The Inundation

Trying to resurrect our dried out plants after vacation

Every year it happens. Some years it is more dramatic than others, but every summer the islands experience a mass migration. But this is not an inundation of wildlife, it is an inundation of foreigners and not just any foreigners, islander-foreigners!

By now you may be confused. Are they islanders or are they foreigners? The answer is that they are both! They are islanders by heritage, some were even born here, but they are also foreigners. They live abroad, most of them in France. They carry themselves differently.  They don’t always follow the cultural norms or rules that other islanders still guard.  Many of the younger ones struggle with the local language and insist on speaking French everywhere they go. 

There are all types of repercussions of this mass migration. First there are the flights. Flights to the islands are suddenly full to bursting, so much that the planes can’t handle all the luggage and people often arrive before their bags. The immigration lines at the airport were really long as most of these islander-foreigners are traveling under French passports. Between the islands was even worse, we were in the small waiting room at the domestic airport (which usually accommodates 1 or 2 flights at a time) and there were 4 flights waiting, all going to the same place!

House across the way, fixed up while we were gone

Once on Clove Island the symptoms of this inundation continues. Islander-foreigners bring money so house improvements and wedding can now commence. The day we arrived there was a wedding in front of our house, while attending that one, I was invited to three more weddings. The stores that sells imported goods are full of customers (islander-foreigners aren’t used to living island-style). Everyone has guests in their homes and we can see the wear on some of our friends and neighbors…islander-foreigners can be very demanding houseguests.

Finally there are the extra stares we get. Many islander-foreigners are used to living in the bigger world where people haven’t even heard of the islands, let alone knowing anything about them.  So the sight of us foreigners, dressing in island-style, eating island foods and speaking the island language— it can be shocking.  Our presence generates a lot more pointing and comments this time of year. Partially because of the juxtaposition of us (who are obviously of foreign-origin but comfortable on the islands) and them (who look like islanders, but aren’t entirely comfortable here). 

Our downstairs neighbors have a huge crowd of visitors. We had a nice visit with one one of them. She is actually living and studying in the US (which is pretty rare for islanders). She is here with her mother, brother and sister who all live in France. None of them had been to the islands for many, many years. She studies linguistics and knows multiple languages but when she heard me greet another neighbor she confessed that she doesn’t know the island language! What a shame! We’re thinking of giving her the grammar book we have written for the island language, so she can start learning!

We will continue to see the repercussions of the inundation as the weeks go on. There will be new technology, new music, new trends, new culture that will have swept in with them and left after they leave. Every year it happens.  It is part of life on the islands.  A source of connection to the outer world, strengthened each summer with the annual inundation of islander-foreigners. 

View from our roof didn't change

PRAYERS ANSWERED
We made it back to the islands! Our daughter is feeling better.  So thankful that all our dental work is done and we are pain free.  Our time on the big island with our leadership went well.  All of our bags made it!  It is good to be back in our house.  The children seem happy to be back.  We have already connected with many of our friends again and it is nice to be so warmly welcomed back even after a short break.  We are thankful that Island weather is cool this time of year and very comfortable!  We are excited to hear that the electronic resources continue to be well received.

PRAYERS REQUESTED
We left the islands for vacation with our team coming out of a crisis. As we came back another crisis opened. Continue to pray for wisdom, grace and unity for those of us in leadership and for all the members of our team.  Pray for the islands! A week from today is a nationwide vote on a referendum. Many see this as the current president’s attempts to illegally grasp at power.  Opposition leaders have been put under house arrest and demonstrations/protests have been squashed.  Many islanders cynically believe that everyone will vote one way but that the government will still announce what it wants.  We pray for an honest election, peace, freedom and good leadership for the islands. Megan’s grandmother has been in the hospital.  We ask for recovery and peace for her and those making decisions.  Tom is not feeling well today.  Possibly the same bug that the kids had last week. Pray for healing. We also came back to learn that something happened and no one our close neighbors has moved out— we’re not sure what the issue is (marital troubles?, problems with in-laws?) but pray for us as we try to find them and talk to them about it.  Another friend lost his son while we were gone, pray that we could be voices of truth and comfort to him.