Memory from Early Years on the Field: Stopped by a drunk (and How God protects you even when you don't protect yourself)

Shane and Shane - Psalm 46 | Chris Tomlin - Whom Shall I Fear
(Psalm 24:10 ; Psalm 46:7 ; Psalm 17:45)

So I grew up in a relatively safe, sheltered suburban neighborhood without a whole lot of crime or violence or "thug-life" (at least not that I was aware of or a part of). And then my first year in Southeast Asia was spent on an island, in a region where the community culture is incredibly focused on peace and harmony and honorable treatment of each other. Conflict is avoided at all costs and one should never say "no" directly to anyone if at all possible.

Then I came to Papua, where attitudes toward peace and harmony and conflict are, well, different. And that's how a suburban kid straight out of language school on peace and harmony island found himself face to face for the first time with an angry drunk--and said and did exactly the wrong things.

Him: "Give me money, dollars!"
Me (trying to diffuse and deescalate): "Who are you?"
(I didn't know that these words in this culture actually communicate a challenge to the other person's masculinity...)
Him: "I'm (so-and-so), and this is my land, who are YOU? Give me money" (swung and struck my helmet with an open hand and broke the visor)
Me: ... (doesn't know what to say or do anymore)
Him (getting increasingly violent and aggressive, leans into my face, turns my keys off in the motorbike, loud and demanding)

And that's when my colleagues Ted* and Teresa* (pseudonyms) showed up. Ted and Teresa had had lots of experience with violent behavior from neighbors, including having their house broken into by machete-wielding men while they and their kids were sleeping in it. And their response had been at the time to command the intruders in the name of Jesus to leave--and they did! Ted saw my helpless look, stopped the car, got out and strode up to the man holding my handlebars.

Ted (in English, to the man, in a confident tone of voice): "What is the problem here? Does he owe you money?"
The man: ... (looking confused and hesitant)
Ted (again in English): "Well he's just gonna go then." (to me) "Just go."
The man: ...
Me: (turns keys, starts bike, and leaves)

I've had to learn a bit about projecting (usually friendly) confidence and not fear and dealing with drunks and other potentially violent or disruptive people since then, but my takeaway from that encounter was that "the Lord of Hosts"/"the God of Angel Armies (NLT)" is not just a poetic term. God really does surround and protect His children, and I had experienced it, and not for the last time either.