This post refers to Friday and Thursday. Because yesterday evening the internet connection was off, which can happen quite often, I didn't managed to post it. So enjoy!
Selamat malam. Another week went by... like flying! Today we ended the day with a pouring rain and Li didn't miss the opportunity to put on her swimming suit. Li would run, jump, scream in euphoria while Lu was feeling the rain drops on his standing body and also very careful not to fall for this wet and slippery floor was new to his 'walking feet'. There I was trying to capture the moment, taking pictures but soon I got rid of the camera and decided to just enjoy that moment of joy and discovery of the children. Feeling the heavy rain falling, the thunders and the unusual warmth while raining, at least for us, made me rather contemplative.
Anyway, today we met again Ibu Sophie which is a very dynamic 78 year-old lady. She used to be a English teacher and she also speaks Dutch because she is still from the time when Indonesia was a Dutch colony. Now although retired, she is still very active organizing religious activities and participating in the social traditional activities of the community. She lives here in the neighbourhood and Pak Budhi arranged for us to meet her and have some 'lessons' of Indonesian language and culture. Tomorrow we'll have our first lesson! I believe we'll learn a lot from her. Such a life experience can only have a lot of knowledge and wisdom to share!
Yesterday morning we heard a call on the loudspeaker but at an unusual time to prayer... instead it was a call for weighting and measuring children under 5 years old. It sounded like an opportunity to dive in the community routine so we decided to mingle in. Pak Budhi went with us also. When we arrived there we found all mothers and children weighting on the different scales and measuring their height and behind a big table with little piles of booklets, a lady filling in the values that mothers would report. We decided to register Li and Lu also, so I sat down and filled in a couple of forms with basic info over them. Next time, they'll bring a booklet with the growth curve where we can check if they're growing accordingly. It seemed a very informal and relaxed health 'check-up'. In the end we're quite surprised by the snacks they offered the children, cookies and a lolly, which didn't seem to fit in in a health consult.
In the afternoon, we went for a walk around the neighbourhood to get some fresh air. We wandered aimlessly until we passed by the Umi's house, which is in the same compound where the daughter of Ibu Ati goes to school in the morning. She saw us and started calling us and inviting us in. In no time all the family living in and the neighbours around gathered, messing with and touching the children and pulling us in. She was so happy to see us and we felt so welcomed, it really felt good! She was really glad to have us there at her place. She would grab my arms in a very gentle and soft way (in a granny's way) and pulling me in with her big smile. Talking and talking, half of what I couldn't understand but I could surely feel welcomed and this sincere feeling of willingness to share... and that seemed to be enough for us to understand each other. It did me good. Specially that day, that I had been suffering from a tummy disarrangement. She took us to the living room and offered us a cup of sweet tea.Little by little the rest of the family joined sitting on the floor (which is the way here) like in a ritual of respect and then they opened a door that gave to a ground level balcony where the neighbours and their children gathered. There we were surrounded by smiling and friendly people, calling and teasing the children, asking us questions and sharing things over them. It was a short and unexpected but very pleasant visit.
That's all folks. Got to go and get some rest. Have a wonderful weekend and see you soon!
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