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14 September 2024: Beginning of Our Journey

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14 September 2024: Beginning of Our Journey

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The mission trip was initiated at Soekarno-Hatta Airport, where excitement and anticipation filled the air as everyone prepared for their journey to Pontianak. I met everyone around 4:00 a.m. Our flight was around 6:20 a.m. and was supposed to arrive at 8:00 a.m. I woke up at 2:30 a.m. and got ready as fast as lightning. By 3:15 a.m., I had taken a shower, gotten dressed, done my skincare routine, eaten a bowl of cereal, done some last-minute packing, and started the car. It took me 30-40 minutes to get to the airport, and I was dropped off by my dad at Terminal 3. Soon after, I went inside and met my teacher and a friend who had arrived earlier than I did. I got my boarding ticket and checked in my luggage just before a long line started forming. One by one, my friends began to arrive. We were on the same flight as the group going to Singkawang for their mission trip. Later on, we waited quite a while at the boarding gate and took pictures. Some went for snacks and drinks, like coffee. I went to look around with my friends. It was pretty lively for an airport at 4:30-5:30 a.m. When the gates opened to board the plane, our team waited for the Singkawang team to board first. It took me some time to board because my right foot was injured, but I had great friends who helped me and walked slowly by my side.

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The plane that took me to Pontianak was, frankly, small. As soon as I stepped onboard, the flight attendant welcomed me with a smile. I took some candy and earphones for the trip. My seat was at the back of the plane. I was assigned a window seat, and Chelsea was on my left. During the preparation, I wasn’t close with her yet, but this plane trip definitely made us talk a lot. After a while, I tried picking a movie, but none of them seemed good. So, I went to the music section and browsed the albums. I ended up choosing One Direction's Take Me Home album because it always comforts me. I fell asleep listening to the music, and Chelsea woke me up. I was confused at first, but it turned out that the food had arrived.

The meal was scrumptiously delicious. For an airplane meal, it was the best I’ve ever had. The main dish was rice, sliced beef, and some tasty beans. There was a cruffle, which is a crispy and crunchy waffle covered in chocolate that made my tummy jump for joy. There was also a pack of mixed nuts, but due to my acne, I wasn’t allowed to devour them like the rest of the meal. For drinks, I asked for warm tea and some water. Still listening to One Direction, I fell asleep again. The next time I woke up, we were on another island, with beautiful skies and clouds visible. Unlike Tangerang, where the skies are filled with pollution and dirty air.

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We arrived at Supadio International Airport, Pontianak. I was quite surprised by how nice and clean the airport was. Upon arrival, the group took a toilet break, and the image above shows the rest of us waiting until everyone was finished. You can’t compare the airport in Jakarta to the one in Pontianak because the size difference alone is significant. There weren’t as many food tenants as there were in Soekarno-Hatta Airport. Soon after, we waited for our luggage to come off the conveyor belt, which didn’t take long. One person lost his luggage, but it turned out he had forgotten to drop it off for baggage check and had just left it there. Fortunately, he got his luggage later in the afternoon.

We traveled by a medium-sized bus to Ngabang. We should’ve gotten a bigger bus because our luggage didn’t fit in the storage compartment below. Initially, I sat at the front of the bus, but I was later moved to the very back by the documentation team. I’m still annoyed by that because I chose the front due to my injured leg and the extra space I needed. I guess that’s just one of the perks they get for documenting the whole trip. I ended up sitting between a good friend of mine, Habel, and Ryu on my left. I had never properly introduced myself to Ryu before, so this was our first time meeting and talking. He was chill and very nice—he even dozed off on my shoulder a couple of times, but so did Habel. On Habel’s right was a senior student named Brandon, who is part of the student council. I talked to him almost the entire bus ride. He’s very friendly and fun to interact with. We didn’t just talk but also sang along to the music playing on the bus. To Ryu’s left was Leon, another senior student. This bus ride was the first time I spoke to all three of them. They were great seatmates, which made me feel better about being moved to the back seat.

The bus ride took around 5-6 hours, with breaks in between. For lunch, we ate the best "nasi campur babi," and I devoured it quickly. The portion was huge, but it was too delicious not to finish. After lunch, we went shopping for necessities at a mini-market. I bought coffee, wet wipes, tissues, and a 1.5-liter bottle of mineral water. Some of my friends bought extra clothes and bags from a store next door. Soon after, we continued our journey to Ngabang.

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Around 4:00-4:30 p.m., we arrived at Sekolah Kristen Makedonia, located in Kabupaten Landak, Ngabang. We were all super tired yet still excited to explore the place. If I’m not mistaken, the school covers around 13 hectares of land, which is huge if you didn't know. Our luggage was transported to the guest house by a mini truck while we walked along another pathway designated for pedestrians and motorcycles. The girls stayed at the guest house, while the boys were accommodated in a dormitory for university students.

My room was decent. It had air conditioning and comfortable beds, and I shared it with three other roommates. The boys, on the other hand, had a very different setup. They had no air conditioning and all 21 of them slept together in one big room. I unpacked all my things and took a shower, which was freezing cold since there was no heater. Despite that, it was refreshing and made me feel alive. Dinner was simple, we had fried eggs and some veggies. After dinner, there was going to be an event hosted by Sekolah Kristen Makedonia.

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14 September 2024: Introducing ourselves to Sekolah Kristen Makedonia kids

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14 September 2024: Introducing ourselves to Sekolah Kristen Makedonia kids

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The event started at 8:00 p.m. There was an introduction from the head of the school, followed by some praise songs led by the kids. It was a spectacular showcase from them. Soon after, our teacher, Mr. Johannes, was called to the front. He introduced himself and talked a bit about why we had come to Ngabang for our mission trip. We were then asked to join him and introduce ourselves one by one.

When it was my turn, I introduced myself as Ele. The crowd was super energetic, and I loved how they had a cheer (yel-yel) every time someone said good morning, good afternoon, or good night. Since it was nighttime, they cheered, "Malam-malam-malam, Makedonia yes!" Everyone took their turn introducing themselves, and the event continued.

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Traditional dance of Dayak tribe performance 

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14 September 2024: Welcoming from Ngabang friends

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14 September 2024: Welcoming from Ngabang friends

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The day ended with a warm and friendly welcome night, setting the tone for the days to come. After our introductions, there was a modern dance performance, which was incredible. I could see how powerful they were with their cool moves. The next performance was by the high school girls, who performed a traditional Dayak dance that left me in awe. They were perfectly in sync and moved gracefully to the lively rhythm of the music. I wished I had learned the dance during my time there. The night concluded with a prayer from the community leader, Mr. Lam. We returned to our rooms by 10:00 p.m., as it was our curfew. I was utterly exhausted, so I fell asleep immediately.

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15 September 2024: A Spiritual Gathering

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15 September 2024: A Spiritual Gathering

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Our first full day in Ngabang was spent attending church, where we experienced a heartfelt service. Singing worship songs with friends and the local community created a bond that would only grow stronger in the days to come. I woke up around 7:30 a.m. and had breakfast. The service was scheduled for 1:00 p.m., so we had plenty of time to get ready. We even had a last-minute practice for the worship performance we were going to do. The song was a mashup of “Sperti Rusa Rindu Sungaimu” and “Still”. As you can see from the image attached above, we were all on stage singing together. The service continued with a priest discussing the topic of harmonious family life. It was quite long, but I enjoyed the new environment and the experience.

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16 September 2024: Get-to-Know and Preparation Day

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16 September 2024: Get-to-Know and Preparation Day

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This day was all about connections and planning. We met the dorm kids and began forming friendships. During breakfast, we all sat together on the floor of the dining room, which also serves as a multipurpose room where we eat, study, and hold church services. Breakfast was great, though there was no meat. We had tofu, fried eggs, and spinach. Later, we participated in activities like planting water spinach.

By lunchtime, I started remembering some of their names and became closer to the high school kids rather than the middle schoolers. We ate another delicious meal that included telur balado (a spicy egg dish) and mixed vegetables like carrots, broccoli, and some sausage, along with watermelon to refresh us in the hot, dry weather of Ngabang.

The afternoon was dedicated to preparing activities for the upcoming days. I worked on PowerPoint presentations and helped prepare gifts for the next day, which included new pencils and Yupi heart-shaped gummies.

Later that night, we had a bonding session in one of the classrooms. It was a lot of fun, with the room filled with laughter and shared stories. In addition to sharing, we did some TikTok dances and sang along to popular songs.

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17 September 2024: Introducing Ourselves to Elementary School Kids

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17 September 2024: Introducing Ourselves to Elementary School Kids

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Our team spent the day with the elementary school students, organizing a variety of educational and recreational activities. We focused on educational enrichment and fun for the younger students. Before starting the sessions, the teacher shared some information about the school. Then, Mr. Johannes presented donations, such as books and stationery, to the school principal.

Afterward, we introduced ourselves to the kids since they hadn't been there during the welcoming night. For your information, there are no dorms for the elementary students. They attend school during the day and go home in the afternoon. You could feel the excitement in the air through their screams, chants, and claps. After the introductions, we were divided into groups based on the students' classes and began the sessions. In total, there were four sessions.

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17 September 2024: 1st session with 3rd graders

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17 September 2024: 1st session with 3rd graders

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For the first session, I was with four other friends. Based on the image attached above, from left to right were Jolyn, me, Chelsea, Darren, and Ryu. Our session was focused on arts and crafts, so we taught the kids how to make a variety of origami. Since I knew how to make a butterfly and a fortune teller, more girls came to learn from me than the boys.

It was a one-hour session, but it barely felt like half an hour. The kids were such a joy and recharged my energy after the exhausting preparation the day before. I was so glad to listen to their stories, help them, and share a bit about life back in Jakarta.

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17 September 2024: 2nd session with 4th graders

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17 September 2024: 2nd session with 4th graders

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17 September 2024: Lunch break + sing-along

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17 September 2024: Lunch break + sing-along

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17 September 2024: 3rd Session with 5th graders

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17 September 2024: 3rd Session with 5th graders

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17 September 2024: 4th Session with 6th graders

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17 September 2024: 4th Session with 6th graders

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17 September 2024: Games + Farewell with elementary students

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17 September 2024: Games + Farewell with elementary students

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The children's enthusiasm and eagerness to learn made the day truly rewarding and inspiring for all of us.

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18 September 2024: Engaging with High Schoolers

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18 September 2024: Engaging with High Schoolers

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The high school students from Sekolah Kristen Makedonia Ngabang participated in several interactive sessions. We focused on academic support, skill-building activities, and sharing personal stories to inspire them.

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18 September 2024: Career Planning session 

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18 September 2024: Career Planning session 

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18 September 2024: Games and Yel-Yel competition

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18 September 2024: Games and Yel-Yel competition

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19 September 2024: Middle School Interaction 

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19 September 2024: Middle School Interaction 

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Our final full day of service was dedicated to the middle school students. We hosted workshops and group discussions on future opportunities and leadership. The day concluded with a touching farewell night, filled with gratitude and reflections.

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19 September 2024: Games and Dance Poco-poco & Gemufamire

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19 September 2024: Games and Dance Poco-poco & Gemufamire

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As the mission trip ended, we took a bus back to Pontianak early in the morning, carrying unforgettable memories and a renewed sense of purpose. This trip not only enriched the lives of the students we served but also deeply impacted each of us personally.