Murah Hati

One thing I'm constantly learning more about from Indonesians is being "murah hati" or how you "generous" in Indonesian---direct translation is a cheap heart(or liver...they use the same word for both sometimes!). In every way I am challenged by the way they freely give in their lives-their time, their service, their food, etc...and always with a smile on their face. Neighbors and friends are like family to them and guests, even if they're dropping in unexpectedly are treated like royalty(they even have a common phrase in Indonesian for that). Indonesians have been a true example to me of how to have more of a servant heart. I'm reminded of 2 Cor. 8:7 where Paul says(talking about the generosity seen) "Just as you excel in everything--in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in complete earnestness and in complete love for us--see that you also excel in this grace of giving."
This past weekend was another example to me of their generosity and kindness. My friend Kurnia invited me to her friends' house for the weekend. Mind you, I have no idea who her friends are and have never met them before, but immediately I was welcomed into their home and lives. Her two friends live in Pandaan, which is about an hour north of Malang, in between here and Surabaya. Their house is in the middle of rice padi fields(literally)...it was amazing. They immediately welcomed me and as we visited and talked, I learned a lot about their family and life, and they even tried to teach me Javanese(the language most people prefer to speak here). They laughed everytime I tried to use a Javanese word. The mother has 8 siblings, most of which live nearby in Pandaan. We went and visited 3 of her siblings, who all welcomed me the same...as family. The amazing thing to me was how simply they lived, but how generous they were. Their family of 6 live in a 2 bedroom home, but joyfully opened their home to 2 more for the weekend. I had such a blast meeting them and going around the town with them. One of the aunts said to me at the end of the weekend that since my family is so far away, they have become like 2nd family and I am welcome anytime. :)

Trekkin through the rice padi fields

We went to the top of a lookout hill where the view is amazing...you can't really tell because my camera skills are below par :( I can never get over the colors of green here!

Thanks for the memorable weekend, guys!