It’s All Who You Know

 The truck was piled high with 50lbs sacks of rice.  They were stacked about a dozen high, well above the sides of the truck bed and cinched down with ratchet straps.  Three guys were unloading the bags—one up in the truck bed pulling them down and two runners bringing the sacks to the storage room nearby.

Truck loaded with sacks of rice

We had been waiting for rice for a few weeks. We finished our sack, but everyone was out. So we’ve been keeping an eye out for the return of rice.

“So there’s rice now?”  Tom said. The man looked at Tom and smiled, “Nope.  It’s all gone.  There’s none at all.”  Tom walked home empty handed.

One of the results of the COVID pandemic has been regular shortages on the islands.  The pandemic reduced the merchant marine workforce.  This in turn, reduced the number of cargo ships and raised the cost of shipping worldwide.  On islands where most of the goods are imported, this has had a toll.  Prices of goods have gone up and regular shortages have resulted.  These shortages seem to only last a few months or so.  No one is starving. But it is disruptive to normal life.  For example, rice—islanders eat a lot of rice.  They can get by without it, but they like their rice—and it’s cheap.  A 50lbs bag costs about $17.  

Tom with our friend who gave us the rice connection!

Flour is another thing that’s run short.  We had a complete shortage a bit ago and then a small shipment came in, but now it’s low again.  The other day Megan went out looking for flour.  All the local shops were out, but then a neighbor called her over and said in a whisper, “Ma Nganu has flour.”  So Megan went over to Ma Nganu’s and asked,  “Do you have any flour?”  Ma Nganu’s eyes got shifty as she looked around the street and quickly ushered Megan into the shop and shut the door behind them.  Then went over to the corner where, hidden under a tarp she had her sack of flour.  She measured some out for Megan and telling her all the random people from far-off neighborhoods who had come asking for flour. “This flour is only for neighborhood people, for my people,” she said,  “I don’t want strangers coming and taking it all away.”

Success! We have rice!

Back to the rice—why did the guy say there was no rice while bag after bag was hefted into the store room?  It was all claimed.  He had his people to whom he would sell, and Tom was not one of his people.

A few days later, Tom was in a car with two of his friends and noticed a motorcycle with a bag of rice on the back.  He shared with his friends his story about the truck full of rice and the man saying there was none.  “How many sacks do you need?” his friend asked.  Tom let him know that one sack was all he was looking for—for our family, one sack lasts months.  His friend said, “I’ll ask my brother-in-law.”  

A few days later Tom’s friend calls him on the phone.  “I’ve got a sack of rice for you.  Can you come right now?”  Tom headed right out the door, met his friend on the street and walked over to the very same store room and the very same man who had denied him rice the week before.  Quietly, Tom was ushered into the store room.  About twenty sacks of rice still remained.  Tom paid for one and brought it home.  On his walk home with the rice sack, his neighbors smiled mischievous grins, “Congratulations! You found some rice!”  

PRAYERS ANSWERED
We got a sack of rice! Our teammates who have traveled made it safely to their destinations and we hope are having restful breaks. The women’s gathering happened though a much smaller group than normal— praying that next month will be a big group again. Elewa’s daughter was feeling better by the time Elewa and her husband traveled. The translation project had some very good checking sessions this past week and made encouraging progress!  Tom’s 2 men’s groups continue to meet and have encouraging developments as they interact with the word.  Our colleague’s son who had emergency brain surgery is out of the hospital and recovering well so far.

PRAYERS REQUESTED
We have had some disruptions to our future plans— pray for us as we coordinate with teammates and others to make new plans. We are trying to be open to new models for the future, pray for guidance as we think about possibilities and look to find unity with all those involved or effected. Pray that our teammates would have restful vacations this week.  Pray for the 2 men’s groups—that they would come every time, that they would invite others to join, that they would allow the words to touch their hearts and be transformed.  One of the men from these groups is interested in meeting faithful island followers.  Pray for wisdom how to do this well, and that it could happen soon.  Pray fro divisions among the fellowship on the smallest island—that problems could be resolved, forgiveness given and harmony restored.