A New Chapter

 There is always something exciting about a new beginning. There is so much potential. There are so many first experiences to be had. So many new people to meet and new places to explore. It’s exciting!

Being helpful packing cars for the move!

At least we think it’s exciting. At the moment we are living vicariously through our two colleagues who just today left our team in the capital to move to the far side of the island to start a new team. They have a new house, a new neighborhood, a new climate (everyone likes to tell us how cold that side of the island is) and a new team dynamic.

There’s a lot about which to be excited. But new chapters aren’t always met with excitement. Sometimes instead of excitement, fear and uncertainty are the predominant emotions. New chapters mean untested challenges, unforeseen obstacles. All those new places, people and responsibilities can be intimidating.  So really, these new beginnings create a big mixed bag of emotions.

Being slightly less helpful

And in that emotion bag around this new chapter is a lot of thankfulness and relief. This new beginning has been a long time coming. As soon as we came to Clove Island in 2013, there was talk about starting a medical team on the far side of the island. I think it had been a dream for awhile before that. The need for better medical care was obvious.  Moreover, our organization has a history of bringing medical workers to the islands and a legacy of solid teams. A medical team made a lot of sense and for years people have been excited about it. There were vision trips and scouting trips. Lots of interested people. Lots of prayers said for it. In 2017, there were leaders chosen and possible team members being vetted and a start date for 2018 was set. Everyone was excited. But within a few months it all unraveled.  The prospective leaders went in a different direction, no members were able to join a leaderless team, and the start date was canned.

Jump forward to 2021 and there have been several more false starts for this medical team as health issues and then COVID got in the way. Lots of anticipation and disappointment at different delays. But that’s all in the past now. It’s here! It’s a new chapter! God has provided a leader with a heart and vision for this medical team and the first team member is on site and ready to serve. It has begun!

So what should be our response to all this? We should pray! First we should pray in excitement and rejoicing, in thankfulness and praise. Then we should lift them up with in petitions and requests, that they would be guided, equipped and used powerfully. There is so much potential in a new chapter— may we have a vision for what God will do through it! 

See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? Isaiah 43:19

Tom screening windows on new house

PRAYERS ANSWERED
There is so much to be thankful for— that the house was ready for our teammates, that people came to help with loading and unloading of the moving van, that the move went smoothly.  Tom has come to the end of a multi-week study with two island men, and they want to celebrate the completion of it.  Although there has been no clear fruit, we are thankful for good listening, thoughtful reflection, and exposure to life-giving truth.  Tom was able to reconnect with his friend, Mnyawe (someone he’s spent a lot of time studying with).  Mnyawe is working as a fisherman now, and he still shows a love for God’s word that is encouraging.

 

PRAYERS REQUESTED
Our short-termer didn’t arrive last week because she tested positive for COVID. She tested again today and was still positive (though almost all her symptoms have past). So we are still not sure when she will be able to arrive. Pray that she would fully recover and make it to our island. Pray for us as we have tried to keep our schedules clear so we can do an orientation with her when she arrives, but it is difficult to keep that time open with an uncertain arrival. Pray that we’d all stay flexible and adapt well to the changing circumstances. Please pray for our medical teammates that they would transition well to their new house and that they would develop good patterns and habits in this new chapter!  Our boys go back to school this week.  Pray for an easy transition and for our family to quickly form new school routines.