Day 11 - AVAILABLE
Today has simply been about being available. Available to respond and connect where needed as Nyoman and Suni make arrangements for Oskar's funeral tomorrow.
After a quiet morning buying souvenirs at the local mall we returned to the school and just hung around to see if we were needed. While we didn't do much, we engaged in some casual pastoral conversations with staff and Corps members, offering our prayers and support. It's times like this I wish my Bahasa Indonesia was more than a few words and phrases, but a reassuring smile, shake of the hand and comforting touch on the shoulder is a universal language of love. More than anything, today we wanted to be available for Nyoman and Suni. It is an incredible privilege watching these guys lead and minister in their cultural context and seeing the way they manage a diverse and complex centre, especially in the midst of a crisis. You cannot help but love and respect them both!
It was also great to see the rapid progress of Mr Iwan with the construction of the school canteen. Working alongside Mr Iwan previously in Jakarta and now in Palu, I am so impressed with his work ethic and quality. His good nature and hard work makes him a great bloke to work with. So, it was lovely to touch base with him and his son Irwan today as we wandered around the school. It seems there isn't a person in the school, from the classroom to the building site, that Oskar's death hasn't touched.
Tomorrow is going to be a very long day with funeral services starting at Oskar's family home first thing in the morning, proceeding to the church and then to the cemetery in the afternoon, followed by another service back at the home in the evening.
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