The Old and the New

It is hard to really organize my thoughts and feelings about our first month in Indonesia.  We have moved to a city of 2 million+ people and have moved into a home in a type of housing addition.   We have started a new job, met new co-workers and students, and have started driving and learning our way around town.  We have found new yummy food and new places to swim and play.   We have set up new schedules and basically a new way of life. 

However, the old way of life here and old relationships have also called us back.   Some of the reunions have been sweeter than I could ever express.   I remember with heart-felt emotion how one of Casey’s guards in Salatiga grasped his hands in a warm shake and then touched his chest with his other hand and said, “I don’t have words (I’m speechless).”   When I met one of my best friends in the world, we just wept and several times she said, “I just can’t believe this.  It’s like I’m dreaming.”   We have also strongly felt the loss of Casey’s close friend, Gono.  We have not been able to see his wife and daughter yet, but feel his loss now so tangibly.  Even now I can hear the sound of his voice and laughter in my head.  He would have been one of the most excited people to have us back in the area. 

There are two other families in Salatiga I have been praying for and was so thankful to see.  The first was a woman named Nina who used to be a guard for Casey.  She was so excited to see our family.  When we hugged each other both of us just wept.  I have regrets that we have not had the opportunity for deeper discussions about life, family and faith and I hope and pray that we can at some point.  On the day that we left Salatiga two years ago, a special couple came to our house to see us off.  It was our old neighborhood leader and his wife.  We lived in a house in their neighborhood when Ryan was a newborn and Niko was born in that house.  They have two daughters.  One is married now and has a daughter of her own.  The other just graduated from college and is looking for a job.   Casey went to the door and surprised them.  We didn’t have their phone number, so just had to stop by.  J  They were so surprised to see us.   The wife gave me a warm handshake and kissed each cheek as you do here---but then, she really hugged me.   We don’t have the same religious beliefs or follow the same traditions, but the love they have for our family was really evident and was such a blessing to our hearts. 

When I was telling my friend about how tired I was from visiting friends (we haven’t even made it to see everyone yet, even after two visits!), she said she felt sorry for me.  Then she said that she was also not sorry—because it demonstrates how much we are loved and how many people care about us.  Although we don’t have a ministry at the same place anymore, those people have been a big part of our lives.  We have a new ministry now and new people to get to know.  I am sure that as we work here longer, we will get to know them better and develop deeper relationships.  Right now we still feel a little torn, feeling like we are a part of two worlds.  At this moment, we do give thanks for all the amazing opportunities He has given us and for all the people He has brought into our lives ALL around the world.  We are certainly blessed!

The Saga of the Watermelon

Henceforth, it appears that this is how a watermelon must travel in the Bernhardtmobile. 

 

Yesterday, we went to our friend's house.  My friend asked me to come and watch 10-12 kids at her house while Casey went to help at her fish store.  She felt like there was not a plan for lunch, so I told her I would stop at the store and grab some frozen nuggets and fries so that I could feed all the kids. After all, that sounds like a lunch menu that can't be wrong, right?   When we stopped at the store, I saw this beautiful huge watermelon.  I don't know exactly what it weighed, but it was priced at $4.00.  I thought that looked perfect for "dessert" for a dozen children.   I put all the groceries in the back of the car and we headed to her place. 

 

They live on a hill.  I know they live on a hill, but it doesn't feel like a "serious" hill.  Their driveway though is really steep and high.  Casey went to the left lane and got over partially in their driveway so we could pile out.  We thought we would just all get out and walk up their driveway, since he was continuing on to the store anyway.   I went around back as the boys were getting out of the car.  When I opened the back hatch, I heard the rustle of plastic at my feet.  I looked down around my feet, trying to figure out what plastic bag had fallen out.  Lo and behold, it was the plastic bag carrying the watermelon! 

 

Ryan had just gotten out and was standing by me, ready to get some bags--but before either of us could make sense of what was happening, that watermelon TOOK OFF, rolling down the hill.  It just rolled along the side of the road, gaining momentum as it went.   Ryan started to go for it, but Casey called him back because there was too much traffic.  Cars and bikes were honking, swerving--and then the incredible happened (which just makes me die with laughter when I think about it!), that watermelon CROSSED THE ROAD---four lanes of traffic, to the other side.  When I told my friend the story later, I just couldn't get a breath in, I was laughing so hard and I was crying. 

 

No one hit it.  It just kept rolling.  But as we lost sight of it, Casey yelled, "Go, go, let's go!"  He didn't want to stick around in case someone hit that sucker.  I really believe no one did.  It just joined the traffic melee, gliding along.  I lost a beautiful watermelon.  My deepest hope is that someone down the road was able to recover it and enjoy it!  

 

So, when I bought one today, under the seatbelt it went!  :)

 



News from the Other Side

It is hard to believe that we are rapidly approaching the one-week mark of being back in Indonesia!  Thank you for praying for us on our journey.  The trip was long, but it was fairly smooth.  Our luggage cost us some money, but we were expecting that.  We left for Seattle by car Friday evening around 6:30pm.  It took three hours to get to the airport.  After checking in and going through a LONG security line, we made it to the waiting area.  We had to wait for quite a while, but in our experience, it is better to be early than too late!   We didn’t know if the TSA would want to call us to open our bags, so we wanted to give ourselves plenty of time.   Our flight left at 2am and we flew to Taipei, Taiwan.  It took about 11 hours.  All of us got a little bit of sleep, but not great quality sleep :). 

We arrived in Taipei at 5am Sunday morning (their time-which would be Saturday evening in the States).   We had a four hour wait there.  The airport is nice, but there are not a lot of food options---particularly early in the morning.  We were all really hungry because we didn’t have much on the plane.  We were able to get some food at a vendor and were able to “freshen up” (brush teeth, etc.)   Our flight left Taipei for Jakarta at 9am.  Our seats and the leg room were a little wider and that was so nice!   Chase took a good nap on that five hour flight, and the rest of us should have!  

We arrived to a hot Jakarta at around 1pm and went through immigration.  Then we got some guys to help us with our huge amount of luggage.  We paid them well and they helped us through customs and with getting our bags on the next plane without even having to go upstairs!  It was really nice.  There was a flight leaving for Semarang around 3pm, but we had booked the 5pm flight because we did not know how long immigration and customs would take.  So, it was a long wait and then a LONG one hour flight to Semarang.  Casey pointed out that although it was the shortest flight, it felt like the longest because we were all so tired and so ready to get done with our journey!!

We arrived and Casey went to deal with getting our bags.  Some folks from the school we work at were there to pick us up.   Some good friends who live in Semarang also came.  They had done quite a bit to get stuff into our house (that we bought from people who left).  They also got some furnishings for us---some incredible things.  We were so blessed!   It was pretty miserable the first night because we did not have any fans, but thankfully they had the AC running in our bedroom.  We have 3 bedrooms and 3 AC units, but with the electric capacity, we can only run two at a time.  So far we have all been bunking in our room at night but hope we get a plan going so the boys can move into their own rooms J. 

So, this week has involved a lot of shopping, learning our way around the area (which we are getting slowly!) and meeting people at school.   It is very different to live in the big city versus the “small town”/”village”.  It is also very different to live in a predominately Chinese area.  It feels a lot more like where I lived as a child, in Bangkok, Thailand.  This weekend we are going to try to visit Salatiga for two days because we have the week off for Lebaran (breaking of the Muslim month of fasting).   The traffic is getting worse and worse with people heading home to visit their families.  We will opt to stay close to home after our little jaunt to Salatiga and will be working on class preparations.

Our jobs are good, but we have a lot of work to do.  It is a great environment, but I know it will take a little time for us all to get used to our schedules and responsibilities.  The big boys will start their online classes this coming week and then will all try to get started at our school after this week long break.   It may be a bit bumpy for a while, but we are praying that they will adjust quickly.

We have some praises and prayer requests:

1.       Praise:  We arrived safely! 

2.       Praise:  Some incredible people (Sandy and Johana, John and Marilyn) have been taking care of us and our kids.  Chase is particularly partial to Mr. John and thinks he is pretty awesome.  We are so thankful for all of their help in this last week!

3.       Praise: A great school community with fun-loving and beautiful students and coworkers.

4.       Praise:  The school is providing us with a vehicle this weekend---one for us to use all the time.  And, a new one at that!  (WHAT, God!?!?)

5.       Prayer: My supervisor, Erna (an amazing and beautiful woman of God by the way), has not been feeling well.  She is suffering from headaches and vertigo and every doctor has told her something different.  Please pray for complete and total healing.  He is able!

6.       Prayer: For our kids to adjust, to learn the language, and to make new friends.  Pray that they would embrace our ministry here and allow God to teach them new things.

7.       Prayer: Please pray that we would be a light for Him wherever we are.  Please pray for great new opportunities to help people learn more about Him!

8.       Prayer: Please pray for safety on the roads.  I know that I will need to drive and I’m feeling pretty overwhelmed by the traffic.  Maybe it will get a little better, but the sheer volume of vehicles is way different than Salatiga.  I know my husband won’t be able to chauffeur me around all the time, so I would appreciate prayers for courage and for safety.

Thank you for your love, support and prayers! 
We appreciate them so much,

Sharon, Casey & the boys

The Art of Waiting

Isaiah 40:30-33 Even youths shall faint and be weary, and young men shall fall exhausted; but they who wait for the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint. 

Sometimes we have to wait a long time to hear the voice and calling of God.  We pray, wait and hope for Him to speak and provide direction.  Many people I love and care for are waiting for His direction in some areas of their lives.  When I look at our lives and how God has been silent for long periods and then has slammed doors shut and thrown others wide open, I know that He really does have a plan for us.  I could not have made such orchestrations on my own.  He hasn't always done things in the same way, but He has always known what my heart has needed and when to provide it.  He has always been walking before and behind me.   We waited, during our two years in Anderson and felt uncertain of what He had for us.  We lived day by day, doing what we felt we should do to provide for our family and minister to those around us.   Just when we actually felt a little comfortable with our situation, some doors slammed shut while others opened, propelling us to something different.  Now we have been in transition, waiting again---and watching as He purposefully puts things together in His way and for His reasons.  I am in awe of His timing.   As I look back over my life, I can see how He has worked out His purposes for us in the very best ways.  So, what are you waiting for?   Are you watching and listening?   At just the right time, He will faithfully answer because He is God. 

Bernhardt Update

BERNHARDT UPDATE

After several days of traveling, we made it so Sunnyside, Washington from Anderson, Indiana.  We spent a few days in Iowa with Casey’s family and then drove 3 very full days to get to Washington.  Now we are in the waiting and hoping stage.  We are waiting for the visa paperwork to finish in Indonesia, and then we will have to buy airplane tickets and send our passports to Chicago for the visa stamp.  We are hoping it will all go smoothly and quickly with tickets, visa, luggage and traveling.  We do ask you to pray for this process.  School starts in Semarang on July 15^th, and we are hopeful that we will make it on time for school.   God does know our needs.  Please pray for His provision as we wait.  

We are thankful for this time with family and friends.  Sharon’s father has declined in the past two years, and it is good to be here to help and support him.  These moments that we can have with loved ones are very special.    

We do appreciate your prayers during these weeks of preparation.  Please pray that God will provide as we wait here.  Please pray for the preparations and then the transition that we have back into Indonesia.  When we arrive, we will provide a mailing address for you to use to send letters.  After we arrive, we will try to determine how reliable that address will be for packages. 

If you want to provide a financial donation for us, please send it to: Casey & Sharon Bernhardt, PO Box 2479, Anderson, IN, 46018.  This is through Madison Park Church of God, Anderson, Indiana.  They will be handling our donations for us.  It is best to contact us via email. 

Thank you for your loving support.  We appreciate that so much!

Casey, Sharon, Ryan, Niko and Chase

Incredible People

We have started the process of saying "goodbye", soaking up our last experiences.  We were able to worship with our friends at Indonesian church in Indianapolis.  One of the most amazing women at that church is our dear friend Hilda.  She is a loving and caring friend.  She is also a godly woman who has demonstrated true sacrifice and service as she has cared for her husband who has Alzheimers.  I love talking to her because she shares about how God has been faithful to her.  She has been determined to care for her husband at home, even when her own body can barely stand it.  God has given her strength and has helped her find an amazing helper.  We are really thankful for our friendship with her.   It was hard to express fully what a great impact her testimony has been to us.

We also spent our last Sunday with one of our church families.  Celebration Church has been a part of our work since our last time overseas.  They have supported us and prayed for us.  While we were in Anderson these two years, we attended there on Sundays.  We have gotten to know the people their personally and they have become a family to us.   Ryan and Niko were baptized there and they prayed for us.  We have been so blessed by their love and encouragement.  They challenge us to grow with the Lord and we are thankful for each and everyone in that congregation.  We  will miss them so much.  

We have two more church visits to make.  On the weekend of June 9th we will be with our supporting church in Glen Burnie, MD.  On the weekend of June 16th we will be with our Madison Park Church of God family.  God has blessed us.  We are so thankful for these churches and they way that they have supported us--financially, emotionally, and spiritually.   What an encouragement as we face our final weeks here!

Worship at Indonesian church

Our amazing friend, Hilda and her husband James

Prayer at CCAH

Pastor Mike

Pastor Mike and Lady Melanie

Sister Juanita

Two precious girls from Sunday School- Erika and Natalee

This Last Year

God gave me the greatest opportunity this last year, to teach at a local Christian school.  It has been a good experience for me.  As I walk away from it soon, I am most impressed by the students that I have met.  Some of them come from difficult walks of life.  When I hear some of their stories, my heart aches.  Some of them have met the Lord, and He is making a difference in their lives. Some of them don't really know much about who He is or what He has for them...but they are hearing about Him. I hope some day they will experience His love for themselves.  Some of them have struggled with seeing authenticity of faith at school, and I think that was the case for some of the kids we worked with overseas too.  The chapel speaker this last week really made me pause to think about that more.  He talked about the parable of the talents and the three servants.  What stuck out to me this time was that the third servant (who buried the talent instead of investing), was also a "servant of the master".  He was also a follower of God, yet the master condemned him to hell because he did not live in obedience to God.  The speaker challenged us to think about if we are really living for God, or are we just paying faith lip service.  I do want to be a person who lives for the Lord in all ways, and in doing so I want others to see Him.

I will miss the students at this school and I will be praying for them as they learn and grow. 

The student body worshipping together 

The worship team

Hands for Jesus--an incredible sign language worship experience

My dear friend who leads this ministry

Some of my craziest 7th grade girls

And, one of my craziest 7th grade boys