Settling In

 Javanese woman watching kids play

More reflections on settling in from Dec 2009...

We are settling in. I love being here where God has called us to be. Loving learning the new language. But as many may know, I could be a perpetual student. Love to study something new, especially those things I am passionate about. Of course I wish I was learning faster.

The cultural transitions have been pretty smooth overall. There are a few things that are bothersome, but the wonderful people lesson the bothers. The way people litter is still something that breaks my heart. Very much like what we saw in Africa. The country is so beautiful and could be so much more if the people would learn to care for it more. It is so culturally engrained to just drop garbage on the ground. For example I was traveling to a nearby city with an Indonesian friend for shopping and fun and we road a series of buses and a train to get there. She gave me a mint which was in a wrapper and I opened it and put the wrapper in my purse like I have always done. She was trying to convince me to just throw it on the floor of the train. She kept telling me, “oh budaya Ibu!” (It is culture!) 

My friend calls me Ibu or Bu as that is a term of address for a married woman or older woman. Although she and I are about the same age. She is also married. As we grow closer we may begin to call each other Mbak which is the term for a young woman or very close friends or family. Mas is the term for a young man and Pak or Bapak for older or married man. First names are not used except in conjunction with the formal term Bu Herman, Bu Jodi or Bu Rob- all of these are names I am called here. Often you are Ibu/Bu and your husbands first or last name.  It is not often your own name is used in some places here.

Another thing that is hard for me to see is the teeth are rotting in the mouths of so many here. There is way too much sugar offered to even small babies and their teeth are sacrificed with little or no dental care for people here. It is very sad and I want to teach these moms how to better care for the kids! But that is a hard task! They are doing what they know. 

The pace of life is not like America, this is not bad, an adjustment to us, but good in so many ways. Like we saw in Africa, the culture and people are so family and relationally oriented. Everything is about relationship and being together and available for one another. The very fabric of Indonesian culture is woven through family ties and relationships. An Indonesian proverb (pepatah) says."Whether we eat or don't eat, the important thing is that we relate with each other." Work is set aside if there are immediate needs of family or even neighbors. 

We have workers who come and help us here and many times they sms (text) us and tell us that a neighbor has died and they will not be coming to work today. That is another thing that is hard for me here. Death. Death is so real, more real than I think it has ever been for me. And since our arrival there have been easily 50 plus deaths among our neighbors, workers relationships or friends and family of someone we know who have died; most unexpectedly. It is hard core the reality of death here. It burdens my heart to know that we take life for granted and to know that the people of Indonesia may have so much less time and need to have the gift of eternal life, as life here on earth can end at any time for them. 

The people are a brave and strong people. Life is hard here and the people courageously continue on with joy and strength despite what comes. Culture here insists on it. With that comes very many wounded hearts that are covered over by the veneer of culture, tradition and pure necessity. Covered and wounded hearts is something I understand well. I pray God can used my life to minister to the hearts of the people... 

Well enough for now....