Shad and Sarah Deal Making Him known in Indonesia 
For those of you keeping track, we finished our time of homestay over a week ago, and have spent the last week catching up here at our own house. Although we definitely have enjoyed having hot showers, a western toilet, and a refrigerator again, we have also really missed our friends on the other side of town.
As we reflect on our time living with our friends Ronny and Yanti, we are grateful for many things. Our language has definitely improved, and we have a much clearer picture of how Indonesians here in Java live and work and relate to each other. Here are a few fun tidbits of knowledge we have gained…
Kids always wear undershirts.
Kids who don’t wear undershirts get sick.
Candy is an acceptable breakfast food for anyone under the age of 7.
Chiggers favor white skin.
Tree oil gets rid of chiggers.
Clocks and watches really aren’t that important.
If little boys play until 10 o’clock at night, they will still have enough energy to play the following day…
In our estimation, the most important lessons we have learned cannot be summed up in words. These three weeks have been a time of not only observing culture and learning language, but a time of letting go of our own preconceived ideas, sense of pride, and yes, even our “rights” for the sake of embracing and understanding the people around us. For Shad, letting go has included being clueless in areas of “hard labor” such as breaking up tree stumps and installing roof tiles. 
For me, letting go has meant admitting I don’t know how to cut a papaya or cook rice, even after living in this country for a year and a half!! Our family has had to adjust and begin to let go of our western ideas of schedule and time, living amongst people who give priority to relationships over the clock. We have begun to appreciate the strengths in this culture—the fact that a friend is never turned away, neighbors are always welcome for dinner, and everyone helps take responsibility for each others’ kids, work, and happiness.
Some may ask: Why is it so important to take the effort to learn about the culture and people around us? We believe that if we can begin to look at the world as much as possible through the eyes of our Indonesian friends, we will be more prepared to share truth in a relevant and clear way to them. We also believe that as we show our vulnerability and are willing to take on a learner’s role, our relationships will grow deeper. Most of all, our prayer is that our friends see a difference in our lives—that they see through us a God who cares about the intimate details of their lives and wants to know them more.
Just before we packed up to move back to our “old” house, I was encouraged greatly to hear my friend Yanti describe me as a “kindred spirit.” Many other neighbors have expressed their surprise that although Shad is a westerner, he continues to show a real interest in their lives and enjoys spending time talking and joking with them. Although we probably will never know the full extent of what God has done in our lives and in the lives of our friends during this past month, we rest in the fact that God has promised to work through us. As we look ahead to the future, we expect to spend many more days and nights with our friends on the other side of town. We have made friendships that we cannot just walk away from.
Thank you for praying for us during this three week “adventure”!! The journey is sure to continue as we allow ourselves and our preconceived ideas to be broken for the sake of understanding those around us. Please pray that we will continue to be broken and humbled in God’s hands every day so that we can be more effective in our witness for Christ.
