Frank, Dan and I are holed up at Candidasa (pronounced Chandidasa) trying to figure our our options. It is the weekend so no paperwork can go through. We have been told that Jakarta is notoriously slow with such things and that our chances of expediting our paperwork through is slim. Team members are disappointed, but everyone understands that this kind of set-back comes with the territory of doing aid work in the developing world. If we are successful with the government’s request, then it will push our organization up to another level and allow us to have an even greater impact here in Indonesia. Still it’s hard not to think of all the villages that were waiting for us to come to treat.

There are worse places we could have ended up with an enforced rest: Candidasa is a beautiful old fishing village halfway between Amed (where Dan’s team was staying) and Sanur (where my team stayed and the location of our Yayasan) so at least there is time for rest and reflection while we try to sort things out. Meanwhile we are all on our computers drafting the needed documents, and sending email to the US tracking down others.

sunset over Candidasa: waiting and reflecting…