Over the past few days I have been reading Oswald Chambers and finding that I didn't have anything to say nor any story to tell. I think it was the issues I have been facing here in Soyo, Angola, that were not allowing me to stop and really think....because as I read this daily devotion today I immediately am reminded of how the three facets of this learning apply to when Bryan and I first moved overseas as a married couple.
I had lived in Vietnam for 3 1/2 years before being evacuated to Australia in 1975. I had grown as a person and with the Lord during those years and then met Bryan at the refugee ships in Guam, an island in the Pacific Ocean. The following year we were married and Bryan began working for World Vision International. During the training we travelled to New Zealand, Australia, Indonesia and Thailand and Bryan had worked for about 3 months overall. I was looking forward to being assigned to Thailand because we knew people there and it was an easy place to live.
Bryan came home very excited to tell me that we had been assigned and even before he could say the country I knew it wasn't Thailand but to......Indonesia. My reaction to this news was less than supportive and Bryan was so excited.....I cried and said I didn't know if I could do this.....After a time, Bryan said that he would tell them we couldn't take that assignment if that is what I wanted....He was the one being supportive to me and I felt ashamed.....we both needed to support each other.....but it was hard to leave and go to a place where things were limited and I would be the only person in the town without a job.....Oswald Chambers writes, "When you obeyed and left all the consequences to God, the Lord went into your city to teach, but as long as you were disobedient, you blocked His way." All the learning that both Bryan and I gained there would have been lost if I had not been willing to go......
Here are the issues I was facing.......before we were married I had been the one hired.....for my skills and it was up to me to decide if I would take this position.....or not......and now we needed to make a joint decision and my skill set was not even in the consideration.....it was humbling and frustrating for me. Secondly, I had lived for an extended period in Vietnam......lived with the missionaries and learned culture.....and the language...somewhat.....Bryan had lived for one year on a military base in Vietnam and spoke the language much better than I...he was actually fluent..... but certainly in that year could not have learned much culture.......I was sure.
When we began our time in Indonesia.....during the internship.....I was correcting Bryan's interactions....making him aware of all the cultural things I was noting.....and generally 'taking charge'. It was ugly and disrespectful but I didn't see it until one night in Bali, Bryan took me aside and said..."This isn't going to work if you don't begin to show me some respect. You have been overseas longer than I but you need to allow me to learn my way and not try to interfere with my learning." I must admit, I was shocked.....I was just trying to help......and establish that I had something to offer too, I think..... Oswald Chamber writes about this...."Are we so noisy in our instruction of other people that God cannot get near them? We must learn to keep our mouths shut and our spirits alert." God is teaching us in every aspect of our lives and does not need my help in what He wants someone to learn.......Sadly, my children can attest to the fact that I have not learned this lesson very well regarding the way I want to council them at times.....
The third aspect of this devotional is, " “Wait on the Lord” and He will work (Psalm 37:34). But don’t wait sulking spiritually and feeling sorry for yourself, just because you can’t see one inch in front of you!.....Waiting is not sitting with folded hands doing nothing, but it is learning to do what we are told". When we arrived in Java, Indonesia, we received our resident visas which read.....for my reason to be in Indonesia.......'ikut swami'.....follow my husband......I had to laugh..... An in your face recognition that life was going to be different.....and who I was did not really matter to the government.......but did to me. We moved into the back house of the country director, Gene Daniels and his family in the little town of Batu, East Java. We stayed there for several months and then moved to our own home in the town of Malang...about 20 minutes down the mountain and much nearer the office. Bryan's job was Relief and Development Directior for all 17,508 islands that make up Indonesia. Approximately 6000 of these islands are inhabited. He began travelling to the 6 major ones and was gone between 50-70% of the time.....so I had more than enough time to learn language, read, listen to music and learn to be alone. I took up needlework to fill my days and to have something to put on our walls. It was enjoyable and rewarding. I knew that I could not spend my days waiting for something to happen and so spent a lot of enjoyable time with our house helper who helped me with my language study. Was it difficult at times? Absolutely!......but I learned to love Indonesia and the people and the time Bryan and I had together was encouraging and supporting each other....Before long there were other foreign wives who moved to Malang and it became easier when Bryan was gone for extended periods.
After two years we moved to Jakarta, the capital and there were many other wives there that had no job either. Because I had learned a significant amount of Indonesia, I was able to find a job with the American Women's Club Registry for House Helpers. This was very important for me.....even though it was volunteer.....my language ability had value that was recognized.
Both of our sons were born in Jakarta and we grew to love the country and people even more. It was very difficult when we were moved back to the United States and it made me smile to remember my resistance to move there in the first place.....As I reflect back on my journey I am becoming aware of the seasons of my life....the times that are busy and the times of quiet.....and I am thankful I have had both.....and found contentment most of the time.
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