Christmas Eve at Elsiha & Beppie's Place ~

 On Christmas Eve we were invited to Elisha & Beppie

(here is a really nice picture of them!)

home/restaurant for a wonderful evening of Song & Dinner and wonderful fellowship!  We were with their staff, and Singaporean friends and we so enjoyed our evening with them. 

 They had printed some songs and so we sang together "Joy the the World" and many old favorites!

 Elisha being a wonderful Chef had a long table out with delicious food!  COME AND GET IT!!!!

 Beef Stew, a very nice chicken flavored rice, vegetables, chicken, and also BBQ fish ~

 

 Nick chatted with Elisha & Beppie and their son Ruben...he will graduate next year at the International School here in Salatiga and then go to Holland to study in Leiden at the English University there.  His two sisters are already there in Leiden - very close to Milou's shop G-Star! 

Elselynn & Stefanie their daughters have already dropped by at Milou's shop to say Hello!

 Here we sit in a big circle enjoying one another's company and enjoying a really good meal too!  We are sitting outside...on the patio.

 Andreaz is having a good laugh with Anita, and Agnes & Agustine are sharing the joke..."so come on you guys...tell us what is so funny????"

 Love this picture! 

Yes we had a great evening - and it was a nice & cool evening...and then we headed home on the motorbike...Wow what a special Day...working together this morning doing the outreach and then having a wonderful Christmas evening too!
Thank you Elisha and Beppie for your hospitality and warmth and friendship!

On Christmas Day - we got a knock on the door - it was a man called "Muh" and he came to deliver some goodies from our friends Paulus, Indah and family!  Gosh how kind is that!  It was a homemade pudding, and chocolate "Tango" cookies and a bottle of Sambal! (hot sauce) Indah knows how I love the hot stuff  and so she included that in the delivery!  "Oh Indah you are a funny girl!" And you and Paulus spoiled us very much on Christmas Day...THANK YOU...Terima Kasih!!!!!  And thank you for thinking of us! How very very thoughtful of you!!!

 Then that evening we received a text message from Aan (pronounced "ah....on") He called to see if we were home.  "OK Aan yes do come...we are home this evening!"

Aan is a teacher at the Bethany Christian Indonesian School here in town...and on the very first day we came to the International Church Sunday service - Aan, Jessica, Jeffery and Albert (all in their early twenties -mind you) invited us to go to lunch with them after the church service...and ever since then - we have had a great relationship with them!  (we think we might be their Oma & Opa kind of...ha!) They sometimes call us that and oh well...we enjoy so' much their love and friendship!!!!  

So I opened up the present......

and Aan had gotten us both material - an Indonesian..print...to make a shirt/blouse so we could wear it at special events - oh how sweet it that!!!!! "So pretty..Aan - thank you so much!"  We are becoming more and more Indo-Indonesian all the time around here...ha!  Again - what a kind & thoughtful thing to do!  

We sat and chatted and had a really nice evening...and then at 10 - he left because the next day Aan & Albert (the Dutchie) were going to take a train(5 hr train ride) ride and then another 5 hour bus ride to the beach - oh boy...up to western Java to a beach where many people would be gathering to welcome in the New Year - He told us that many people sleep on the beach waiting for sunrise and the New Year to arrive...and that this gathering each year continues to grow and grow and bring together more and more people!  He said that there is a Facebook Group about this event and a lot of people are connected to it - for this particular event!  

Well it sounds fun - but "Oma" and "Opa"  wish them a wonderful couple of days but nah....we are staying home...ha!  I text message him at 8 pm that night (already traveling since 12 noon) and he said he was out of the train and in a bus with people smoking, a crowded bus and that Albert (who is tall!) was sitting in a really small seat...with not much leg room (all the buses are pretty much built for smaller people)

We have to laugh and think  "hey did we not drive 8-12 hrs when we were young - and didn't think a thing of it - and even came back after a day or so and do it all over again!!!!" Yep - I am starting to feel the age when I hear these things!!!  HA!