Photo by CHEC Pro This week I had the opportunity to meet up with various people. It is always good to connect with people on a regular basis. One in meeting in particular was notably a blessing to me. I met up with a pastor of an international church here in […]
Indonesia’s Independence Day 2009
Today marked the celebration of Indonesian’s independence from the Netherlands. On Friday 10:00AM, August 17, 1945 the official proclamation was made to the world. Every August 17th is a joyous occasion for all Indonesians. There are many festivals, parades and activities usually planned for several days to celebrate their day of […]
New Strategies of Outreach
One of the biggest dangers is settling for the status quo. One phrase that we try not to use in HMCC is – “It’s because we have always done it that way.” If we get too comfort or locked into a particular way of doing things, then there is a good possibility that we […]
Michael Vick and the Gospel
Photo by AP It was interesting to hear the responses by various people and sports commentators about Michael Vick signing a contract with the Philadelphia Eagles. After serving 18 months in prison for running a dogfighting ring, Vick was reinstated with conditions by NFL commissioner Roger Goodell. Now, this is going […]
Trusting the Locals
I knew I should have taken out my wisdom tooth while I was in the States. But due to all the busyness and procrastination, I never got to it. Then last week, I felt a sharp pain in my mouth when I woke up one morning. When I went to the bathroom, I noticed […]
Dreams Build Our Faith
I was reading the other day an article that Rick Warren wrote about faith. He said, “Faith is like a muscle: it can be strengthened. It can be weak or it can be strong, depending on how much you use it. How does God build your faith? The first thing God […]
Saving Face Doesn’t Save Time
Photo by Tokyo Times It is amazing how long it takes to “settle in” to a new place. I think the process time increases when you are in another country. It is not only the issue of language, but various cultural expectations and values do not help in the speed of […]
Spiritual Observation
After we dropped the kids off at school, Christina and I had some time in the morning to run various errands. It has been good to spend time together as we get adjusted in a new country and culture. We live in an area that is very expat friendly; therefore it is easy to […]
Getting Lost
Photo by Corey Amaro Driving in Indonesia is incredibly fun. I still can’t believe the freedom that drivers have on the roads. You can throw away the “rules of the road” manual in Indonesia. Rules are usually suggestions and driving etiquettes are luxuries. Also, it is not the cars that you […]
Passion and Talent
The YouTube below just reminded me about the importance of passion and talent. When those two things come together it makes a powerful combination. Passion is often times the fuel that enables a person to do something, while the talent is the tools or the instrument in which we can accomplish things. There are […]
Responding with Grace
Photo by images.com Every day as the kids finish their day of school, we ask them how things went for them. It has been our ritual so far. Christina and I just want to make sure that the kids are adjusting well. One day, Karissa responded by telling us of something […]
“We Are the Foreigners”
Photo from Empire and Sleep I have found myself constantly repeating the phrase, “we are the foreigners, not the Indonesians.” When it comes to doing cross-cultural missions, it is easy to see everything from a self-centered perspective. Christina and I have been feeling some of the frustrations of not being able […]
Flexibility is the Key
We are planning on getting our cell phones and SIM cards this Saturday (FINALLY). It is hard to believe that it has been about a week without a cell phone. I have been temporarily using someone else’s cell phone and another alumnus has given us another phone for our team to use. After dropping […]
Never Losing the Awe
Photo by U.S. Army Albert Einstein once said, “He to whom this emotion is a stranger, who can no longer pause to wonder and stand rapt in awe, is as good as dead; his eyes are closed.” The thought of losing the wonder and the awe in my life is something […]