Pathway of Joy

Katiera Cox

After a full last year working through the “junior experience,” the class of 2016 finally departed the night of 14 September for their long anticipated sneak. Excitement buzzing, they loaded the bus and were off to spend the next five days bonding, relaxing, and blessing an Indonesian village with their service project.

The morning of the 16^th, after the seniors arrived, they rose bright and early ready to serve the Indonesian community by cementing a pathway and playing with the kids at the Belakang Pedang Primary School. As they entered into the community, they were surrounded by many of the awaiting kids who were excited to meet their guests. Stuttering the little Bahasa some of them knew, the seniors mostly used big smiles and signs to communicate to the kids.

As half the class shoveled, mixed, and paved the cement with some locals, the other half dove right into playing with the kids. The boys played soccer and threw the frisbee around, while the senior girls learned many of the Indonesian games and dances.

Titus Hwang (12) said, “It was a great experience to hang out with kids who needed lots of love.” He carried a little guy named Adit on his back for three hours, playing tag and laughing.

Many others fell in love with the kids, creating memories and making it difficult to leave. As Noel Teng (12) said, “I connected really well with a child, and I hope to visit him again one day.”

By noon, a delicious Indonesian lunch was served where the seniors gathered to eat with their hands. For some it was just like being at home, while others experienced, for the first time, the technique of shoveling food into one’s mouth with his or her hands.

Then once again, the class went back to work completing the cement pathway and playing with the kids. Once the work was done, sweat pouring down their backs, muscles aching, and their hearts full of joy, they closed the project with gifts and thank yous. The senior’s hearts were truly grateful for the experience to bless the village and be blessed in return by the joy these kids brought.

As Kalea Ruble (12) said, “The service project was definitely one of my favourite things. It was so great to be back in Indonesia and speak Bahasa with the kids. They were all so incredibly sweet and generous with us. It was a very meaningful part of the trip.”