Lifting Up a New Year

Some islanders will still say, “We don’t celebrate New Year’s Eve, we have our own new year,” (referring to their religious lunar calendar).  And in the past, islanders would say, “Oh, today is your holiday” on Dec 31st/Jan 1st. But the truth is, it seems like more and more islanders are now celebrating New Years.  It’s a bank holiday, so some people have the day off already. And though some may claim allegiance to a different calendar, the reality is that everyone here uses the same international calendars that can be found all over the world.

An island New Years Eve picnic

Still, it feels like a relatively new holiday.  Sort of like they’ve been given a holiday, which they are happy to have, but now they have to decide what to do with it.  Thankfully, they have no interest in celebrating the holiday like New Yorkers—watching the ball drop in chilly Time Square.  No, in fact we kind of like how islanders handle it.  They see no great need in staying up late that night.  “What’s the point?  If you’re tired, go to bed!”  Instead the holiday (for those bothering to celebrate it) consists of a picnic and social media messages (mostly gifs).

When Tom was a kid, he can remember going to his aunt’s house for a big New Year’s Eve/birthday celebration (his aunt’s birthday is December 31st), but as a married couple, we haven’t made much of the holiday.  We don’t do anything special during the day.  We usually find a way to stay awake till midnight—usually a movie—count down the last seconds, give a hug and a kiss and a “Happy New Year” and head right off to bed.  This year was no different, except that it’s a lot easier for our kids to stay awake than it used to be.

One of many received gifs

But one tradition we do keep is the habit of looking back on the past year—remembering the good and the bad, joys and sufferings.  We’ve had a share of each this year as is probably true for most anyone.  

We have a habit of praying daily prayers for friends and loved ones, situations, hopes, dreams.  Many of our prayers are answered.  A sick friend gets better.  Travels go safely.  Classes go well, etc.  

Some of those prayers we are still waiting for something to happen—like an end to wars in places like Ukraine, Gaza, Sudan—apparently a year is not enough for these things to end.  Or there are new disaster or big overwhelming problems— like the chaos and devastation caused on our neighbor island with the cyclone. Sometime, we have to celebrate the small victories, look for the individual stories of hope and light in the midst of complex and dark situations. We keep praying.

Then there are prayers we pray where it seems like our prayers have been answered, but not permanently.  We need to keep praying— for things like consistent weekly fellowship of our brothers and sisters, or for opportunities to share our hope, or growth and maturity, or fruit.  When we pray, we see those prayers answered, but when we stop praying or become complacent, we soon see the situations slipping back. Then we are reminded that we need to pray for them again—almost like keeping plants—regular attention and watering keeps them growing and healthy!

Celebrating a new year for Megan!

What is in store for 2025?  What prayers will be answered?  What prayers will require consistency and perseverance?  What prayers will be on-going with small victories?  Only time will tell, but we keep praying.

PRAYERS ANSWERED
Things are still very difficult on our neighbor island ravaged by the cyclone, but we are thankful that flights and boats have restarted, that emergency supplies are being delivered and areas are getting water and electricity restored. We are thankful for all the good things from this past year—people growing and maturing, a sister bravely facing persecution, people studying, more  translation happening, kids doing well, Megan’s back doing okay, new workers joining our group—we could go on and on.  We have a visitor staying with us for a month who just arrived.  We are thankful for her safe arrival and adjustment into island life.

PRAYERS REQUESTED
There is still a lot of work to be done to recover from the cyclone, let’s keep praying.  It seems like many of the poorest people are choosing to stay, even if there is very little let to stay for—schools are closed, crops are devastated, most of the fruit trees have been toppled. How will they survive?  These are questions yet to be answered.  Our daughter’s arthritis is in check, but how we would love to see her healed.  How we would love to see those who seek learn to follow and those who follow learn to lead, and individuals become groups, and for all of that to multiply.  Our visitor has just moved in with an island family.  Pray that she would learn to live with their rhythms and that she would be included in their lives.  Pray for her ability to learn language and make friends.  There are at least 4 of our island sisters who are having health issues and 3 of them have had to travel.  This is a blow to regular gatherings as well as their own personal encouragement.  Pray for healing, for encouragement and for things to continue even with these sisters being away.