More from Kumalawaty Sundari

Lapangan Banteng Park, Suropati, and Menteng Park are parks in Jakarta where I often walk, especially early in the morning. I can feel God’s presence through the fresh air, the chanting of birds, and the quietness around. All are like a harmonious melody calming my soul to face the day. Though most often people including my family consider me strange because I am eager to go there alone, actually it’s how I can find God—like preparing a special place to meet God, to pray to God heart to heart.

I always have a different experience, something new to see and feel, each time I walk there—something that most people there never realize since they tend to follow the newest trends. I feel free to pour out my feelings to the Lord there, more than just going to church regularly and afterward not feeling God’s presence at all. I just want to tell you, this is one of the ways I build a personal relationship with God—something important which many people ignore, even if they are very active at church and stick to their schedule for praying and reading the Bible.