The World Gets Even Smaller

It used to be when we came back to the US, the islands felt far away.  Which makes sense—they are far away! 

How many smart phones do you see?

We used to get a phone call now and then from an islander or emails from them or teammates, but mostly, while we were in America our focus was on America and while we were in the islands our focus is on the islands.  But as technology has improved and high-speed internet access has become more reliable, the other side of the world has come a lot closer.  

When we first got to the islands, we had 1 hour of slow dial-up internet each week at a cybercafe. Smart phones were nonexistent. Email attachments were limited to small, low-quality photos. International phone calls were super expensive and had patchy connections— so we would often go months without hearing the voices of our loved ones in the US. But things have changed so much since then and the regular communication and connection even to across the world is very much possible.

At first we noticed the change from people in the US as requests for video chats and the possibility of them grew. But now more and more we are seeing islanders embrace this new smaller world and reaching out across the continents.

Traditional groom, phone in hand

Since being here in the US this time, more than ever before we have seen how technology, apps and social media has changed our connections with people on the islands. Here is just a taste:  Tom has had multiple phone calls from a friend dealing with a medical issue.  We’ve been able to engage as our team deals with a humanitarian crisis.  Megan has gotten voice messages from island friends who aren’t overly literate. Tom has been able to buy things for people requesting gifts (by the way, if you’ve got an unlocked smart phone you don’t use anymore let us know). Megan was able to have a realtime chat with a neighbor teen who had snatched her dad’s phone and wanted to know how our daughter was. We’ve been able to send money and help out an island friend in need. We’ve been able to simply say “hi” and make those relationship maintaining messages that seem trivial but are so important for relational bonds in our African context.  Finally Tom was able to share the good news for the first time with an island friend and connect him with one of our colleagues to study more.  

This is an incredible thing.  We marvel at it.  And yet, we wonder about it too.  When new people come to the islands we ask them to dedicate 3 months to “unplugging”. We believe the process helps them to make stronger bonds in their new island home by freeing up that time they would normally be online.  It helps them to be less distracted by the notifications, beeps and tweets that would keep them from concentrating on the new culture they have entered. It causes them to look to new relationships for some of the support that they might have found across the ocean. It has a quieting effect. It teaches them to let go.

So if all these good things come from disconnecting our new team members from the internet, why don’t we do it more often?  Should we also make a habit of disconnecting?

We find ourselves at odds—thankful for the possibilities that technology and apps has brought to deepen relationship and maintain friendships across the ocean.  But part of us likes the simplicity of the old days, when our island life was on the islands and American life was in America.  We don’t have any answers, just observations and feelings.  Is it a sign of getting older?  Longing for things that once were…

Breakfast servers on Father's Day

PRAYERS ANSWERED
We have had a number of chances to connect with different groups of people this past week and share about what is happening on the islands. Tom was the main speaker this Sunday morning. We are very thankful for our fathers this Father’s Day! One of our medical teammates has been given the opportunity to study with a friend at her workplace, which means she may end up studying with three more women at the same time! Pray for no distractions and that these times of study would be able to happen without hindrance. Tom got to share good news with an island friend who is currently on the French Island and he is interested in learning more. Pray that he would be able to connect well with brothers and study with them there.

PRAYERS REQUESTED
Pray for the island brothers and sisters and our teammates as they try to help some African refugees that are still be detained on Clove Island. They are no longer being given enough food, but the authorities aren’t necessarily making it easy for people to come in and support them. Pray for us as we come to the end of our yearlong leadership training— that we would have time to thoughtfully finish the remaining reading and assignments. Keep praying for Megan’s back to stay strong and pain-free through our different travels and activities. Our colleagues (who work on the small island) just had their baby boy this morning in the US— but complications at birth means he is in the NICU and will be there for the next several days— please pray for this precious baby and his family.