Week 8: Great Potential for Change

I’m sorry we don’t have many pictures to post this week. We have been so busy
we often forget to take pictures. Seeing the unique, and usually very difficult living
conditions of many of the families that we meet creates a compelling sense of
urgency to our work.

Every day we wish we could give each family everything they need to lift
themselves out of poverty but not only do we not have the resources but our
responsibility is different. Our work is to enable people to improve their lives by
inviting them to come to Christ. Exercising faith and trusting the Lord motivates
people to lift themselves both spiritually and temporally and builds strength and
hope for the rising generation.

Indonesia has great potential for change. The area where we live may be one of
the poorest and hence the most humble, it is amazing that nearly everyone believes
in God; from the most humble person on the street to the president of the country.
They are not ashamed of their faith in God and church attendance in the Christian
churches is high. Few people drink alcohol and almost no one has a gun. Most cities
have an area that is best avoided by westerners and Solo is no exception but this is a
very small part of a very large population.

The Muslim people, 75% of the population where we live, are very religious, love
their families and are respectful of us. They are very protective of their religion and
we respect their desire to do this by being very careful never to appear in any way
to be intent on converting them to Christianity. Of course, those who approach us
with an interest, we are very happy to talk to about our faith. The majority of our
work is with families where usually the Mother (Ibu) or the Father (Bapak), are
already members of our church. Sometimes the whole family are members but for
any number of reasons have drifted away. We have yet to visit any of these families
and found the Bapak or Ibu to be anything but kind, gracious and grateful that we
found them. The children giggle and hide behind their mothers and Margo always
has a small piece of hard candy and has no trouble coaxing them out.

It is hard to describe the living conditions we see every day without being
disrespectful. Based on the standards that we are accustomed to, our hearts break
for the very, very few possessions. Most do not have furniture and sit, eat and sleep
on the floor on a small pad. Many access water and toilets through a neighborhood
well and washroom, however people are always clean, with hair that is well
groomed and virtually everyone has a beautiful smile and warm handshake
followed by touching their hearts with the hand that shook yours.

No matter how little they have, our visits always prompt some gesture of food or
drink. If they have none to offer, occasionally a neighbor will drop in with
something to give on their behalf. There is a beautiful bakery near our home and

Sister Miller has taken to a daily visit to buy loaves of fresh bread to offer every
where we go. The words to one of our favorite hymns are never far from our minds;

“Because I have been given much, I too must give,
Because of The great love dear Lord each day I live.
My glowing fire my loaf of bread, my roofs safe shelter over head,
That he too may be comforted”

Sister Miller loves the scripture in John 6:48, 51 where Christ says he is the bread of
life and if anyone will eat of that bread he will live forever.

Yesterday we met a beautiful very elderly appearing sister; we had met her
husband a previous day, in a clean simple home. He has a small cart where on the
street he sells inexpensive children’s plastic pocket toys all day long and she sits on
the hard floor of her home and cuts and seals plastic bags for long hours each day.
Her knees and back were bent and painful. In Indonesia it is culturally OK to ask
people how old they are so after we got to know her a bit she asked Sister Miller
how old she was. (She was captivated by her beautiful white skin and blonde hair.)
We were both all shocked to discover they were both 5 years younger than us. Life
is so hard and it ages people much differently than we are accustomed to. His poor
eyesight makes it impossible for him to read his scriptures and very poor hearing,
making it difficult for him to communicate. It was almost impossible to control the
urge to give him my prescription glasses and hearing aids. In fact, I offered him my
glasses but they only made things worse.

My publisher contacted me this week and is actively in the process of editing the
manuscript of my book to be published and available in June 2018. (Hearing the
Voice of the Shingo Principles: How Principles inform a Sustainable Culture of
Excellence) This has been a life-long aspiration and will soon be on the shelves of a
bookstore near you, or amazon.com

Love,
Elder and Sister Miller