I’d been on the road for about 10 weeks when everything careened off track. Between the earthquakes in Japan and Bali, subsequent tsunami warnings, freaky supernatural happenings, painful (and expensive) bike accidents and ill-timed Facebook messages, my nerves, recently lulled into a dreamy, relaxed stupor by yoga and massages, were suddenly frayed like a burned up electrical cord. For the first time since I left, I felt the weight of being away from home, family, friends and church.
It’s hard to describe, but… sometimes you wanna go where everybody knows your name. Where they’re always glad you came. You wanna be where you can see our troubles are all the same. You wanna go where everybody knows your name.
Since I was a full 10,000 miles from people who know my name in a country where no one could even pronounce it, I knew it was time to go to the one place where I would be at ease in a room full of strangers. I asked the receptionist at Kumara Sakti if there were any Christian churches in Ubud. Having been surrounded by Balinese Hinduism and all its rituals for the past week, I expected to have to spend Sunday on my own with an Andy Stanley podcast. (Not a bad thing – he’s one of the best!) Fortunately, she perked up and said, “Oh yes! One of the staff guys is a Christian, too! He will take you to church.” Well, that was easy. (Thanks, God!)
I flung myself with gusto into the church building. Y’all know I go to church on a regular basis just because I want to, but I don’t think I ever felt the need to be around Christians as much as I did that Sunday. Everything was spinning so fast, and I needed likeminded folks to grab me by the shoulders and say, “It’s ok, and you know it. God has everything under control.”
That’s exactly what happened. After hurtling myself through the doors, and emotionally singing a few songs, and being so joyful about every wonderfully familiar truth that was spoken, I stayed an hour after the service chatting about my current dramas with perfect strangers. I met a sweet couple from California who shed some light on Balinese culture and religion, and reminded me that home is never too far away. And they introduced me to a handful of Indonesians who believed in everything I believe in. It was like drinking an ice cold Gatorade at halftime in The Swamp – refreshing!
If there’s one part of this journey I’m loving so far, it’s meeting brothers and sisters in Christ all over the world. From the rustic village church in Fiji to the congregations just like home in Australia, I have always been welcomed like family, and that means a whole lot to a lonely traveler.
After church, I returned to Kumara Sakti refreshed and revived. With my two remaining cohorts, heretofore known as The Dutchies, I plotted the escape from Ubud. (More about that in the book, too!)
Up next… 4 Month Update!
Hi Angie, read your article on the church in Ubud, bali with interest – we are heading there in October – what is the church you went to and do you have any phone info or address please? Thanks and all the best with your travels, Belinda
I wish I had the info for the Ubud church! I asked my concierge and was driven there… but it was only about 10 minutes from the center of Ubud and there aren’t a whole lot of non-denominational Christian churches in the area, so if you ask around you should be able to find it easily! If you make it to Seminyak, check out my post on church there… another very nice place!
Wow. Interesting but in effect totally useless post. How unhelpful. I too am trying to find the name of that church in Ubud.
It’s been years since I was there… try Google.
If anyone has found name of church 10 mins from Ubud where Angie went – please let me know ,
thanks
Hey, my parents are in Ubdud right now and just lead a young man to Jesus. They are trying really hard to find a church for him before they have to leave in a few days. If anyone has any information at all or can provide any type of directions to this church it would be SUPER helpful! We want him to have people around him who love Jesus to help him grow.
The name of the church in Ubud is Hill of Shallom Church or in Indonesian is Gereja Bukit Shallom. Here it is their website: http://www.ubudchurch.com
Hi Angie thank you for your reply on this site. Im in Ubud right now as im typing im traveling a lone for 2 months today is my 3rd day and its all been so hard i must confess i have shed a few tears this morning its just got on top of me so i have contacted Hill of shallom to see if there is a family who may like to support me in exchange for payment. Also to be with like minded people.
Im happy to work and volenteer.
Here is my contact to anyone who may help
[email protected]