The Start of Something New

I have just been here for 3 days and there is already so much to tell. I will try to tell little by little. So I am living in St. Elisabeth hospital in a small village called Lela. It is so small that the village doesn’t even show up on the map. Not even google earth knows where this place is. All I know is that it is an hour drive south from the city of Maumere (the major city in Flores) through windy roads and dense forest until you get to the other side of the island right on the beach somewhere, not exactly sure where. Even if the internet/maps may not claim it, this place does exist and I am here and this place is one of the most beautiful areas I have ever seen. The hospital I am working in was the first on the island founded about 80 years ago and it is run by the Sisters of the Servants of the Holy Spirit (SSpS). Despite being well established, there are only two doctors that work here, Dr. Amel and Dr. Siska who I will be working with. Both have welcomed me with open hearts.

It is sort of weird being here because I really do not know what I am doing here on a daily basis. What is scary for me is that the people here do not know what to do with me. Being the first volunteer here from a different country, I think the people here are as lost as I am as to what to do with me. On one hand, I am here to help, to serve the people here with what ever it is they need no matter how small or low the job may be. On the other hand, the people here see it as such an honor that someone from America would come and visit them. Because of this, they feel sort of embarrassed when I try to help out because they think that it is too low of a job for someone like me. 

Again, because I am the first volunteer here, there is no set program for me. What’s even worse is that the priest who is suppose to help me set something up is out of town until Saturday. Dr. Amel has been really helpful in sort of showing me and my parents around the area and trying to think of something for me to do, but of course she is also very busy. Because of this lack of scheduling and order to the day I am learning to trust God and work on His time while I am here.   Hopefully, I can adjust to the culture here and the people here can adjust to me being here. 

Playing some soccer

More Beautiful views of Lela

Just baking some bread in the kitchen

The First Glimpse into My Home

Trip from Bali to Maumere

View of Flores From the Plane

 Arrive to Maumere Airport

 Drive From Maumere to Lela

 My Room

 Our little dining room

 Taking a walk down the road of the hospital after 5:30 AM mass

 My Home for the next 2 months

 Bapak Uskup (Bishop) and Dr. Amel: the two people that made this trip possible for me. Without them I would not be here.

Leaving for Flores, Indonesia

“MY LORD GOD, I have no idea where I am going.
I do not see the road ahead of me.
I cannot know for certain where it will end.
Nor do I really know myself, and the fact that I think that I am following your will does not mean that I am actually doing so.
But I believe that the desire to please you does in fact please you.
And I hope I have that desire in all that I am doing.
I hope that I will never do anything apart from that desire.
And I know that if I do this you will lead me by the right road though I may know nothing about it.
Therefore will I trust you always though I may seem to be lost and in the shadow of death.
I will not fear, for you are ever with me, and you will never leave me to face my perils alone.” 
― Thomas Merton

As it gets closer and closer to the day where I go to Flores, I cannot help but feel a mixture of excitement, anticipation, and anxiety. Ever since the first time I went to the rural, poor parts of Indonesia, I knew I would be passionate about serving those that are less fortunate than I am. In high school, this passion was strengthened through the Tijuana Mission Club. From there, I knew that I wanted to do something more, something that required me to give up more of myself and to actually live as the poor live. It is only fitting that I get this opportunity in the place where I first realized this passion of mine. Although I do not know what I will be doing there, or how the people will treat me, or how well I will adjust to the way of life there both physically and emotionally, I find myself free of worry and filled with unending excitement. I cannot wait to open myself to a whole new experience away from the comfort of the US. I cannot wait to give myself completely to their community and live in solitude with the people and become one of them. Even though I am nervous that my Indonesian is only subpar, I look forward to interacting with the people and hearing their stories.
Through this wave of emotion, I have realized that I would not feel this pure excitement of going if it were not for the love of the people that have surrounded me. Yes, I am talking about you. Your love and support is the force that allows me to confidently go to an unknown place and feel like I'm doing the right thing. It is through your love and support that I will be able to give myself to the people of Flores. The love you have shown me only what I hope to be able to give to the people of Flores.
I am not much of a blog writer, or any kind of writer for that matter, but I wanted to start this one for you. I hope that through this blog, I will be able to show you where all your love, support and donations are going. I hope to be able to give you a little glimpse into the life of the people in Flores through my experiences there.
As of now, I do not know how much internet connection I will have there, or if I will have any at all. I will post pictures and journal reflections on here as often as possible. Thank you again for all of your love and support and I look forward to sharing with you a bit of my experiences.

-KKho