This Weekend ~

 Rain! Rain! Rain! so what does Nico do?  

Pulls out his paint brushes...NOW that is using your time wisely Nico!

Little by little he mixes and paints and then we begin to see the Sawa's & mountain in the background....rice fields and ah I see a banana tree too!  


 Looking forward to the end result...will keep you posted!

 This weekend - Saturday we have been enjoying doing sharing conversational English with our neighbors down the road!  Wawan & Nanik warmly invites us to come join them on Saturday's from 3:30 - 5:30 pm and guess what?  The group is growing!  We invited Gordon & Deborah "our new friends" here in Indonesia just under 2 months...and also Ryan to join us who also has been here going some weeks now!  They are all taking Indonesia language.  

So Nick & Ryan went off to pick up Gordon & Deborah at the main street close by!

Hi Gordon!

 ....and there is Deborah....Hey Girl!

 She is still getting the hang of things...if you haven't ever been on a bike before...well it takes a little time to get use to!  But.. WAY FUN RIGHT????

So we walked together the 5 of us down Jl Antesena to our neighbors down the road and went inside to join them!  It was Deborah, Gordon & Ryan's first time!  We were glad to have them join all of us!  

....... more and more people arrived...word is getting around...people are so wanting to practice & actually speak English ....so it is such a pleasure to help do this!

 Ryan's parents have been in Papua for over 30 yrs and he just finished his college in the States and now coming back to join them there in Papua...pretty special! The best news is - he is engaged - and Amanda back in the States will be joining Ryan when they get married in December.....you can imagine how happy he is!

Yeah Ryan & Amanda!

 There's my sweet Endah...just arrived with her son Muhammad..."Hello Endah...so' glad you too are here!"

 Here comes Sarah & Aaron too!  

More & more people arrived - gosh new faces too!  Jeremy & Mindy with their girls...Luke & Joy & kids...

Fifi & Risti, Illya the lecturer, Marisa, & Mari, Dedi, Lillis & Dia, Melani, Dawi and Tri & Ika- and Novia arrived too!  

Would you believe it Novia speaks 13 languages!  Oh My what smart girl she is!  


 

I bet I forgot a lot of names!  But everyone was so nice...and it was a very special time!  The leaders suggested we go outside...on the tarp...because as more people arrived, there was no more room in the house!

 As we got settled (Ellen is not too great sitting on the ground without a back support - but we did it!)

 There was little snacks brought out too for everyone - so generous! 

 Each person in a small group would have a chance to introduce themselves...share a favorite activity and also a favorite food...and then afterwards we all had a chance to introduce someone in our group and share what their favorite activity & snack was!

~Novia loves languages & enjoys eating chicken with noodles!
~Fifi likes to read books and also likes noodles.
~Endah likes to watch movies and enjoys Nasi Goreng Trasi 
~Tia enjoys going on vacation on    & likes eating red rice. ~Yani likes to sing and also likes eating sambal Trasi.  And Gordon likes movies & eating sate'

 It was fun - we all had a great time - and making really nice friends too! 

As the "word" gets around.. many people are coming as they begin to share it with others! 

I  hope this continues to grow....it is a wonderful! A  Bridge builder to  brings community to us all!  So very very special!  We are so pleased - the Ladies "professional group" have organized this and it has  is already been going on now for 6 months ....with much success!  "Go!  Professional Ladies" - you are doing a great job!                                      


Nick & I invited Gordon & Deborah, and Ryan to stay for dinner - we were all famished!  So off Nick went to the local warung "My Waffle" to pick up orders of nasi goreng special, with fried egg & cap cay! (Vegetables) ~  krupuk of course and lots of sambal too!  YEAH!!!!!!

 It was relaxing to chat and enjoy one another ~ we are enjoying getting to know our new friends and already feel so' connected - neat huh? 


Nick & Ryan brought the "Savages" home on the bikes - They are getting use to it..little by little!

We'll get them on a bike before long...just need to practice on the soccer field down our roadway - just like I did....and before you know it they too will enjoy the pleasure of a motorbike!  Yep! 


So that was Saturday and then on Sunday - after church ~ Nick & I had invited our friends Frans & Agnes with their girls, Anastasia, Elizabeth, and Ann Mary - and also Babis & Kristiani with their son & daughter Anastasios & Angeliki... for a spaghetti lunch and fellowship!  Nick & I wanted the two families to meet - both living here in town, and both men having been employed on the Cruise ships for several years! 

Agnes is dishing up for the family!  

 ...and Kristiani is doing the same for hers! 

 ...and the guys are talking!  Together there is 18 + 15 yes of traveling the World - they have a lot to share with one another!

         Thank you Frans & Agnes, Babis & Kristiani and kids for joining us!  You are dear to us!

 We all had a good time...and the kids warmed up to one another...I blew up some ballons and we played "volleyball" in the entry room...that worked!  Agnes called me "oma" well this oma wanted the kids to enjoy one another and how does a oma do that?  With ballons of course! ha!

 

So Sunday was a great day

....and here it is Monday already!

The Sun was out this morning - so I did a load of wash.  

This evening Beppie & Elisha invited us over to meet their friends from Semarang - Rob & Ria who are Dutchies ...living in Semarang!

Elisha & Beppie is celebrating their 25th Wedding Anniversary...won't that be special to be together with them this evening!