NOTES FROM A LARGE ISLAND

Hi all
Selamat (Blessings) from Banjarmasin. Sorry if this one is particularly long, such a lot to say, will make sure future ones are shorter.
Arrived here rested after 18 hours flying (to Dubai and then to Jakarta) and overnight at the superb Sheraton in Jakarta.(We waved Alex as we went over Cambodia!). Flight on Friday morning to Banjarmasin only took 1.5 hours so arrived here at Biddy's house at 4.30pm.
First impressions of Indonesia - the people and the country are charming, the drivers(particularly the ones on motorbikes, of which there are many) are mad. Crossing the road today was challenging - Biddy told us to pray and run, she says it works every time! It is amazing to see whole families riding on one motorbike!
Biddy is lovely - she has been in Indonesia for 15 years so is translating for us, but encouraging us to try a few words as well. Her house is built on stilts over a river and has a monitor lizard who lives on the porch!The fruit seller who sets up on the main road arrives by river past our porch in his boat. We met him last night when we walked up to the main road to buy supper, cooked by a street vendor on the side of the road in his wok. We had nasi goreng ayam (chicken and fried rice) which was delicious and cost the equivanlent of 60p each!
Last night - power cut for 3 hours so no fans - very hot - apparently the first power cut in 4 months.
Today we visited the college to look around and had lunch cooked by Ibu Martha, who also did our washing! (Rosemary and Derek - she sends you greetings). We did some lesson planning with the two Moody Bible College girls who are helping with the course - Jenna and Mary from Minnesota and Tennessee - both 21 and very aweet.
We walked around the market today (Biddy wanted a pineapple for supper), an amazing place - never seen so many different sorts of fish, and live chickens being swung around by their legs to show us how fresh they were! We are very much a novelty here, as apart from Biddy and the two American girls we are the only white people, so when we walk along the street together people wave (particularly the children)and turn around and stare! (Very dangerous when driving a motorcycle).
Off to church tomorrow so more news soon.
Please pray for the students and the start of the course on Tuesday, we are very much out of our comfort zone! Oh and by the way, I am leading the singing (To God be the Glory and Jesus is the Name We Honour on Tuesday) and Stan the prayers which end each school day, plus we both have to take turns in doing the 'thought for the day' in the morning.
PS Stan has World Cup withdrawal symptoms as not seen any yet! (time difference and no tv anyway) Come on England!
Love Sue and Stan