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| A picture from our party (photo w/o flash) |
We got ready early. We had 30 copies printed out and plenty of food. (We usually get between ten and twenty people at English club, but you never know.) With plenty of time to spare, we had the kids ready for bed, our youngest asleep, and we were waiting for the arrival of our guests. That’s when the battle began.
About 15 minutes before the start of club the power went out. Power cuts have gotten pretty infrequent, so it was an unexpected blow. Our decorations and Christmas lights now glimmered in faint candle light. But we have a backup for such occasions. A bright camping lantern that works well for about 3 hours. That should work for the club. As the first arrivals started to come we turned it on. And then we waited.
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| Tom playing carols by headlamp (photo w/ flash) |
Where was everybody? It seemed like no one was going to come. All that preparation and only four people. We worried that weddings and the power cut were keeping people away, but four is better than nothing. We said a prayer for more people to come and got started with the four. As we were looking over a Christmas quiz, our bright lantern went out! It must not have been plugged in properly, because its charge only lasted half an hour. Now we were in nothing but candle light. People got out their flashlights or cell phones and peered at the quiz we had handed out.
It wasn’t until about 45 minutes into the normal club time that people really started showing up. In the end we had about a dozen. But we were in the dark. Some one went out and found another battery powered light. It helped some, but it was pretty weak and the going was still tough. But with flashlights, lanterns and candles, we read through the story of Christmas together and then we sang some Christmas carols. Tom’s been suffering from a cold and so his voice was weak for the carols, but people were singing. An hour after our normal club time ends we were eating cookies and drinking soda and wrapping things up when the power came back on. Just in time to say goodbye.
Does it sound like not much of a party? Did we lose the battle? You be the judge: Many of the people there told us they had never heard the Christmas story before. Now they had a copy of the story in their hands. Since we had made thirty copies of the handout we offered the extras to anyone who wanted to take some to share. They took them all. One of the ladies who came told us with a big smile that it was an “unforgettable night.” Two islanders gave little speeches at the end, so excited about having experienced their first Christmas. Another thanked us for “bringing Christmas” to Clove Island. We hope that the message of hope and joy will truly be unforgettable for them all.
Merry Christmas!
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| Our kids w/ newborn neighbor |
PRAYERS ANSWERED
Our English Christmas party ended well even with all the setbacks. We were encouraged by the positive response of those that attended. Our teammate had a good birthday! Our older kids are very excited about Christmas on the island and seem to understand more and more the significance.
PRAYERS REQUESTED
Lots of people are sick right now, islanders and foreign workers. Pray for our old team leader who appears to have malaria on Volcano Island, for Ben who is recovering from a bad flu, for one teammate who has bronchitis, for Tom who hasn’t been feeling well, for our youngest who we think is teething and for anyone else who is ill. The girls’ toilet still isn’t fixed!!! Please pray for a resolution in the next couple days-- this has been a long and frustrating situation for the girls (they have to shower and use the bathroom at their neighbors’). It would be an awesome Christmas gift for them to have a working toilet and shower again. Continue to lift up Megan's back/leg pain. Pray for the team as we try to share with neighbors some Christmas joy (most with very limited language) and as they will be homesick during this first Christmas away. Pray for hope of this season to be known on this island!
