Rise Up and Build
Once upon a time ago, I was taught not to leave any spiritual event/conference/retreat without reflection. Here are my reflections from the ANEW Fall Conference 2012: “Rise Up and Build.” 1. The Personal Call For Peter, the miracle by the sea was a personal call to a...
More Amazing Grace
The longer I am a Christian The more I find out How much of a sinner I am How incapable I am To be like Jesus My understanding increases My nature struggles to catch up Still wretched, still poor Thus I fall shorter, shorter of the mark The longer I am a Christian The...
Indonesia: Bali’s Cohesiveness
There are many ways to be a tourist. For example, one can remain in one’s own vacation bubble, as is necessary sometimes for recovery and rest from daily toils, or one can break through and be immersed in the world and culture on site. I tend to like cultural...
Indonesia: Tour de Bali
Breathtaking sights merged with a culture that is so rich and pervasive. That's Bali, a Hindu island in central Indonesia east of Java. Famous to international tourists and travelers, it took a huge hit when the first bombing happened in 2002, and again after the...
Sunset In My Rearview Mirror
...is the view I get when I head home from campus. I have come to associate it with the peace of homecoming, the quietness of a day's end, and the coming rest. It is especially precious on Fridays. On this particular Friday, this certain poem seems to match the mood...
Indonesia: Its Underappreciated Talents
Two Sundays ago my mom took me to a place in Jakarta that I had never visited before, even though I was born and raised in the city. Located in the recreational complex in North Jakarta (Ancol) where you would find amusement parks, marinas, Sea World, etc., Pasar...
Indonesia: Jakarta’s Facelifts
Or, The Thrill of Being in a Developing Country Each time I go home, I have to reacquaint myself to Jakarta because it’s always a different city that I come home to. My 3+ years absence makes this process much more noticeable, since a lot has happened during that...
Indonesia: A Familiar Rabbit Hole
Coming from the US to Indonesia feels a little bit like being Alice in Wonderland for me – the world seems to shrink in size. Cars are smaller, roads narrower, furniture and doors more compact, etc., and people stand and drive much closer to each other. And in case...
Indonesia: The Prelude
In about 15 hours, I'll be taking off to Hongkong and Shenzhen for the first four days, and Indonesia (Jakarta and Bali) for the rest of this 22-day trip. They're all familiar territory, except for Shenzhen, but it just has been a while. The last time I went home over...