Just a quick update from East Java before heading to Bali for Christmas.  I received a lot of questions about living conditions here in the village from my last report, mostly about not having toilet paper, and what do we do.  I’ll try to explain without getting too gross.  For a toilet, there is a porcelain hole in the floor that you squat over.  To clean yourself, you wash with your left hand from a bucket of water.  That’s why it is unacceptable to hand anything to someone, or touch anyone, with your left hand; you must use your “sweet hand”.  Being left handed, I have to be constantly aware of this.

   Took a walk on Sunday and found people fishing on a river just a mile west of here that I did not see last year.  Saw more of the lighted kites Sunday evening; Sundays must be kite flying night.

   Today I saw an insect on the outside of the house that looked just like a leaf.  It looked more like a leaf than a leaf looks like a leaf.  I’ll include a picture.

   Hope you have a very Merry Christmas,

   Jim