It's Just a Game

 We were getting into the bed. It was around 11pm and the lights were already off in our house, when we started to hear the sounds of yelling getting closer to our corner. After a bit, the yells were close and we heard crashes and thuds. A couple of the impacts were close enough for us to identify the sound as rocks being thrown onto tin roofs.

Clove Islanders playing on the beach

We didn’t bother to turn on our lights or open our front door to go onto the porch, but we gathered by a window to listen more intently to see if we could understand what was going on. One of our immediate neighbors had the same idea and with a clearer view of the street from her house started to call out to people she saw on the street, asking what was going on. But the continued yelling noise, meant that all we could pick up was that people were indeed throwing rocks and that someone may have been hurt. Nothing was clear but it wasn’t long before everything was quiet again, and we went to bed knowing we’d learn more in the morning.

Apparently, it was all because of a basketball game.  A team from another town lost the game at the local stadium and the fans were upset about it.  After the game a big fight broke out in the stadium, fists were flying.  It spilled out into the street and they started throwing rocks and destroyed property. Some people were injured, one man critically.

Car across way with broken window

In the morning we noticed that the car parked across the street from our house had its window smashed in, and walking down the road towards the stadium the next day, there were several cars with broken windshields,  as well as glass all over the road left behind from cars that had already been moved.  

As our neighbors were talking about it, I asked, “All because of a game?” They responded by saying that it seemed so, but that they couldn’t know for sure,  “It might be ‘political’ too.” Puzzled I asked them to explain. I couldn’t understand how someone angry over a lost basketball game could claim political motivations when they were randomly breaking car windows. It’s not like the cars belonged to politicians or even anyone they knew.

But as they explained, it wasn’t so much that the actions were political, but an expression of anger and frustration. The island youth already have so much anger and unrest in their hearts because of political and economic realities, that it just bursts out with the least bit of provocation.

This is the fruit of anger ruining hearts— it starts to destroy and tear down indiscriminately.

People are a little on edge about what the aftermath will be.  Will the youth of our town seek revenge on the other town? Could this be the beginning of a long-lasting feud? Older people are looking for solutions— there is already talk about collecting the funds from the offending town to fix all the car windows.

After spill as passenger on motorcyle

Others are thinking more personally and saying that they won’t go to sporting events anymore and won’t let their kids go either. Another suggested that you just have to leave in the middle before the losers are apparent and before people get angry.

I think we will pray. Pray for this lingering anger under the surface to find constructive and healthy ways to be released.  Pray for the youth to feel heard and to catalyze change in this country. Pray that in the future, sporting events can just be fun games.

PRAYERS ANSWERED
Thankfully since we wrote this post, there were a couple days on tension, but then the situation has calmed down. We are thankful that Ma Imani who has been plagued by different illnesses since moving back to Clove Island last year has been healed. She was prayed for last weekend with a large group and Megan visited her this past week and she says she is completely well and not taking any of the medications anymore. We are thankful that our medical colleagues had a good first week working at the hospital on the plateau. We are thankful that Tom and his friend were not significantly hurt when the motorcycle they were on slid out on the way back home over the mountain this weekend.

PRAYERS REQUESTED
Keep praying for the islands— the president held a big inauguration for his contested re-election this past weekend.  There continues to be a lot of tension under the surface and political opponents continue to be arrested. Also, continue to pray for our daughter— she’s having pain in more joints in her body now and has been referred to see a specialist. She has an appointment this coming weekend in the city. Pray for healing for her and for clarity moving forward. Pray for us as it is hard to be far from her— we have plans to be in Kenya in 2 weeks.  Pray for Tom’s friend Kwendzi who has been talking about studying with him for weeks, makes a plan then breaks it.  Pray that he would find the courage to actually meet.  Meanwhile, Muki still visits nearly everyday and his understanding and joy with the word grows daily.  Pray that he would find ways to start sharing the things he is learning.

Power of Prayer

I was reading this week the account of a worker in another nation of islands who wanted the people she worked amongst to understand the power of prayer and to really learn to pray with fervency. It ended up taking a tragedy of the worker herself being in a horrible accident for that lesson to be learnt, but she was able to look back and see the accident as bringing a great blessing to that people— because learning to pray is powerful.

May light shine on the islands!

One of our island brothers had a burden. He saw all the horrible things happening on the islands— cholera, a broken economy, political corruption, and severe weather destroying crops. He felt burdened to pray for this nation. But not just him, he wanted to see people gathered together to pray. So this past Sunday, we did just that.

A couple islanders led the time and they acknowledged that some people there had probably only prayed for 5-10 minutes at a time before. They acknowledged that usually we just pray for our personal problems or the problems of the people in our group. But this was a call to a new kind of prayer. This was a call to pray for people that they had never met— to pray for the government and politicians that they may not even trust— to pray for big problems even though they can’t even see how they could change. This was a call to ask God to give us new things to pray for. This was a call to become people of prayer— to see something on the news and immediately to pray for it, even if it is a situation that you don’t understand in a country far away.

Most of the time that we prayed— we were all praying at once as new topics were given to us. So I don’t know everyone else’s experience of it. I don’t know if those that had less experience praying were participating the whole time or just watching other people pray. But I know that powerful prayers were said, and I know that prayer is powerful in several ways. It is powerful in that God answers our prayers. It is powerful for the one saying the prayers— shaping our hearts towards what God wants and towards how He views the world. And it is powerful for those who are listening— seeing the evidence of faith, hope and love— and hopefully realizing that they too can become people of prayer.

I don’t know why the islands are having such a hard time. We see the suffering and wonder why?  But if these hard times awaken and produce people of prayer, we know that these islands will be blessed. Our brother reminded us, “We are meant to bless our nation. We are God’s children. We are the ones that need to pray for this place.”

May their prayers be answered with power!

PRAYERS ANSWERED
It seems like the number of cholera cases is finally starting to diminish.  It’s still a big problem, but we are encouraged that we might already be on the other side of the curve.  We are thankful that our newer medical people finally got their authorization to work in the hospital (it’s been 6 months).  They start work this week.  We’re happy to see that Muki is back and as eager to study as ever.  They had a great study this morning and he plans to come back tomorrow.  We’re thankful that our island brothers and sisters felt a great burden to pray for these islands.  The time  was very encouraging to see them praying in this way.  We both feel more or less back to full strength after what was a nasty virus.



Our kids share a meal in our daughter's dorm

PRAYERS REQUESTED

Pray that there would be many people of prayer among the islands brother and sisters and that they would see answers to their prayers.  Pray for healing for our daughter who continues to be troubled by intense shoulder pain.  She’s seeing a PT now, but healing has been slow in coming.  Pray for our medical people starting work.  May they find a good balance to work, family, language learning and community.  May they learn the ways of the hospital quickly as they serve with joy and shine brightly.  Continue to pray for our friends with new babies or babies on the way, for the health of mothers and babies and for doors to be opened thanks to the answers of our prayers for the births of these children.  Keep praying for our teammate and her difficult family health situations that have taken her away from the islands for a time.

Answered Prayers After a Long Wait

Uhaju has been around more lately.  He and his wife opened a stall on the main street where they sell clothes, shoes and various other goods.  A few times, when I’ve been passing I’ve found him there and been able to stop, take off my sandals and come inside the stall, sit next to him and chat.  I’ve known Uhaju for so long and seen his interest in things of truth rise and fall like a very slow tide.  Years ago, we would read together every week, but then he would lose interest, only to have him return a year later, ready to read again, only to have another year go by where he would stop coming and I would hardly see him.  But I know that when I do see him, he’s usually interested to sit and talk.  He loves to hear a story.  So the last few times I’ve seen him I’ve shared with him whatever story I had been reading that day.

Prayer walk for cholera

This week it happened to be about a man who found that his wife was pregnant and planned to divorce her in secret, only to have a dream in which he was told not to divorce her, but to trust God in this.  I told the story in my own words, and then I read it to him.  He enjoyed the story a lot.  In fact, he had some good news for me.  His wife is pregnant—3 months along!  Another story involving a pregnancy and the possibility of divorce.

Uhaju has been married for nearly six years but he and his wife were not able to get pregnant during that time.  In island culture it is quite shameful to not have children.  For some it is even seen as a sin or a judgment from God.  So as the years go by, the pressure mounts for a man to leave his barren wife, divorce her and/or take another wife in the hope that a new wife will be able to bear the wanted offspring.  Does it sound Old Testament?  Yes.  People here can relate well to the stories of Abraham, Sarah, and Hagar or Jacob, Leah and Rachel.  Uhaju had no desire to take a second wife.  Nor did he want to divorce his first wife, but as time passes, pressure mounts.

Former teammate visited for couple days

In those times when Uhaju was interested in reading together, it was a regular prayer request.  And when we would read the stories of God providing barren women with children, he would take hope.  And when we stopped reading together, prayers continued for his wife to become pregnant, and that he would not give into the temptation to leave her and find another.  So when he told me that his wife was pregnant, it was no small thing.

“It’s a miracle,”  he said to me.  “God has answered your prayers.  Five and a half years—It’s a miracle.”

I take heart in the fact that Uhaju sees it as our prayers that have brought about this good news.  I hope, in the coming days to remind him, that it has nothing to do with us, but it is rather the one in whom we put our trust that makes all the difference.  Will this finally be the catalyst that brings an end to the ebb and flow of Uhaju’s long, slow, journey toward the truth?  Who is to say?  We can only pray.  Five and a half years and we have the expectation of a new birth. May this new child catalyze birth into new life for Uhaju and his wife as well!

Our 16 year old!

PRAYERS ANSWERED
In other answered prayers, another island couple for whom we have been praying for years that they’d have a child, just had a baby boy. The rains have abated near our kids’ school bringing much needed relief to the flooded areas. Our teammate made it home safely and has already been able to be a help. We were able to have a nice visit with our medical teammates on the plateau this past week. Our daughter had a nice dinner and dessert with her dorm for her 16th birthday this past week. Our timeline in the US during this coming summer is finally coming together.

PRAYERS REQUESTED
The number of daily cholera cases on Clove Island continues to be high— keep praying with us for an end to the epidemic. Pray for wisdom for our landlord as he evaluates our sagging roof and for us as we consider having to move out of most of our house. Our daughter has injured her shoulder— pray that it would respond to PT and that she would get pain relief. Pray for complete healing as both Tom and Megan have been sick in the past couple weeks. Muki is back on Clove Island— pray that he and Tom would get back into a good pattern of studying together and that Muki would be sharing with others.

Slow Growth

Progress on the islands can often feel slow.  Growth in our own lives can be slow.  But slow growth does not mean no growth.  It’s just harder to see.  This past week was one of those moments which reminds us that there has been growth, and though it has not always been dramatic, it continues.

The gathering

It started with a rainy morning.  A morning on which we were supposed to be gathering with our brothers and sisters for one of our quarterly fellowships inviting brothers and sisters from all across the island.  We knew, if the rain didn’t let up, this might never get off the ground.  We also knew, the whole thing might not get off the ground because the main organizer was away.  We had resisted stepping in and organizing it ourselves, or making sure certain details weren’t forgotten.  We weren’t in charge of this gathering, we would simple come and support.  Well, the rain did eventually stop and we headed off to the gathering.  And that was the first sign of growth—a large gathering organized by islanders, without our help, without the help of the one leader who always does it, was happening.  This is something that wouldn’t have been possible a few years ago.  Did it go off perfectly?  No, but it went off just fine and that is how we grow.

One of the ways it wasn’t so perfect—when we got there, one of the leaders said, “What’s the plan?”  And it was clear that the plan was not much of one.  “We’ll pray…and then we can sing…” one of the organizers said seemingly making it up on the spot. “And then Tom can share something.”   Megan and I looked at each other and winked.  It’s not only the island fellowship that’s grown but we’ve grown too.  Some years ago, this probably would have been highly stressful.  “Me, share something? But I haven’t prepared.  You didn’t asked me!  I don’t think I could.”  But after going through this surprise routine more often than I’d like to admit.  We were clued into the fact that there is an unwritten expectation that men of certain standing will be expected to share.  They don’t have to inform me because it is a given. 

Our son playing in the mud

So a few days before the gathering, Megan had most helpfully reminded me (because I’m still prone to forget), “You should be ready to say something.”  It’s a sign of my personal growth in the local language that sharing something is far less stressful than it used to be.  Does it go off perfectly?  No, but it went off just fine, and that is how I grow!  When they asked Megan without warning to lead a prayer, she wasn’t fazed a bit.  We’ve come a long way, and we’ve grown a lot in local language.

As I shared I held the book in my hand—a book that hadn’t existed for the first ten years of our work here.  That I could read and comment from a book in the local language still feels like a triumph—another sign of growth.  As I looked around the room, I saw among my friends, new faces—two young men I had only met that day, and the children of my island brothers and sisters I hardly recognize, the way they’re growing like weeds into adolescence and adulthood—another sign of growth!  

As we left the gathering the weather still held—a heavy downpour could have really hampered the event, making it hard to hear each other, making it dark and dreary.  Instead the weather had been clear and cool. As the van headed back toward town it started to rain.  The rain that had been predicted all day had held off till we were all headed home.  It felt like a confirmation—this is a good thing.  Keep going!

A crash-- not a bad as it could have been

PRAYERS ANSWERED
Across the islands there have several different crises impacting our group— a plane crash, nasty illnesses, a break-in, a cyclone coming near the islands, a sudden need to leave the islands— but we put this in the prayer answered because with each one we have seen God’s provision— with bad situations not being nearly as bad as they could have been and solutions opening up to various predicaments. God, as always, is good. We are thankful for this gathering and the growth it demonstrates! Praise that the daily cholera counts have been going down over the past several days— they are still high, but we are thankful for decrease.

PRAYERS REQUESTED
There have been several crises this week (as seen in the prayers answered). Pray that this week is calmer. Our teammate is traveling last minute back to her home country— pray for safe travels and for her to be a blessing and a light once home. Tomorrow is our daughter’s birthday off at boarding school— pray that she would feel loved and appreciated even while we are afar. Pray for healing from illness— Tom is still not fully up to strength after being sick this past week and Megan is now feeling bad. Pray for some of our medical colleagues as they return to the islands (with difficulty) after some vacation— pray for them as they transition back as a family,  and as they assess the cholera situation in their area and see if the authorization has come in for them to begin medical work. Pray for an end to the cholera epidemic. Pray for an end of the flooding and landslides in mainland Africa (around where are kids go to school).