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| People arriving for rally outside our house |
As I write the music is blaring on the street, announcing that a political rally will be happening shortly —usually consisting of a speech from the candidate and a dancing line of supporters giving money.
We decided to build on this campaigning excitement by having a discussion about the upcoming elections with our English club. We told people about it the week before so they could prepare and we looked forward to learning something about the various parties and candidates and to having some lively debate from our English club members.
That didn’t happen… the club was a flop, at least as we planned it.
We were able to keep things going, but when we asked about the parties, the candidates, the big issues— all we got was silence and apathy. No one could even tell us any difference between the two biggest parties, except the names of their leaders. No one would claim any partiality to any candidate. We were left with the impression that all the parties were basically the same and that the different candidates just brought different amounts of money and connections— not necessarily different ideas.
Now we don’t think this is actually true. We do think there are issues at stake and different ideas about how to address them— but islanders are fatalistic and they believe that everyone is corrupt and untrustworthy. They don’t listen to what the candidates actually say because they don’t believe they’ll actually do what they say. The club ended up being a discussion about all the different types of voting fraud they had witnessed and/or participated in. They made it sound like all voters are just waiting to see who will buy their vote— either with actual bribes at the polls on election day or with favors/family connections. Some will get paid twice by registering to vote in multiple locations.
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| Playing in the rainy street |
At the end of club, Tom challenged everyone to at least say for whom they were leaning toward voting. No one would do it. One person added completely seriously, “No one has paid me yet, so I don’t know yet.” Another said, “Well, I haven’t found a job yet, so I don’t know who I will vote for.” The implication being that one of the candidates might help her get a job and secure her vote that way. No one batted an eye at these comments— to island thinking these are completely reasonable expectations. It is campaign season after all!
PRAYERS ANSWERED
We have been encouraged to hear how our brothers and sisters have been spurred to more prayer from the recent negative attention. We were thinking of doing a prayer week with them— but it seems like they’ve done it on their own. Our fellow island workers have found a new work situation that seems like a good fit for their family and a much needed change from the stressful situation they have been dealing with— it does sadly mean that they will be leaving our island and going to a neighboring island. Our teammates (returning after a long time away) have made it safely to the big island.
PRAYERS REQUESTED
Our teammates return back to Clove Island tomorrow. Pray for their transition back to island life, especially their two little ones. Pray for us as we have a handful of days left before heading back for Tom’s sister’s wedding. We have a number of important things to do, including setting the vision and requirements for our future team and teammates. Pray for us as we travel back to the States at the end of the week— especially that our kids would do well with the different flights and connections. Two families working on the islands had to leave suddenly this past week— one husband had a bad break that may require surgery and another family left to see an ailing grandfather who is in the hospital.
