve these congregations and keep them working on the Mentawai Islands. Pray that this new relationship is fruitful and beneficial for everyone involved!

Wood Family....Party of 5!

Caroline Barbara

Birthday: 08/26/2019

Time: 11:15am

Weight: 6 lbs, 10 oz

Height: 18 inches

Caroline Barbara arrived on Monday August, 26th via c-section at the local hospital here in Medan. While I’m not new to having babies, this was a whole new experience having a baby in a different country.

We arrived at 6:00am on Monday for all of the surgery pre-check stuff with the surgery scheduled for 8:00am. When we arrived the nurses were confused. Even though we had confirmed on the Saturday before with the hospital that we were scheduled for a Monday morning c-section, they mixed up and had us scheduled for Tuesday morning. They quickly called my doctor and got it rescheduled for 11am. While I didn’t want to wait around, I’m glad we didn’t have to go home and come back the next day.

Unfortunately, Matt was not allowed in the operating room here like he was for both births in the U.S. I will admit, I felt pretty lonely as they wheeled me into the O.R. without Matt and with doctors and nurses who didn’t speak English fluently. Luckily, my anesthesiologist spoke English quite well and my Indonesian was enough to get me by with the nurses. They put me at ease quickly and were quite happy to chit-chat with me in Indonesian.

Caroline arrived quickly after the surgery began and she cried and cried right away. They told me she was a girl and then I cried. (I would have cried if she had been a boy, too.) They cleaned her up and let me nuzzle her quickly before they whisked her away to the nursery. I believe Matt got to see her during that time.

It took longer than I would have liked to finish up, but who am I to complain when they helped me deliver a beautiful little girl? They took me to recovery where I sat for the longest hour of my life then I was wheeled up to my room to be reunited with Matt and our new little girl.

I was sent home from the hospital after only 3 days, just like with the other 2 girls. I have been healing quickly and Caroline has been eating and sleeping like a champ.

Prayers

Kali’s continued healing

Caroline’s continued growth and health

Laurel and Eleanor’s adjustment to being big sisters and sharing mom

All of the paperwork that is involved in having a child abroad

Our upcoming travel for Caroline’s passport and our work visas

Caroline Barbara

Caroline is Matt’s maternal grandmother’s name and Barbara is his mother’s name. When we looked up the meaning of “Barbara” we knew that had to be one of her names. “Barbara” means foreign woman. We thought that to be a fitting name for a our foreign born daughter.

Convention Video on Work in Indonesia and Cambodia

There is a lot of concern in Indonesia and the international community about the impact that deforestation is having here. When I read a news article or see someone showing their concern, I most often see concern about the habitat of Orangutans. Indeed, it is a good concern to have. Since coming here to Indonesia I have also learned that deforestation is having a detrimental impact on people as well.

The video below was produced for the 2019 Synodical Convention in Tampa, Florida. In the first two and a half minutes GKLI pastor A.B.G Hutagalung describes his congregation’s work with the Sanak people whose way of life must change due to the deforestation caused by the Palm Oil Industry. Since this video was produced 19 of the Sanak people have been baptized and brought into the Kingdom of Heaven! Read more and see pictures here.

The second half of the video describes the LCMS work in Cambodia. Rev. Sima says, “What makes me so excited about the ministry in Cambodia is that we have a young church body with well trained leaders who are passionate about reaching out to their own communities with the Gospel. We are not coming in to set up LCMS offices and run LCMS projects, but rather we are coming at the direction and at the pace of the Cambodian Lutheran Church. They set the agenda and we serve along side of them.” This is also what excites me about our work in Indonesia. The GKLI—one their own—is passionate about their work with the Sanak people. We are working and serving with them to bring the Gospel to their neighbors. Kali and I look forward to being part of that work for years to come!

GKLI National Youth Jamboree

Over the July 4th holiday while most of our friends back in the U.S. enjoyed some time to relax, BBQ, and celebrate Independence Day our, family ventured out to Lake Toba and Sihabonghabong. Lake Toba is about a 5 hour drive from our home in Medan and Sihabonghabong is another 5 hours from lake Toba. Kali already wrote about our wonderful 2 days on Lake Toba.

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I was invited to Sihabonghabong to give a presentation at the GKLI National Youth Jamboree. There were about 230 high school age students in attendance. Some of them spent 36 hours driving on a roads like the one picture above in order to get to this event. The theme was “Stand Firm.” The Jamboree began with an opening service on the evening of Thursday, July 4th. All 230 students plus their adult chaperones filled the sanctuary in Sihabonghabong and worshiped. After the service the event was officially opened by Bishop Esra Sinaga with a small fireworks show. As the fireworks winded down we all went back into the sanctuary and each congregation had an opportunity to introduce themselves and sing a song which they had prepared. The time the GKLI set aside to do this reflects their high prioritization of community. Every individual was able to get up in front and introduce themselves and contribute to the Jamboree.

On Friday morning I was given just over an hour to present on Standing Firm in the faith. I opened with the story of Martin Luther standing firm in April of 1521 at the Diet of Worms. They only way he was able to stand firm was because the Holy Spirit had been working in him through the Gospel. The Holy Spirit had given him faith to know that Jesus stood firm for him. We can do nothing to stand firm without the Holy Spirit working through the Gospel! We know that Jesus is even now standing firm for us! Knowing that Jesus is standing firm for us at the right had of the Heavenly Father we do not need to fear in the face of trial. We can be confident in the Good news of the Gospel.

For this event I needed a translator for my presentation. I look forward to a time when I am able to communicate in Bahasa Indonesia! Kali and I just finished unit two of language learning. We are making great progress, but still have a lot to learn. There are four more unites to go and after that we will still need to be immersed in the language and culture here for some time. It is grueling work, but I am confident that it will be worth it!

The occasion of the Jamboree also allowed me to visit the head offices and seminary of the GKLI which are also in Sighabonghabong. The family and I also had the opportunity to spend an evening and morning with Bishop Esra Sinaga and his family. Bishop Sinaga and I talked about concerns and joys in the ministry of GKLI. This was a wonderful time to get to know each other a little bit better.

First Day of School

Obligatory first day of school photo

Yes, I let Laurel wear pajamas to school. In her opinion, that’s the best part of home-school. That, and she can have second and third breakfast each day.

July 29th marked the first day of first grade home-school for Laurel. For our stateside friends this seems like a very early starting date and for our Indonesian friends it’s about a month too late. I chose this date knowing that we will need to take some time off in September when baby arrives. If we start now, we can still finish up in May.

So how did it go? We finished the first week with great success. While the content was mostly review for Laurel, the structure was new. We had a very loose kindergarten home-school year due to support raising trips, moving out of our house in St. Louis, moving to Taiwan for 2 months, and then moving to Indonesia. The easy content combined with the structure helped ease our way into the first week.

Laurel’s favorite subject is religion. She gets to take her Bible and supplies up to daddy’s office and he teaches her there. She loves the special time they have together.

She’s most nervous about learning cursive this year, mainly because she’s still needs some correction on her print handwriting.

She’s very excited to do science experiments and is disappointed when I don’t have one planned for each day. Both Eleanor and Laurel love read aloud time. They enjoy snuggling in our bed and listening to the story, even though we read the same story 5 days in a row.

As the teacher, I feel we had a great week. I saw Laurel improve over just 5 days. I look forward to seeing this throughout the year and throughout her life.

Snapshot of our home-school space.

It’s a small space but functions in every way that we need it to.

Hymnal Workshop and Hymn Festival

From June 17—21 the GKLI pastors and musicians came together to work on a new Indonesian Hymnal, learn about historic Christian worship practices, learn how to critically examine the content of a hymn, and join their voices in a Hymn Fest.

This event was a response to request from the GKLI for help producing a new Indonesian Hymnal and for catechesis in the history and substance of Christian worship.

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The first two days were spent meeting and strategizing about the new hymnal. It will be called Buku Ibadah Lutheran (Lutheran Worship Book). The entirety of the hymnal will be in the Indonesian Language. This is a huge step for GKLI. Most people in Indonesia speak at least two languages, the language of their tribe and Indonesian. Christian worship across Indonesia is often in tribal language and this can foster an unhealthy attitude/understanding about worship. The new hymnal will be in the language everyone knows. Worship with the Buku Ibadah Lutheran will help to foster the understanding that GKLI isn’t a Batak church. The GKLI is a Christian Church in Indonesia and it is open to all the people of Indonesia. This is a huge change of perspective for the GKLI, a difficult change, and a necessary one. Please keep the GKLI in your prayers as there is much work to be done on this hymnal and in this country. Pray for steadfastness, peacefulness, and boldness to be the Gereja Kristen Luther Indonesia.

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The rest of the week was spent learning from Dr. Robert Rhein about the historic practices and music of Christian worship. The event ended with a delightful Hymn Festival. We were able to introduce five hymns newly translated into Indonesian and we also sang five hymns which the GKLI pastors and musicians already knew and loved.

I had the wonderful opportunity to lead this group in Matins and Vespers. These services are new for them, but they were willing and eager to learn. For three services, two Matins and one Vespers, I was able to lead and preach. The time was used for teaching and catechesis in Worship. The opening versicles of these services provided a perfect opportunity to preach on the activity of God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit in the worship of the Saints.

“O Lord, open my lips,

and my mouth will declare Your praise.” Psalm 51:15

“Make Haste, O God, to deliver me;

make haste to help me, O Lord” Psalm 70:1

Our God—the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit—is present in worship to open our lips. We can do nothing. We cannot even utter one righteous word without God filling our lives with His righteousness. He gives the saints on earth His righteousness as he calls, gathers, and enlightens his Church on earth. Our God—the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit—is present in worship to give us the right words for praise and prayer. God opens our lips and then He gives us the words to say. Our God—the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit—is present in worship to hear our praise and respond to our prayer. Even as the saints gathered together begin to sing God is hearing and responding to the prayers being offered. He opens lips, He gives those lips the words to say, and He continues to make haste to deliver and help His people.

Baptisms in Indonesia!

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What a blessing to see the fruits of the Gospel in Indonesia. The Lord has brought many Sanak people to the waters of Holy Baptism. On Pentecost Sunday at the GKLI congregation in Kusamang Kuning Pastor Hutagalung baptized 19 Sanak people: 13 adults and 6 children! We praise God for working through the GKLI to bring people into the eternal Kingdom of Heaven!

“For ‘everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.’ How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching? And how are they to preach unless they are sent? As it is written, ‘How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news!’”

Romans 10:13-15

Sumatra

You can read more about GKLI work with the Sanak people here.

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Home Worship.

The prospect of leaving an American congregation and worshiping with my family at home was increasingly on my mind as our family prepared to move to Indonesia. It will be a while yet before we are skilled enough with the Indonesian language to be able to understand what is happening in the GKLI churches on Sunday morning. Their traditional structure of worship is wildly different from the Divine Service settings found in the Lutheran Service Book. So, we attend GKLI services on Sunday when we can, but we still need to worship together as a family at home in English. This is important for our family, especially for our children.

I was concerned that it wouldn’t feel right or that it would lack the power without all the voices of a congregation. Christ Jesus has shown our family that He is present in the Divine Service in our home just as He is present in the Divine Service of the congregations with whom we worshiped in America. It is not about the numbers, but about the Triune God who meets us with His gifts.

The Wood Family after our first Divine Service at home in Medan. Ascension Day, 2019.

Do we miss the congregational life we had? Absolutely. Would we be worshiping at home if there was an English speaking Lutheran Congregation near us? No, we would certainly take advantage of such a congregation. In the Last Chapter of Matthew the Lord promised his disciples, “Behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” He knew they would go out to the world. He knew they would be isolated. He promised to be with them. He promises to be with the whole Church on earth. He promises to be with us here in Indonesia. His presence is what matters and He is fulfilling His promise to us as He comes to meet us in his Word, through prayer, devotions, and most especially in His Divine Service to us.

A Trip to the Country

After finishing our first unit of Indonesian class we were given a week break. During that break Matt was asked to lead a sectional for the GKLI’s Youth Conference in Sihabonghabong (which is about 8+ hours from Medan). We decided to make it a family trip and make a couple stops along the way.

Destination 1: Parapat, Destination 2: Tuk Tuk, Destination 3: Sihabonghabong, Destination 4: Balige

First, we rode the 4 hours to Parapat where we got on a passenger ferry across Lake Toba to Samosir Island, the city of Tuk Tuk. Our guesthouse was just a short walk from the ferry dock in Tuk Tuk. Our guesthouse was amazing! It is a little organic farm and guesthouse. It only has 3 apartments to rent so it was quiet and intimate. There were bunnies for the girls to feed, a swimming pool, boats to take out on the lake and even fishing.

Matt and I didn’t realize how much we needed a break until we arrived. Learning a new language is difficult and adapting to a new culture doesn’t make it easier. We needed a break from 1) constantly studying, 2) the heat and humidity, and 3) being away from our kids 4-6 hours a day.

Highlights of our time in Tuk Tuk were swimming in the pool, eating delicious fresh caught fish, taking a boat out onto Lake Toba and taking a becak around town to do some sightseeing.

After 2 days of relaxing in Tuk Tuk we hopped in a car and drove the 5 hours to Sihabonghabong. There we stayed at the GKLI headquarters. Matt got to tour their Seminary, conference center and church. There are about 70 students at the Seminary right now with about 20 teachers.

Matt attended opening worship for the GKLI Youth Conference where over 200 youth came from all over Sumatra came together to worship and learn about the theme “Stand Firm”.

Opening Worship at the GKLI Youth Conference

The next day Matt did a 45 minute presentation on Standing Firm in Your Faith to the youth. A local GKLI pastor translated for him. By this time next year Matt should not need a translator for speaking engagements like this.

After the presentation we hitched a ride with one of the local pastors who was heading back towards Medan. We stopped in a town called Balige just on the shore of Lake Toba. Here we spent the night to break up the 8+ hour drive.

The town is a wonderful beach town that doesn’t have a lot of tourists. We happened to arrive on market day and booked a guesthouse just down the block from the market. We took a nice stroll through the market and heard many friendly greetings from the locals.

We took a becak to the beach and enjoyed time playing in the sand and chatting with the locals. Eleanor was a big hit with the locals. Her blond, curly hair and white skin stand out a bit here. Many people wanted to take pictures with her but she wouldn’t smile for any of them. We have learned a phrase to describe her “keras kepala” which literally translates to hard headed.

We left the next day and took the 5+ hour drive home. It was a wonderful time away from the city and our normal routine. We enjoyed the cooler weather, the local people, the cuisine and the fellowship with the pastors. We look forward to taking longer trips to explore more of these areas.

Kami sedang belajar Bahasa Indonesia. Boleh perkanalan?

(We are learning Indonesian. May we get to know you?)

We just finished Unit 1 of language classes at the Language and Cultural Exchange Center in Medan. For two hours each morning Matt and I meet with our instructor, Sarah. We spend about 80% or more of our time in class speaking or listening in Indonesian and the ratio keeps growing! 

First, one of us begins with prayer in Indonesian. Then, we share our “experience” with our teacher. This means we tell our teacher what we did since we last saw her using as many details as possible. This helps us to learn vocabulary and sentence structure. After that we review our homework which is writing 10 sentences or two paragraphs consisting of new vocabulary and using new sentence structures. Just this part of class usually takes us over an hour. 

Next, we open our workbooks and get into the lesson for the day. It consists of a dialogue with new vocabulary, a listening exercise, 3 sets of new sentence structures, and pronunciation practice. We are lucky if we complete the lesson that day. Often, we work on part of it and finish the rest the next day. We end our class with our teacher praying for us. 

We are expected to try and meet 5 new people each day and introduce ourselves to them and ask about their life. This can take up to 2 hours in a day because Indonesian people love to chat. Often, we talk with our Grab drivers (like Uber). The title of this article is usually how we begin the conversation. 

We are also expected to study/work on homework for 2 hours each day. Usually this gets split into an hour in the evening and an hour in the morning before class. We estimate that we learn about 25-50 new vocabulary words each class. That is a lot of memorizing and practicing. We also try and practice with the children. When we learned parts of the body I had Laurel quiz me by pointing to parts of the body and seeing if I know it in Indonesian. 

Overall, Matt and I enjoy our Indonesian lessons. Most days the 2 hours fly by and the homework doesn’t seem overwhelming. We are constantly amazed at what we have picked up and also at what we can’t remember. Please continue to pray for our language acquisition, that we will be studious and become fluent quickly. 

A sample of Kali’s homework one evening.

A Day in the Life...

Now that we’ve been here for a couple weeks I’d like to give you snapshot of what a typical day looks like for us.

6:30am: Wake up to Eleanor crawling into bed with us, followed shortly by Laurel. Eventually get out of bed to make coffee and start getting ready for the day.

8:00am: Coffee ingested, make breakfast in our outdoor kitchen, usually consisting of scrambled eggs and toast.

9:00am: Our Indonesian “helper” arrives. Matt and I work on our Indonesian homework while the girls play.

10:00am: Our Indonesian nanny arrives. We order a Grab car (like Uber) and say goodbye to the girls. In the car we spend a few minutes stumbling through introducing ourselves in Indonesian to the driver and asking about his life.

10:30am: Arrive at the Language School for class. Matt and I spend the next 2 hours with our Indonesian teacher learning Bahasa Indonesia. About 75% of the time is spent in Indonesian. We are picking it up quickly but not without its difficulties. We are introduced to about 50 new vocabulary words a class which means we spend a lot of time reviewing and memorizing for homework.

12:30pm: We walk home or order another Grab car to take us to a store if we need to run an errand. If we run errands we try and introduce ourselves in Indonesian to 2-3 new people and ask about their life. We feel like we are making complete fools of ourselves in front of these people, but they are so gracious to us as we try and learn their language.

Once we arrive home we eat a quick lunch of whatever the nanny has made. Usually some kind of chicken, rice and vegetable concoction. She is a phenomenal cook and it’s such a blessing to have lunch made for us when we return home each day from class.

2:30pm: By this time the nanny has gone home and the girls are anxious for our attention. They have been home for the last 3-4 hours with no one who speaks English.

I put Eleanor down for a nap and then Laurel and I work on some homeschooling. After that Laurel and I spend some time playing cards. Go Fish is her current favorite. After a couple games of cards I usually try and get an hour of homework done. During this time Matt works in his office on homework, catching up on Emails or working on a continuing education module. Our Indonesian “helper” goes home for the day.

4:00pm: Eleanor usually wakes up by this time. I let the girls either play or watch a movie while I do a little more homework then start to get dinner started. Preparing dinner usually means cooking outside on the gas range, though we now have a large toaster oven inside that we can use.

5:30pm: Dinner is ready and we eat in our un-airconditioned dining room. After cooking outside I’m usually a hot, sweaty mess. I’m hoping I’ll get used to the heat soon.

6:00pm: Once we’ve finished with dinner, Laurel helps wash the dishes and we retire to the den for some family time. Usually this involves some card playing, book reading or wrestling.

7:00pm We have family devotions and put the girls to bed.

7:30pm: Matt and I spend about a half an hour or so doing homework then we spend quality time together before bed.

10:00pm: By now we are exhausted from the day and we go to bed.

The next day we have to explain all of the above in Bahasa Indonesia as part of our language class.

First Day of School

No, not for Laurel. Matt and I began our first day of language classes at the Language Cultural Exchange (LCE) Center on Monday. Matt hasn’t had a first day of class in nearly 6 years and I haven’t had one in 11 years. To say I was nervous is an understatement.

We will spend 2 hours a day Monday through Friday in class, 2 hours speaking to native Indonesians, and 2 hours doing homework/studying. Each unit for class is 4 weeks long and the goal is to complete all 6 units by the end of the year.

After class on Monday Matt and I walked to a restaurant nearby our house called, My Burger Coffee. Minutes after we sat down a table of ladies came over and asked if we would take a photo with them. We ordered our food and I pulled out my class notebook and walked over to “interview” them for my homework. They were very gracious of my horrendous pronunciation and even exchanged phone numbers with me.

While I spoke to the table of ladies, Matt was swarmed with the other patrons in the restaurant. An hour later one of us had finally spoken to every patron in the place. And yet our food had not arrived yet. We looked through our class notes to find out how to say “We need to leave,” (Kami harus pergi) and get our food to go.

It was a humbling and exhilarating experience to speak with the people. Humbling because we know so little Indonesian yet exhilarating because while we know so little we can still communicate. The people were so excited to speak to us. I hope we can learn more, so we can listen better.

Please pray for our language learning. Pray that we study hard, practice much and learn to love the language.