I'm now in Bandung! ~Yay! I finally can go to Bandung and had a New Year's mass in Gereja Kemuning (Kemuning Church). I still feel a bit unwell tho'. But I forced myself to go and have a good time here. Bandung is the nearest big city from Jakarta, widely known as Paris van Java, it has become a shopping destination since the emerging of Factory Outlets in every single corner of this lovely city. My grandmother had been living in Bandung before she got stroke and moved to Jakarta. As far as I remember, I grew up between two cities; Jakarta and Bandung. I always liked Bandung even before the mushrooming of FO (Factory Outlets); I love the food, the street snacks, the surrounding, the cool weather at night, the traditional market... I love Bandung to pieces.
I have so many wonderful memories in Kemuning church, starting when I was a little baby... I got baptized in this church and when I was a kid until about 16 years old I had never failed to accompany my oma (Dutch word for grandmother) to church everytime I went to Bandung for a holiday. I always remember we used to sit in the front row and before the mass began my oma had always prepared the money for collection. There was always a temporary snack bazaar outside the church after the mass, and buying some snacks after the church was like somekind of reward for me for being a nice girl in the church.
When I was a little, I pictured Kemuning Church as an old and huge church with high ceiling but when I went there this morning I found out that it was rather small comparing to my parish church in Jakarta or any church that I've had visited so far. But still, the warm feeling was there, the cloud of memories flew over my head, and eventho' my nose can't stop running... I still can recall everything, and it seemed oma was still around.
I lit the candle for my oma after the mass, I prayed for her soul that God would take her to heaven and live together forever with Jesus and all the saints. I also lit some candles for my family and myself.
As I drove along the Kemuning road and went back to the house that I stayed in, I was thinking of my life and realized; everything that I have achieved so far... living abroad, traveling all over the world, and my further study... was all my prayer since I was a little girl where I kneeled down and prayed during the mass with my oma in Kemuning church.
Have a wonderful and abundant New Year, everybody... Be thankful as the Grace of God will always be with us through all the year.
With love,
Audia
