Shad and Sarah Deal Making Him known in Indonesia No place like “home”…
Brice enjoying a baseball game
Whew!! After three weeks spent in five different beds, four different states, and one cramped car, we are glad to be “home” again in Clarksville, Michigan!! Although it’s never easy to be away from home with little ones for this length of time, we were glad to get so much in to such a short time. First, it was off to Iowa to visit friends and a supporting church. We were encouraged to meet new faces and be re-introduced to old friends who have been faithfully praying for us and supporting us through the years. After Iowa, we headed South to Missouri, where we spent a couple nights in the capital of Jefferson City.
Sarah sitting in the plumbing shop where we first met 
Then it was off to a wonderful week of refreshment at our NTM Enrichment time at the Missionary Training Center. It was fun to walk the campus with our two boys, reminiscing of how our love story unfolded there just six years ago
Enrichment was full of great Bible teaching, prayer, fellowship, and, well, enrichment!! It was such an indescribable blessing to sit down with fellow missionaries and pour our hearts out to each other, encouraging each other to keep pressing on towards our common goals.
After Enrichment, it was off to Tennessee to visit Sarah’s family and another supporting church. Our final stop was in Indiana to visit Sarah’s sister and family. It’s always wonderful soaking up family time while we have the opportunity!!
During our time away, we were able to reserve our plane tickets for Indonesia, leaving in mid-October. It has been mixed emotions for me (Sarah) as we make the most of these last three months while at the same time prepare ourselves mentally, emotionally, and spiritually to return to our overseas ministry. We appreciate your prayers for us four as we do just that!!
Thanks again for your prayers and support!!
“Home” for now,
Shad, Sarah, Braden, and Brice
Prayer time at Enrichment '11
To the Zoo!!
Because the past month and a half has been so busy with traveling and speaking every Sunday, we decided it was time for a family break day. After snagging grandma on Tuesday night, we spent Wednesday morning at the zoo close to our home. The boys have never been to the zoo before and they both love animals, so we had a great time!!
Braden’s favorite animals at the zoo were the snakes– he doesn’t get that from his mommy!! I was a little uncomfortable walking through all those tanks of snakes, wondering to myself just how thick that glass was Oddly enough, when we walked by the largest snakes– the 15-20 ft. pythons– I noticed that they are native to (where else?!) Indonesia!!
Brice at the petting zoo
Another highlight for us was to see the only Komodo Dragon in Michigan, another native of Indonesia. We also enjoyed seeing God’s creativity come alive through the different species of monkeys, kangaroos, fish, lions, tigers, and bears (oh my!)
Braden trying to pet the stingrays
We will be leaving next week for another LONG road trip, taking us through Iowa, Missouri, Tennessee, and Indiana. It is always interesting and exhausting to be away from home with two little boys, but we praise the Lord for the opportunity to see supporters, friends, and family again!
Thanks so much for your prayers as we continue on these last few months of home assignment before heading back to Indonesia… 
My return to the blog…
Wow, how embarrassing… just recently I’ve heard that several of our new friends have gone to look at our website and, well, I it hasn’t been updated for awhile!!! We have been in touch with many friends and supporters via email and even snail mail, but I must admit our blog has not been high on my priority list for awhile now.
So, in order to avoid further embarrassment, and in order to keep this silly thing more up to date, I’d like to give you a quick run-down of some of the events of, well, the past year
Here are some highlights, quoted from our regular updates…
(Aug 2010) Does anyone out there enjoy buying plane tickets?? Having come from families that love their “deals” (pun completely intended), Shad and I both appreciate a good bargain, especially for bigger purchases such as plane tickets across the world for a family of four. After spending a good part of the last couple days searching online and corresponding with a travel agent, I’d have to say that plane ticket searching and I have a love/hate relationship. So many questions enter into this illusive search of “THE BEST tickets”…
(Sept 2010) We now have our confirmation for tickets for December 2!! We are very pleased with them- only one stop and a five hour layover! We appreciate your prayers over these next three months that we will practice the principles of “Bloom where you are planted.” and “Wherever you are, be all there.” It’s so easy to live always looking to the future, dreaming about how things WILL be. But God is faithful to remind us that we are to live in TODAY, serving and ministering here as unto Him, focusing on how He wants to use us right where we are. And there is plenty to keep us busy right where we are…
(Oct 2010) We never thought the day would come when we we’d be anxious about coming back to the states! But here we are, after three years of living in a foreign country, speaking a foreign language, eating foreign food, and enjoying foreign weather, anxious about returning “home”!! Pray especially for Braden and Brice as they face snow, car seats, and, to them, a very “foreign” culture for the first time they can remember! Pray for us too that we would trust God through the transitions and not get too chubby from eating all that good American food!! (But don’t cancel your potlucks—we are looking forward to them!!) Just as there are many preparations that have to made regarding our time in the states, there are also many things we need to “tie up” here before we leave. In this relationship-driven culture, we want to be sure we are saying good-bye and leaving on a good note. We are really looking forward to seeing all of you and sharing how our Savior has worked during the past 3 years! It is awazing how so much of what we assumed before we came turned out to be complete different cultural wise, and even our plans for our lives has taken a lot of turns that we were not planning on. It is so comforting to know that we are not here doing this in our own strength and that our Amazing Creator already has a plan for each of our lives that is far and away better than anything we could come up with on our own.
(Nov 2010) Praise the Lord for His provision in this area(of housing)!! When we first made this need known through email, we received several emails from friends about possiblities. We appreciate so much our team of friends and supporters who were ready and willing to help in this area! As it stands right now, we will be locating in the mission home of Clarksville Bible Church in Clarksville, MI for the duration of our home assignment (Dec 2010- Oct 2011). We are so grateful to this body of believers who are offering us this fully furnished house for just the price of utilities for 10 months!! This is way more than we expected, and we praise God again for His timely provision through His people! God has also answered another specific prayer request of ours… We have been offered the use of a great car for the length of our home assignment free of charge!!! We are humbled by this offer (from a couple we’ve never met, no less!) and we praise the Lord for this timely and amazing answer to prayer!!
(Dec 2010) It’s 4:00am in Michigan. Jet-lagged and wired from my reunion with Mountain Dew, I find myself in a jittery state. I can’t sleep. Who could? Having just moved across the world, we have had less than 24 hours to adjust back to this familiar but now strangely foreign American culture. The memories of tearful goodbyes to neighbors and friends mixed with the joy and excitement of seeing our family and friends here on American soil remind us that this missionary life is full of paradox. That once very foreign country called Indonesia has become home to our family—the only home our boys have known. The language we fought so hard to learn has now slipped its way so deep into our being that we often unknowingly insert Indonesian phrases into our English conversation. And the people who were only strangers just years ago have become some of our closest friends and the ones who we will miss so badly during these next ten months. Although moving has been quite an emotional and physical roller coaster, one thing is for sure: it’s good to be back!!!
(Jan 2011) We can hardly believe its been a month since we returned to the states from our first term of service in Indonesia! The past four weeks have flown by fast as our days have filled with reunions with so many friends and family. Our calendar is filling up fast—a reflection of YOUR interest in what God is doing in and through us for His glory in Indonesia!!
And from there… it’s all been a blur!! We’ve been back in the US for 24 weeks now, and have spoken in 16 different churches with over 20 speaking opportunities! We’ve been to Michigan, Tennessee, Florida, Georgia, and Canada and we are getting ready to make another trip to Iowa, Missouri, and Tennessee in just a couple weeks!! We praise the Lord for His provision to us through this time, blessing us so much through His people here in the States.
So, there you have it– a run-down of what has been going on with us since last July
Thanks for your interest!!!
Wedding trivia…
Hi all In honor of our fifth wedding anniversary on Friday, July 16th, we thought we’d give you a quiz about Indonesian weddings. Get those pencils ready!!
The family attending the wedding of a friend
1. Typically, when is Indonesian wedding season?
a. January – March
b. June- August
c. September – December
Answer: b. June – August. This time correlates with the end of rainy season (usually!), the school summer break, and the last chance to have a wedding before Ramadan, the month of fasting before the popular religious celebration of Idul Fitri. Celebrations are rare and looked down upon during the fasting month.
2. As a foreigner, which weddings are you expected to attend?
a. Those of your close friends and their families only
b. Those in your neighborhood
c. Only those you receive an invitation to
Shad attending a neighbor's wedding reception
Answer: b and c. Neighborhood relationships here are very important, and it is considered an insult to miss a wedding in your neighborhood! Usually formal invitations are given to everyone from the “RT” or neighborhood, so these should definitely be attended if possible. You may also receive invitations to other weddings from friends or aquaintances– attend these if you are able and realize that a foreigners’ presence at a wedding is usually seen as prestigous!!
3. What gift do you bring to a wedding?
a. No gift– this would be considered an insult.
b. A bag of rice or some fruit.
c. An evelope with money.
Answer: c: an evelope with money. The gift doesn’t need to be much– just ask your friends what amount is appropriate. When you arrive to the wedding or reception, drop your envelope in the vase with a slit on top.
4. How long does the typical wedding last?
a. 2 hours
b. 12 hours
c.1-3 days
Answer: c. Including the reception, the typical wedding lasts anywhere from 1-3 days. There are many different events that take place during this time, including the formal ceremony, visiting with close family, and receiving vistors at the open-house style reception.
5. Where are weddings and receptions typically held?
a. A local place of worship
b. In a banquet hall or large meeting room
c. At home
Answer: c. Almost all weddings are held at home. There are often receptions at both the groom and the bride’s parents’ houses. Food is prepared and served by neighbors and close friends. Tents cover the gap between houses as sound systems and stages occupy the yard. Chairs are set up in a yard, or more often, in the middle of the road. Signs at both ends of the street warn cars and motorbikes that the road is temporarily closed. Music plays seemingly non-stop into the night and begins again at dawn.
6. What do you do at the reception?
a. Eat your heart out.
b. Sing and listen to karaoke
c. Watch the locals for cues on what to do when (i.e. shake hands, get food, leave…)
Braden and Shad going through the food line
Answer: all of the above!! Don’t plan any big meals after a wedding reception– there will be plenty to eat! After shaking hands with the happy couple and their close family members, guests are served a snack and drink and then are seated. After finishing their snack, guests are encouraged to go through the main food line, where they help themselves to rice, vegetables, meat, and water. At some weddings, there is even an ice cream line!! While you eat, enjoy listening to the traditional Javanese music or join your friends and neighbors in one of Indonesia’s favorite pastimes– karaoke!! Just as in the states, every wedding reception is a bit different, so be sure to watch for cues as to when it is appropriate to leave!
7. Whose responsibility is it to pay for the wedding/reception?
a. Groom’s family
b. Bride’s family
Answer: a. When we jokingly told our friends that one of the benefits to having two sons is that we don’t have to pay for any weddings, they were surprised and told us that in Indonesia, the opposite is true!!
So, how did you do? Don’t worry– the score is not as important as your enhanced knowledge of Indonesian culture!! What? Did you say you cheated by looking at the answers before you guessed?? Shame on you!!
I can’t close this little post without telling you about my inspiration– a wedding reception taking place literally in front of our house!! The music started yesterday afternoon and went well into the night last night and came back on loud and clear around 5:30 this morning!! The boys have done well napping in spite of it all, though We went and ate and greeted (with our evelope and appetites of course!) around 11:00am today. We are trying to stay inside as much as possible so as not to disturb the receiving line at the end of our driveway. There are about 15 motorbikes parked in our yard, and we’re still not quite sure who they belong to. What an experience In light of our anniversary on Friday, I can’t say that this wedding in any way resembles ours!!
Well, thanks for taking the time to read and enter our world a bit!! Thanks so much again for your prayers for us as we learn to live in and come to love the Indonesian culture!!
Serving Him together with you,
The Deals: Shad, Sarah, Braden, and Brice
Celebrating five years on Friday
Doing it heartily
Mommy and her boys
- Leading a cultural excursion for our new families
Have you ever stopped to think about what a difference your life makes? Sure, we want to bring glory to God, encourage others, and live a life that makes an impact on our world. But what does that life look like? There are moments when we truly feel like we’ve made a ripple in the ocean of life, moments when we feel God’s presence moving hearts and changing lives through our weak and miniscule efforts. When was the last time you felt like you were really making a difference?
If I am to be completely honest, I rarely find myself feeling that way!! In the mundane, everyday tasks of life, I often get lost in the routine and find myself blind to everything I can’t see with my eyes. I forget that there is a world outside of my understanding, a realm in which God works deep inside the lives and hearts of people. After experiencing the trial of Shad’s epilepsy and our trip to Singapore and seeing what all God chose to do on our behalf, we find ourselves again walking day to day without any major events or trials to speak of. And so, on most days, we just do what needs to be done. Lead language class: check. Help new missionary buy a bike: check. Evaluate missionaries’ language progress: check. Drive new missionaries to their cultural excursion: check. Write update: check. Go to Bible study: check. Take care of kids: check…. and on and on it goes!! And I’m sure that you have your list, too!! Have you ever wondered, like me, what kind of impact your list makes on the world??
Be encouraged, friend!! Your “list”, when handed over to God and checked off as He sees fit, truly does make a difference!! You may not see it right away. In fact, you may never realize the impact your mundane tasks have on those around you. Paul’s letter to the Colossians commands us to “do it heartily”!! Everything we do, whether the great or the small; the exciting or the mundane– all must be done heartily, with all our heart, as to the Lord. And we can be sure that as we take on our daily tasks for His glory, He will not only give us the strength and ability to do it, He will also reward us for it (Col. 3:23-24)!!
So as you, like me, live your life today, remember that we are called to live heartily, to be willing to give our all, to invest our heart’s passion and our mind’s focus on the tasks ahead. After all, we are doing it as to Him!!
Thank you again for your prayers for us as we seek to serve the Lord heartily here!!
Shad visiting a friend
Answered prayers… (from May 2010 newsletter)
Enjoying the sights in Singapore
This past Wednesday, after two and a half years living as residents of Indonesia, we left the country and spent three nights in Singapore. For this short period of time, we traded in our motorcylces, fried rice, and Indonesian language for subways, buses, western food, and conversation in our native tongue!! It was quite a shock to our systems to see VERY clean streets, huge shopping malls, and tall buildings on every corner. I must admit that the sheer availability of western comforts such as Mountain Dew (in the fountain, no less!), Subway sandwiches, and Snickers bars truly brought tears to my eyes!!
But all this, of course, is beside the point!! The real reason we went to Singapore was not for the sights or the comforts. No, the purpose of this trip was to get some answers and clarity regarding Shad’s epilepsy. God again proved Himself faithful to us, and we praise Him for His answers to our prayers!!
We made it safely to Singapore on Wednesday around noon, and went to see the doctor on Thursday. Because we had been in touch with this particular doctor via email for several months, he was very knowlegable about Shad’s case and offered a very clear explanation of what has been causing Shad’s new symptoms. Simply put, Shad, as we already knew, suffers from Secondary Temporal Lobe Epilepsy. Although grand-mal seizures are not a common symptom for this type of epilepsy, they can come as a result of extreme stress, fatigue, or medicinal imbalance. The intial triggers for Shad, which caused his first major seizure over a year ago, was a combination of all three. The doctor went on to explain that seizures tend to beget seizures, especially if these triggers are not kept in check. The very good news is that a higher dose of Shad’s current medication should safely keep his symptoms under control! We praise the Lord that the diagnosis was so positive and that we were able to come away with a much better understanding of what is going on inside of Shad’s head J. We are also VERY thankful for the 10 months worth of medicine we were able to bring back with us!! No more worries about shortages!!
Brice with our hostess- Casthenia
Since we’ve been back, we have had some time to reflect on all we’ve learned over the past weeks. It is clear that God goes before us and will give us all we need for each day. We have also learned that as we wait on Him, He will open doors we never knew we were there!! Through this challenging chapter in our lives, God has given us new contacts, new prayer partners, and new eyes to see our situation through His eyes. He has worked miracles in our lives, many of which we probably aren’t even aware of! To Him be the glory for being our strength, our Shepherd, our all!!
Ever in His loving arms,
Shad, Sarah, Braden and Brice Deal
Guess who’s going to school and starting to drool??
Yes, that about sums up our boys these days!! As you may have guessed, Braden is the school boy and Brice is the drooler
Braden began attending an Indonesian preschool last month and is enjoying this new experience. He has already learned so much and made many friends there. He is almost three and a half years old, and full of life and smiles
Brice turned six months old on March 30th, and he is growing up very fast! He mostly drools for two reasons: the imminent arrival of baby teeth and salivation while he watches us eat
What a blessing our kids are to our life and ministry!!
A few random facts about our boys…
Braden Joel:
Age: 3 1/2 yrs old
Favorite color: the stop kind (red)
Famous quotes: “Sorry ’bout that!” ; “Mau main? (Want to play?)”
Likes: Thomas the tank engine, little brother, and anything on wheels
Brice Aaron:
Age: 6 1/2 months
Recent acheivements: sitting up, rolling over BOTH ways, clicking tongue
Favorite foods/drinks: bananas, avocado, daddy’s coffee
Silly sounds: mama, bau (Indonesian for “stink” ), wow
Prayer request for health…
Over the last few months, God has allowed us to walk through some difficult times health wise. As some of you may know, Shad suffers with a minor case of epilepsy that can affect his ability to process and retrieve language (including English). Although he has continued on his medication, he has developed new symptoms over the last year that we or his doctor did not expect to see. We have lots of questions as to what could be the cause and what we can do to keep these symptoms under control, and we are prayerfully considering a trip to Singapore to see a good neurologist. This, of course, entails travel costs and doctor bills, which unfortunately come during a tight time finacially. Please be praying that God would continue to provide for each need (which He has promised to do and has always done!!) Ultimately, we know God is in control and we have to trust Him in it all. We have been encouraged together as a couple by the many verses of scripture that speak of trials as chances to grow and be drawn closer to God. This is our prayer during this time! We appreciate your prayers and we will update you again when we find out more.
future plans… from spring2010 newsletter
At church on Easter
How would you define the word “ministry”?
Some would say ministry involves preaching. Others picture a Sunday school class, a Bible study, or a homeless shelter. Still others think of ministry as the life work and responsibility of missionaries and pastors.
Since arriving to Indonesia in November 2007, our ideas and definitions of ministry have changed. In our daydreams of mission life, we imagined living among a remote people group, learning their complicated language one word at a time until finally we were able to translate and teach God’s Word effectively. We imagined living side by side with these people, learning to love them and become a part of their lives. Surely, this is ministry!
Although our heart is still to reach tribal people with the gospel, we are finding that God’s picture of what “ministry” for our family looks like may be different than our own! For the last year, we have been serving as part of the Orientation team here in central Java, helping alongside two other families to welcome new families to the field. We have been involved in everything from grocery shopping and house repairs to cultural excursions and language evaluations. Although our day to day ministry doesn’t look much like we pictured it years ago, we rejoice that our ministry is a vital part of the big picture of tribal missions!! Since coming here more than two years ago, we have come to realize that there are many steps between arrival to the field and tribal ministry. It is said that statistically, a missionary’s first year on the field is the hardest of their ministry, and that first year is when the attrition rate is highest. When missionaries first arrives to the field, they need a house to stay in. They need to know where to buy food and how to pay their bills. They need to learn the national language and be evaluated so that they can minister effectively. They need encouragement to keep going when culture shock is at its strongest. Having a team in place to equip and encourage new missionaries is vital to any mission field. We are honored that God is using our gifts and abilities to be a part of such a team!!
Helping fellow missionary Chris with language and culture at the market
While our present ministry looks somewhat different than the picture we had in our mind a few years ago, God reminds us that it is not our work to begin with!!
And so, as we serve and seek Him, He is faithful to make our ministry profitable. Not because of us, but because of Him. Over this past year, we have come to love the ministry He has given us. We are confident that as we do what needs to be done, willing to serve the body however He allows, our labor will not be in vain. Our desire is to “be addicted to the ministry of the saints,” helping to encourage and equip the next generation of missionaries to Indonesia.
Just recently, we got the word from our field leadership and our fellow teammates that they would like us to continue serving here with the Orientation Team after our 10 month Home Assignment in December. We are humbled as we look back and see how God has used our family to meet needs here and we are excited for the opportunity to return!
Johnny’s fish sandwich…
Brothers ready for bed
It was bedtime. We had turned out the light, checked potty, and switched on the nightlight. My 3-year-old, looking quite comfy in his Cars pajamas with his blanket and stuffed elephant tucked in around him, was not satisfied with just a good night song and a kiss. He wanted a story. Not wanting to go through the ordeal of turning on the light, getting out of bed, and searching for a favorite book, I offered to tell him a story. I used to think I had a pretty good imagination, but I’ve learned recently that I have a very hard time with toddler storytime improv. So, my inner Proverbs 31 woman took over and decided to tell him a Bible story. Quickly, my mind scanned the gospels, looking for a story that would be simple yet descriptive and could be told in under three minutes (it was getting late!).
And so I began the story of the feeding of the 5,000. I explained to Braden that we don’t know the boy’s name in the story, but for our purposes we called him “Johnny” (original, huh?!). Braden listened closely as walked him through this old tale, using my most enthusiastic voice and lots of hand motions. I attempted to test his understanding by asking questions about Johnny, his fish sandwich, and the amazing teacher he had come to listen to that morning. Shocked and pleased, I marveled at my son’s answers. He indeed had understood the basic points of the story!! As I got ready to say our bedtime prayer, I again explained that when we pray, we talk to God. Braden looked up at me with big eyes and said “I want to talk to God!” Wow, talk about melting a mother’s heart!!
As I’m sure any of you mothers (or fathers) know, most times we don’t realize how much our children can comprehend. As I pondered our storytime and how fast Braden was able to latch on to the simple storyline, I wondered how much of God Braden was seeing in my life. Unlike my childhood perception of missionaries spending hours in Bible study and prayer, my own experience of missions has proved very busy and preoccupied. Being a wife, a mother of two boys, a language consultant, a friend, and a leader can be overwhelming at times. Sad to say, I often go days at a time without spending time with God. And when I don’t spend time connecting back with the source of my strength, it shows!! My temper is short, my anxiety is heightened, my mood is temperamental—the opposite of what God wants for me (and for those around me!). And so I ask myself, how do I live this life and reflect Christ to my family, my friends, and all others around me? The answer is simple, really. I must take the time to spend with my God. Although I may not have empty hours to just immerse myself in Bible study, how many moments do I waste worrying or watching TV or even doing “important things” when I could be using that time to pray or read a few verses of scripture? Oh, how our heavenly Father longs for us to spend those precious moments with Him!! There is a time to relax, a time to be busy, but my priority has to be to take time with Him.
It’s a lot like little Johnny and his fish sandwich. God uses our small offerings to do great things. How do I expect to give God my life in service if I am not willing to sacrifice my moments? He can take those moments I choose to spend with Him and use them to make my heart more like His. He can use my little boy to teach me what really matters in life. He can use each one of us with all our weaknesses and hang-ups and do great things through us.