Imitate Me

Arongo with Tom and other English students

A long time ago, Paul wrote to his friends in Phillipi, “Brothers and sisters, imitate me, and pay attention to those who live by the example we have given you.” 

It has always seemed like an incredible statement.  Could I live such a good life as to credibly ask others to follow my example?  And yet, here in the islands, values are often times so different that our actions do speak with a power our words do not possess, and we, like Paul might be the only examples people have for a different way of life.  Whether we wish to or not, others will look to us as an example of the way to follow.  What a responsibility!  But then, on the other hand, does anybody actually notice?  Maybe they just look at us and say, “Those strangers and their strange ways.”  and continue about their business.  Recently we’ve been blessed with a glimpse of our example having an impact:

Welcoming neighbor home at airport

Arongo is a good friend and one of the first English students we taught.  He was an obvious choice for a language helper when our team arrived and he jumped into the role with vigor and enthusiasm.  Being friends with most of the team means he sees and hears from our examples on a regular basis.  In some ways you could say he is surrounded by our examples, and sometimes it seems (from the things he says and does) that our values are rubbing off.  A few weeks ago we saw this to be true in a dramatic fashion.

First we rejoiced with Arongo when he told us he had found a good-paying job.  (Jobs are so scarce on the island that this is really something to celebrate.)  But after a week on the job he left.  What happened?  Arongo explained to us,
“They gave me the job and said they will pay me 3500 francs a day.  When I get the contract it says 6000 francs a day.  I think maybe they decided to give me a raise.  So I asked the Boss.  He tells me, ‘No. We agreed to 3500 a day.’ But the contract will say 6000.  ‘If you don’t like it, you can go.’”

Basically his corrupt bosses were skimming half his salary into their own pockets.  This put Arongo into a tough spot.  Jobs are not easy to come by and even 3500 is a good salary.  That’s a lot of money to turn away, but that’s exactly what he did.  “I had to do what is right,” he told me…

David at welcome-home party

I could end the story there.  Our friend made the hard decision, and we encouraged him that he had done the right thing.  But our Father loves to give good gifts and reward our obedience.  The very next week Arongo had found a new job.  A week after that he was promoted.  Now he is working a good job and things seem to be going well.  We continue to see Arongo regularly and hope to speak into his life by word and deed. And maybe one day soon it will be Arongo who can say, “Brothers and sisters, imitate me, and pay attention to those who live by the example we have given you.”

PRAYERS ANSWERED
We are thankful for the ways we see our friends influenced by the hope that we have.  We are thankful that many of us are getting to have these opportunities on a regular basis.  We are thankful for the correlation we see between asking you to pray for opportunities and then being given open doors.  We are thankful for the way our Father provided Arongo with a new job. Megan had a chance to share truth this week with a neighbor- she hopes she can follow-up on it. The kids finish school this week.  We are thankful for the good year they’ve had there.


PRAYERS REQUESTED
Pray that Arongo would be strongly affected by the things happening in his life and that he would continue down a path of choosing what is right and seeking after truth.  Pray for more opportunities to be examples in word and deed.  Pray for some recent requests we’ve had to start studying our book with islanders--that they will actually happen and that we would have discernment as to the best approach.  Pray for the next month as we finish up our current training unit, kids’ school and English classes and enter the month of fasting.  Pray for lots of opportunities for visits and for us to take advantage of the opportunity to spend more time with friends.