Unchained

October 30, 2024

It’s always nice walking out past these beautiful flowers that hang down in the entranceway of their place

The first full day in Bali started the way the last full day ended on our last visit 5 years ago, with a 90 minute massage. The main difference is this time I have no fever due to contracting Dengue Fever and hopefully it will stay that way.

And we think our elections look silly

I was informed that these are the winning candidates that will be making Bali great again!

The first stop on day one was to deliver about 100 handheld devices that had recorded copies of the Bible in Indonesian, Balinese and English. Wade’s church supports the orphanage and its director Kadek works with local Indonesians to teach Christianity to Hindus.

Too long buildings face each other at the orphanage. The room for the children on the left with seating area outside of each room that is used as a classroom. On the right, his directors residence, kitchen, etc..

I sat mesmerized as this man I just met outlined his life’s changes, as a third generation Hindu Priest charged with killing a local evangelist with curses and spells.

This is the process a priest uses to keep the temple running smoothly. His grandfather had over 80 killings, his father around 30 and he over a dozen so when he was unsuccessful he turned to his father and they both went to the Temple to double check the process and stop this man. Again unsuccessful after 3 attempts Kadek’s grandfather sent him to a Christian school as a spy to find out the power of the Christian in their Bible and discover weaknesses that they could use to place the effective black magic spell.

They removed a section of the rear of the property and are building an addition that will make the orphanage much more functional. Construction here reminds me of construction in Haiti… Never quite complete

After some time, Kadek just told his father that it is a book of stories. He stole a Bible and gave it to his father who read it non-stop for three days front to back. They were first encouraged by the fact that the Christian God was murdered but undone by the resurrection.

They are the power structure of the temple and the inextricably connected community so when they returned home after being baptized as Christian men hundreds from their village blocked the road and stoned their vehicles. Kadek prayed that stones would not fall on them as they and the townspeople called back and forth….none hit them. The police were called to rescue them and because one officer was a Christian they were able to spend the next three months living at the police station until they could return to get their belongings.

Sitting on the steps, Sheri’s brother Wade, Pastor Kadek and I am sitting in a chair in the driveway, listening intently

I asked Kadek how a religion functions without love and he said that it functions using fear to control the people. The villagers are expected to give their time, money and resources to maintain the temple structure throughout the community. They are indentured servants in a process that just takes and enslaves. How dangerous then are men who speak of unconditional love and forgiveness and of the freedom to speak directly to a God without the barriers. How empowering for a person now unshackled but suddenly outcast by the village.

Those who choose a different path are not villians but victims though I could not see anything but bright smiles and love in action.

Kadek and the newly minted Christians (not outside white church folks) reach out to the locals because they know how to present without alienating. They have learned that they are giving a gift and there’s no need to denigrate their foundational beliefs in order to get understanding.

After visiting the orphanage, we went out to dinner at a place that they have frequented

An inspirational life begets another as a Christian doctor is about to open a practice in a village not far from the orphanage. He grew up in the orphanage. His practice will provide medical care for the orphaned children and is a great example of a Christian living out their faith.

After all this inspiration we were hungry and headed to a place Wade and Paula had been many times.