Recently a friend sent me an email emphasizing the importance of the eternal over the temporary and how he was made to realize that after a bout with prostate cancer 14 years ago. I couldn't agree more. An amended form of my reply is as follows and I though it might be worth sharing.

"When I had my last of three open heart surgeries, I told everyone who came to pray with/for me to please pray but not to ask for my recovery. This was one time I could honestly say with Paul that to depart and be with the Lord would be my desire; but, if He found it better for me to remain for the sake of others, then I was ready for either option. I did not pray thus because I thought I deserved to go to Heaven…but because I believed in the One who promised to take me there. Obviously He thinks I’m still needed here, so, in spite of my failures, I'm still doing my best not to disappoint Him."

Feeding the Street Children

Strictly speaking perhaps these are not "street children" since they live with their parents who illegally build their shacks on land owned by others out of materials scavenged from the dumps. The parents also spend their days searching for anything that can be recycled and earn at most about $2 a day. Sometimes the children beg. Few attend school. They are not starving but they know what hunger is. There are probably 1000's of these children in this city of 28 million souls. We feed 20 a day.

"D" Has the Mumps

I talked to Daniel this morning and learned that "D" has come down with a case of the Mumps. I guess we all get them at one time or another. Anyway, let's see if it slows him down any. Usually he's out of one thing and into a dozen others - a real ball of energy. The church had over 40 present for worship yesterday. Things are going well.

Sometimes Freedom Looks Like Slavery via blog.faithlife.com

For a good illustration of why you should live a disciplined life, buzz on over to the blog linked below. I think you'll like it. Sometimes Freedom Looks Like Slavery

New Students

We are almost constantly getting new students from the radio program that airs on Radio Pelita Kasih (http://radiopelitakasih.com), and is sponsored by World Radio under the direction of the White's Ferry Road Church of Christ in West Monroe, LA. (http://wfr.org).

Some of the most recent are pictured above. They come to study English by studying the Bible in English. Several have obeyed the Gospel as a result of these studies. We use materials from World English Institute (http://www.worldenglishinstitute.org). So, watch your grammar. I'm getting to be quite a grammar demon. Now, if I could just learn to spell.

2 Recent Baptisms.

A 65 year-old and a 16 year-old.

About 2 weeks ago, this 65 year-old man asked for a Bible and was given one free of charge. He also asked to be baptized. Daniel studied with him and also with one of our teenagers in Connor’s House and both were later baptized on the same day. We pray that they will both remain faithful to Jesus and bring glory to God. "What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin that grace may abound? By no means! How can we who died to sin still live in it? Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life.” (Rom 6:1-4)

Church Members Suffer Loss Because of Gunung Sinabung, N Sumatra, Indonesia

Please click on the link below to read the latest newsletter of Colin and Ellen McKee's winter trip to N. Sumatra and Jakarta. Read about Mt. Sinabung and the recent eruptions and aid being sent to help church members there. Colin and I worked together in N. Sumatra and Tanah Karo in the late 60's. We both preached in one of the villages at the foot of the mountain and bathed in a hot river flowing out of the mountain. He would go to this village one week and I would go the next. On at least one occasion the village witch doctor followed me around pronouncing a curse on me but I never suffered from the curses. Colin and I are still working together through an Indonesian foundation even though we are seldom in Jakarta at the same time. Please follow the links. I think you'll enjoy reading about what's going on in N. Sumatra now.

Sorry but it looks like you will have to copy and paste this address into your browser but the news is worth the trouble. https://www.evernote.com/shard/s27/sh/5c9107c3-d125-43f3-bae3-ee7a2c5f69ec/c40838098bc40a543ef1e2abb7155672

Sisi Has A Party

Sisi is one of our Connor's House kids. Her father is no longer in the picture and her mother works from very early in the morning until very late at night and is not able to adequately care for Sisi. We feed, clothe, and shelter her and send her to a private school. She had a birthday recently and we all had a party. She is now 10 years old.

Journal Entries Dec 1 through Jan 28, 2013-2014

The street children continue to be fed daily.

 Friday, Dec 6, 2013 Daniel and I have just returned to Bekasi from Menteng where we were looking at an apartment not far from the Hotel Indonesia. It will cost $500 a month with a $500 deposit which will be returned when I no longer want to rent the apartment. Laundry, breakfast, room cleaning, internet WiFi are all included plus a kitchen downstairs where I can even cook if I want to, plus a lobby where I could meet my students if I have only one or two at a time. There is also a fitness room with new equipment in good condition. The complex is very close to the worship center. I would be near the Busway and in a safe area where I would have no fear of being out by myself. It is near several restaurants where I have eaten many times before. In other words, I’m very familiar with the area and close to theaters, malls, restaurants, clothing stores, grocery stores, all the places and things I need. I could even do my walking on the streets if I needed to or wanted to. Security is good. Sunday, Dec 8, 2013! Today we met for worship at the new location and everything went well. Used the flat screen for my slides and a mic so sat at the back to move my slides up as I needed them. Naomi will cook meat for the week ahead and I’ll pick it up from Daniel each Sunday night at the Radio station. Classes went well yesterday even if not many showed up. Daniel assures me that more will come this next week. I have two or maybe three classes tomorrow. Maybe two on Wednesday? I’m not sure but most of my students will be coming on Saturday. Okay, not too much longer until we leave for the Radio Station. I’m very pleased with what I have prepared for the listeners tonight so I’m looking forward to tonight’s broadcast. Monday, Dec 9, 2013! I’ve been staying with Daniel but moved this morning into the apartment. I really like it so far and think it will be just fine. It is raining very hard right now and has been raining like this off and on all afternoon. We ate at Chili’s today. Daniel got me safely here and checked in but his car broke down when he was about ready to return home. I feel sorry for him, he has had so much trouble with that car but I think he will not let it go. I taught a 2 hour English class this morning. Was to have another this afternoon but he called in sick so got the afternoon off.

I’m soooooooo relieved to not have to be in the traffic so much now. It is so much easier to get around from here. I can walk to most of the places I really want to go to and take a short busway ride to those places that are not within walking distance. This will make my stay and work so much easier and will create much less stress for me. Naomi sent over enough meat to feed an army so I think I’ll eat well this week and have plenty for next. She’s a good cook and makes sure I get plenty to eat. Thursday, Dec 12, 2013 On a different note...we had a terrific thunder storm yesterday all over Jakarta. Daniel even had it out in Bekasi. The rain was so thick at times I could not even see the high rise buildings that surround me here at the apartment. There were at least three times when the lightening was so close that I could hear the sizzle, and then see the flash and sound of the crack followed by the rumble that slowly faded away as the sound travelled into the distance. That will get your heart pumping...! Or stop it...! I left the window open (the one that is screened) so I could enjoy the cool fresh air. I closed the window during the night but turned off the AC this morning and opened both the window and the front door so the air could blow through the room. It has been very nice so far and it is now almost 11:00 AM. Will get too hot later and I’ll need the AC again, but have enjoyed the fresh air. Saturday, Dec 14, 2013 This afternoon, I had one of the best Bible studies I’ve had so far. Ramond showed up very late but we studied for 2 hours or maybe more. We used the lobby and we were never once interrupted. No one even stuck their head in the door. I wasn’t expecting him because of the rain. Next week he plans to bring a friend. So I’m a very happy camper today. I only had two studies but both of them went well. Monday, Dec 16, 2013! Just finished this morning’s English class with my Monday morning student. She does very well and we were undisturbed in the lobby and even had the use of the AC while we were there so I kept cool. One of my students today at is a denominational charismatic preacher. I’m having more students now, enough, in fact, that it is hard for me to get in my walking and mall gazing.! Daniel says I have 3 new students for tomorrow and I will be inundated this Saturday with 5 or 6 students (one hour at a time) then Jay’s 4 will be over later in the evening for a Bible study. I will need to get my lessons ready on Thurs and Fri, I guess. So, I now have 16 students scheduled this week. Had a lady this morning who speaks very little English but seems to understand more. Anyway we had a good study and I enjoyed teaching her.

Thursday, January 16, 2014 We went to Puncak today but it was so foggy that I couldn’t take many photos. Enjoyed the day anyway. We drove around in Bogor on the way home so I could take photos of the presidential palace, then Dan let me off at the mall and I walked around there to get some exercise. Felt good to walk after being in the car most of the day. Nice to get away once in a while. Friday, January 17, 2014 It has been raining off and on all morning and last night. Daniel says KOIhouse is leaking like a sieve and the streets are flooded. I’m almost out of Coke Zero so need to walk to the mall soon. Will try to find a time when I can walk there without getting rained on. Radio lesson is prepared. Sermon slides for Sunday AM are almost ready. Will add the translation. Daniel dropped me off at the mall last night from Puncak. I wanted to use the WiFi at Starbucks to send my iPhone photos to my email, but couldn’t log on. To many people using it, I guess. So just walked in the mall for 30 mins or so then got a taxi and came home in the rain and totally forgot that I would soon be out of Coke Zero. Thus the need now to go back there...but no matter, I need the exercise anyway. I feel better when I get lots of exercise. Ate fresh fish yesterday at Puncak. Enjoyed the day. Saturday, January 18, 2014!

Evidently some storage rooms were flooded at KOIHouse but then Daniel said only needed rain resistant paint so don’t know what that means. My student has just arrived so need to teach him. Taught my 10:00 AM student who showed up very late but my 11:00 o’clock was a no show. I have classes scheduled for 2:00 and 4:00 P M. Because of flooding, I wonder if they will be able to get here. The dinner invitation has been cancelled for this evening because of flooding but the kids are still planning to come for their class at 6:00 pm.

Sunday, January 19, 2014! We had a good service this morning. “F” was there and did the Communion. “A” was not there because the roads around his house are all flooded. “M” brought me home but she always takes me by a market on the way so I stocked up on cheese and Coke Zero and she had some whipping cream in the fridge not opened and stopped to pick it up for me. It has a little sugar in it, but I think I’ll eat it anyway. Daniel’s group met in a restaurant for worship this morning and were still there for lunch when he called me. Said everyone was there except for “S” and he had his phone off so couldn’t be contacted. Electricity just went off. It was off for an hour or so early one morning this past week. Woke me up because I cannot breath with my mask on if there is no electricity. Guess I’ll open the window for a while. Tuesday, January 21, 2014 Anyway, no need to talk about mundane things when I’ve got problems that really matter...like, I’m almost out of Coke Zero and it refuses to stop raining....! I’ve got food to eat but nothing to drink...! Anyway, some of my students are having trouble getting here because of the rain and flooding all over town. Wednesday, January 22, 2014 Had two, or was it three, classes yesterday - three - one was a new student and she barely speaks English. The other was “L” and we talked for maybe 3 hours about Bible things using Indonesian. Then the high school boys came last night and we finished our class in about an hour but they stayed and asked me questions about America... “Is it true....?” Some of what they have heard was true but most was false or at least only partially correct. I enjoyed visiting with ‘em. They were very surprised when they learned how late it had become as they were leaving. But we were in the Lobby and no one disturbed us.

Connor’s House kids continue to go to private school every day even when the streets are flooded. “W”, “D”, and “L” attend school in the mornings. “C” and “B” attend in the afternoons. “E” is taken to school by his parents.