Another Thanksgiving

Tom & most of the team around the table

Another Thanksgiving passes by, miles away our families gather around a big turkey with all the fixings. They eat and laugh and eat and watch the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day parade and/or a bunch of football. They rest and then they eat and laugh some more. The only sad thing is that we aren’t with them.

“Maybe it is easier for you guys after so many years….,” began the sentiment of one teammate.

Our teammates have been here for less than a month, a time when everything is still hard. Washing your clothes, buying food, talking to your neighbor, dealing with the heat-- life is hard for the first months. So then when the holidays come, the homesickness can be intense. The desire to just transport themselves back is sometimes strong. We know the feeling

Our kids in front of the pumpkin pies!

“After so many years” it has gotten easier, but it’s still hard.  Hopefully it doesn’t mean we are hardened and calloused by the years. Hopefully it means we become just more and more thankful. Thankful for our families scattered around the globe. Thankful for good food and fellowship in whatever form they take.

We do have a lot to be thankful for this year…
-our team is here!!!
-God provided for all their needs to get them here and has seen them through orientation, homestays and settling into their homes.
-we have three great kids!
-Our daughter is a kind and inquisitive girl that loves to learn and dance!
-Our middle son is full of imagination and fun and is starting to enjoy island school!
-Our youngest was protected from a potentially serious overdose. He is a super cute toddler who loves people and running after his siblings!
-we celebrated 10 years of marriage on an awesome vacation!
-we found 5 homes on Clove Island (one for us, four for teammates!)
-we have a kind and merciful Father who likes to bestow good gifts on His children

Our cute kids!

It has been a busy year. A year of transition. A year of new roles and challenges. A year of great blessing. Thanks for following us and supporting us through it!

PRAYERS ANSWERED
Immediate solutions for water and money was found for teammates (though longterm solutions are still being figured out). We had a good Thanksgiving- sharing food and fellowship with our team. Pumpkin Pie!



PRAYERS REQUESTED
Continue to pray for our teammates as they enter this holiday season (for many the first time away from family). Pray for their transition into a normal weekly schedule. Pray that they would be encouraged through language learning and would find good islander friends. Pray for them as the difficulties of “culture shock” hit and make life hard. Pray for the team as we seek solutions to the problems of water and trash on the island. Pray that even in these beginning stages that our team would be reaching out to islanders in a meaningful way. Pray that our team would be united in love and learn how to support and encourage each other well.

How Hard It Is For A Rich Man

Tom & Megan with some English students

Every Sunday one of my brothers comes by the house.  He keeps chickens and grows some produce on his land and so he brings it around on Sunday and I buy whatever he brings.  Eggs, bananas, mangos, tomatoes.  Then after that we usually spend some time studying together.  This Sunday he came with his own passage.  It was a passage John had written about loving one another.  “And now I ask you, dear lady—not as though I were writing you a new commandment, but the one we have had from the beginning—that we love one another.”  We talked about it in much the way we normally do.  But then, my brother said something that surprised me, “Wednesday, we argued.  And it wasn’t good.”  He was coming to reconcile with me…

So, what happened?  One of our teammate families was staying in this brother’s village.  When we delivered them to the house everything went well until I gave the host some money to help with the cost of feeding our teammates.  Now, my brother’s family is poor.    When he saw how much I had given him, he turned and asked me for more.  At first I said no, but then I ended up giving him some more and saying that this wasn’t good.  The discussion lasted only five minutes, but I was deeply disappointed.   I know enough about island culture to know that this was not a normal way to behave.  In fact, for most islanders to ask for more money when you being given a gift would have been shameful.  Of all the other homestay hosts, no one asked for money, and some even refused to take the gift I offered them.  This is to be expected.  Even if what I gave them was too meager (I don’t think it was by any means) to ask for more money is really unheard of.  I wasn’t angry, but deeply disappointed.  We struggle with many “brothers” who act like money is the best thing you can get from a foreigner (not friendship, fellowship or a better understanding of truth). Once again money had shown itself to be an issue and a barrier and a problem within our community.

Our youngest (15 months)

So back to Sunday.  I tried to explain this to my brother.  We both apologized, but I wanted to try and make my point more clearly.  It just so happened that Megan and I had been reading the story of the rich young ruler that morning.  “Ah ha!”  I thought.  That will make my point clear.  “Then he will understand about the pitfalls of money.”  So I read the passage to him.  But a funny thing happened as I read.  “You lack one thing: go, sell all that you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me.  Disheartened by the saying, he went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions.”  I suddenly saw it from my brother’s point of view.  To him, I’m a lot closer to the rich young ruler.  In his eyes, I’m rich.  Although in terms of America, we live quite economically.  Here, I have a good job and a nice house.   I am young. (Younger than him.)  And I am a sort of ruler.  (My status as a foreigner, English teacher commands respect whether I deserve it, seek it, or not)  And what was I refusing to do, but give to the poor.  When I finished the passage I wasn’t sure what to say anymore.  My brother told me that he doesn’t have much but when his neighbors come to him asking for things, he gives it to them.  He is very generous with his money.  Am I so generous?  Not really.  But why not.  So I explained to him.  “You see me as rich, and I suppose that, here, I am.  I want to help people.  I don’t want to hold onto my money.  But here, there are those who ask because they truly need and then there are those who are not trustworthy.  And unfortunately, within our community, there are many who are not trustworthy.  You can tell the difference, but I can’t.  So I’m sorry.  Sometimes, I make mistakes.”  He seemed to understand this, and we left each other reconciled.  Will money continue to be an issue?  Unfortunately, yes.  But can we continue to love one another?  With God’s help, Yes!

Our kids playing on the porch

“How difficult it will be for those who have wealth to enter the kingdom of God!...they were exceedingly astonished, and said to him, Then who can be saved?...With man it is impossible, but not with God. For all things are possible with God.”

PRAYERS ANSWERED
All of our teammates did quite well on homestay.  Some of them battled through sickness.  Others battled through boredom.  But overall they did very well, and are happy for the experience.  We’re especially thankful for some of our teammates who were dreading this time and ended up enjoying the week.  It is a big answer to prayer.  We are excited for the relationships they have made and will hopefully build upon.  We had a very fun and successful team meeting this week and we are looking forward to many more.  The plumbing is done and the refrigerator was delivered!  Thanks for remembering these things.


PRAYERS REQUESTED
The plumbing is installed, but there is some electrical work that still needs to be done on one of the houses to get their water system up and running.  Pray that it would get done soon.  But even if the system is functioning it only works if there is some water.  Right now it seems like the town where 4 of our teammates live is completely waterless.  Pray that water would come so that they could fill their cisterns.  Other teammates are having troubling accessing money from the islands, pray that we find a solution Pray for our teammates as they settle into their homes and figure out their routines.  Pray for good language learning, especially for our teammates who have never studied a second language before.  It can be very overwhelming.  Please pray for Megan’s back.  It has been discouraging to see her relapse into pain. 

Homestay in M-town

Teammates being welcomed with flower necklaces by one host

Orientation week is over. The next big thing for our new team is homestays.  This is where we send our teammates out into different villages around the island.  They live with a local family for a whole week.  The hope is that during this time they will bond with islanders and learn a lot about what daily life looks like for people here.  They walk around, play games, cook meals, and do whatever their host does.  It’s an intense week (especially since they don’t know much of the local language).

On Tuesday, I (Tom) went around to the different villages to check-in on things and make sure the hosts knew what was expected.  This went well until I got to M-town.  I teach English in M-town and had asked my students if they would be willing to host our two single ladies.   Two different students expressed their interest-- everything seemed great!

But when I got to M-town there was a problem.  Instead of two people, I had three ladies who wanted our teammates to stay at their houses.  Their first solution was simple.  Simply have three people stay in M-town.  I told them that wasn’t possible; we only had two  single ladies.  Thats when things got messy.  There was a whole lot of arguing and gesticulating.  At one point someone was ready to storm out, but people brought him back to the discussion.  They argued and argued, and I worried that this was going to cause a real rift within this community.  Then suddenly things were resolved.  I still don’t really know how.

Megan, kids & ladies on stage at the certificate ceremony

Later that day we received two visits to our house from people in M-town.  They were afraid that I had been offended and wanted to assure me that all was resolved.  I assured them that I was not offended and apologized if I had been to blame for some of the confusion.  They assured me that I had done nothing wrong and that everything was fine-- though no one was very clear exactly which two women they were supposed to stay with now.

So on Wednesday we took our teammates to M-town for their homestay.  As we settled them in and made introductions to their two lady hosts, we mentioned the third woman who had wanted to host but we only got awkward looks from the other M-towners.

Thursday we had the certificate ceremony for the English students in M-town.  As we waited for the ceremony to start, our teammates were led in by their proud hosts. They were both dressed in matching traditional clothes with henna designs on their hands and enough eyeliner to make Cleopatra blush.  Their hosts were having a good time with them.

Enjoying snacks after the ceremony

The third woman didn’t show up to get her certificate. Her husband (the organizer of the English class) was all smiles and said she was “sick”, but we wondered if she felt slighted. We exchanged texts and got a phone call from her that reassured us of our friendship. At least, she wasn’t mad at us.

PRAYERS ANSWERED
We are glad that our teammates are doing okay on their homestays.  We are also glad to start feeling a bit more settled after all the craziness of the first week.  We’ve had some wonderful and exciting conversations with a good island friend, Ma Imani, who used to read the same book we do and has just started reading it again.  She talked about feeling like she’s waking up after a long sleep! We are very excited for her. 


PRAYERS REQUESTED
Some of our teammates are sick on homestay.  Pray for our one teammate who is getting over a virus and for another who’s throat has been sore.  Pray for strong stomachs as many are experiencing tummy troubles and diarreha (especially the babies).  Even a good homestay is challenging.  Pray that all our teammates would persevere through this time and learn a lot from their adventures and ordeals.  Pray for our first team meeting this week.  Pray for a few finishing touches to the houses.  One house needs some plumbing work and the plumber has been very slow in getting the work done.  Also, one house is waiting for a refrigerator.  We would really like everything to be set before they get home from homestays on Wednesday. Also pray for us as we try to complete the paperwork for getting our team’s longterm visas (they got short-term visas on arrival)- pray for good favor. Finally Megan’s back has had a small relapse with all the strain of orientation week, unexpected traveling and setting up four homes-- pray for a quick recovery. 

Crazy First Week!

Megan & ladies of the team (first time in their wraps)

Wow! We knew having a team was going to be a lot of work, but this first week has been pretty crazy. We’re hot, sweaty and very tired, but also feeling very blessed. We are very impressed with our new teammates. They have been doing great despite some sickness and unexpected changes.

Here are some highlights from the week:
- Heard the life stories of all our teammates and the amazing ways God called and led them to the islands.
- A group of students greeted us at the airport on Clove Island, full with a local TV camera and flower necklaces for all. Tom gave a TV interview!
- The boat bringing the bags didn’t come until Thursday!

Teammate with his language helper

- The ladies on the team all learned how to wear the local wraps and wore them in the heat without grumbling!
- The exact right number of islanders came the first day to help our teammates learn language.
- These language helpers did great and we saw our new teammates learning phrases in the local language and laughing/talking with islanders.
- We had two friends from Volcano Island come and watch the kids. They did an amazing job! (Three mom-sick, tired and partially sick toddlers is a lot of work!)
- Great first discussions as a team! We’re impressed by the maturity of our teammates.

Friends helping with all the team kids!

- Lots of islanders stopping and asking us about the team (about English classes or whether they can marry one of the single ladies.)
- A fun English club with lots of visitors and lots of laughter.
- The Father’s grace abounding and sustaining us all.

PRAYERS ANSWERED
We made it to Clove Island! Our teammates finally got their bags! We had awesome help during this orientation week. One of the babies wasn’t eating or sleeping well, but we have seen a big improvement over the week! We are excited about this team and the impact they will have here on Clove Island!

PRAYERS REQUESTED
Our teammates move into their homes tomorrow (Monday)! Some of the homes still have some unresolved issues that we are working on with the different landlords. Pray for a smooth transition into their homes and neighborhoods and for quick resolution of the few remaining issues. Pray for the team as they go into homestays on Wednesday (an intense week where they live with an island family). Pray for them as they don’t have much language and are tired. Pray that they are well-rested and ready for homestays. Pray that they remain healthy throughout homestays (there have been some upset digestions). Pray for our family that we would get some rest and transition into this new rhythm as team leaders (this week has been a long hard week on the kids).

Plans? What Plans?

Our whole family on Clove (pre-team)

Last month we wrote about arranging our team’s travel to Clove Island. Every plan was shot down, until finally we had a boat reservation for Sunday- one night on Volcano Island.

Less than two days before the team arrives we get a call. The boat is not leaving on Sunday anymore… it will be Monday. We balk at the change and try to get them to reconsider, but it is set. So we extend our arrangements in Volcano Island and shorten our arrangements for the Orientation Week on Clove. This isn’t ideal, but what can we do.

Tom & our youngest on Clove Island

The next day (the day before the team arrives), we get another call-- now the boat is not leaving until Wednesday!!! Now this is ridiculous. We have to be on Clove Island for the Orientation week, this won’t work. Tom is already on his way to Volcano Island to receive the team. We have a friend go to the office and get our money back from the boat, while we quickly explore other options. Airplanes-- no spaces available Monday. Other boats--no other boats going on Monday. Finally we go back to the airline, is there any possibility of their being spaces on a Tuesday morning flight?
“Yes, we have space.” 
    “How many spaces? We have lots of people.”
        “We have 15 spots left.”
The exact number that we need.

We go back and change our arrangements on both Clove and Volcano Islands again. We get tickets for Megan and the kids to join the team on Volcano Island. We flex and rest in His hands.

In the meantime, the team has arrived with all their bags! We are writing from the hotel on Volcano Island. The room originally meant for just Tom now has our older two asleep on a mattress on the floor and our youngest asleep in a pack n’ play on the other side. It has been a crazy couple days, but God has been providing (even giving us grace when we ran into trouble at airport immigration).

Our kids taking a break

The team is here! This wonderful new phase of life and work is finally beginning! Tomorrow we’ll start the day with a time of worship and thanksgiving, then in a few days we’ll fly to Clove Island. That is, if our plans don’t change again!

PRAYERS ANSWERED
Despite all the crazy changes the past few days, the team arrived this afternoon and we’re all settling in and getting to know one another.  It’s fun to see the kids playing together.  We had a scary moment at immigration where we didn’t seem to have the proper paperwork and they threatened to put some of our teammates back on the plane.  Thankfully, we found a paper that would suffice and things went smoothly after that. 

PRAYERS REQUESTED
Our teammates are tired from all their travel and need some good rest.  Pray that the next few days would be a good time to recoup and adjust.  Being on Volcano Island will make things a little more complicated for the next few days. Pray that we make it to Clove Island safely, that our luggage comes safely, and that our week of orientation goes well.  There is a lot of coordination that comes into play for the coming weeks.  Pray that it all comes together in his time.  Pray for good bonding as a team and with islanders in the coming weeks.