Fire!

Monday while shopping in town, everyone started yelling,
"Get out! Get out!" I stabilized my stance and thought, I don't feel any shaking... What else is there besides earthquakes around here? When I got outside there was mayhem in the streets. People were yelling, "Fire! Fire!"

As I crossed the street, I saw what they were on about. The entire block was on fire. Smoke was billowing high in the sky with flames shooting up into the smoke, high above where any buildings were. It was an awesome and terrifying sight.

It was that feeling you get when you watch the power of nature--that feeling I had when I watched Hurricane Charley uproot a massive oak tree behind my friend's house.
As I watched, I cried, wondering what it must have been like to be an eyewitness of the twin towers going down in NY. What I saw reminded me of pictures I had seen, even though this was miniscule by comparison.

I ran to the car, grabbed my camera, turned it on, and saw these awful little words on the screen: No memory card. I was so mad, but what could I do? I stood by with the heat on my face, watching as the island's one firetruck, with men in t-shirts emptied the contents of the truck in a few minutes. It was like using a syringe to put out a bonfire. Apparently this fire was not so big for the history of this town. An electrical fire in the midst of a bunch of matchbox buildings is like setting a bomb off.

Since the whole town shut down, I went back the next day to finish my shopping. The streets were crowded with people and tonka trucks. It had rained over night and almost 24 hours had gone by, but there was still smoke rising from the metal piles and even some little fires holding on for those who had missed the fireworks from the day before.


Families and store owners were sorting through the rubble, pulling out skeletons of yesterday--sewing machines, a bicycle, a kid tugging at a generator... Entire businesses were lost. Families have literally lost everything they owned.

Fortunately no one was physically hurt in the disaster, but how do you pick up and move on from something like that?













When I was in elementary school, we learned a little song that was sung in a round. It keeps going round and round in my head:

Scotland's burning
Scotland's burning
Look out, look out!
Fire! Fire! Fire! Fire!
Pour on water!
Pour on water!

Pray for rain, pray for rain is more like it.

Ummm... wow.

Yeah, okay, so each week I try to take a "personal day." It doesn't always happen, but I did get one this week. I decided to take the motorcycle out for a little adventure. After driving about 18 km (11 or 12 miles?). from my house I came to this spot on the coast Nearly dove in fully clothed (the only way around here), but since I was alone in unfamiliar territory I decided against it. I just hung out for several hours, walking, reading, singing, journaling.
Have I mentioned that I'm trapped in paradise?

The Kite Runner, by Khaled Hosseini

Last year I watched the movie. A while back I started the book and finished it last night. What a flippin' great writer! Hosseini is brilliant. Heart-breaking, but oh so good. I love his word pictures. Here are a couple of examples:

...a stranger's jeep is parked in the driveway of our house, pissing oil all over the asphalt.

and:

...I wondered if that was how forgiveness budded, not with the fanfare of epiphany, but with pain gathering its things, packing up, and slipping away unannounced in the middle of the night.

Wedding

My friend got married on Thursday. She lives 2 doors down--incidentally, where I go to pop my squats (I know you wanted to know). The village outhouse is located by her house.
On a less earthy note, she is a teacher at the local elementary school.


It is just amazing all the work that goes in to one of these things! I love how the community comes together to make it happen.


Family and friends come from all over the island, and for days there is constant cooking and chatting.
I would love to post at least 20 pictures to show all the work and results, but it takes forever, so here are a few--men stirring the big meat pot, mobs of ladies grinding fresh spices, mega dish-washing duty...


On the wedding day the bride and groom look like a king and queen on a throne. They change outfits several times during the day. The whole ordeal is exhausting. I guess any wedding is exhausting. I just don't ever have the honor of being around the couple during and after the wedding--no honeymoon here; the groom just moves right in with his bride and mother-in-law.

Late afternoon they changed into western-looking wedding clothes and had pictures taken on the beach. Then they changed into traditional Javanese clothes for the evening and some pictures on the bed.









They met just a few months ago. Being "in love" before getting married is not so important here as just making sure you do get married. Apparently it's a sin not to get married. Oops. Anyway, it was an absolutely beautiful day all around. The funnest wedding I've been to here yet--and believe me, there have been plenty. I'm sure it has nothing to do with the fact that she was my good friend. :)

Feb 5: "Streams in the Desert," L.B. Cowman

I just read this yesterday and appreciated it so much. I am such a DOER....

Ye shall not go out with haste (Isa. 52:12).

I do not believe that we have begun to understand the marvelous power there is in stillness. We are in shuch a hurry—we must be doing—so that we are in danger of not giving God a chance to work. You may depend upon it; God never says to us, “Stand still,” or “Sit still,” or “Be still,” unless He is going to do something.
(from Crumbs)

Sit still, my daughter! Just sit calmly still!
Nor deem these days—these waiting days—as ill!
The One who loves thee best, who plans thy way,
Hath not forgotten thy great need today!
And, if He waits, ‘tis sure He waits to prove
To thee, His tender child, His heart’s deep love.

Sit still, my daughter! Just sit calmly still!
Thou longest much to know thy dear Lord’s will!
While anxious thoughts would almost steal their way
Corrodingly within, because of His delay—
Persuade thyself in simple faith to rest
That He, who knows and loves, will do the best.

Sit still, my daughter! Just sit calmly still!
Nor move one step, not even one, until
His way hath opened. Then, ah then, how sweet!
How glad thy heart, and then how swift thy feet
Thy inner being then, ah then, how strong!
And waiting days not counted then too long.

Sit still, my daughter! Just sit calmly still!
What higher service could’st thou for Him fill?
‘Tis hard! Ah yes! But choicest things must cost!
For lack of losing all how much is lost!
‘Tis hard, ‘tis true! But then—He giveth grace
To count the hardest spot the sweetest place.

J. Danson Smith

Success!!!

It was an amazing weekend. Everything flowed so smoothly, from timing to recordings to food and housing. We really bonded with these guys. Now I have new grandpas. :) Four of the eight came, and it was a great group. There was such a warmth and feeling of family. You could almost taste sweetness in the air. Thanks for remembering us.

Pictured above: Each time a storyteller finished his story, he gave 2 thumbs up to let us know to stop recording. :)













The food was great! Although after having rice 3 times a day for 4 days (been eating leftovers since they left), I'm beginning to crave some western food.