A journey of connection across continents

In August 2021, we welcomed Monica Raharjo into our home as an IVEP participant in Elkhart, Indiana. Monica fully joined in our family life — including a son’s wedding — and she became very dear to us. When she departed in July 2022, we told her that we would like to come visit her in Semarang, Indonesia. I’m not sure she believed us, but she nodded her head, smiled and said she would like that.

Fast forward to August 2023 when Randy and I began talking about a good time to visit Monica. I messaged Monica on WhatsApp: “Hi Monica — Randy and I are thinking about a trip to Indonesia in February or March (2024). How would you feel about us visiting then?”

I received this message back: “Whoa, really? I can’t wait for it!” The next six months were full of messages back and forth in anticipation and planning.

We were welcomed to Semarang by Monica, her sister Nita and friends from church. We arrived on Friday and stayed in a hotel. It was wonderful seeing Monica take charge of our time in Indonesia. She took her role as tour guide very seriously and wanted to make sure we saw and tasted and experienced all the goodness of Indonesian culture.

We were able to attend a Mennonite church, Gereja Kristen Muria Indonesia Semarang, on Sunday morning. The pastor of the church had advance notice that we would be attending, and he asked Randy to give his testimony during the service. We were warmly welcomed by everyone in the church. That evening, a couple from church who ran a small seafood restaurant in front of their home invited us for a meal of lobster, oysters and tuna with rice. Delicious!

Meeting Monica’s family was special for us, too. One evening, they invited us to their home, along with another former IVEPer. It was a full house, but it was also full of laughter as we navigated the language barriers. I asked Monica’s mother if it was difficult for her to send her daughter to a foreign country for a year. She responded, “No, we knew she would be cared for.” Monica’s mother also learned how to use Google Translate on her phone that evening.

One memorable story — we had been told ahead of time that if we heard the word “bule,” we were probably being talked about. On the train to Yogyakarta, Indonesia, there was a young man sitting across the aisle who was talking on his phone. Occasionally, we would hear the word “bule.” I leaned over to Monica and asked, “Is he talking about us?” She smiled and said yes.

It was a wonderful experience being Monica’s host in the U.S., and then having her return the favor to be our host in her home country. We would love to visit again someday.