Momma Yo!

Selamat pagi, thats good morning in Indonesian! 

So I have been in Indonesia for a month exactly and it's funny, it feels like time flies, yet stands still at the same time. It feels like the days take forever to finish, but when I look at the calendar, it feels like just yesterday I got off the plane in this polluted city or smiling faces.

My time here has gotten better; I'm not feeling as hopeless as I was before. Nothing in our ministry has really changed, but it seems whenever I am not pleased with the way my life is going, and that something needs to change, it's usually my own heart (note to self: if I want to see change in my life, pray for change in me first!). Earlier I had felt useless being here, and very discouraged, but now I don't feel like that so much. How many chances do I get to be in a country like Indonesia? I need to take advantage of this opportunity while I am here. 

So, this past weekend we went to a village, Wonosalam, in the mountains, of approximately 300 people. We went to 3 churches, and the cool thing is, the one church had 30 members, and that little part of the village only had 60 people living there, so to hear half the village attended church made my heart happy. The people who live in these villages are all farmers, tobacco, cloves, coffee, chocolate, bananas, papaya, all sorts of amazing foods! It was fun visiting all the houses because we got to experience home grown and made coffee, hand picked coconut and bananas, but I'm sure I put on 5 pounds from all the food they make us! Momma yo!!! (a saying from Papua, sort of like 'oh man'). We got to go to a house where a little boy with polio lived, we got to pray over his body, but the poor little guy was so frightened of us we had to leave. The church services them self were great! We all got to share our testimonies and Mel and I sung for one service, but the thing that stuck in my heart was their worship; they worship so whole-heartedly. They cry out to God, they urn for Him to be in their lives. When they pray, they pray with PASSION and for long times, they pray like I should be praying. I need to take lessons from the Indonesian peoples, I find so many times I pray and its quick, simple, like I don't even care that I'm talking to God...well I want to change that, I want to learn to pray like the Indonesians; with my whole heart! I love the village, and we're lucky to be going back in a week for mission adventures (pretty much a mini DTS for younger kids). We're supposed to be climbing a volcano too, so hopefully that pans out.

Last night one of the staff here, Retha did a thing called Kerokan, its an ancient Indonesian remedy for any sickness or fatigue. So here's what they do...you take a 500 rupiah coin, put some oil on your back, and rub the coin until you see red. Red means your tired or sick, no red means your okay. So my entire back, arms, neck and chest is covered in red bruises (I have pictures) for four days. It didn't hurt, but it looks like I got beaten! I had been wondering why so many women had so many bruises and I just though what a horrid place where everyone is abused! Ha was I wrong! But it sure is a funny sight!

Well I think that's all the fun news I have for this week. I will keep you posted if anything new and interesting comes up! Hey, by the way, Happy late fathers day to all the dads, and HAPPY CANADA DAY soon! I hope everyone is enjoying the sun and the BIRDS of summer!!! 

Love you and see you soon! Tamarah

Indonesia!

What is outreach? What is it supposed to look like? I'm not sure to tell you the truth. I entered DTS with a pre-thought of what it's supposed to look like, and now that it's not what I first expected I am finding myself frustrated. I wish that I never had made any pre-ideas of how or what outreach is supposed to look like, since no one can really know until it happens. 

As far as Indonesia, I LOVE the country, the people are beautiful, the city is nice, the food is yummy and i am traveling with 3 other amazing YWAMers. I am lucky to say I haven't really experienced any sickness due to travel yet, the worst I got was a heat rash and a full tummy from eating too much good food!  We are lucky to be staying at a YWAM base in Surabaya, and the staff members from the base are just awesome! So funny and so friendly, so it makes it even more enjoyable. Food is good, we eat a lot of rice...but when I say a lot, I mean A LOT...like breakfast, lunch & dinner A LOT! We even had spaghetti one night and all the indonesians ate rice with it! HA what a sight!  Okay wow, it's HOT here, like maybe minimum 40 Celsius and humidity on top, ugh its insane! I sweat non-stop! ha sorry if that's too much info for your liking! Indonesia is a very muslim country, so 5 times a day we hear loud speakers go off with arabic prayer calling all the people to the masques to pray (let me mention the first one goes off at 4am....yup lol) so that is something I'm still not used to. It's one of the most erie noises in the world to hear hundreds of chanting and wailing voices going off in the heat of the night. It also hurts my soul...if only they knew the freedom and relationship with our Jesus.

My average week looks something like this:

-Monday= off! woo! shopping, movies, sleeping, biking.

-Tuesday= Smart House (teaching kids english and math)

-Wednesday= Smart House, Soccer ministry and late night cell group

-Thursday= Smart House

-Friday= fasting and praying, youth group

-Saturday= cooking, cleaning and feeding the kids at the slums (same place as smart house), and another youth group

-Sunday= church, and relaxing!

So we get pretty busy, but it's okay. It is tough doing the same thing day in and day out though. At the smart house I teach pre-schoolers their ABC's and they just can't seem to learn them, which is frustrating on both parts, but we still have a month of that, so I hope it improves with work. As far as the youth groups go, we do quite a bit a preaching which is new and very scary for me. I have shared 2 times now but I'm sure there will be more in the future, so it's good practice but its not easy.

I think the coolest thing God has shown me thus far is just that this whole outreach is about loving Him, no matter what that looks like; that it's about following His heart and His path and not going by my own preconceived thoughts of what this would look like. It's about trusting that He knows what's going on and I just need to be patient, obedient and in the word everyday. I think I got caught up in wanting to do and not paying attention to the greatest commandment...and that's to LOVE HIM. So this is the challenge I give myself for the remainder of the trip, is to be joyful everyday in ALL that I do, even if it doesn't look the way I think it should. Another blessing He has given me is 3 little old ladies I visit every weekend; they are a muslim family and they just love me to bits! They wait for me all day and cook me food special for me! They get to practice their english with me and I get to ask about their faith and show them my genuine love for them. I am praying God is using me to make a difference in their life and hopefully open their eyes to the love they can have with my Jesus.

One of the things I struggle with the most here is just the loneliness. I didn't think you could be so lonely in a place with so many people. Surabaya is 3 million people, yet I find myself so alone. I think this is due to language barriers. I'm always surrounded by people, but I can't ask them questions or answer their questions, and it's frustrating. We don't always have a translator on us so we can't always speak to anyone and everyone, which makes sharing the gospel next to impossible. But another factor is that we're not even allowed to share the gospel. Something about the way the base is set up and the title it has, we're told to tell people we're at university and not to tell them we're Christians unless we ask. So I have spent many frustrated nights struggling with God as to why I am even here if I can't spread the good news. And thats where I have come to the conclusion it's about loving and not about telling them necessarily about Jesus. I pray that people will see my difference in just how I live my life and that they would ask me why I am not like your average Jane.

I'm glad God has brought me down this journey. I think I have learned a lot and still have more learning to do. I really hope that when I come home I can share more of my experiences with you. But for now, if you could just keep me in your prayers, I need God to continue to help me with patience and home is around the corner and I am getting anxious to see loved ones, but I need to focus on my life here. Also with sickness, just for safety so we continue not to get sick. Pray for the poor children, that they become educated so they can get good jobs to break the curse of poverty, pray for the muslims who are run by a fear based religion, and pray for my team, that we are just following God's map and not ours.

I love you all and can't wait to be back home.

xoxo. Tamarah

Jesus Walks

I leave in T-minus 3 days and counting, and will be in a extremely new and foreign Islamic country. I would by lying to say I'm not a bit scared, I'm nervous, but I am so excited. These next months are going to be such a time of growth and in a different and new way from how it has been during lecture phase. This is the time where I actually get to practice laying my hands on people and praying for healing, prophesying over them, encouraging, and loving on them...this is the time where I can love them like Jesus loves them. I have been in my own little house soaking up so much knowledge these past 3 months, with little ministry time, but now, it's all love all the time, and this excites me more then anything. Living how Jesus wants us to live.

This whole DTS experience is so much more then I ever expected. I didn't really know what I was in for and each week was a handful of new surprises. I have grown and learn immensely in these past 3 months, in ways I will cherish and live by for the rest of my life. I feel I have learned the way God wants me to be, I feel I have come to know the Father, Son and Holy Spirit on a new and intimate level. I have see friends come, and friends go, I have watched dolphins jump in the wild sea, I have loved on thee highest hippy, I have fed the poorest homeless people, and this is just the beginning. It continues tomorrow, next week, all DTS, when I come home, and the rest of my life. I came to Australia to see if I could find the plans God would have for my life, and He showed me them; He showed me why I wake up every morning, and why I live with so much passion and Joy. I am serving a GREAT KING, and He is going to move mountains, and help me out of valleys, and rest with me in soft pastures; He's been my constant companion this entire life and I am blessed.

Please keep me and the rest of my DTS in your prayers. Pray God will do many works through us and that many will come to Christ and that we will ALWAYS glorify God in all we do. Please continue to pray for income to come in for the rest of the team as well as there is still $3000AUS that still needs to be covered.

I Love you all who read this, and I will try to keep this updated while I am in Indonesia, but if not, I will see you all in August!

MUCH LOVE from down under! Tamarah!

One thing I ask of YOU!

Hey, I am just writing this blog for you guys, to write back to me. Please, oh please, send me prayer requests! What can I pray for YOU? Anything you need prayer for, let me know and I will pray for it!

So yea! you can comment, email me (cocoa_loco@hotmail.com) or facebook message me!

love you all!

Homesick

Not quite half way done the DTS yet. Things have sort of shifted in the air here, not only is it COLD but the excitement has shifted from being one of getting to know everyone on the school, learning our schedules and getting out around Byron, but now it is one of preparation, fasting and prayer. This is not a bad thing, just different, not the same exciting buzz as before, this is more of a real time of digging and seeking the Lord. We are all so excited for going to Indonesia for outreach, it's so obvious in all of us! Some are nervous however of the money situation, as a base I think we need about $10,000 if not more for outreach. We will be doing fundraising this week to hopefully make that number alot smaller. I know God is going to work wonders here and really show us how amazing and what a provider he is! I can't wait to see the stories of faith that come out of this!

-As for the details of leaving the country, my team (which is Mel, John, Raj, and me if you'd like to pray ;] ) but yea, we leave Brisbane on the 31st of May and will be in Surabaya Indonesia! We will return back to Australia the 29th of July I do believe. Sorry if emails and facebook become non exsistant for me as I don't know how much internet access I will get.

-As for just me, I'm really homesick and have been for almost a month now. This is the first time in my life to experience what homesickness is and it's not the most fun. It's like I finally feel I have a home at home, I feel I want to be connected. I have an amazing family back home and I have missed a lot of years with them because of me traveling, because of arguements and whatever, but I really want to go home and make relationships again, to become a strong family. Also I have an amazing boyfriend who I can't wait to get home and share so many more times together with. We started dating in January and so didn't get much time to be together before I left, but Lord willing, when I get back we will have ages to continue to grow in love. Also I have an AMAZING church family; I have never felt more a part of a family then with New Covenant, so I can't wait to get home and get connected with the church again! I miss working and I miss my friends and my pets. Oh see! I just have so much at home that I've become homesick! So I am just praying that God can keep me focused on the NOW and not the THEN. So if you want to pray for me, that could be a prayer, just to be focused on what Gods called me to do now, that is to finish my DTS getting every possible piece of Him here that I can!

Man, I thank you so much if you read this, if you pray for me. When this is over, tell me your phone number and I will personally call you and tell you all the Lord does to me here. This has been such a time of growth for me and with 3 months to go, there can only be so much more!

I love you all so much!

1/3

G'day!    Well, I'm 1/3 done my DTS and only 4 months to go! Time is flying!

It's easter monday here and easter was a fun and eventful weekend! It started with a 24-hour prayer day on thursday, where we stayed up all night and prayed, watched the passion of the christ, and worshiped, until friday morning when we went to the lighthouse and prayed over Byron and worshiped there. Then we went to church, which was fun, and then went to our weekly BBQ and handed out our sausages. Sunday we had church and another BBQ in the park to share the resurrection with Byron. Today, we helped out at this huge carnival the churches put on for the community, helping with balloons, food, jumpy castles, face painting, animals and much more! All and all a good weekend...busy but good!

These past weeks have been good, going deeper into the word of God and learning more about myself and God, and just growing my relationship with Christ. We have been starting to get ready for Indonesia, learning the culture, cutting our hair (the boys can't have long hair), and just growing together as a outreach team. My team will consist of 2 boys and 2 girls, so small, but good, we will be a close family. The city in Indo we will be going to is Surabaya.

I've tried surfing again, but am so bad at it...I can wobble on my knees, but as for standing, I will have to push harder! The sun is dissapearing and the rain is always here, so I will be happy to get more north where I can sweat more freely then I can in Australia right now, ha ha.

Well, I can't think of anything else to post, though I will put pictures up on facebook and flickr soon so keep checking! I love you all heaps, thanks for reading & commenting! I can't wait for everyone to see how much I have grown and learned!

Cheers, Tamarah

New Covenant

So friends and family, I just want to say, I LOVE JESUS. Welcome to being loved by the most gracious man ever to walk the planet. This week I have learned about covenants in the bible, and I just want to say, if you have not learned about the covenants in the bible... GO READ IT! Learn about the covenant in the garden, the covenant with Noah, with Abraham, with Moses, and with David and Jonanthan. Then read the new testament crucifixion and see how Jesus fulfilled ALL THE OLD COVENANTS. WOW.

So DTS is going good, learning, growing, sharing, giving. I knew this was going to change me, but it's actually changing me! I feel it, see it, hear it! Thank you so much again to anyone who supported me financially, and anyone is praying for me now. I need it still, especially for when I leave for outreach to... (drum roll please!) INDONESIA. Yup, going to Indo and pretty excited about it. This week we are actually heading to the Gold Coast for class, so living out of my backpack will be exciting! Super sunny up there!

Let me just finish by saying God is LOVE. And I understand more of that attribute now.

I love you all. God bless!

bare feet and messy hair

i have been away from my home now for 2 weeks. so much has happened.
first i want to say sorry since i am a new blogger and a bad speller, so this could be interesting, but i am going to try to stay in touch and update you all this way.

i started my travels in hawaii, which i didnt expect much out of, but ended up just amazing! the beaches were insanely beautiful, sun and sand forever! surfers, backpackers and lots of big natives! it was a blast. one day i need to return. God blessed me with a australian chap to show me around hawaii and he quickly became my friend. showed me all the neat local places in hawaii to see. i went snorkeling with 7 sea turtles! wow it was just breathtaking!
we continued our trek to sydney australia, where i just was so homesick! i missed my friends and family and was quite jetlagged. sydney was cold and wet and not my favourite place, but maybe i just didnt get the full sydney experience! on to byron bay...the 9 (which somehow turned into something like 11) hour drive up to school...in POURING RAIN. driving on the opposite side of the road, in rain, at night is SCARY. but we made it, all in one piece.

so i parted from my new friends and got ready to make a whack load more. the new students arrived and there are 9 of us that make up byron bay feb 09! it has been fun getting to know the new students and see the town! i have already surfed 2 times! AND i am even a little bit tanned (and yes i am wearing my sunscreen!)

school is already moving so quick. friday we put on a free BBQ for the locals, streeties and backpackers. it was testing. we were supposed to evangelize. well...eaiser said then done. i may be bright and bubbly, but talking to complete strangers who are from all over the world is tough. but i worked up my nerves and just tried to be friendly. this is going to be a tough, but a great next 6 months. we have all shared our testimonies and the thing that stuck out the most in my head was that there are students from all over the world (usa, canada, australia, norway, holland, denmark and switzerland) and we all believe in one God. we all worship the same, we all love the same. i am just really excited for what God is going to do in my heart, and the others hearts and how He will be able to use me.

So i still need prayer! i need to be bold and i need to be fearless in Christ. i can't wait to see what He does with me!

Well love you all heaps (heaps is VERY australian) lol
take care! TAM