sweet goodbyes, lasting memories

hello all,

I wanted to send out one more letter before I jump into another 30+ hour travel day. My 14 weeks in Bandung, Indonesia is quickly coming to a close and my flight leaves in just about a week. The only words I have is a prayer on repeat, "Thank you, Lord".

Thank you for showing me faithfulness. From the moment I felt a nudge to come to Indonesia, I also felt the most peace I had ever felt. That continued throughout my time here and has been a reminder of the promise He has made to remain faithful to those who step out into His calling. It does not feel profound or incredibly magnificent, but such a simple concept. He is with me, must not I be afraid?

Deuteronomy 31:8 It is the Lord who goes before you. He will be with you; he will not leave you or forsake you. Do not fear or be dismayed.”

I plan on writing something a little bit longer to send out in the near future that recaps the majority of my experience here, but for now here are some highlights:

I took a quick hour flight over to the island of Bali for a few days to visit Jefri, one of the founders of Free and Safe Indonesia, and his wife. It is needless to say three days was not enough time to see all the beauty of this island. The culture and atmosphere were like nothing I have ever experienced.

Being the only Hindu island and having 6 major religions, there was such a richness of worship and history throughout the streets. Every single intersection had a statue of a god and temples were scattered across the land.

As we drove up and down different areas of the island I felt like I was getting a private tour by Jefri. Our drives were filled with great conversation as he shared the dream of what Free and Safe can become in Bali. At this moment they have been blessed with a plot of land, but are still praying for financial support to build their self-sustainable community center, garden, education space, and transition home.

We visited the YWAM base here in Bali as well as a school and the drug prison. It is always amazing to me just how open these people in their lowest points of life are open to hearing about the hope of the gospel. We shared the metaphor of the two dollar bills. One is crisp, clean, and new, and the other is battered, torn, and dirty. They still have the same value because the creator of the bills also wrote their value. No matter where we are in our lives, our value is not determined by our circumstances or our family, but by who God has called us to be: his beloved children.

Some other notable moments from the last month or so:

We had a team from Singapore join us for a week where we went into the Juviline prison and played soccer as well as shared the story of the lost sheep. We also had the opportunity to do some home visits. I went to visit Ibu Neneng and her beautiful family. What joy we felt laughing and smiling as we tried to communicate with no words in common. Human connection really does go beyond language and I will forever cherish this time spent with her.

This year I also got to spend my second Thanksgiving overseas. It is such a unique and beautiful experience to get together with friends from across the world, eat food you have not had in a long time, share what you are grateful for, and talk about traditions from home. We also got to share these American traditions with some of our Indonesian friends and we spent the night laughing and having such a joyful time together.

As some of you know, a huge way God speaks to me is through shoes. Yes, the ones that go on your feet. I must say, I was not surprised when God placed a man into my life this month with a shoe ministry. He gifted Free and Safe kids and parents with hundreds of shoes. I stood there with tears in my eyes with old dirty shoes scattered around my feet as these kids ran around with the biggest smiles on their faces trying on their new kicks. I don't think God is done using shoes to show me his faithfulness in my life and in the world around me.

Now I am beginning to say some goodbyes. It is bittersweet, but knowing that I have gone through this before, but in much harsher conditions, makes me very appreciative of the time I have. These "short-term" relationships are such a unique experience, but I am forever grateful for the way the internet has grown where we can stay in contact with those we love across the world. I did not know what it would look like to make friends here, especially being the only one in my position, but this was another moment where God showed me his faithfulness. I am so thankful for the memories, the conversations, the karaoke, the bike rides, the coffee, the art museums, the laughs, and most of all the love.

Thank you to those who have made these few months what it has been. And thank you Jesus for your faithfulness, your provision, and your love so evidently.

I will see you soon,

Aves