Today we have two bloggers, Abby, and Gavin. We will begin with Gavin’s account of the day, and finish with Abby’s reflection on the time we have spent in Malaysia and Indonesia so far.
Today was a “free day” after the work done yesterday, spent seeing much of Indonesia. Most woke up early for breakfast at the hotel, with some following it up with a local coffee shop at 8:30. After that, we departed at 9 for Indonesian Miniature (TMII) for sightseeing and free time.
TMII contained many gorgeous recreations of Indonesian architecture, religious places, and flora local to the area. There was also an area at the entrance where members of the group were able to participate in traditional music and learn how to play traditional instruments. We all took a Cable Car ride across the scenery, viewing a recreation of all of Indonesia in grassy patches over a lake. After this, we ate lunch at the on-site restaurant, consisting of delicious local stews and refreshing specialty beverages.
After this tourist attraction, we departed for the mall around 2:00 PM. Along the way, we enjoyed telling jokes and playing games in the bus to pass the time. Upon arrival, we all headed for Pendopo, a store inside the mall for Indonesian souvenirs, and then separated for a bit to explore the rest of the mall.
After regrouping around 6, we all headed to dinner at a delicious local seafood restaurant. We enjoyed specialty beverages, with many opting for coconut water straight from the fruit. The dinner consisted of Crab legs, Shrimp, grilled fish, calamari, and copious side dishes. This was easily one of the most unique dinners of the trip thus far. We then enjoyed looking back and reflecting on parts of our trip, seeing how God has shaped the experience for all of us.
Our last stop was to walk over to a local grocery store, filled with exotic fruits and snacks to try. Searching the aisles for new and exciting things to try and gifts to give was a great way to end the day. Afterwards, we headed back to UPH to rest and prepare for the workshops tomorrow morning and afternoon.
- Written by Gavin Brophy
How time has flown! We are already nearing the end of our time here in Jakarta, and so many beautiful things have already happened.
Reflecting back to the very beginning of our adventure, I am reminded of the small blessings that God has shown our group. The first one is the fact that our entire group of 31 students and faculty as well as all of our luggage arrived safely in Malaysia after traveling across the world and braving a nine hour layover in Dubai. Another blessing is that although a small handful of students unfortunately contracted a virus towards the beginning of the trip, the rest of our group has managed to remain healthy and well. And throughout the trip so far, the locals from both Malaysia and Indonesia have been immensely helpful in their connections—showing us the best restaurants, best places to stay, best people to talk to, and best sites to see as this mission trip is the first time for most of us to visit either of these countries.
Personally, one of my biggest concerns embarking on this trip was that adjusting to a completely different culture with new food, a new language, new traditions, and new routine would be difficult to acclimate to. However, the exact opposite has been the case. I have felt so much more welcomed, at ease, cared for, and helped than I could have imagined. I have learned that no question is too silly and no concern is invalid. Instead, there is always someone delighted to help you better thrive in their culture.
I believe that this trip so far has given me a broader understanding of the beauty of God’s creation. Everything from the breathtaking view of the city from the top of the Burj Khalifa in Dubai to the beach in Sabah, Malaysia to the lush greenery of Indonesia has shown me that the artistic handiwork and creativity of the Father reaches so much farther than my own home country. It has helped me to better appreciate the moments where I am allowed simply to be still, to breathe, to observe, to be present and enjoy living on such a marvelous planet.
I also believe that this trip has brought us closer as a group. I’ve had so many deep and meaningful conversations with my Baylor friends, some of whom I had never met before now. But I do think that that is the special thing about trips—we bond over the experiences that are made up of exploring a new place together, traveling from destination to destination, figuring out what exactly is going on and what we are doing, and everything in between. I’ve found so much joy in the gift of the mundane, such as laughing until my sides ache on the long bus rides in the traffic of Jakarta. Just like the locals from the countries that we have visited, everyone in the group from Baylor has been equally as supportive of each other and ready to help in any way that they can.
As mentioned before, I am immensely grateful that God has provided us with this opportunity to share our love of music with different cultures and people from all away across the world. I have seen through the workshops we have conducted, the concerts we have performed in, and the time we have spent just talking and learning more about one another just how joyful and inspirational the people of Malaysia and Indonesia are in spirit and character. It’s so incredibly rewarding to be able to share with someone something that I love and see them grow equally as excited about it. I can’t wait to see how God continues to move throughout the next few days we have left in Indonesia!
- Written by Abby Guel
