Challenges

Megan and our boys

Life on the islands has inherent challenges...power outages, heat, and tropical illnesses come with the territory.  Then there is the intense challenges of language and culture that lessen with time but by no means disappear. Plus there are special challenges, this week was our fourth week of food shortages on Clove Island. Flour was supposed to come on the 18th, then the 22nd, then the 25th...now we’ve stopped asking when it will come.

I was walking with Grace and Peter today. They were sharing that they didn’t like when kids laughed at them, followed them and tried to touch their hair. I sympathized with them and tried to explain that we stand out here and the kids are just curious. It isn’t always easy.

But at the same time challenges can encourage us. They can stretch us to new heights and force us to try and do things we wouldn’t usually do. Power outages force us to find pleasure in things other than electronics. Cultural and language blunders humble us, force us to study harder and try to understand better the people around us. Tropical illnesses encourage us to pray more. Food shortages help us to be content and thankful for the food we have and to be creative! (We had some good cookies today made with cassava flour.) Curious kids teach us patience and may gain us friends.

Fun in a river

We find that challenges are good for us! But then comes the hard part-- what about when we need to be challenged but there is no outside force pushing us? It is easy to get comfortable, sink into habits and even fall complacent. We need someone or something to light a fire under us, get us moving, push us along. We’re reminded of sports coaches or PE teachers who would push us to do more sprints, more drills well past our own inherent motivation.  Sometimes you don’t know how far you can go until someone pushes you, challenges you.

Here on Clove Island we are part of a team. And one of the great things about a team is that we can challenge one another. Sometimes by simply sharing life together, we can challenge each other by example. Sometimes by going back to our shared goals, values and vision. Sometimes as team leaders we can light a fire that pushes us farther. This is a crucial role that our team can play and these past few weeks have reminded us of that.

Great spot for a Sunday gathering

Facing challenges isn’t always easy or comfortable, but we trust in the One who knows how much we can handle and pray that we will be pushed closer to Him and to greater heights for Him.

PRAYERS ANSWERED
The new foreign family has arrived and their youngest is now in the same class as Peter. It is nice for them to have each other (the only foreigners in the class). We’ve heard from teammates that flour has been spotted. We haven’t seen it with our own eyes but are thankful with the encouraging reports that these shortages may be coming to an end. Peter is feeling better. We met this morning to sing and study on the side of a river (instead of in a home)-- it was a fun change.


PRAYERS REQUESTED
As part of an effort to challenge us more, we’re leading our team in refining our team vision and focus. Pray for us as we do this, that we would be guided in the right directions and we would be united in our goals and values. We have been encouraged by the process so far. Sometimes it is hard to keep all our ducks afloat-- pray that we would continue to have the right priorities and balance in our life as a family and team. Our good friend Ma Imani has been sick-- pray for her healing.