Crisis Mode

 The past couple weeks has been a mini season of crises.

Making it back to Clove Island on boat

We talk about being in ‘crisis mode.’ Different personalities respond differently to crisis.  For some, this means a rush of adrenaline that gives them the energy and clarity to make decisions and push through until the end of the crisis— but if the crisis keeps going that energy-surge might leave them exhausted and burnt-out. For others, ‘crisis mode’ can mean that emotions are high and they are in a fragile and sensitized state. Things that would normally not be a big deal or even bothersome, might be the straw that breaks the camel’s back in a crisis situation.

Some of the difficult events of the past few weeks have not been serious but they have added to the sense of ‘crisis mode’ because each is just another stressor during a stressful time— so things like travel plans being canceled and having to rearrange our schedules, or the fact that we came home to a rat in our house which stubbornly refused to be caught in the rat trap, or even the fact that it has been really hot the past few days. They aren’t crises in and of themselves, but they are more things to potentially tire and stretch us. Crisis-mode is a hard place to be in and means people aren’t at their best. We need to have grace for ourselves and others in crisis.

We have not been at the center of the actual crises, but our leadership position means that we have been emotionally invested and have had roles in decision-making and in supporting those more directly involved and in facilitating conversations and answering questions with different levels of leadership.  Discerning what people in crisis need most can be difficult and as leaders we don’t always get it right. 

Finally got the rat!

Thankfully, God does not desert us in crises. He answers prayers— giving us pockets of rest and relaxation, bringing healing, and this week, literally making a looming cyclone weaken and change direction.  He provides the direction and energy that we need. He gives us good gifts along the way— finally killing the rat, finding some surprisingly good ice cream for Tom’s birthday, and the windy weather (instead of a cyclone) blowing away some of the heat today. 

We are praying that this season of crises is short-lived. We are praying that God would protect all involved and help us to learn from the mistakes that we make along the way. We’re tired and there are others even more tired, but we’re hopeful. 

PRAYERS ANSWERED 
The sick colleague from the small island was able to travel to mainland Africa with her family. She received care and was released from the hospital. There’s still some follow-up needed, but we are so thankful for the healing she has received and all the people on the islands and in mainland Africa who facilitated her care.  We made it safely back to Clove Island. The cyclone weakened and ended up going well north of us. Lots of answers to prayer.  We got rid of the rat that had snuck into our house while we were gone. The women had a well-attended meeting while we were gone and the one of the groups in our area is back to meeting regularly. 

PRAYERS REQUESTED
Pray for colleagues that are still dealing with crisis and the lasting impact it will have. Pray for wisdom in tough decisions and for smooth paths moving forward. Continue to pray for the boat project— they have struggled to find trustworthy staff that understand their vision. Pray for the right people and for things to get easier— they have hit road bumps at every turn. Pray for Mtsa and Muki— that they might get back into a good rhythm of studying. The men didn’t meet in our absence, pray for a desire for the brothers to learn and grow together.