Sending Us Off

Tom, kids and goodbye cake

We’ve talked before about how important saying goodbyes are on the islands. As we were preparing to leave this week, we were struck by the different ways islanders chose to show us that they cared and would miss us. Here are four different ways:

Honoring Us: Our final week was a hectic time, lots of things to do and people to see. Tom had just one more class to teach when we were approached with a request. His co-teacher said the students wanted Tom and our whole family to come to the last class so they could do something. He wouldn’t tell us what the “something” was, but we knew they wanted to honor us and say goodbye. When we arrived it was more than just Tom’s class there. They set up a bench and table up front for us. We had to wait awhile, but eventually there were snacks, bottled waters, more snacks, speeches, a song, finally a big birthday-style cake. Finally Tom gave a speech thanking them for the great send-off. We said goodbye and Tom was able to actually teach his final lesson.

Thoughtful note from student

Touching Tributes and Notes: As English teachers we often get wonderful notes from our beginner students. Islanders love formal and flowery language, but as students, their English-level can’t always keep up with the level of expression they want to produce. They try anyway! It leads to loving messages and Facebook tributes that make us smile. Here is one letter that Tom got this week (see photo, but transcribed here): “Dear Sir, I write this letter of you say that you are a good teacher. I will not forget your education. I want wish for safe trip. You will miss we. BUY Teacher Tom. This is [student name]. I want for while the happiness and do not forget we, level 3 and [school name]”.

Parting Gifts: Ma Riziki visited us more times this week than she usually does in a month. She seemed paranoid that we might leave without her knowing. Twice she came when we were out and later told us, “I thought you had left.” We assured her that we were going to travel Monday morning, but islanders are so used to fluid travel plans that she never trusted our planned departure date. Plans always change. She came Sunday morning to tell us that she had heard on the radio that all flights were cancelled. Thankfully we knew better than to trust news from Ma Riziki, but we called to confirm our flight anyways. She was wrong, some flights were stopping, not all of them. Our inter-island flight was fine. Finally her final visit was late on Sunday afternoon (she doesn’t like going out at night and first thing in the morning if she can help it). She gave us a heavy load of the local version of spicy peanut brittle to take with us—a gift to bring to our family—a taste of the islands and evidence to them that we are loved there.

Saying final goodbye at airport

Goodbyes at the Final Moment: It seems the closer someone is to you, the later they are supposed to say goodbye. So someone you don’t know well will be content to say goodbye to you a week before you travel. Close neighbors want to make sure to say goodbye the day before. Sometimes it seems like they are making a claim on your level of friendship by when they insist on saying goodbye. The day before we traveled we said goodbye to Ma Nadjma and her mother, but even as we were getting up to leave, she insisted that she would come to our house and travel to the airport and say goodbye.  At the airport, she stayed with us until we were called to go through security.

We don’t particularly like big, drawn-out goodbyes, but it’s the island way and it builds and strengthens our friendships.  So we embrace the island way of doing things and are thankful that we have many friends there who care about us, and that is a blessing.

PRAYERS ANSWERED
We packed up our house, said our goodbyes and left Clove Island. We are on the big island now. It was stressful, but we are thankful for the ways the Lord has watched over us this past week, sending people our way, giving us time to do the things we needed to do in the midst of everything.  Our kids finished their exam week and it sounds like things went pretty well.  We await to hear their final grades, but we are happy that they seem satisfied with their work.  Our youngest son only missed the first day of exams and caught up by the second day.  Thanks for your prayers.  Our friend on the French island is also feeling better after a rough week of dengue fever.  The Women’s Day gathering happened on Sunday and was a success.  So exciting to see so many island sisters meeting together.  The visiting group from Africa finished their assessments and all in all it seems that their time on the islands went well. 

Tom packing up and storing our stuff

PRAYERS REQUESTED
We have completed one of five legs of our journey to the USA, but because of the coronavirus, things seem to get more complicated by the hour.  Please pray for our travels, that we would be allowed to travel through countries that are closing their borders and make our way back to the USA without too much trouble.  We’ve also been informed that lines are long and much patience is needed.  Pray that all five of us would have the patience and kindness with one another necessary for the long journey ahead.  Pray that we would not complain or gripe or snap at each other, but encourage one another even in long lines and difficult situations.  The men Tom have been studying with for so long are working toward a plan to meet weekly with the brother they met not long ago.  Pray that these meetings would happen and that great things might come of it!  The whole world seems to be turning upside down with the threat of the coronavirus.  Lift up our world; may God have mercy; may people make wise decisions and yet may they not be ruled by fear.  The islands don’t have any cases yet, but it is coming. Pray that islanders would be prepared with good information and the supplies they need. These are strange times; yet may God use these things of darkness to bring many out of darkness and into the light.