We have already been living in this beautiful country for over 5 months. It feels as though we blinked and a half of a year flew by!
Here are some highlights from the last month:
Relationships with our neighbors and former host family are continuing to grow (keep reading to hear a couple funny anecdotes!)
The second J2E course finished strong. We were a small group, but that provided space for deeper relationships.
Amber's "Relationships Talk" with the youth went better than we could have hoped. She focused in on the topic of singleness, which ended up being exactly what the group needed to hear--all praise to Him!
Friendships with the family from Yemen are continuing to blossom, but in a slightly different way than anticipated: Amber has started meeting with a few of the girls every week to learn Arabic.
Kolak and Chili
One day our neighbors stopped by to drop off "kolak", one of our favorite dishes here usually made from coconut milk, pumpkin, and cassava. We asked her for the recipe, but instead of simply writing it out, 7-8 people came rushing into our kitchen to show us how to make it! Our kitchen is small and it got a little chaotic, but we felt loved and had fun.
We also still connect with our former host family on a regular basis, and this last time we got together they requested we make American food. It turns out Indonesians love chili! We made so much we ended up giving it away to 4 families, and each time it turned into a social event. Again, the Lord used something as simple as food to further establish friendships and encourage deep conversations.
Language Study
We are almost finished with level 2 of our Indonesian language study, which means we only have one level left! Speaking Bahasa with our friends and neighbors grows easier every day. Though we are still not quite fluent, Amber's Yemenis friends offered to give her "Arabic lessons" once a week. They usually spend an hour going over the alphabet and pronunciation, then spend another hour hanging out and discussing spiritual topics. These conversations come up naturally, so please pray that Amber would have wisdom and discernment.
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