#CompassionINDO @CompassionAU
My ability to speak in Bahasa Indonesian is limited. It means that conversations with kids who have limited English is always going to be with a limited vocab.
From previous work with kids with limited English (in Vanuatu) I worked out a phrase – JESUS IS NUMBER ONE – that was useful in verbal communication.
YESUS NOMOR SATU was a phrase I used lots of times with kids (and adults) that I met.
Here’s why I like it:
- It’s simple and fun
- It’s verbal and visual (one finger in air)
- It’s an opportunity to speak joyfully about Jesus
- Manado is a city where there is a large number of people who profess to be Christian. It means it is easy for the next generation to assume the gospel. I think the speaking of the supremacy of Christ is one way of, from even a young age, helping young people put Jesus ahead of anything that might compromise their discipleship.
On our second last day I was talking to a local lady who had very good English. She asked me how much Indonesian I knew, I said not much and then gave the YESUS NOMOR SATU phrase. She said ‘he’s more than number one, he’s the one and only!!’ She then tried to teach me to say that in Indo. I struggled. She said my phrase was good enough :)