I freakin’ love the people here in Indonesia. Everyone I’ve met is so friendly and welcoming. You can start a conversation with just about anyone, with the help of a translator of course.
Walking down the street my favorite thing to do is say “hallo” to as many people as I possibly can. It’s amazing to watch someone’s face as they see a bunch of white people going by, sometimes for the first time in their lives. It’s even more amazing to see their face light up when you acknowledge them and say heeeeeey. Hands down, the greatest thing I’ve experienced here in Indonesia.
I feel famous everywhere I go. People trying to get selfies with us around every corner. The other day I noticed a bunch of young girls staring and trying to secretly take a picture. I was walking with my teammate Cole who’s over 6ft tall. He’s super popular with the locals. I turned to him and said sorry for what I was about to do then turned to the girls and asked “selfie??” as I pointed at Cole and myself. Their faces immediately lite up and they started giggling as they rushed closer, inviting all their friends to join with.
It turns out we were right here in front of a school. What started as 3 kids, turned into over 20. It’s pretty safe to say we made their week. I’ve loved opportunities like this.
The people here in Indonesia have really surprised me. Back in the states I thought that a typical Muslim nation, especially one that has ISIS presence, is nothing but dangerous because they all hate Americans and Christians. Oh how I couldn’t have been more wrong. All my preconceived notions have all been blown out of the water.
As I’ve said before, people freakin’ love me here. The idea that I’m in danger because I’m a Christian is all backwards as well. In fact just the other day while buzzing around the insane streets on a moped, my driver stopped and pointed out a church directly next to a mosque. Say what!? Didn’t expect that one.
It’s completely alright to be a Christian here for the most part. I’ve met loads of them. One of the biggest problems with being a Christian however is that you can’t tell anyone about your faith unless you first get permission. Lack of permission equals up to 5-10 years in prison. Whoa. Reality check.
I had a little bit of a wake up call to the reality I live in just the other night. I asked my host here if we could go out and hang with the homeless. He said no problem. After a few days, things had been arranged and we were told we could go out as a team. I was hyped. Next thing I know, plans changed and it ended up just being me on a moped with my host driving into the night with a few loaves of bread.
“What on earth did I just get myself into” I kept asking myself. Should I even trust this dude? Is he going to take me into some dark ally way and give me up to some ISIS extremist? Thoughts kept playing out in my head of the opportunity to die for my faith.
This picture popped in my head of me sitting in a room, blindfolded. Blindfold comes off and I’m with a few men in masks, there’s a machete sitting on my shoulder and a camera pointed at me. I’m asked to deny my faith and I reply “I believe that Jesus Christ is my Lord and savior.” There goes my head.
I then imagine the video getting released to the public and thousands coming to know my savior because of my faith. Whoa. Sign me up. (Sorry mom and dad.) This isn’t actually going to happen, but I wouldn’t be against it. I’m fully ready to live a Matthew 10 life.
Back to my late night adventure, my host parks his moped on the side of the street and we walk up to a few men and a small boy. They’re sitting on newspapers and mats under an awning just beside a busy street. I’m told that they live in another city but don’t have a home.
They’re in Bandung to make money by collecting trash. Most of them come from broken homes where their wives either passed away or left them. They all have dreams of a better life and are doing everything they can to get there.
I asked if I could pray for them and they all asked for good health and a better life. I began to pray and immediately heard the sound of the police behind me. My heart dropped. Might have almost pooped my pants a little too. I didn’t know what to do but the police just went on by. No worries.
I asked my host if what we were doing was illegal. I really wasn’t trying to endanger him and his ministry here just because I wanted to bless a few lost souls that night. He said don’t worry about it, we weren’t doing anything wrong because we had asked permission. I thought “what the heck!? This doesn’t make any sense.” Literally, everything I thought about my safety, gone. Yet still, this world over here is kind of scary.
“I call on you, my God, for you will answer me; turn your ear to me and hear my prayer. Show me the wonders of your great love, you who save by your right hand those who take refuge in you from their foes. Keep me as the apple of your eye; hide me in the shadow of your wings from the wicked who are out to destroy me, from my mortal enemies who surround me.”
Psalm 17:6-9
Boom. That’s real life. My God will protect me and I will continue to love these people as often and as much as I possibly can. If God is for us, who an be against us? Nothing can hold me back from what God has to offer me and the people that I get to encounter day by day. I will not fear.
Oh father,
Continue to stretch and blow my mind. Continue to give me a heart of love and compassion. Give me strength to trust in you and not to fear. You got this homie. Let’s party.
Amen.
Please pray for Indonesia. This country is such a beautiful place and the people have such big hearts. One of the biggest things holding the love of Jesus is the government. Indonesia is by no means a poor country, just very corrupt and mismanaged. Pray that leaders would not fall to corruption and that they would open up their views on Jesus so that He can more openly be shared without the risk of jail time. Pray that people here would be broken out of their chains of fear.
