Its official! My heart has been opened and layed bare --vulnerable. But it is in this state that I have found the depth of love God has allowed me to feel for 2 adults and 29 kids who were but strangers to me just two months ago. The kids and I, along with reps from 5 other IBC (International Baptist Church) families, lugged gifts, decorations and enthusiasm to Batam so that we could treat Pastor Willy, Ibu and the (as they are now called by us) Anakids to a very special Christmas party. While most of us set up and decorated for the party at a generous, yet probably less than a half star hotel nearby, Wyatt and Hannah joined the group that went to fetch the kids at the children's home. I heard later that when the vans pulled up a mob of kids came running out chanting, "Wyatt! Wyatt! Wyatt!" I wish I could have seen it but I was back at the hotel with the little girls and some others decorating and arranging the gifts for everyone. IBC families had purchased enough (really nice!) gifts so that each Anakid, as well as Pastor Willy, Ibu and their two adult kids could have three gifts each.
When the kids arrived the party began with games and swimming in a swimming pool, something the Anakids had said last summer they would love to do "someday". There weren't any swimsuits as the kids all swam in their clothes (probably one of their very few sets) and most couldn't swim so there was the occasional "going under", but there was also splashing and laughter galore! After games and swimming everyone changed and headed to the "banquet hall" (It was NOT fancy but to the Anakids it was). The rest of the evening was filled with eating (trying to convince the kids that the food was unlimited and that they didn't have to clear their own dishes was interesting), singing, laughter and so, so, so many smiles. Look at some of the girls in the photos with their gifts. I want to say Thank you to my siblings and nieces and nephews who sent photos and cards. You will see the cards in some of the photos too.
The next day (after a night of sleep that was WAY too short) we headed out to their home where the "party" continued. We did a craft, handed out goodie bags (real ones) and "goodie bags" (with new toiletries). It was here that I fulfilled my assigned task. Somehow I was the lucky one chosen to give the "dental hygiene talk". Ever been to a Christmas party with a dental hygiene talk? Seriously though, it gave me a chance to practice my VERY limited Indonesian and read a script that I had written in English and then translated. No one laughed - so my Indonesian was either amazing, unintelligible or they were very polite. My guess it was their manners. After another long day we headed back to Singapore exhausted.
The next day sitting at my QT table, I prayed for the Anakids as I usually do and I was overcome with emotion. It hit me that I am going to leave this part of the world some day soon (soon is relative). Will my little ones even remember after a few years? Will they remember us? God has us here for a purpose. I believe these experiences are part of it. But, I have to say that for every gift of joy, laughter, warmth and love I recieve from my time with them, there is now a price--pangs of hurt as pieces of my heart seem to break. I know in the back of my mind, its not forever.
