Bits of this and that, from here and there...

I am at the house and have my 'work' done, so thought I would begin this post.  Steve went to check on the progress of the chute and to help them chop the grass left over from yesterday's truckload to mix with the ground corn and sugar.  They usually mix it with rice hulls, but the pig 'farmers' have bought it all.  We will see how good he is with a machete, if they let him try!  (They had it done when he got there so he helped Sihite load rocks into the pickup for the floor of the feed shed.  Now his back hurts :-P)

One thing I forgot to mention when writing about the hospital compound is that the German missionaries who built it gave it to the Batak church, who gave it to the government in the 70's or 80's - we don't know why, but we can guess :-)  That may be when the less-than-desirable housing was built. This is pure speculation on my part - 'H' doesn't know. 

'H' went to the police dept. this morning to register us.  It was done last week by proxy (Sihite), but the paperwork was messed up.  They had us leaving before we arrived.  'H' went to verify he was our sponsor and to correct the dates, just in case an issue arises.  He also has been trying to see the secretary to the 'governor' about the road, but we found out he is in Medan.  Will have to try again tomorrow or Fri.

Another thing of note is that 'H' is quite the evangelist!  He shares everywhere!  His favorite thing to do is to go sit at the bus station and share with people who are waiting for the bus.  He left last night at 8 and didn't get back until midnight.  He stopped there twice during the day, yesterday, and 'questioned' several people both times.  He does it at the store, at the farm, even at the market.  Instead of buying all his meat from one vendor and all his vegetables or fruit from another, he will buy only one thing from several so that he can ask their 'condition' and share the Good News.  Puts us to shame!!  Oh, I forgot to mention - 'H' is 'related' to me too :-)

Last night, we heard the students singing Christmas carols from 8-9:30 pm.  It must have been like a choir practice because they sang parts of a song several times - first boys, then girls, then both.  The two we recognized were 'Drummer Boy' and 'Ode to Joy'.  If they do it again tonight, we are tempted to walk down and sit in.  'H' said it would be okay and we think it would be fun.  (They didn't sing tonight :-(  We found out that the first year students are the ones singing.)

Pita came and made dinner again - fish, tempeh, rice, buffalo milk curds, and a vegetable that looks to us like swiss chard.  She cooks it in boiling water for 2-3 minutes.  The edges are wilted but the stem part is still crunchy.  We had one of Turbo's pineapples for dessert. 

We have been writing down Indonesian terms for various things.  'H' is very patient with us and spells things if I am not sure.  The letter pronunciation is the same as Spanish, which we learned several years ago.  If I can see it, I can usually pronounce it.  I have been too chicken to actually try it - other than thank you.

Until tomorrow!  We are supposed to go to Lake Toba.  We are really looking forward to that!