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.