The Nelson Family Indonesia

It was warm today. When there’s no cloud cover and the sun shines more brilliantly than perhaps anywhere else on earth, it’s hot. Steamy hot. And yet we made our way home through the market as usual.

And as usual, the men gathered in the shade provided by a small tarp sat huddled around the single table outside of the Kede Kopi truck, and as soon as they caught sight of us they excitedly waved us over. After a few quick words between us, we knew this was the day we would stop together and have coffee with them.

Several of them needed to leave as we waited for our coffee. Those able to speak a bit of English helped, along with our growing bahasa Indonesia skills, and we were able to make the conversation work. One of the men joining us today helps out in some capacity at the mosque across the street – not the imam (at least not that I could understand), but helping in some other capacity. One of the gentlemen is a construction contractor, who left us in order to get back to work, circling back on his motorcycle for the baseball cap he inadvertently left behind. He indicated one of us could ride behind him, but we politely declined.

They shared some local fruit with us – salak – which was very tasty. Sort of like a pear but different in texture, more firm, less grainy. We enjoyed the Sumatran coffee, learning they roast their own just a few feet away. At the end I invited the group to the open house we will be hosting Saturday evening. Will they come? Who knows. But the relationship is growing.