Voting Day

Clouds gather over island

What is voting day like for you?  Is it pretty much a typical day?  Maybe there’s an extra stop in there, before or after work or during a lunch break, when you drive down to your local voting location to cast your vote.  If you’re from one of those swing states, you might see signs and picketers at the door, which makes things more exciting, but then the day goes on as usual.  Maybe you watch the television during the evening to see the results.  Maybe you feel the excitement of participating in democracy.  But all in all, it’s probably not that different from a typical day for you.

Here on the islands, voting day is one of those days when we feel very much the foreigner.  First, we cannot vote, so our opinions and feelings mean little.  Secondly, we hardly understand what’s really going on.  Though we have been here almost ten years, island politics is such a mix of family politics, corruption, religion, village and outside influence, that it is hard to get the true story.  Add to this the flurry of speculation and lack of reliable journalism and the quagmire of truth grows murkier still.  Thirdly, there’s the danger that voting days present.  And this is a reality that is true in many African nations.  Voting day is not an easy, carefree, casual day.  People are fearful.  The anxiety grows as the day approaches and everyone holds their breath.  Everyone hopes that they are not standing on a powder keg, or if they are, that no one would light the fuse.  Everyone waits and watches?  Will there be violence?  Will things proceed peacefully?  No one really knows.

Men's Wedding Event

So today is voting day.  And this is no normal vote, but one the will change the Island constitution. It has been hotly contested and tensions have run high.  Yet, as I sit writing this blog at ten o’clock in the morning, everything seems calm and normal.  There does not seem to be any trouble.  Will people go out and vote?  Will shops be open?  Actually, we don’t really know, because as an outsider, our policy is, stay out of the way and stay out of sight on these tense days.  So we are home all day.  Nothing to do but wait and see and listen to hear what might happen. 

The country holds its breath.  But like we said, this is no normal vote.  The repercussions could be vast.  Will the vote be conducted fairly?  Will the populace agree with the decision?  The country holds its breath.  Tomorrow, will they be able to exhale, or will the tensions remain?  Will we all breath a sigh of relief, or is this the calm before the storm?  We await the results and what the coming weeks will hold.

Women's event starts in front of our house!

PRAYERS ANSWERED
We have a new brother!  So happy to have a new family member among us on the islands.  He is from one of our neighboring islands and we are rejoicing for him.  We are thankful that we’ve got to reconnect with many of our friends here (and attend a number of wedding events) after our time away. It is good to be back. Our teammates get a chance to attend a conference to learn about connecting with and encouraging the local arts— we pray that it will be an awarding time and will prove useful here on the islands.

PRAYERS REQUESTED
Pray for peace and justice in the current political crisis.  Clove Island is a stronghold for the opposition and there is extra concern for unrest here, but it is actually on the big island that there was an incident of a polling place being attacked.  Pray that we could be a light and speak truth in the midst of difficult politics and anger.  Tom still feels sick.  His throat continues to bother him.  Megan got a chance to sit with our neighbor who moved away.  There is anger, bitterness and a hard grudge.  Pray for forgiveness to enter the heart of our neighbor.  Like many here, she comes from a family that struggles to forgive.  Continue to pray for our team.  Most of them are in Kenya at the moment, but we have many decisions to make about the future and direction we will take on their return.