Mudik ... and back!

Okay, okay, it's been a while. Better late than never, eh? So, I went to Grujugan in Petanahan, Kebumen, with my wife and kids last week. We left Monday morning by train, having a marvelous 7-hour trip to Kebumen. We stayed, well, I stayed in Grujugan until Saturday morning, and ... here I am now, back in Jakarta. I got back in Jakarta Saturday afternoon. My wife and kids are still there now - will be back here on Saturday, I suppose. Hehehe.

Many things to tell you about, but am too lazy to write now. Well, basically I learned many things about being a pastor, being a good dad, and now that I'm at home and need to take care of myself, I'm also learning how wonderful my wife is. It's not easy to take care of the house on your own you know. And I'm not even with the kids! So, thanks a million to my wonderful wife.

Being a pastor is not an easy job (well, is it a "job" at all? hehehe). You really need to perpetually learn to be humble and to self-sacrifice. What you do, what you say, even what you think are subject to other people's observing eyes. Well, I guess that's one thing why it's not called a "job". It's rather a calling. A calling to live for others. A calling to be for others ... no no no ... it's a calling to deny your self-being for the sake of others. There. I've said it.

So, why I left my wife and kids in Grujugan? Well, only one reason. Last Sunday evening I had a meeting with pastor and presbyters of GKJ Bekasi (Pak Bambang, Pak Wisnu, and Pak Andreas), to receive the official letter from GKJ Bekasi regarding my designation/candidacy as pastor candidate/designate of GKJ Bekasi.

Oh, the above pic is the one took at a small train station during my trip back to Jakarta. Yes, the little boy by the train is the traditionally-known "child railway beggar" who would ask for money from passengers in trains stopping by at the station. Not a good picture, eh? Well, that's typical in this area. I didn't give anything to him, cos for sure I don't go with child exploitation - although some say it's been a long-living tradition in the area. The kids are not from poor families. They have parents, they have good houses, they go to school. They are simply exploited by some "preman" from the villages. Well, why on earth should I support child exploitation? No way. No friggin' way.

Well, that's all. Mudik ... and back!

Cheerz,

jk