Goodbye Wonogiri!!! We will miss you!

We are sad to say that tomorrow we will be leaving BMW Wonogiri. This week the team worked incredibly hard to complete their projects. While we weren't able to finish everything, we made enough progress that the Indonesian staff will be able to complete the remaining work themselves. Naturally, the team was a little disappointed that we couldn't see the projects through to the end, but they also understood that time was not on our side. Even so, they were encouraged by all that they accomplished and by how much they were able to contribute this summer. On Saturday afternoon, we said goodbye to the worksite for the final time this summer. We had to remember that this trip is not ultimately about finishing our project, it’s about faithfully being obedient to The Lords calling to serve. That has certainly been true for our team this summer. We have seen God move in incredible ways. I believe every one of these team members has grown in their faith and in their walk with the Lord. It has been such an encouragement to watch their spiritual growth, and I'm so excited for you to see your teen in just a couple of weeks and hear all that God has done in their lives. This morning we attended a more traditional Indonesian church. The team had the opportunity to give a presentation to the congregation, and afterward we spent extra time with the children's ministry. The children performed a song for our team, and then our team shared a songs, puppets, and a drama with them. We also took lots and lots of pictures, which is something we do everywhere we go! Indonesians love taking photos, whether they're serious or “FREESTYLE”, and I'm sure you'll hear plenty of stories about that when your teen returns home. This evening we celebrated with the students and staff here by sharing a traditional Papuan meal. Before dinner, we had a fun dance party that led us into the dining hall, where we sat together on the floor and enjoyed smoked pork, chicken, cassava, sweet potatoes, and corn on the cob. It was such a special experience and a wonderful way to celebrate everything that has happened over the past few weeks. Tomorrow morning we will leave Wonogiri and drive about two hours to an Indonesian resort. It will be a well-deserved treat for the team after all of their hard work. The team members don't know about it yet, so it's still a surprise! We hope these next two days will give everyone a chance to rest and recharge before we head to Jakarta. We'll spend about a day and a half sightseeing there before preparing for our journey home.

The Lord has shown me that it is okay to not be okay. He also taught me that it is possible to do things fast but still efficiently. He also taught me that it is okay to share your feelings with people and that it has power to heal. He has also taught me that even though we are from different cultures that we still serve the same God. No matter what we do, we do it for our God, and that is just some things that God has shown me.-Isaiah W

The latest taught me a lot after the last two weeks here in Indonesia. I feel that he has really been wanting to grow in me a spiritual contentment. A lot of examples of this have been troubles on the worksite, patience with others, and first reviews. As we leave tomorrow morning to go to Jakarta to our sightseeing, I really hope that I remember all these things I have learned over the past three weeks serving God. -Wade W