My squad landed in Jakarta and then split ways. A couple teams got the chance to serve in Bali but my team was lucky: we got to go to the most remote island in the entire world. We landed in a single-runway airport and then drove two hours up a road which l’m pretty sure is home to 97% of the world’s potholes. We arrived at our ministry car sick and were immediately met by about fifty ladies who were performing traditional dances. They gave us beetle nut, which is reserved for the most honored guests; and for those of us who actually managed to swallow it made us top heavy.
Having traveled 11 hours into the future, we were suffering jetlag for at least a week. The island was incredibly hot and humid so we were sweating buckets 24/7. For cleanliness we had bucket showers and a creek with which the locals washed our clothes.
Our ministry sight was a campus where our host trained young Christians to be missionaries to unreached parts of the country. They were taught life skills and all the students seemingly excelled at everything they touched. They were all filled with a love for God that would just put you to shame, and were obviously receiving a constant blessing from Him.
Every morning we woke at 4:30 and one of my teammates would lead a devotional. The students had an obvious hunger for God’s Word. Then we’d either go dig a water tank in three feet of mud, or go to a local high school to teach English. If we did the former there would be sporadic wars between those digging and those working on the garden right next to it. Hands down the funnest activity in the entire month. Then we’d wash each other off in the creek and enjoy a nice meal of rice and mystery nuggets.
Our Adventure Days always consisted of visiting the beach, since we were so far from the rest of the world. As an aquaphobe this was honestly the most stretching event in Month One. But l’m proud to say l managed to go deep enough to let a wave throw me around a couple times.
On our last night at the campus we were given a fresh pig which our team leader got to kill himself. In local tradition this is a HUGE deal. If you don’t offer such a pig in this fashion at a wedding the marriage will be cancelled. In adopting us into their family we were given local family names, so l’m now known as Josiah Hia here. ??
During our farewell ceremony l was just about in tears. I never imagined l could fall so in love with a people and place so quick. Their love for God, ridiculous hospitality for us, and constant joy and smiling faces convicted me of so much. They have almost no material possessions but gave us more than any could have asked. They go above and beyond the call of duty in serving our God.
Goodbye, my new family! I will look forward to meeting you again in this world and worshiping our God together for eternity.
