Author: alithiadavis

A question burning in everyone’s minds…what are y’all eating?  Is it safe?  Does it taste good?  What IS THAT?!  We have tried quite a bit-the girls are doing better every day about being adventurous food-wise!  We’ve had a lot, A LOT of chicken.  We’ve tried goat.  There is cheese on things which seemingly shouldn’t have it, while cheese is conspicuously absent in dishes which require its yumminess!  Salad demands more washing than ten kids after playing in the mud all day!  We’ve learned the meaning of the word ‘spicy’-even Michael Joe!  Ahhh, but the fresh tropical fruit!!!  I’m going to post a sample of food we’ve had thus far!  I will label things to the best of my ability.  For the best intro to food here, just hop on a plane and come visit us!  The door is always, always open.

mutabaruka: a stuffed pancake with chocolate and syrup-ish!

We found this massive pizza about an hour away!

Beijing Kaoya! This was in a teeny little restaurant outside of a grocery store. I adore Beijing Duck!

Sweet and sour chicken-a lemon from OUR LEMON TREE was used in this dish!

Kaybrietta posing with a star fruit that fell from our tree.

Dominos delivers-upside down/sideways, but it delivers!

Soda Gembira-Happy Soda (coco pandan syrup, soda water, and sweet condensed milk) Kinda tastes like Cream Soda!

Fried macaroni and cheese balls-literally.

First McDonald’s in Indonesia!

Omlette, pasta, and pancakes with fries!

yummy yogurt

Sate on our gas stovetop!

Affogato-ice cream with a shot of hot espresso #nowords

Pancake with ice cream and blueberry sauce!

Finished sate at home with peanut sauce!

French toast-ish! Yum!

We successfully made peanut butter cookies!

Donuts our second week

Soto-similar to chicken noodle soup

Fried sweet potatoes with CHEESE, sugar, and cinnamon!

Durian #aintgonnaeatityet #stinkstohighheaven

yup. it was spicy.

coffeeeeeeeeeee

Chuck Norris burger-best burger I have found in Bandung thus far!

Things I’ve Learned:

1. I’ve learned my husband is amazing-er than I ever knew.  He is a quiet rock of strength and I cannot imagine life without him by my side.
2. I’ve learned my girls are resilient, fascinating, homesick, and brave.
3. I’ve learned bathtubs are so rare that no one carries a plug for them!  We had to order one from Tokopedia…in the meantime, my coffee-cup-cover thingy worked perfectly well keeping water in the tub!
4. I’ve also learned that if we let water out of the tub too quickly, the bathroom floods from another drain in the floor.  It is like two baths at once!
5. I’ve learned that cartons for eggs add to the cost.  In further review, it is possible to make an hour drive home with a bag of loose eggs and have them arrive safely.  
6. I’ve learned we are in an incredible community that rallies around you when needs arise.  When the girls were sick, people brought remedies and food. When it was realized Lissie Joy didn’t quite have the hang of stairs, gates for both top and bottom of the stairs were located and installed quickly.
7. I’ve learned that just because something is labeled ice cream or milkshake, doesn’t mean either ice cream or milk is actually included.
8. I’ve learned that Indonesian is a fun language.  It will take me time, but I look forward to tackling all those letters and syllables!
9. I’ve learned I need commas in long numbers.  I’ve handed over 10,000 Rupiah instead of 1,000 and 50,000 instead of 5,000. (the cashier was always kind enough to give it back)  I am thankful they look different and such, because otherwise I may never catch on as to which is which!
10. I’ve learned tomato sauce on pizza is optional, but pizza usually comes with tomato ketchup on the side.
11. I’ve learned there are people all around us willing to help and love on us.
12. I’ve learned a good burger is to be appreciated (especially with bacon).
13. I’ve learned that air conditioning is a first world device and I miss it way more than I thought I would.
14. I’ve learned my kids are incredibly resilient.  They are jumping in and making the best of where they find themselves.  There are still varieties of feelings and that roller coaster of emotions is still in operation.  But each of them are finding things to celebrate along the way.
15. I’ve learned that Indonesians have terrific ingenuity!  If there is a way, they will find it.
16. I’ve learned that familiar praise songs are even more beautiful in an unfamiliar place.
17. I’ve learned to study pictures on food items carefully.  Nothing like being surprised by ‘something’ in your coffee early in the morning!  (It was gelatinous chocolate (grass jelly)-that is the best way I can describe it!)
18. I’ve learned that Western style toilets are indeed thrones and should be treated as such.
19. I’ve learned the people in Kota Baru are kind and welcoming to these Southern bule (boo-lay=foreigner) people.
20. I’ve learned RyAnne has a hankering to play guitar.
21. I’ve learned spicy means different things to different people.  Wowza!
22. I’ve learned that we really don’t need that much to be together, but we do need things that bring Davisville here.
23. I’ve learned the Body is active here.  It is something people here seek out to join and add to in order to bring Him delight.  There are so many parts-joints, muscles, brains, and heart adding up to a glorious Body.
24. I’ve learned once again how blessed we are.
25. I’ve learned it is okay to stop and play Legos with the girls-I’m the only one worried about our schedule.  Time with them matters.
26. I’ve learned that Michael Joe has strengths and talents he never knew about. It is so fun to see him growing here.  His students are in for a treat!
27. I’ve learned that I brought too many Barbie movies with us. Ha!
28. I’ve learned the time difference allows us all to celebrate a little bit longer.
29. I’ve learned grace is easier to gift others than yourself (actually, I already knew that…I’ve just been reminded here)
30. I’ve learned I depend way too much on Huggies cucumber and green tea baby wipes!
31. I’ve learned that I can still use charades to explain what I’m trying to say when I lack the Indonesian to explain.  Whew!
32. I’ve learned that when I grow up, I want an overabundance of electrical outlets in my home.  Hahahaha. We have one per room except for the master. We have two in there. #ExtensionCordsAreOurFriends #NoWeDon’tPiggyBackThem #BeingSafe
33. I’ve learned menu planning is much more interesting when you don’t know what ingredients are around.
34. I’ve learned hangers here are too small for our clothing.
35. I’ve learned the art of hanging things out to dry again.  It is a childhood/Shanghai flashback.
36. I’ve learned getting things organized means more to me than I knew.
37. I’ve learned that His promises are new every morning, but His grace and mercy are always more than I need.  How thankful I am for that abundance.
38. I’ve learned the little bell near our door ringing means someone is at the door. (seems self-explanatory, but isn’t!)
39. I’ve learned there is an end to how many PB&J sandwiches one can endure in a month.
40. I’ve learned getting things done takes time, but it is done with kindness and respect.

Less than a mile from our home is a local kampung.  It is juxtaposed against a lovely compound with nice homes and a gate. I can’t help but notice the disparity.  However, I also notice the happiness surrounding me.  The kids may not have much, but their smiles are as big as Texas.  They giggle and point at us as we go by them.  Some even pose for a pic!! I am intrigued by a preschool that is in the midst of the kampung (kom-poong).  Our friend explains that some expats are helping with it and He is there with these kiddos daily.  I love the dark eyes peering out and the laughter surrounding us.  I know it is easy to wish an easier life for those who live differently from us.  Too quickly we forget they have much to teach us about contentment and joy.  “I know how to live in poverty or prosperity. No matter what the situation, I’ve learned the secret of how to live when I’m full or when I’m hungry, when I have too much or when I have too little.” Phillipians 4:12. What if I were to quit worrying about where to put this and that?  What if I just enjoyed the time I have been given with those around me?  What if in that contentment I was able to be His light because I made time to BE with Him instead of chasing after my to-do list?  As you peruse the pictures, be sure to say thank you for the needs He has met, trust His hand for what you need, and, perhaps, ask to be freed from the burden of wanting more than you really need.  I am in the midst of this prayer currently.  Please lift us up as I seek to make a home here while remembering stuff doesn’t a home make.

What fun we had when the Indonesian National workers at BAIS hosted all the expat staff and families of BAIS!  Tons of laughter and games that literally brought people together.  Laughter has a way of doing just that! (laughter PLUS food…well, we are basically family now!). Traditional games included Three-Person-Six-Legged Race (not official name, mind you!), potato sack races, bite-the-coin-out-of-chocolate-syrup-covered-watermelon, lift/lower-foot-with-string-attached-to-treat-to-eat game, and climb-the-soapy-bamboo-pole-for-prizes game.  Seriously,  it was all so much fun.  Add in the amazing sate (satay), fruit, and desserts and the recipe for a perfect day was complete.  We are so thankful to be included and taught about this nation.  We are learning to love it and the people more every day!  Hope you enjoy the pics!  🙂

Today is Indonesia’s Independence Day! We are trying to learn the language around us.  At first glance, it is a long succession of letters with no rhyme or reason. However, it is completely phonetic.  The vowels say the same sound 99% of the time.  How marvelous is that!?  It has been fun to start hearing words I recognize in conversations.  We were blessed with a crash-course in Indonesian the first week we were here.  I plan on learning more AND working with the Littles on it. The Bigs will be taking Indonesian as part of school course work.  Michael is going to focus on teaching this year and tackle Indonesian next year (that’s the thought for now, anyway!).  Here are some notes and pics from class!  See what you can pick out!  There is also a song in Indonesian I posted a couple of months ago-the words are on it to follow along!

Kaybrietta came across this card while we were studying Indonesian. She got really excited!

We are so thankful to have two Word-centered choices for Fellowship here in our area.  One is about an hour away in the big city of Bandung.  The service we would attend will be in English (going to take a while to understand Indonesian!).  We were all welcomed and the kids sauntered off to Sunday School happily.  There is also a playground outside for the kids while waiting for the Indonesian service to end!  We are thankful for the immediate familiarity of the music and sanctuary.  We were blessed to hear from a guest speaker relaying activity happening all around.  It was a refreshing time with Him and His people.

The other place is a fifteen minute walk from our house.  We visited there today.  There were many families to meet and kids happily milling about!  We were challenged by questions pertaining to what being His Temple really means.  Honestly, I’m still chewing on the message from today.  “But when the Messiah arrived, high priest of the superior things of this new covenant, he bypassed the old tent and its trappings in this created world and went straight into heaven’s “tent”—the true Holy Place—once and for all. He also bypassed the sacrifices consisting of goat and calf blood, instead using his own blood as the price to set us free once and for all. If that animal blood and the other rituals of purification were effective in cleaning up certain matters of our religion and behavior, think how much more the blood of Christ cleans up our whole lives, inside and out. Through the Spirit, Christ offered himself as an unblemished sacrifice, freeing us from all those dead-end efforts to make ourselves respectable, so that we can live all out for God.” Hebrews 9:11-15.  Taking Communion after such a strong message tracing the Davidic Covenant to now required some soul searching, followed by resting in His unending promises.

Please lift us up as we seek to know where He wants us for the next season.  We want to be deliberate about obeying Him in all areas of our lives.

Smiles. Backpacks. Breakfast. Shoes on. Quick call from Nana & Papa D. Off we go.

Today begins a new year at Bandung Alliance Intercultural School. And my crew is there. Michael will begin to pour into a new group of kids He has placed into his life. The Bigs have new teachers and classmates. It’s all new. But everything has been put in place by His hand. Will it be easy? I’m guessing nope. But just because it is hard doesn’t mean it is bad. “Let every detail in your lives—words, actions, whatever—be done in the name of the Master, Jesus, thanking God the Father every step of the way.”

‭‭Colossians‬ ‭3:17‬ ‭MSG #BAIS #FirstDayOfSchool