Pic #13- Jenn's kampung uniform

This picture holds a lot of "story" for me. It will be hard to tell it in condensed version, but I will try...knowing that we are trying to keep these "pic a day" posts down to more "digestible" portions.
If you know me, you know that these are not the usual patterns I am drawn to when it comes to picking out clothing. Here is the story:
Last June, after having lived in our kampung house for about 3 months, I was super sick with now what we think was typhoid. I had to spend so much time resting in the house, and I was feeling so guilty that I was not out & about meeting my neighbors, building those relationships I thought would come so quickly, if I just put the effort forth. But I had nothing to give to "putting forth effort." I had already been to one of the neighborhood women's meetings, so it may have added to the guilt that I had started something, but didn't get to follow through.
So there I was, sick in bed, wallowing in guilt & discouragement, and I hear a knock at the door.
I hesitate, I think: "Who could it be? Who is asking for money now? I don't feel like this..."
And I look through the window & then open the door since  it is two of my neighbor ladies that I see. They said they were there to fit me for my "seragam" (uniform) & that is when they pulled out this shirt above. I was confused, I first misunderstood & told them I was not interested in buying anything- and then they clarified that it was what we would all wear when we would meet together each month.
Wow. This was a wave of such GRACE that hit me in such a moment of need. I had given up on myself in the community, and they had not. I felt like I was given such a 2nd chance and have have multiple "2nd chances" since.They were reaching out to me, when I thought I was here to do that.
So from that month on I have tried to make it to every meeting. I stand out, but not as much in the group of 40+ women wearing the same uniform. It fits awkwardly. It is hot. I even told one of my teachers, that I got a little "pusing" (dizzy) when I sat in our first meeting because of how elaborate the pattern was, especially in a room full of women wearing the shirt.
But this is one of my favorite stories from our first year here. This idea of of having a "seragam" is something people love here. It makes things more formal & official, but more than anything it it is a sign of unity, of being part of something. And that is of high value here in Indonesia. So even though I stick out like a sore thumb, even though I am bigger than most women here & it was hard to make this "seragam" fit well, I am still part of something. And I was met with grace when I felt like a failure.
This week I told the group that I was moving back onto the international school campus because we were invited to be dorm parents. But I told them that I still wanted to join the meetings if that was "ok". They seemed happy about it. This is a picture of life in Indonesia. A different kind of life than other places. Thank you for listening to my story.