Well, this will be the last letter of 2007. What a different year this one has been, we have been places and done things that all seems impossible that we are involved in the the things that are happening.

Monday afternoon the Davis's and us made Yummy potatoes. We boiled a bunch of potatoes and then peeled and grated them. It would have been nice to have some frozen grated potatoes. We made 5 big casseroles. I made 3 large jellos and a gingerbread cake. The cook made all the rolls and cut up most of the fresh fruit and vegetables and a tossed salad. Sister Davis made brownies and Sister Pier made carrot cake. What a lot of food, but there was hardly anything left over. We cooked 4 huge hams. I cut 2 large pineapples just before dinner.




Christmas Trees at different hotels

Christmas Day was different for us, but it was special. We got up early and opened presents. The we fixed apple pancakes for about 20 elders. They watched the movie Cool Runnings and then they watch #2 of The Work and the Glory as the other Elders started to gather. There was 38 Elders and 4 senior couples. After dinner they had all brought a white elephant gift so they played that game. While they were watching the movie the Davises and Dad and I had John take us to a hotel here to see the decorations. It had a huge gingerbread house. It was really gingerbread and frosting with the candy on it . It was as tall as a house.





We left on Wed night for Menado our flight was to leave at 8:45 pm., but it was late and we didn't leave until almost 10:00. It is a 3 hour flight so it was really late before we got there. Then a long wait waiting for the luggage. The people from the Christian Church picked us up and took us up into the mountains to their church. It was an hour and half drive on a very windy road. We took 2 elders and the two counselors from the branch presidency in Menado. We went to the Minister's home and sat around. Then they had lunch. That is the hardest part of the whole thing. They took us out to a beautiful place where they were going to have a ceremony the next day. Then to visit some people.

Scenes of Menado

They decided we should go back to the hotel to get ready for their program that night at 7 pm. Back to the church and a 4 hour Christmas program. Dad gave them the wheel chairs. We only had 4 so we will probably have to go there again. Then back down to town again and the same thing the next day, but at least the entertainment was better they had some good dances, but then it started to rain and we were just out in a field. At least we had a cover over us for the program. We heard a group planning instruments made of bamboo. Instrument played like flutes and clarinets, trumpets etc, the sound was very woody. They played Christmas music, and other. They had manufactured something that looked like a tuba out of metal that added a bass tone to the music. There were no percussion instruments in this group.



It was so hot that we used the umbrella for shade



We left and went back down to town about 5:00 PM and went to visit some poor members of the branch in Menado.





We finally got back to the hotel at 8:30. We had to be up at 4:00 so we could be to the airport by 6:00 am. When we were on the way home John told us that we had to go to a program for the Institute students and they were waiting for us to get there. We went right to the church. The program went on until after 12 and then they told us that we would be going to a great Indonesian Restaurant for lunch. Wow. We finally got home at 2:30 and we had to leave at 4:30 to go to a party that a Indonesian member of the English Branch was having dinner for all of the missionaries.

While we were gone they had a big flood in Solo we should have gone there and we may still have to go. It is really serious though and a lot of members have lost most everything they have. Which isn't very much.



We have been working with Metro TV and the First Lady Office on the idea of introducing a Family Enrichment Program that was introduced to us in the MTC in Provo. The last time we met with Lisa of Metro TV, she mentioned some of the terrible things happening to the families in Indonesia, such as murder, drugs, family separations, children running away from home, and etc., and she was in very much in favor in presenting the Family Enrichment program on TV to help stem the tide of the troubled families. She then introduced her staff to us and asked them to work with us in the development of the program once the translation is completed and samples of the booklet are available.

This will be a bigger project than we can handle, we will need a lot of outside help to accomplish this program. Metro TV boasts a TV audience of 10 Million viewers. Should this be present several times during a week's period time we could have a lot of Indonesian exposed to Family Home Evenings. What a wonderful thing this could be. The booklet would be sent to those who would inquire free of charge. This would also be additional tool for the missionaries to have to interest people about the Church. Currently the missionaries cannot proselyte in Indonesia, but with a family home evening manual they have something to talk to people about in the streets. This could change the course of the missionary work in Indonesia.

Sunday we were invited to a program at that University of the Simabala family. They invite us to everything they have. They like to have the Bulas there. The Pres also took about 14 Elders and sisters with us. They fed us an Indonesian dinner yea! The elders were in heaven though. Then they had a program that lasted until after 9:00. As we went in they gave the Pres, Sister Marchant, Dad and I and 2 elders were given cards with scriptures on that they wanted us to read in Indonesian. Luke 2:4. I was given since my Indonesian is not really great it was really funny. I did the best I could.

Monday we had to be up at 4:00 because our flight to Solo was at 6:00 am. We flew into Solo and the missionary couple met us. We haven't met them before, but we knew who they were because of the white shirts. Elder Subandriyo was there also. We went to see some water projects that we may be doing. It was a raining day and a little cooler up there anyway it was in the 80's. We had a good day with the Roberts and it was fun to get to know them. We flew back to Jakarta and got home at 9:00. We packed and got ready to go again in the morning. We were up before 4:00 because the flight to Medan was at 6:00 am too. I told Dad on the way to the airport I thought we were retired.

We got to Medan after 8:00 and we had to be at the hospital by 9:00 am. We got into an old beat up taxi with no air conditioning and it was hot. It was over 100 there. We arrived at the hospital and Purba who is the legislater of Maden met us we got out of this beat up piece of junk and the cameras were all over us. The Minister of Indonesia came right behind us. We were there because they were doing the cleft lip and palate surgeries, but that was over shadowed by the presence of all the dignitaries that were there.

Some of the children that had surgery

They took us into a hall where the Purba family 4 sons and 3 daughters had a ceremony planned. The minister spoke and then they gave several of us one of those blankets again.

We also learned that one of the girls in that family is married to one of the sons of Simabala. The plot thickens. The rich marry the rich. We took a tour with everyone including about a dozen TV cameras. They were even circumcising some little boys and everyone went right in there and took a look. We were then done for the day and we went back to the hotel. I wasn't feeling very good. I was getting a cold so I took so Actifed and laid down and took a long nap. It really helped. I needed the rest more than anything. The next day, the president of Indonesia was coming. He was there for a program of Solitary of Indonesia. The program was outside and it was over 100. They put up big tents for everyone to sit under. Pubra got tickets for us to be there. We had VVIP tickets. The guy that was with us only had a VIP ticket so he was not able to be by us. We went through 3 security checks to get to our seats. We weren't that close to the Pres., but close enough that we could see him. They were supposed to have a wheel chair ceremony. They did but LDSC was not given the credit even though they used our chairs. Oh well. This ceremony was big and they put on a really nice program for the Pres. They had the flags and dancers dressed in many different kinds of costumes and beautiful. They had the badenese drummers and a marching band. It was very good and worth being there for. Then they had some tents set up on the side and they were doing some of the operations in the including the circumcison. (these were boys that were 9 and 10 years old and everyone was just walking in there.) I chose not to watch and someone grabbed me by the arm and said you need to see this. Those little boys were in pain, but I am sure the pain was more to have everyone checking it out.

We sat by a man and his wife at this ceremony, his name Rahmat Shah. He invited us to go to his museum that afternoon. What a place. He has hunting etc. He has all kinds of bears, lions, elephants, Insects of all kinds; butterflies, ants, beetles, rocks, shells, you name it and it is there. We spent over an hour there and we just touched the surface. It is a very interesting place. Pres Bush, Clinton and Jerry Ford have been there and 4 Miss Universes. They took a picture of us and it will probably go on the wall too of people who have been there. We came back to Jakarta late and were glad to be back again. We spent so much time waiting in airports, flying on airplanes, driving in the car and taxis that it is always great to get back to our bed. Even though we do like to see the different parts of Indonesia.

The other couples wish that they were in our shoes. Even the Pres wife wanted to go with us last week, but they had a zone conference. They have been to Maden though, but she wanted to go to these ceremonies with us. Thursday we were so glad to stay home and Dad had lots of reports he had to catch up on. It has really been raining so it is nice to stay inside. We did have English class though so we had to go out for that. And it is never too rainy to go and get ice cream at McDonalds.

John's wife brother and his new wife invited us to a party on Fri night. John's wife cooked all the food. A lot of food. They were really careful not to have hot food for us. We had a great time with them, but it is a little uncomfortable because we can't really talk to them too much. They keep feeding and feeding us. They made a black forest cake and we had two big pieces of that besides all the food and ice cream and Dad got 2 dishes of that before he just had to put his foot down for no more.

Well, I will close. I never thought that I would be in a situation where that song I'll be Home for Christmas, please have snow and mistletoe and presents on the tree would apply to me. but only in my dreams. We miss home, but we are doing Ok. Dad said, You need a present for Christmas and I said what do I need? I don't need anything, but I would like to talk to my family and that is enough. I love you and I will miss being there and seeing your happy faces.

We had a wedding Saturday night. A couple in the Indonesian Branch got married. The Bishop married them. I guess it was a typical Indonesia Wedding. It was a real shindig. From the dresses to the make up to wigs and crowns. They really go all out. The food and the decorations were excessive. A lot of money was spent on this wedding and this is a poor family. I wonder how they did it.

Sunday was the Primary Program in both branches. The English branch had 9 children and that included 3 little sunbeams which gave little talks also. Each child had memorized several little talks. It was the same way in the Indonesian Branch, there was about 17 children there. They all participated several times. I think I need to explain what the English branch. They are families from America that are living here. Some work for oil companies, some for the embassy and there is a family that works for Ford motor company. They are paid really well and if they are not given a house to live in they have a huge housing expense account. So they all live in really nice places. Pres. Marchant describes it like they live in Indonesia, but some of they don't really realize that because they live in nice complex with swimming pools, exercise rooms etc, etc. They shop only at the nice place and they don't really see Indonesia. They have some Indonesians in the branch, but they are not really treated like the others. They don't get involved with the Indonesian branch at all. They all go home several times a year with the whole family. A lot of them of leaving this summer their time is up here. So I hope the branch holds together because they are losing some strong families.

We had Zone Conference this week. It is so great to be around all the missionaries and to listen to the comments and their testimonies. It is held at our church so we don't have to travel very far.

I made a lot of gingerbread man this week. Sister Marchant wanted 100 for the program on Sat. She wanted 900 cookies. Her cook made 23 big loaves of banana bread. She cut 15 slices out of each one. Then for English class I decided to make some more gingerbread men and tell the story of the ginger bread man. I read each paragraph and then Sister Hinkley translated it into Indonesian so they could understand it. It was fun. Something they have never heard and they like it. Then I gave them a gingerbread man and they thought that was fun. Dad and I helped her package all the cookies yesterday. The 300 bags of cookies. We started at 3:00 and didn't get done until 9:00. It was a big job.

We are going to have a Christmas program with the missionaries. It is a big thing. That is what the cookies are for. We have been practing for weeks. But they are having a practice today and we have to be there at 9:30 and stay all day until the program at 6:00. So that is how we are spending our day. They put it on for the members of the branches and they are suppose to invite the non-members.

On Friday we were invited to a special program with some special needs children. They really like to drag out these programs. It was from 9:00 to 12:00. The children participated and it was a good program. It made me cry to see some of these little children and their struggles. I thought and Jesus loved the little children. All of them. This same group have a program at a rest home tonight which they wanted us to be too also, but we can't go to everything. They want us there and they want us right up on the front row.

I had given all these kids some candy and they were following me like the pied piper. I finally started to sing with them. Head, shoulder, knees and toes and Di siang and then I started to teach them I am a Child of God. They said each word as I said it to them. and then they sang with me. Of course they didn't know what they were saying. Dad was busy with something else. Sister Davis was with me and she said after have you sang with those kids before? Because you had them right in your hand. I said No. But they did want more candy.

Transportation

We were invited to the 7th birthday party for Metro TV. This was held at a Hotel here in Jakarta. Someone said it was a 6 star hotel. It was so beautiful and it was decorated fantastically. They said that they had put something over the swimming pool and we were all walking on it. There was a buffet table serving different items like prime rib at one, stuffed chicken, ham, scrimp and tons of Indonesian food. There were more than 2000 people there. It was said that 20% of the wealth in Indonesia was controlled by the people in that room. It certainly was the social event of my life. I was like a fish out of water. Even the President of Indonesia was there. It was great, but we had to stand up all night. There were people who were having a drink, but not much of that was going on. There were celebrities and some wanted their picture with us because we were Americans.

The next morning we went to a graduation ceremony of the University Undangan. When we arrived there were men in uniforms who were standing in front of the stairs. As we got out of the car they lined the steps on each side and saluted us. We were escorted to our seat right up in front on padded chairs. It was quite the ceremony especially since we can't understand anything. They called us up during the ceremony the Marchants, Subandriyos and us. They gave us a nice thing like and Indian covering, with beads and weavings. They put it around both of our shoulders. Someone told us that it was like they were welcoming us as a part of their family. There were over 500 graduates so it took a long time. They fed us again.

We have met this week again with Lisa at Metro TV and also some people about the wheel chairs, which should be coming soon. We are trying to get the Family Enrichment program together. They are translating it right now to Indonesian. We have many things going right now and it is going to be a very busy Dec. We think of all of you and all the preparation that you are busy with in getting ready for Christmas. Hopefully we all have time to contemplate on the birth of the Savior and the meaning it has in our own lives. We are so grateful to be a part of your lives and for the support that you are to us.

Tea Pickers

This was at a school. I told the girls these were my boys and to stay away from them.

A fun bike and cart.

On Sunday we were on our way to go to church. John's Mother in Law had a stroke during the week and we had been so busy. Dad decided that we should go to the hospital instead of to church. We go to the English Branch first. So we took the Elders and dropped them off at church. We went to the hospital and she asked Dad to give her a blessing. Then we went back and went to the Indonesian branch to church. It is sure a challenge to get anything out of the meeting. Lukie who is Elder Subandriyo's son translates for us in Sacrament Meeting and he is really good and we do get alot out of sacrament meeting, because of Lukie. He has been on a mission and has just returned. He went to Georgia on his mission, but he is leaving soon to go to BYU Hawaii. Then is S.S we get bits and pieces. In Relief Society the sisters translate, but they are mostly hard to hear. After church the sisters wanted to go and visit John's Mother and another sister whose little girl was in the hospital. They were both in different hospital one of them was quite aways away. So everyone piled in the car. 2 elders, 2 sisters, and 3 other people plus John's little boy. It seems there is always room for everybody, but this car is not even as big as our van.

When we returned home at 5:00 the Pres came out and asked us all to come into dinner. I was glad, because it had been a long day. Dad got up on Monday morning and he was sick- we think from some food we had eaten at a restaurant. We just stuck around home on Mon and mostly Tues. He seemed to be feeling better. On Wed Ummi had called and wanted to come and see us. She came in and talked a little bit and then she started asking questions again. Dad said, are you wanting to know about the church and she said yes. So Dad gave her the whole story of Joseph Smith. I said, I don't thinks she is getting it all, you need to get the missionaries here. Dad finally told John to go and get the Elders. They came down and taught them. It was hard to tell how they were feeling, but we will see. We gave them a Book of Mormon and they said they would read. We will have to wait and see. The elders said at first they were kinda of guarded because it seemed she just wanted to know so she could tell her friends, but then they said they didn't know because there seemed to be a little interested. Her husband talked several times while they were being taught and that is the first time he has even said a word and we learned that he doesn't speak any English so he hasn't been understanding anything we have said. So it was good to have the Elders here.

Thursday we had to be on the road by 5:00 am. No time to think about Thanksgiving. Elder Subandriyo went with us. We met the Kanes. The closing project was held at a very remote tropical mountain location. It was a little seclude place that you can go and rent little cabins for a little getaway. The scenery was spectacular and it was a very relaxing place to be after we had ridden over the very curved and bumpy, bumpy roads to get there.

There was a large Sundanese orchestra playing traditional music while we waited. The mayor was almost 2 hours late. So it was a long wait. The ceremony was nice. They served the traditional Indonesia food. It is really hard to eat. Some lady that was after Dad told him he had to have some of this and it was wrapped and cooked in a banana leaf and was suppose to be really good. Dad opened it and it was a half of fish and the eyes were looking out at him. It was cooked, but it looks so bad.

We had to be ready to go the next day at 5:15. Pres and Sister Marchant and Subundriyo and another guy went with us. We went to another very nice place and the scenery on the way there was so beautiful. The road was not as bumpy, but it was sure curvy. We stopped on the way up at a tea plantation and took some fun pictures. This ceremony was the same, but it started on time. After the ceremony and the dinner. (which Dad put food on his plate, but didn't touch it.) He said I am through eating this. I said you just need to have a pepto bismol after each meal. The Pres said we are not very far from the Indian Ocean and I want to go there. So we all went there. It was really pretty. We spent about 2 hours just relaxing and enjoying the scenery.

The next morning we got to sleep in we didn't have to be ready to go until 7:30. We were invited to a pre-school program that John's wife is involved in and LDS charities helped them by giving them some tables, chairs and books. The children preformed and they were so cute, but they had about 4 speeches in Indonesian. And guess what they served to eat? Dad was just dying. I just eat rice and some other things to look like I am eating. They make some good cakes and things here and they had some of those too.

He woke up Sunday morning and said he was feeling better. We went to Church and after it was the Indonesian Branch's ward council. They asked us to attend. We were there waiting for it to start and the Branch Pres who just loves Dad said, Elder Walker we always have lunch before we start our meeting. That was almost the straw that broke the camels back. They have these packets they serve that have rice and who knows what else. We had to sit there and eat. They just eat it with their hands, but they always go and find us a plate and spoon. They are so good to us, but boy we could go without even eating.

I couldn't leave this picture out. These men were sound asleep- we could have walked away with the whole fruit stand!

Dad and a little Indonesian lady.

As each week starts out I always wonder what it is going to bring. Last week Dad had it all scheduled out what we were going to be doing. Dad got busy working and Elder Subandriyo told him that they were closing out on the projects in Aceh. That is where the tsunami was. He said that we would be going to represent LDS Charities. He came and told me that all was canceled for the week because we would be leaving on Tues to go to Aceh. We had Brother and Sister Palmer here from Singapoe. They are the Public Relations couple for the Asia Area. We had a meeting with the Public Relations people here on Monday afternoon. The Public Relations committee here are trying to set up a Family Day with the First Lady and they want to use this Family Home Evening Manual. The Palmers brought us 600 little beanie hats and some with booties to give to some hospitals for the little preemie babies. Then we had dinner at the Pres. house. We served cake and ice cream and they all sang Happy Birthday to Dad.

The Islamic Relief Group picked us up at the airport in Aceh and took us to the Hotel. We stayed at a really nice place called the Oasis. They had a great restaurant and we got some good American food. So Dad did get a good birthday dinner. We got a good sleep too.

The Oasis Hotel

On Wed morning the Islamic Relief group picked us up at 9:00 they took us to one of the schools which was to be gifted to the people of Aceh. LDSC provided the money and the Islamic Relief have been building these 10 schools. We arrived and were greeted in grand style. 2 dancers greeted us and they had one umbrella which they used to shade Dad as took him to his seat.

They brought us all a little box of cakes and treats. They had a welcoming dance and then speeches. Dad had to give a speech and then he went with them to sign all the papers and then he went on a tour with all of the big Whigs. They then drove us around to see all of the schools. As they drove us through these areas they told us that everything in this large area had literally been destroyed including all of the vegation including trees. He said you would see bathtubs floating around stoves and refrigerators everything. There are all kinds of buildings, houses and the trees are really large. It is almost hard to believe it really happened. We went back to their office where they fixed us a nice Indonesia lunch. Thank heavens for rice!!! We then went for a five hour ride to Biruem. We drove through the mountains and it was so beautiful. the scenery all along the way was just incredible. We have no chance to see anything other than what they take us too. We did see the ocean once from a distance. Rice fields, banana plantations, coconuts. We arrived at a very bad hotel. The room was just that. The bathroom there was a sink and a toilet. a hose for a shower, but not division for it. The water just run on the floor of the bathroom. We were very close to a Mosque so we heard the call for prayer at 4 am for about a half an hour. Other than that we had a pretty good sleep.

The next day we were taken on a tour of a small medical clinic. It was nice, but not great. We went to a larger place which was their hospital. LDSC paid for these and another small clinic. They took us on a tour of the hospital because the Governor was coming to this ceremony, but he was late. The Governor arrived and there was a special dance for him. It was really fun to see all the pomp and display that was put on for the Governor. They had name tags on all the seats for the special guests. Dad sat on the front roll with the Governor and I sat behind with the Palmers. They called it the peasant seats. Dad gave another speech and he signed more papers then he helped the Governor cut the ribbon for the hospital and took a tour with him.
Dad with the governor

Dad's Speech & Girl Who Translated

We then took the 5 hour trip back to Aceh and were able to be in the nice hotel again. We flew to Medan to meet with a Dr there about doing some cleft palate surgeries. He wasn't interested when he found out that we were not going to pay for the whole surgery. We finally got back to Jakarta and since it was so late we took a taxi to our home. On Sat. we got up at 4 am and left at 5 am so we could be in Sukabumi before 8 am when they took the stitches out of those little children that had the surgeries the week before. I was astounded at the change in these little kids. There were some happy little kids. We went into the room and watched them remove the stitches. They didn't have enough help to hold these little kids down that were kicking and screaming as they were taking them out. So I started to help hold them. The administrator which we had met last week and was quite a jovial type guy came into the room where I was helping. He asked me if I had any medical experience in this area. I told him only the experience of having 9 kids. He really laughed. It was quite the experience. We left there and got home about 4:30.

The Delivery Room

For Thanksgiving we will not be doing what we had planned. We have to go to a closing for a water project up in Borgor. Of course they don't celebrate Thanksgiving so this was not even considered when they set the date. So we will be going there both Thurs and Fri. No matter what, we are grateful for the many blessings we have in our lives, for the opportunity to be in Indonesia (who would have ever guessed we'd be here?), for our wonderful families who we miss and send kisses and hugs to, for our special friends who are so good to keep us informed about happenings in their lives, for a warm home, for good food and for the Gospel of Jesus Christ. We hope you will all have a wonderful Thanksgiving and remember all that you have. If you feel any of your lives are sad or lacking, please come join us and you will see how much you really do have - We truly are a blessed people!

Happy Birthday Dad!

Everyone send Dad a Happy Birthday Message. You can post a comment and it will send it to his e-mail automatically if you would like!

Monday we went down to Bogor which is about an hour away if the traffic is good. We went to a closing ceremony for a project which was called the Toilet Project. A small restroom was put together for a elementary school in a poor area which has 400 students attending the school. They have never had any toilets there at the school. LDSCharities teamed up and helped to put this together. It has two toilets and a urinal. They were so happy. It has to be locked up so the whole neighborhood doesn't start to use it.

We had to be in Borgor at 7 am on Thursday to meet with the Kanes. John our driver came home and we went with the Kanes to Sukibumi, a 2 hour drive. This is where they were going to be doing the clelft lip and palate surgeries. We went to the hospital and there were 66 children there getting their blood tested to see if they were healthy enough to have the surgery. It was so sad to see them all. Some of them were really bad. It almost made you want to cry for them. We took pictures and shook hands of the parents. They were going to do the surgeries on Friday and Sat. We stayed atthe Kanes on Thurs night, becuse on Fri they were having a outing for the missionaries for the zone at the Safari. They needed the car and John to drive some of the Elders. So we went with the Kanes with their driver. Friday we were able to attend the outing with the missionaries at theSafari. It is such a great place.

On Saturday we went to the hospital and they were letting the patients go home that had had the surgery on Fri. The surgery lasted anywhere from 15 mins to an hour. We saw some of them who were leaving to go home. It was just a miracle to see what had happened with them. They were doing more surgeries and they let us put on a gown and mask even John and go right into the operating room and look at each patient and watch what was going on. They were doing 2 cleft palate surgeries which are more complicated and several of the lip surgeries. It was just amazing to watch what was going on there and how they were doing the surgeries. This is a good hospital. They do have some sophisticated equipment, but not much. It is a better hospital than most of them here though. The Dr. we were working with is a really good Dr. I had Dad ask him if he could do an EKG and he said yes he would be glad to do that. So he is going to do it next week. We have to go back next week to see when these children come in for a check-up. I get really tired of being in the car.