We are currently looking into renting a motorbike. We thought we had one lined up and then found out that here it is normal to pay up front for the entire time you wish to rent, which for us is about 11 months. Sooo, we asked if we could please pay for less time up front. We were wondering about why someone would want to rent out their only mode of transportation. In the Sundanese culture here, if you have any cash, it can be borrowed by others. So people buy things like motorbikes or jewelry instead of having cash around. However, when a child starts school there are enormous costs involved. Registration fees, uniforms and supplies. It can cost over 1 million Rups per child. Because people don’t save here, they have to get the money somehow. So they rent out their motorbike and get the entire amount upfront, or sell some jewelry. We’d love to help out a family in need, but we aren’t sure we want to pay that much money up front. If we decide that we don’t like the bike, then we don’t get our money back. So we have asked if we can pay for less months in advance. It just depends on how much money this family needs. Otherwise we will have to find someone willing to commit to less time up front with the option of a renewal. This is a very common thing to do here so we should have no trouble finding another bike to rent.
Tomorrow we plan to worship with the house congregation of the GKI not far from where we live. We will need to take an Ankot there, but it will sure cost a lot less than hiring our neighbour to take us to the big church.
These photos are of the front and back of a warung (little restaurant) that we pass by everyday on the way to school. The two little girls live in the back with their parents and their chickens. The green vehicle in the front is an Angkot. I'm guessing the driver was having a food break. There are no specific eating times here, you eat when you are hungry and it is very common to buy something already prepared to eat. There are a few guys that come around our area regularly with food for sale.
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Hi kids and grandkids!
2 1/2 weeks already! Time goes so quickly. Movin on to the Day. Good to hear things are going OK there, amazing how fast you get used to a place. We spoke with some visitors from Holland at an anniversary party today, and they were at your farewell in Enschede. Its a small world after all...and still you're so far away. Though when mom talked with Erica on the phone it was like she was in Aldergrove. We were there last weekend, I preached there. Funny that you aren't there...kind of empty like. We had lunch at the VanDeldens. Been a busy week, next week to Ontariarario. Give the kids a hug from us. Love yas all! Dad & mom
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