Today I will write a smattering of thoughts about the journey that I am on. First of all though, I had better do some explaining and updating of what I can possibly mean by all of that…
View of Bali
What you may or may not know, is that I am presently in Bali, Indonesia while Theresa is in Canada with our family and friends. The well laid out plan for the summer was that I would spend three months with my son James, assisting him with his Masters research as a part of his studies at the University of Manitoba. When I say “assisting” I am referring to my part which will consist of polishing his shoes, carrying his attaché case, cleaning up the dirty dishes, and in general, just being the “Man Friday” around the house. I have few delusions of my ability to have much input into his thesis study. Nonetheless, it was to be a father – son time together in a very unique setting.
Some plans have a tendency to change – “all of the best laid plans of mice and men” – as the saying goes. I purchased my ticket, insurance, set the dates, etc., and prepared to leave Winnipeg for Indonesia. James then found out from the Indonesian embassy that he could not indeed get his visa for the dates expected, but would have to wait indefinitely until the date of their leisure. The complicating factor for him is that he, unlike me, needs a research visa, whereas I on the other hand, simply required a tourist visa.
So a decision was needing to be made – should I try to change my tickets and go later, or should I go as was originally planned and arranged for. If I did change my tickets to later dates then I would not only take the financial hit, but I would also lose much of my time in Indonesia since I knew that I needed to return to Mexico by the beginning of September. I decided to go as planned, and wait for James in Bali. I felt that there were probably some things that I could do in Bali in preparation for his work anyway.
So I am in Bali, sitting on the floor in a little cyber renting computer space while young teenage boys are playing computer games around me and shouting and very exuberant about their games.
So, with that explanation out of the way, let me lay out a smattering of my thoughts about Bali.
I have found Bali to be a beautiful island with very loving and accepting people. The predominant religion here in Bali is Hindu, unlike the rest of Indonesia which is predominantly Muslim. The Balinese seem to be very open to any religion as there does not seem to be any mayor conflicts between the Hindu, Muslim, Buddhist, or Christian/Catholic faiths. They are extremely, and deeply rooted religious people. There are temples, ceremonies, offerings, demonic idols, and religious paraphernalia everywhere.
Hindu god
I have thought of Paul’s address to the Athenians many times (from Acts 17 – “The Message”):
…all those idols! The city was a junkyard of idols… Paul took his stand in the open space at the Areopagus and laid it out for them. “It is plain to see that you Athenians take your religion seriously. When I arrived here the other day, I was fascinated with all the shrines I came across… The God who made the world and everything in it, this Master of sky and land, doesn’t live in custom-made shrines or need the human race to run errands for him, as if he couldn’t take care of himself. He makes the creatures; the creatures don’t make him. Starting from scratch, he made the entire human race and made the earth hospitable, with plenty of time and space for living so we could seek after God, and not just grope around in the dark but actually find him. He doesn’t play hide-and-seek with us. He’s not remote; he’s near. We live and move in him, can’t get away from him! One of your poets said it well: ‘We’re the God-created.’ Well, if we are the God-created, it doesn’t make a lot of sense to think we could hire a sculptor to chisel a god out of stone for us, does it? God overlooks it as long as you don’t know any better—but that time is past. The unknown is now known, and he’s calling for a radical life-change. He has set a day when the entire human race will be judged and everything set right. And he has already appointed the judge, confirming him before everyone by raising him from the dead.”
It is so plain that the Balinese are deeply religious, as Paul described the Athenians. Yet they worship what they don’t know – their devotion is to the gods and demons which must be
appeased and pacified. It is these gods which bring luck, fortune, rain, good crops, money, health, etc., and which conversely keep away the evil which is always lurking just at the periphery.
Women Praying
My prayer is always “God, how can I be Jesus to these people”? “What is my role here on the island for the next couple of months”? “Why am I here now so completely outside of the original plans for the summer”?
I have been unbelievably blessed many times while here. God has opened so many doors miraculously for me. If you know me at all, you will know that the last thing that I would want to do is hang out in the touristy areas of the island, nor indeed, be associated with tourists. I landed in Denpasar, as everyone must, and then decided to get out of Dodge as quickly as possible and head to places where I would not be bombarded with other orong pute (gringos) on a constant basis. I took local advice and ended up at a place called Kintamani in north eastern Bali. There, as I stepped out of the vehicle I was hit with the usual people trying to set me up in a hotel. I was unimpressed, and decided to try on my own. I struck out down the side of the volcano to a little village at the bottom which reportedly had a cheaper guest house. On the way down – a several mile hike – I was met by a man on a motor bike who stopped and asked if he could help me. I explained my needs, and he volunteered to take me to the little hotel, but said that he also had a place that he was renting. We negotiated prices, and were able to settle upon an agreeable price if I took it for a week.
The place ended up being wonderful, and I have taken it for a month. Nyoman and his wife and family have become very good and loving friends to me. They quickly incorporated me into their family and friends. I have become not only a guest, but a friend. I ended up renting Nyoman’s motor bike which gives me “wheels”, and I am now a mobile man with a beautiful place at the base of a volcano mountain and on the shores of a little lake high in the highlands of Bali. (Incidentally, all of this costs me $10.00 per day – the house and the bike. Food runs about one to two dollars per day, depending upon how I feel like splurging. Mind you, I am not “doing” any of the touristy restaurant stuff. Gas for the motor bike costs me about a dollar per day – maybe one fifty if I run the bike really hard for the day).
I mention this not to make you jealous, but to say that because of my friendship with my host family I have also been given the privilege of being invited to Hindu festivals with them. Shortly after my arrival with them there was a large Hindu village gathering, as well as family festivities and celebrations. I was loaned a sarong and headdress and other necessities for admission, and I became a part of the crowd. After the festivities and offerings I was invited to eat with them – to share the fruits and other foods offered at the ceremony. “Meats offered to idols”?
Party at my House
I have had to think often about Jesus over the past weeks. As I have already mentioned, my constant prayer is “How can I be Jesus to these wonderful people”?
I have a sneaking suspicion that if Jesus had been hanging around with the Pharisees and Sadducees, or the other religious and temple leaders of his day that he would never have received the scathing rebuke of “glutton and wine bibber”. On the other hand, Jesus seemed to delight in, and to make a point of not hanging around with the squeaky clean of his day.
I have had an interesting contrast here in Bali. As I have already mentioned, I have been loved by, absorbed into, and thoroughly embraced by my Hindu hosts. They are wonderfully warm and loving people. This has also happened to me when I have simply been walking down the streets of little towns. Earlier this week I was invited into the home of a young couple to share the afternoon with them. He is an English teacher in the small village and both university graduates. They live in a very, very simple and poor situation, supplementing his meager salary as a teacher with small-scale farming. They were open, warm, loving and very Hindu. We ended the afternoon by sitting around on their floor sharing a meal, eating with our fingers as is common and traditional here in Bali.
On the other hand, I was able to look up the location of several Christian congregations here in Bali by doing an internet search. I looked up one of the little congregations that meets in a village about a half hour from my place. I was received well enough, and sat through a service which might have been any “high church” service anywhere. The building looked like any “church” building anywhere with the standard Christian religious paraphernalia. The minister and other readers came replete with ornate robes, crosses and the full works. The hymns were sung in monotone with a bad accompaniment by a small keyboard. The order of service was stale and canned. There was no indication of the joy of the Holy Spirit evident at all. After the service was over I kind of stood around wondering what would happen. I was greeted warmly enough as people went past greeting each other – shaking hands – not Balinese at all. I was never invited out to anyone’s home, or to return, or anything. In the end I simply got on my motor bike and drove off.
I was saddened by the morning. In my mind I had to contrast what I saw there with what I am experiencing with my host family as well as the random striking of friendships along the way – the sitting around on the humble floors
Rice Farmer
and sharing a meal off of banana leaves. I left wondering if we somehow have put Jesus into the wrong package altogether. If I did not already love Jesus, if I were not a follower of the Way, if I did not already have the Holy Spirit of Jesus living in me, if I were not already in love with him and his people would I find what I saw offered, (and see offered everywhere in the name of Jesus) to be appealing? How can I say that the canned, dour package into which we have placed Jesus is a better alternative to my Hindu friends than what they already have? Don’t get me wrong – I do not in any way think, nor mean to imply that I think that their religion is right or correct. I accept completely Jesus’ words which state that He is the only way to the Father. There simply is no other way, like it or not. However, I strongly feel that the package into which we insist on putting Jesus is so very, very wrong.
If you did not already love him would you find the package appealing? Think about it honestly and with an open mind. Are we really representing the Jesus who the religious leaders felt compelled to accuse of being a glutton and wine bibber because he hung with, and honestly loved the sinners around him?
Soon I will probably be moving from my little “lake cottage” to the north side of the island. This again was one of the “God-orchestrated happenstances” in my life of late. I have been getting bored recently (as James stated, there is some irony in getting bored in paradise). Still, there is only so much exploring and poking that one can do, even if in paradise. So, as I have stated, I have been getting bored waiting for James to arrive. I went on line and began looking for NGOs (non government organizations) on the island that are within close distance to me, and where I may be able to volunteer and assist in some way while I wait. I came across a little work in the north side of the island which incorporates a clinic and village work. It is called Bali Crisis Care, and is run by a lovely elderly woman who is known as Mama Gloria.
Indonesian Child
Mama Gloria has been in Bali for many years and dearly loves the people. She is supported by only a handful of donors – mainly from Australia. She has put all of her own resources and money into the work. Bali Crisis Care is not a registered charity, and as such cannot give tax receipts. This fact has greatly reduced the number of people or organizations who will donate. Bali, like much of the world has made it impossible to import medicines from outside – from pharmacies who would do so for free. This means that all of the medications that she gives away at no cost, must be purchased by her here in Bali from the meager donations which come in to the work.
Mama Gloria is a woman of many, and probably all faiths. She explained to me that she has no definite religion, but that she believes in faith. Faith in good will come through in the end, and all good produces good karma and wins in the end.
I think that God may just be opening a door for me to work with her for the next couple of weeks. Sound strange considering what I have just said? Will it also be said of Steven that “he is a glutton and a wine bibber”? Will it be moaned, “We played the flute for you, and you did not dance; we sang a dirge, and you did not mourn”? I wonder. But then I wonder more – what would Jesus have done?
How should we then live? How do I show Jesus – how do I become Jesus in a world that does not know him. Do I insist on packaging Jesus in a container that is unpalatable to even the initiated, or do I “endanger myself” by becoming unsavory to the opinion of others who will be swift to misunderstand and raise the eyebrow of religion?
Ramblings perhaps – perhaps those of a madman – I don’t know.
Please pray that James’ visa comes through very quickly so that we can work together over the summer. Soon I must return, and if James’ visa does not come through soon my time with him will be very short. Please pray that I will hear Jesus’ voice while I am here in Bali. Pray that I will have opportunities to show the true Jesus to these loving, and wonderful people who are so bound in false religion and superstitious fear.
Thank you for being a part of what Jesus is doing around the world.
Blessings.
