Coming Home Surprises

You never know what you will come back to after a time away from your island home.

Our plants are alive!

When we’re gone a long time, we have come to expect that we’ll find something gross or unpleasant on our return. Once it was a dessicated rat that had been trapped in the room with our belongings and had obviously starved to death after trying various inedible things in the room. Sometimes it is to find that clothes or other fabrics have mildewed in the tropical climate. Other times we return home to signs of different infestations (whether ant, cockroach, mice or rat). We have come to expect that our plants will be dead (sometimes from lack of water, sometimes from over-watering).

But this time we hadn’t been gone that long. I can’t say we were expecting any real surprises. There was the pleasant surprise that our plants looked okay (it was long enough for them to suffer). Some of our rooms smelled a bit musty, but opened windows and doors helped sort that out.

It wasn’t until I opened our kitchen door that the surprise came. It took me a little while to understand what I was seeing. Across the wall was a splattering of red, dramatically across our kitchen knives, but it wasn’t just that one spot. Extending all the way to the opposite corner, spots of dried red could be seen. I quickly turned to our pantry shelf and discovered ground zero. What was left of the canned tomatoes was sitting in a tarlike substance with remnants of canned tomatoes on everything in the vicinty.

On closer inspection it became clear that one can had ruptured, but another had completely exploded with force. The can’s pull back lid was completely blown off, the impact on the ceiling of the shelf showed the impact and a bottle of oil had been knocked to the floor. Three of our four kitchen walls were splattered with tomato remains.

Unfortunately for us, it must have happened early in our time away, because if it wasn’t dried on, it was sitting in putrified layers on our kitchen shelves.

As we cleaned, we had to marvel… we’ve gotten used to coming-home surprises, but we hadn’t expected this one!

Ground zero

PRAYERS ANSWERED
We had a good week at our kids’ boarding school, getting to see their life there while our youngest got his annual standardized testing done and we were given more help and strategies for homeschooling.  We are so thankful for the school our kids go to and for all the people in our organization who work hard to make sure our kids are thriving and that we are teaching them well in homeschool.  It was very encouraging.  Our youngest had a great week hanging out with other kids his age, which was nice to see.  We managed to get back home without too much hassle about our daughter’s medicine.  Our daughter seems to be feeling better this week.  We also managed to clean up the tomato explosion without too much trouble. Our former teammate had a baby this week!  Her little girl is beautiful and mom and baby are doing well.  

PRAYERS REQUESTED
Pray for us as we get back into island life and into our normal routines of homeschool, studying with friends, and everyday life in a very hot place!  Megan seems to be healing well, but pray that her skin biopsies will all come back negative.  One of our colleauges missed their flight.  Pray they wouldn’t have too much trouble finding their way back to the islands.  We’ve had some very saddening news from an expat family on the big island.  We don’t know this family well, but they have the same heart for the islands as we do.  The wife and mother of three little children has been diagnosed with stage 4 colon cancer. Join us in praying for miraculous healing.  

MONTH OF FASTING: The month of fasting will begin this coming weekend— if you would like to get special emails about how to pray during the month or links to a website dedicated to praying for the islands, let us know (those of you on our newsletter mailing list will get an email invitation soon).

Noticed in Translation

 Muki and Mtsa come over every day to study.  Sometimes our studies go really deep, sometimes one of them is falling asleep.  We never know what it might be like on a given day.  As we are away in mainland Africa for a few weeks, we are wondering, hoping that Muki and Mtsa would continue to study and learn and grow without us there.  This may be an important time, an important lesson for them to learn who their real teacher is.  We are hopeful that they are discovering that God will lead them and give them all they need to grow and find joy in the words of truth.

Beauty in our midst

Talking about finding joy in the words of truth, it has been fun to study with these guys who don’t know the standard answers, who are reading these stories for the first times, and are noticing things I’ve never noticed before.  Here are a list of some of my favorite recent “insights/confusions.”

Insight #1: The great teacher never gives a direct answer.  I don’t know if you’ve ever noticed this, but it’s quite true.  Recently someone told me that of the hundreds of questions addressed to him, he only answered directly 3 times.  Usually he answers with a question or a story that brings out so much more than the initial question asked.  Muki and Mtsa picked up on this early on and whenever they saw the teacher answer with a story they would laugh and say, “He’s doing it again!”  They see it as a sign of his great wisdom, and they’re right!

Insight #2: People named Anisi are liars.  Anisi is a common name on the islands.  It is also the name used to translate the name Ananias.  As you may remember Ananias and his wife die suddenly for their lies and disobedience over the sale of some property.  Muki and Mtsa agreed that lying is serious, especially concerning things of God, but then Mtsa said to Muki—Anisi’s are always bad.  Then he listed 3 different Anisi’s he knew who had got into some kind of trouble.  Muki nodded his head in agreement, “Watch out for anyone named Anisi.” He told me gravely.  I decided to just let that one slide.

Insight #3: Rich people are bad; poor people are good.  Okay, this is not so much an insight as a confusion.  It highlights how culture can get in the way of proper understanding.  When we read the story of the rich young ruler and the teacher says, “It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter heaven.”  Muki and Mtsa nodded their heads and then started telling me stories of all the terrible things rich people do.  I tried to point out that, in that time, it was thought that rich people were good—that they had clearly received God’s blessing.  That is why the teacher’s friends ask, “Who then can be saved?”  But they were not too interested in that.  They instead took the time to rag on rich people and how evil they are.  This is a shame, because where the original story challenged people’s assumptions, in our context it affirms them.  Islanders firmly believe that the poor are blessed and will receive salvation for their suffering in this life.  Muki and Mtsa are poor, so they take comfort in this—and completely miss the point.  None of us are good enough.  A poor man—many a poor man—spends his life searching for and putting his trust in riches just as much rich men, and so do not see the things of the kingdom.  

Son excited about conference prizes

Insight #4: God provided for Cornelius’ servants. When Peter has a vision on the roof of the house and shortly after Cornelius’ servants arrive at the door. Muki and Mtsa were intrigued by the mercy shown to Cornelius’ servants, because if Peter had already eaten, then there would not have been food for them, but because he had the vision before the meal, he was able to inform the ones cooking that they would be having guests.  This gives an insight into island culture around food and hospitality.  If the food is gone, there is not necessarily the expectation that the host will cook again!

Insight #5: The good news is for everyone—even islanders.  When we read the story where many people heard the good news in their mother tongues, they loved the long list of languages that were spoken.  We took out a map and looked at all the different places the people came from and all the different languages they spoke.  Their conclusion:  it’s for everyone—every language—even islanders.  Amen and Amen.

These are just a few of the insights and confusions that come.  There is struggle but there is joy!  And the Word is living and active.  May it continue to live and act in all our lives.

PRAYERS ANSWERED
Muki and Mtsa say they have been studying together in Tom’s absence.  Pray that those times will be fruitful and encouraging. The conference we attended went well and we were able to enjoy a weekend with all our kids (and some of their friends) away from their school. We were able to get the rest of our daughter’s medication for her continued treatment for the rest of her school term (not an straight-forward process).

PRAYERS REQUESTED
Pray for all our island friends that they would be studying, learning and growing. Pray for our son as he has academic testing this week. Pray for our daughter as she continues to recover from a flare-up, and that she/we would continue to grow in our understanding of her disease, what triggers flare-ups, and how we can best encourage her . Pray that we wouldn’t have any trouble bringing her refrigerated meds back to the islands for her next break. Megan got to see a dermatologist and will have some suspicious moles removed at the end of the week. Pray for a smooth procedure and good results. Pray for our travels back to the islands.

Being Together

There’s a lot to be said for being together.  It’s necessary.  It’s vital.  It can be hard, but it can also be such a blessing.  There’s also the old saying, “Absence makes the heart grow fonder,”  which anyone who lives far from family or friends can relate to.  For us, this is one of those weeks where we get to revel in being together with our friends and colleagues from the islands and beyond.

Being together with our oldest kids

It’s a literal truth that oceans divide us from our island colleagues. So when we get together, (which only happens once a year), it is a special time.  We are so thankful for the people with whom we work.  They are not only kind and fun and a joy to be around, but they are also bright, thoughtful and full of experiences and questions that cause us to think in new ways, challenge us to work and live better, and engage us in their joys and struggles.  The questions, exchanges, ideas, experiences that get shared are a tremendous blessing.  They refresh us and restore us.  They encourage us.  They remind us that we are not alone.  We are not the only one facing these struggles.  Our specific situations may be different, but we have so much to learn from one another.

As is our habit, we organized our island gathering to happen the weekend before a much larger biannual gathering of colleagues from all over Africa.  (We are in between sessions even as I write this.)  In the same way that the islands gathering is a blessing and refreshment, this larger gathering is a similar blessing.  Though we may not work as closely with the people at this gathering, we consider many to be friends.  There are also many whom we are meeting for the first time.  But in the same way, the questions, exchanges, ideas, experiences that get shared are a tremendous blessing.  Our vision is expanded.  Our perspective is changed.  We come together to learn and grow and listen and share the joys and the sorrows—and we are blessed.

Being together with teammates from 15 yrs ago

Some of our island brothers and sisters have struggled to gather together regularly. They allow the distance between their villages and all the distractions of life to get into the way of this vital activity. We are praying that they will be reminded of how important it is and to make it a priority. Being together keeps us strong and reminds us of our united purpose and priorities.

It may be that all the important people in your life live close to you, that you get to see them all the time.  You may take it for granted.  We hope you won’t.  May this be a reminder of how precious it is to be together.  What a blessing.  What a privilege.

PRAYERS ANSWERED
The weather was not great last week and everyone on Clove Island and the small island had cancelled and/or significantly delayed interisland flights, but we all made it to the big island and subsequently mainland Africa. This was a big answer to prayer! We so enjoyed our time with our island colleagues and now with our colleagues from across Africa (including old friends and former teammates/leaders), it is a blessing. We got to have our older two kids with over the weekend and will get to be with them again this coming weekend— another blessing of being together.

PRAYERS REQUESTED
Praying that our island brothers and sisters would prioritize meeting together on all the islands.   Pray for our daughter’s rheumatoid arthritis. She had a flare-up that made her miss some school this week.  Next week, we will go to an educational support week with our youngest to do the standardized testing he needs and also get advice about how to continue to guide his educational journey— pray that it would be a good time and provide some clarity about how to proceed with him. Ma Nadjma will probably be married by the time we get back to Clove Island- pray that we can continue to be a light to her and her family.  Pray that Muki and Mtsa would meet and study together during Tom’s absence (they were studying almost daily before we left).  Pray for several transitions happening in our higher leadership— may God be with both those leaving and those coming into those roles.

Contentment or Frustration

 Life is full of unexpected turns of events, mishaps and disappointments. On the islands, more than in the US, we have had to get used to plans often not working out. Whether small plans for a single day, or big plans for our team and work here.

The rain keeps coming!

A book we read a few years ago challenged us to embrace contentment in the midst of disappointment and delays. The alternative, which comes a lot more naturally and easily, is to become frustrated, anxious or angry at the changes. The author challenged us to see the unexpected with peace and hearts ready to see the new opportunities created by the new circumstances. A shift of thinking that doesn’t dwell on plans falling through as a failure, but as just a new path opening up.

This can be easier said than done. I was reminded of this week as rainy season has come early! Heavy rains ruins plans on the islands. No one wants to go out. People don’t want to visit or welcome visitors if its pouring. People come late or not at all to scheduled meetings. Clothes on the line don’t dry. Paths and roads become impassable. Boats and planes don’t go.

This has created some minor inconveniences. We didn’t get to take short-termer on a hike that we had wanted to show her. Some of the experiences she was supposed to have visiting some projects got canceled. Generally, we have been able to smile and laugh and say that it wasn’t meant to be. But now her departure (ours too) is approaching and the stormy weather is causing inter-island flights to be canceled. Today we walked alongside our colleagues as they had their flight canceled, thinking they wouldn’t travel, waiting at the airport and eventually some getting on flights with a different airline. Other colleagues on the small island are still waiting. But it isn’t just the inconvenience of getting to the big island a day later, it’s the possibility of missing their international flight to mainland Africa and for one family potentially missing an embassy appointment they had to make weeks in advance. The domino effect of disrupted plans can make finding contentment and peace harder to find.

Our youngest gives a piano recital

Sometime it can also be harder to have peace when there is a person to blame. Bad weather isn’t anyone’s fault, no one controls the weather except God. But when disrupted plans are because of someone else’s decision that can be harder. If the decision was selfishly motivated or even an evil or negligent act, it gets harder still.  

We are looking at our travel plans for this week and the weather forecast and we know that we’ll have the choice to become anxious or extremely frustrated as our plans may be derailed or to be content and look for what hidden opportunities we might find in one set of plans falling through. But we also have friends who are dealing with much bigger frustrations— our friends dealing with the aftermath of a cyclone that has turned their homes and lives upside down, or loved ones whose livelihoods and work is at the mercy of government officials making unpredictable and drastic decisions without caring about the devastation they cause. So we don’t pretend that we have it hard and we also know it is not easy, but ultimately we can’t choose contentment and peace on our own. It has to be given to us by the One who is bigger than all the troubles of this world.

Our two oldest get visit from Megan's dad

PRAYERS ANSWERED
Four of our colleagues made it safely to the big island even after their initial flight was canceled! Our teammate was able to have a examination bed made to support her OT work before her travels. Our short-termer has had a good month and was able to see different kinds of work and opportunities to share with islanders herself. Megan’s dad was able to visit our older kids at boarding school. It was a good visit and he made it home safely.

PRAYERS REQUESTED
All the island workers are supposed to travel to mainland Africa this week (if they aren’t already there), but interisland travel is in doubt because of bad weather. This means workers on the small island and Clove Island (like us) may not make it to the big island in time for our international flights. Pray that we can all have peace and contentment in the uncertainty. Pray that we would all make it safely the big island and to the mainland for the gathering of island workers this weekend. Pray that the gathering would go well and be an encouragement to all. Pray that the island sisters would meet for the monthly gathering even without the expat workers around. Pray for our friend Ma Nadjma (a widow with two little kids) as she is planning to get married and become a second wife to a man who already has a wife on another island. Pray for God to work in her heart and life and she would see Him as the ultimate provider.