Challenges and Appreciations

It's so interesting to think that this is now our life.  Half way around the world now...live the Breukelmans. 

We knew that we felt the Lord calling us to serve Him elsewhere so that he could teach Doreen and I as well as primarily our children that He is Awesome and Great!  That His world and creation is vast, immense, detailed, diverse and mysterious!  Is there a better way than experiencing it -- seeing the beauty of the flowers, smelling the freshness of nature...and sometimes the not so freshness of a city with challenges in waste management and a hot climate ;), tasting the incredible Indonesian dishes, hearing the dialect of a different culture and the essence of and agreeable conversation or one that does not meet the desires of the participants -- there is an incredible learning experience there...and finally the crazy and amazing things that we have touched -- Chi-chuks (geckos, lizards), flowers, new cultures, new food, rarely anything cool or cold...maybe including hand - sanitizer (Doreen's best friend no matter where we are) referring to things not touched in some cases!

Take a moment to think of Him. 

He has so much to show us.

and

we will never be done experiencing and learning.  Pray that we will never lose that desire to want to know Him better through His people and Creation.
We could share so much more but here is a short list of what we will title:

The Challenges and Appreciations.

• incredible people at our school -- SPH that we have met in the past weeks.
• ridiculous amounts of homework for Nisha and Derick at school ... something that is so new to us and the 'new normal' -- like about 2 hours every night, once and a while nearing the 3 hour mark after an 8 hour day of school.  Yikes!  We have had to cut them off a few times. 
• the budding flowers all over the place in dry season...on the trees, bushes, all over SPH campus, along the streets.
• palm trees :)
• Nisha, Derick, Alia, and Silas missing friends and cousins back home
• Indonesian Food!  *****
• Aryduta Club -- our little escape from the long hours of school 7am - 3pm.  Pics below!
  Missing Opa and Oma...both sets!
• Love Skype!
• Indonesian People -- God has truly blessed this culture with the incredible gift of hospitality and care.
• Ibu Ida -- our home help ... she is great with our kids and does a good job cleaning -- not quite great yet according to Doreen.  We are working on the cooking!  But the truth is she is caring and we love her for that and our kids!
• the Professional Development at our school has been second to none!  Incredible visionary leadership and Christian integration of curriculum.
• infact...we have been spoiled growing up and teaching in a Christian Educational system most/all of our lives.  Our Professional Development reading this year as staff is the Contemporary Testimony of the CRC -- Our World Belongs To GOD!  Crazy eh!  But it's good stuff!  Stuff that we take for granted I think.
• learning the 'ways that things are done here'!
•  driving amidst the motorcycles and etiquette
• communicating
• directions
• customs and respect
• why line up and leave space?  Occupy the space!  Use it!  It's there!  This understanding comes into play in grocery shopping, driving and cueing up wherever you are!
• lack of free time for kids Monday - Thursday
• Top Appreciation -- Spending time with our kids has been an amazing blessing all in the same educational setting and hearing them express delight in the newness that they are experiencing!

We Skyped with both sets of our Parents this weekend.  Wow, how things have changed since teaching at Hillcrest School in Jos, Nigeria -- back in the mid '90s when we would look so forward to the 'cheap' Sunday night phone calls or the weekly delivery of SNAIL mail!  It is so good to be able to communicate with our loved ones back home...great medicine, the best in fact!  We know that it was difficult for our parents to hear that we were going away with their grandchildren but now feel their blessing in our precious Skype dates that we have and look forward to them visiting!  No pressure but we'll love you more if you come! :)

So the first month has been a rollercoaster of experiences.  Some slow climbs which make us question -- what were we thinking!  and some treasure filled hours where the speed is almost too much -- we have information and experience overload!  Which leads us to being super pumped and a bit nervous for what God has in store this next month and beyond!

And...above all things we know that no matter where we are serving Him in His Garden that:

God is Great!

Pic. taken from where we've been going to church -- up 5 flights of escalators --
highlight for the kids!



Biking on our Street!!!





This is how they do Education in Indonesia...no desks!  Anna was a bit shocked too!



Love this pic...not the clearest but oldest and youngest having a great time!