Chapter 1
Slowly Inching Into The Java Sea... In The Unbearable Tropical Heat... And Almost Shipped Back To Japanese Occupied Shanghai... Save For Another Miraculous Deliverance...!

As we inched our way... ever so slowly... into the Java Sea... almost Miraculously... it seemed... in that early part of December... 1941... the weather changed overnight... from overcast... with oppressive grey skies... the air chilly and windy... to hot... humid... and muggy... the sun beating fiercely down on us... making our clothes stick uncomfortably... to our skin...

The heat was so overpowering... that the only relief I could get... was by hitting on the bright idea... of sitting most of the day... in the make-shift canvas pool... a fairly large affair... hastily erected by the ship's crew... which stretched over the wide cargo hold...

And soon after I had gotten into the habit.... of blissfully immersing my body into it... enjoying the sensation of the water... keeping my body relatively comfortable... I became quite adept at... not only avoiding any contact... with the burning hot canvas sides... above the water line... but swallowing any of the lukewarm... salty sea water... that filled it...

This was the very first time in my life... that I was experiencing... real tropical weather... and I could not understand... why I seemed to be the only one... to think about staying in the pool... as much as possible...!

Particularly when I learned... after my very first day of happily floating in it... that most of the passengers... had preferred staying indoors... cooped up in their stifling hot cabins... afraid that... if they went out on deck... they would suffer sun stroke... and its dreaded effects... There were also nasty rumors floating around... about too long exposure... to the rays of the tropical sun... causing severe brain damage...!

And when I asked Papa that night... after dinner... with the screaming babies... about the dangers... of being exposed... to the tropical sun... he had breezily commented that... since I had no brains to speak of... anyway... it did not much matter... whether I suffered sun stroke or not... so I might just as well continue to spend my days... immersed in the canvas swimming pool...!

Surprisingly... my sister Prima... and brother Remo... seemed to be the only ones... who did not come down with the tropical doldrums... remaining cheerful... and I seemed to be the only one... with a ravenous appetite at mealtimes...

It seemed as if the unbearable heat... had robbed everyone on board... of their life forces... including the crew... and they all seemed to be shuffling along... their heads bent... panting hard at the slightest exertion...

If there was any news... about further raging assaults... by the Japanese... throughout the Pacific... it was conveniently being withheld from us...!

In fact... ever since Pearl Harbor had been attacked... a few days ago... the ship's officers... were thoroughly confusing their passengers... as to what days of the week we were in...! And were now... for a change... making themselves rather scarce... perhaps also prostrated... because of the tropical heat...!

Prima and Remo joined me briefly in the pool... every day... and did not seem to be too badly affected... by the tropics...

As for Xenia... she became very ill... and Papa... out of loving concern... for the wellbeing... of the love of his life... sacrificed his own comfort... and stayed with her... in their stifling hot cabin... throughout the long five days it took... to sail from Singapore to Surabaya... Java...

We duly came abreast... of the long coast of Borneo... known as Kalimantan today... and whenever I looked at the outline of its lush... dense foliage... quite easily visible... through the bars... from where I lay happily floating in the pool... I would invariably be reminded... of the stories I had read... about the cannibals... and head hunters of Borneo...!

And a chill would run up and down my spine... at the realization... that we were sailing so uncomfortably close... to a primitive island... much of it still unexplored... populated with savages... I half hoped to see some wild natives... on the shore... but all I ever saw... was the endless coastline... as we inched ever so slowly past it...

The Java Sea was so calm... so smooth... and glassy... that it was easy to imagine... that if I stepped overboard... I would be able to walk on it...!

(I had a similar experience... twenty-eight years later... when I happened to be sailing with my third husband Mark... on a trimaran... a three-hulled boat... in the Caribbean... As we sailed past the island of Guadaloupe... where just moments before coming abreast of the island... we had been in a stormy sea... our boat tossed about vigorously... the waters were suddenly just as calm... smooth and glassy... as the expanse of the Karimata Straits of Borneo... had been...!)

At long last... after an interminable length of five... long... muggy hot days... the ship's gong told us... that we were about to sail into the port of Surabaya... Java...

We were still in the equatorial zone... so that there was no letup... of the tropical heat... when we disembarked... and stood on firm ground... once again... and it was well over one hundred degrees... in the shade...! And the date was December 12th... just five days after Pearl Harbor...!

And as we slowly sailed past Borneo... unbeknownst to us... the Japanese were invading the Northern part of the island...!

When the Captain learned... that the Dutch twin ocean liner... that we had almost sailed on... had been torpedoed and sunk... with no living survivors on board... whatsoever... which meant that Papa’s and Xenia’s card playing friends... the Dobrowskis... had perished... he was shocked... that the civilian ship... that he had from time to time captained... also flying the flag of Holland... a still neutral nation... as far as the war was concerned... had been attacked... and destroyed so viciously...!

Without sharing this devastating news... with his passengers... he simply made the announcement... over the loudspeaker... just as the passengers were disembarking... stunning everybody... that... because of the war... raging in the Pacific... the "Tjisadane" would not be sailing on... any further... but would be returning to Shanghai...!

(We ourselves heard about the shocking sinking of the neutral Dutch ship... for the first time... only after arriving in the United States of America... despite the fact... that Papa never missed an opportunity... to periodically make enquiries... asking for news... of the fate of the ship...)

Upon hearing Captain Burger’s startling announcement... the jittery... anxious passengers trembled in fear... at the prospect of being returned to Shanghai... now occupied by the Japanese Imperial Army... dreading the idea... of finding themselves... in the hands... and at the mercy... of the barbarous soldiers...!

Especially those of us who had left Japan... without authorized exit visas... quite certain that we... the Rau entourage... would... in all probability... be dealt with most harshly... having caused the Japanese officialdom... to "lose face"...

But it was useless to contemplate any other alternatives... for there were none...!

And when the Captain ordered everybody back on board... there was a mass shuffling of reluctant feet... heading back up the gangplank... once again that... only mere moments before... they had descended from... eager to explore this strange... exotic pearl of the Javanese archipelago... its atmosphere heavy with the pungent aroma... of Southeast Asian spices...

And as we followed suit... in line behind the other passengers... all of a sudden... a grinning Javanese porter boy materialized... as if from out of nowhere... at our side... and tugging urgently... at Papa's sleeve... motioned him aside... insistently gesturing... that he follow him...!

Quite mystified and intrigued... because of the young boy's intensity... Papa excused himself from us... and went off a little ways with him...

And we watched... as the two incongruously odd-looking pair... walked off together... Papa's head bent way down... and cocked at a curious angle... in order to catch the gist of what the little porter boy... was earnestly trying to explain to him... as he waved his arms about... craning his head upwards... then nodding it up and down vigorously... for emphasis...

And after a while... we saw Papa nodding his head... bending down... and shaking hands gravely... with the little porter boy... before turning around to walk back to where we were all standing... waiting to find out... what all the urgency was about...

Papa's step was brisk... his face wreathed in smiles... and when he reached us... he asked... very jovially... with a twinkle in his eyes... tucking his arms under Xenia's and mine...:

"How would you all like to take a three day tour of this exotic paradise... visiting its hundreds of little islands...?!"

Papa's sudden holiday mood... was very infectious... and in a flash... it seemed... quelled in our minds... the gloomy prospects... of the recent shocking news... that Captain Burger of the "Tjisadane"... had just announced...

And trusting Papa’s judgment implicitly... without question... his entourage all expressed eager delight... at having the opportunity... to explore this exotic... beautiful nation... and observe... first hand... its country’s unique customs...

Why the very name "Java"... hinted at something mysterious... and intriguing... conjuring up all sorts of hidden... veiled meanings...

Also... it would be simply wonderful... to be traveling on land... for a change... after the perilous... uncertain sea voyage... of the past 12 days... and we all gaily followed Papa Rau... arm in arm... determined to enjoy to the hilt... everything that these beautiful islands... had to offer... and not to have a care in the world... at least not for the next three days... as it turned out...

As we walked jauntily away... I looked back... to bid farewell to the "Tjisadane"... and her gallant crew... waving... and was surprised... then very relieved... when I happened to notice... that the contingent of army officers' wives... with their bawling infants... who had caused me so much misery... at mealtimes... were also climbing back on board again..!

(Apparently... there were no military orders awaiting them... no doubt owing to the fact... that the Japanese military strike... throughout the Malay archipelago... had been so sudden... and so unexpected...)

The prospect of being forced to endure... yet another month of mealtime ordeals... although I had been getting decent food... as the Captain had promised... during which time... my ears would be assailed... by a deafening... jarring orchestra... issuing out of about fifty screaming baby mouths... was extremely abhorrent to me...

Out of the whole lot of them... there had only been somewhat cultured Annabella... and her good-natured... adorable baby son Justin... who hardly ever cried...

I regretted having to part from Annabella... for she had treated me as an equal... like a grown-up... and I had spent some very pleasant afternoons... chatting quietly with her... in her cabin... while her baby napped peacefully nearby...

But as far as the other harassed mothers... and their screaming... red-faced... bad-tempered babies... were concerned... I was well rid of them... and very glad to see the tail end of them...

Deliberately hardening my heart... as to what fate might have in store for them... at the hands of the Japanese... upon their return to Shanghai... I simply could not afford the luxury... of being too concerned... for the future... and welfare... of all those babies... and their mothers... but I did utter a silent prayer... for their collective safety... nevertheless...

(Some 50 years later... I found out through the Dutch Maritime Museum... that the army officers' wives... were taken to safety... aboard a transport troop ship... which arrived several hours after we did...)

En route to the hotel... sitting in the stifling heat of the taxi... Papa informed us... of how the little Javanese porter boy had told him... that he had overheard the Captain... saying that he was waiting to take command of another ship... in three days time... but that he did not want to risk any more lives... to the uncertainties of sailing on... in the Pacific waters... especially the lives of so many babies... in view of the presence... of so many Japanese gunboats... battleships... and submarines... Hence his decision... to send everybody back to Shanghai...!

And when Papa had asked him... how he had come to overhear the Captain... the boy had replied... that although the Captain had noticed him... in the vicinity... but being mistakenly under the impression... that he was too young... to have mastered the Dutch language... had gone on talking to his officers...

In fact... the boy proudly boasted to Papa... he had learned to speak many languages... besides the dialects of his own country... especially Dutch... because of their occupation of his country... for so many years...

Chapter 2
Three Magical... Carefree Days... Sampling Unique Javanese Cuisine... And Touring The Fascinating Islands Of Java... Which Is The Home... Of This Soul's... Beloved Spiritual SUBUD Father... Who Some Nineteen Years Later... Would Indirectly... Lead Her To The True Way... Of Worshipping Her Heavenly Father... Almighty God...!

We had a glorious... fascinating three days... touring the hustling... bustling city of Surabaya... on our first day... riding in their quaint betja - a three-wheeled tricycle carrier - browsing through their colorful shops... and overcrowded bazaars... the Javanese warung food vendors... trundling their carts about... equipped with cooking stoves... so that they could cook their customers’ food on the spot...!

There was a large contingent of Chinese people... who owned stores... and these merchants' shouting... was deafening... each one attempting to out shout the others... as they tried to get us to buy their unique... beautifully handcrafted wares... of wood and pottery...

And there were also charming little Javanese shops... that specialized in hand-dyed... batik cotton cloths... painstakingly created... in interesting... contrasting... swirling shades of color... each one unique... and no two alike...!

We also sampled genuine Indonesian cuisine... for the very first time in our lives... even world travelers... Papa and Xenia... tasting dishes with quaint names... such as their "Sate Ajam" (Out of this World)... a unique variation of chicken shish kebab... on bamboo sticks - using cloves of garlic... onions... chili peppers... peanuts... soy sauce... brown sugar and lemon juice... for an out of this world seasoning experience... s-p-i-c-e-y h-o-t...!

There was a delectable dish called "Ajam Gontjang Lidah" (Chicken Shake Your Tongue)... which consisted of cut-up chicken... sauteed in a mixture of coconut milk... ginger... turmeric... galangal... and lemon grass powder... garlic... red onion... ground chili... sugar and salt... d - e - e - licious...!

We also tasted... an out of this world delicacy... called "Sate Manis"... consisting of skewered... tender beef sirloin... with an intriguing seasoning blend of coriander... garlic... sugar... soy sauce... and lime juice...: simply scrumptuous...!

Our palates were also delighted... by a dish called... "Dendeng Manis" (Sweet & Spicy Beef)... a slowly simmered stew... of thinly sliced beef... seasoned with brown sugar... coriander... tamarind... and coconut juice... served on a bed of rice... most delectable...

By interesting contrast... there was "Udang Goreng"... Fried Shrimp Indonesian style... seasoned only with tamarind juice... salt and pepper... so that the shrimp's delicate flavor... would not be overpowered with strong spices...

And then there was most intriguing "Lodeh"... being a most interesting way of cooking an assortment of vegetables... such as string beans cut into shoestring strips... finely sliced cabbage... eggplant sliced into thin strips... long beans cut crosswise into half inch chunks... green chili... cut two ways... a sliced red onion... with everything seasoned with turmeric... salt and pepper... and with the whole boiled concoction... swimming in highly nutritous coconut milk...!

Gado-Gado"... is a salad mixture of raw... and slightly cooked vegetables (raw cucumbers... boiled string beans... shredded raw cabbage... boiled bean sprouts)... topped with an incredibly tasty sauce... made of peanut butter... terasi udang... (shrimp paste) ... brown sugar... tamarind juice... and crushed chili...

All of us “Oohed... and Aahed...”... over their famous "Nasi Goreng" (Fried Rice)... which is a mouth-watering concoction of shredded chicken... diced lamb and shrimp... sauteed in a mixture of beaten eggs... onions... and soy sauce... topped with fried bananas...!

And last but not least... our palates savored their internationally famous... Dutch-named "Reistafel" (Rice Table)... similar to the authentic way... of serving the Japanese dish... "Sukiyaki"... in which all kinds of meats and vegetables... are served at one's table... raw... together with all kinds of spices... and in which one chooses for oneself... the different variations of cooking... and seasoning... then eating them - a wonderful exploratory experience... for the virginal taste buds...!

And for dessert... there was either an assortment of tropical fruits... or tall glasses of shaved ice in fruit syrup...

I remember sailing up rivers... in quaint sampans... their hulls exquisitely carved... with make-shift awnings... made of colorful fabric... to shade us from the dangerous rays of the burning sun...

And I recall... how it took only two days... for the dye on Prima's and my brand new cotton summer dresses... especially made for us... in Shanghai... to bleed and fade...! The material of the frocks... consisted of colorfully bright... printed tropical scenes of palm trees... exotic flowers... and birds of paradise... the colors of which... were all running into each other... and the flora and fauna prints... no longer recognizable...!

Despite the overwhelming heat... I noticed how cool and unruffled... the Javanese people were... on the whole... and how spotless everything was... at our hotel... and I slept under mosquito netting... for the very first time in my life...

And it was quite amazing to me that... although the city streets... were teeming with crowds of men... women and children... thousands of them... I never saw any ugly signs of squalor... to speak of... anywhere...!

The impression that I got... was that everything... and consequently everybody... was fine and orderly... free of confusion... and in perfect harmony... with their extreme tropical environment... and I could sense... that the atmosphere was exuding a wonderful peaceful calm...!

The only noisy... loud-mouthed people... seemed to be the Chinese merchants... always short-tempered... and easily exhibiting their anger and frustration... whereas the Javanese people remained... by and large... always serene... smiling... and friendly... many of the men very handsome... and many of the women... daintily beautiful... clean... neat and tidy... in their dress and appearance... even those few... who were overweight...!

And while Imperial Japan... and her well prepared navy... army and air force... were greedily gobbling up country after country... and island after island... we... the Swiss entourage... blissfully unaware of the creeping... menacing chaos... that was rapidly spreading its malevolent tentacles... throughout the Pacific... were enjoying three days of island hopping... in the truly unlike-anywhere-else-in-the-world atmosphere... that was very exhausting... as well as very exhilarating...!

During our three day magical respite... we walked through some of the most spectacular scenery... feasting our eyes... on such incredibly green tropical rain forests... richly carpeted with the densest undergrowth... and foliage... that I had ever seen... some of the trees' trunks so thick... that it was impossible to put one's arms around them... and reaching up so high... that they totally obscured the sunlight...!

And then there were the most breathtaking waterfalls... cascading down from immense heights... reminding me of the ones in my beloved Nippon... causing a stab of nostalgia... in my breast...

We waded ankle deep... in the whitest... silkiest sand... on the beaches... of the numerous little islands... learning all about the unique kinds of exotic... tropical vegetables and fruits - for instance... there are four hundred different varieties... of the simple banana specie..!

There was one fruit called the "durian"... a favorite of the Javanese people... that stank to high heaven... but because of its succulent... juicy flavor... the people tended to overlook the odious smell...!

We learned a little bit about the fascinating culture... of the Javanese people... the brown race... of the earth... considered to be the most Spiritually developed... of all mankind...!

And their wonderful stories... about their ancient heros... some of them endowed... with supernatural powers... because they had sincerely sought Spiritual Enlightenment... above all else... acted out... and narrated... in their famous "Wayang" puppet shows - a kind of shadow play... behind a curtain... by quaintly carved... wooden figures... with moveable limbs... held aloft... and manipulated by professional puppeteers... descended from a long line of like puppeteers - the intriguing tales... always having moral endings... of good eventually triumphing... over evil...

The Javanese... being mostly Muslims... were uniquely worshipful of Allah - you could feel their sincere devotion... and unconditional obedience to God... in the very air you breathed - and I was very impressed... by their overall manner of gentleness... friendliness... and long suffering patience... with all of them... living in an oppressive atmosphere... of energy-sapping humidity... of varying degrees... all year round...!

And I marvelled at the fact... that in all the sweltering heat... of almost unbearable degrees... they always managed to exude an air of cool... unruffled serenity... and their personas... seemed so light...!

Although we had only three days in Java... there was so much to digest... and take in that... by the third day... we were all good and ready... to relax back on board an ocean liner... once again... looking forward to reaching our next destination... New York... in the United States of America...

And on looking back... and after reading about the history of World War II... throughout the Pacific Theater... many years later... I realize... that in running the dangerous gauntlet... fraught with peril... from Shanghai to Surabaya... in the month of December 1941... it had indeed been a Miracle... that we had sailed through the unsafe... Japanese gunboat... battleship... and submarine infested waters... totally undetected... even from their hostile kamikaze... suicide planes... in the air...!

It was as if our ship... somehow... had indeed become invisible... to the would-be enemy... and I still fervently believe... that it was because of my total and utter faith... and trust... in my Heavenly Father's Protection... Whose Angels Were Commissioned... By Him... To See To It... that we helpless passengers... on board her... remained safe... from all harm...!

Naturally... I had no idea... during those three magical days... spent in the beautiful islands of Java... where I instantly felt... oddly at home... that I was treading the very soil... where my future Spiritual SUBUD father... Bapak... known to his people... as Pak Subuh... lived... and that he had already been spreading the Latihan Kejiwaan of SUBUD... to quite a number of them... throughout his country... "Opening..."... and "Awakening..."... their Inner selves... for the past nineteen years...!

End Of Part VI - Two Chapters

---