As I sit here listening to the celebration of the ending of Ramadan or the month of fasting, I have had a few moments to think and reflect back on the past months and years. Today is the second day of Idul Fitri or the end of Ramadan. Muslims set aside a whole month to fast. It starts at the first call to prayer at 4:30 am in the morning and ends at about 6:00 pm at night. During that time the older people (children are excluded) do not eat or drink or smoke,( most males ten years and older smoke). As soon as fasting ends for the day, everyone heads for the food, warungs, cafes, and little stands on the side of the road. Most eating places like McDonalds, Pizza Hut, cafés, etc. have huge blinds they pull down and those people who do not choose to fast can eat without offending those who are fasting.
Today is the last day of Idul Fitri and call to prayer has lasted all night and is still going!!! (Call to prayer is called over loud speakers all over the cities and starts at 4:30 in the morning and is repeated 5 or 6 times throughout the day, ending around 7:30 at night) During the last week of Ramadan called Idul Fitri everyone leaves the cities and goes back to their home villages, a huge mass exodus to visit family and especially the older members of the family. It is probably best described the equivalent to our Christmas Celebration, where everyone goes home for Christmas.
I have thought a lot about when Paul and I were growing up and all the things we used to do, lots of childhood memories. I can remember one day out on the farm we were riding our bikes down the road to the house, from the big orchard. We had to go around that corner by Bowen’s house. For some reason I was pulling Paul, probably because he didn’t have a chain on his bike, and he told me to pedal faster so we could make it around the corner through that big pile of sand. Well I pedaled as fast as I could go right into the sand and the fence posts. The most I can remember is that I had a red and white striped shirt on and it turned completely red. Paul took me into the house bleeding and crying, okay so I was only 8 years old and just learning to ride a bike, and I think Mom probably had a few words to say about riding bikes carefully!!
I have thought quite a bit about our last get together before we left on our mission. I was being my typical smart aleck self and said, “now, I have cancelled all funerals until we get home in 18 months because I can’t come home, so please keep that in mind. Paul looked at me and said, “Muriel, that is something we don’t have control over, but I will try and keep that in mind.” I have thought a lot about his statement. Our Father in Heaven is very much in control of our lives and he knows what is best for us, much more than we know for ourselves.
I was so appreciative of the Indonesian people and Missionaries that work here in the Church Center by us. When they found out Paul had passed away they all came down to our apartment with a huge bouquet of flowers and a card they had all signed for us. They have been so kind and helpful to us, we will miss them a lot when we come home. It was so nice to have Kent and AnnaLen come that same week. It didn’t make Paul’s passing any easier, but it did take my mind off of myself for a while. It is so hard to be away from home at a time like this, but I do know the Lord has a purpose for us being here. I just hope we are accomplishing the things we were sent here to do. Hopefully we have touched some lives for good. As Elder Bednar said when he was here in May, we are all part of a huge tapestry, we are but one thread, but we don’t know what the big picture will be like or when we may touch someone else for good when all these threads fall into place.
Thank You all for thinking of us. We are doing well, time is going fast and there is a lot of work to do here in Indonesia. We love and miss everyone but we know this is where we need to be right at this time!!
Inside the Istiqlal Mosque the largest Mosque in Indonesia! Room for 2000
People to pray at once!
Some of the center people we work with, President & Sister
Groberg and missionaries and flowers and card. Flowers are daisies, carnations, Lilys and at least a dozen red roses!!!
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