What About the Trash?

Trashy river (one of the cleanest ones)

One of the great benefits of having a team is that we challenge each other. We can work together to solve problems with our varied skills, experience and expertise. The first big example for this on our team has been in addressing TRASH. 

Trash is a HUGE problem on this island. There is NOWHERE to put it! The island is overpopulated. There is no designated dumping area. There are no recycling centers. There is no trash pick-up. There are no landfills. There are no incinerators.

So what do people do? When we first arrived we asked people, “What do people do with the trash?” The answer, “They throw it in the river or the ocean.”

All it takes is a brief walk around our neighborhood and you will see the “river” filled with trash or the pretty beach near our house that has cascades of trash leading down into it.  (Anyone who was wondering why our pretty island isn’t a major tourist attraction, now has their answer.)

But what should we do? We are environment-loving people. We went to college in Vermont. We reduce, reuse, recycle. We can’t throw our trash in the ocean!! In Chad we burned and buried, but we don’t have a yard to burn, bury or compost.

Grace on roof with compost barrel

So what did we do when we first arrived? We copped out.
One of the first days our landlady saw a bag of trash in the kitchen and kindly said, “Oh, we’ll take that for you. Just bring your trash downstairs and we’ll get rid of it for you.”

There was our solution. We did what we could to minimize our trash but ultimately we gave it to the neighbors and tried not to think where it was going. We couldn’t bear throwing trash in the river or ocean, so we let someone else do it for us and never asked where they took it.

Then our team arrived. The problem of trash was again apparent to each household as none of us have yards. But our teammates were not content to let things rest. We suggested that we have a Trash Coordinator for the team and Jess quickly volunteered. She worked to get a big metal barrel to put on their roof for burning trash (still not great for the environment but we are working with limited options) and plastic barrels for starting to compost. Jess and Abby also had met people who made pots out of recycled tin. Now the team could recycle tin cans.

David getting dressed as angel Gabriel

We followed other teammates’ expertise and Tom made a compost barrel to put on our house’s shared roof. We got a basin to collect our tin cans. We found a place outside near the stairs of the neighboring school where we could burn trash on Sundays (the only day that they don’t have class). 

We’d like to say that eventually we would have been self-motivated to research composting, to find tin-pot makers and to look harder for a place to burn, but truthfully it took the team to push us out of our apathy and into action. Now the trash situation still isn’t great- we feel our carbon-footprint a lot more here and we don’t like it- but we’re doing better. Thank you team!

PRAYERS ANSWERED
We had a great Christmas with lots of yummy food and our team with whom to celebrate. We were able to take plates of goodies to friends and neighbors and share why this day was special to us. Most people are feeling better from their illnesses (though a new batch is sick now).

PRAYERS REQUESTED

Opening presents with the team

There have been a few developments in the girls’ toilet situation, but the plumbing still is not fixed! Please continue to pray for resolution and for grace to abound in the girls’ hearts during this trial. We keep getting texts and news of people who are not well. Please pray for health! Pray for us and our team to keep up momentum for learning language, building relationships and sharing with islanders.

Oh Holy Night

(Sorry for the delay, our internet has been down the past couple days.)

A picture from our party (photo w/o flash)

Sometimes life here feels like a battle.  Not an out and out war, but a battle.  It felt that way last night with our English Club Christmas Party.  This party’s not a big to-do, but it’s fun and important.  Those that come learn about some American Christmas traditions.  Then we explain the original story of Christmas and its significance.  Then we sing some Christmas Carols and end the night with some snacks--popcorn, cookies, brownies, etc.  We’ve done it before on the volcano island, but this was our first time doing a party like this here on Clove Island.

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.

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! 

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!

Hearing Good Things

Hearing from teammates on team day

Sometimes being a team leader feels a bit like being a parent.  Now our teammates are full grown adults and for the most part, they are on their own.  Day to day, it is up to them to figure out how to get through life and connect with islanders.  Once in awhile we jump in to give some guidance or help out in a tricky spot, but more often then not, we leave it to them to work things out. 

At the same time, we are their cheerleaders.  When they are doing well we are so thankful.  When they have exciting experiences we are excited with them.  As they struggle and work through things, we are encouraged and enjoy cheering them on. 

So we thought we’d share some quotes from our teammates this week, quotes we heard that have us excited--anecdotes and little glimpses that point to the fact that our teammates are adjusting, learning language and culture and connecting with people in meaningful ways:

“I taught three ladies how to float this week.” 
(Many island women don’t know how to swim.)

“The guys on the soccer field have given me a nickname.  They call me Abdu.”
(Apparently his English name was too difficult to say on the fly, but also a sign of him being welcomed into the group.)

Tom took a hike with good island friend

“I was walking down the street and people were stopping me and talking to me.  'Come over here.'”
(Evidence of friends being made and joining the community.)

“Some of the children are calling me by name now, not just chanting ‘Mzungu’” [the island word for foreigner.]
(Becoming a person to islanders and not just a foreigner.)

“I went to a ceremony and met the governor of the island.  He told me he was very happy to have us here and happy to hear we were learning the local language.”
(What visa problems?! He’s friends with the governor!)

“The matriarch from downstairs came to up to our house and stayed for a long time.  She asked me lots of questions about what I believe.  I got to share a lot of good news with her.  When she left she said, ‘I understand much better now.’”
(In this matrilineal society, mamas are very important, but rarely drawn into serious conversations.)

“I love learning language with my friend.  She is so patient.  It was so much fun learning to cook with her.”
(A team goal--to have our relational needs met by friendships with islanders.)

“We went to their house and had dinner.  We couldn’t say much, but it was really nice.  Then they came over to our house another night.”
(Friendships here are never complete without give and take.)

“I’d been really wanting for some guys to come over. Ladies would come but no dudes. Then the next day two guys showed up at our house.”
(Answers to prayers and more connections with islanders.)

We know as leaders that we help make it possible for our teammates to survive and adjust well here, but we also realize that this team is not in our hands. Thankfully it is in much bigger and more capable hands. So we sit back and marvel at all the ways He is providing. Our team is out there- learning language and building relationships with islanders. It’s a good thing.

1st time back at beach after months of busyness

PRAYERS ANSWERED
We have visas for all our teammates!! We are thankful for the advocates that came out to speak on Ben’s behalf. The ministry man (turns out he is the general secretary and not the actual minister) still doesn’t like us but people over his head do. He still wrote a letter only recommending a 6 month visa (instead of the standard 1 year visa), but then the friendly people at immigration gave us 1 year visas anyway! Thanks for praying. The babies’ diarrhea is doing better! The English classes have started up again and we are reminded again that we like teaching!

PRAYERS REQUESTED
Next week is our Christmas party for our English Club- pray that it would be a good time of celebrating and sharing with islanders about this important holiday. The girls’ toilet is broken. Tom spent a morning in some smelly stuff trying to fix it but it still isn’t fixed. Pray that the plumber works quickly (he isn’t known for quick work).  It was a tough and tiring week with the visa and toilet situations adding stress. Pray that we would re-establish a good pattern of work and rest. This week we will celebrate our first teammate birthday- pray that the birthday boy has a great day!

Visas

Tom decorating for Christmas (landlord's stuff in cabinets)

Getting visas is usually more of a chore than a problem on the islands. Here’s how the process for the teachers has gone.  Tom went in last Monday to ask for a letter of recommendation to bring to immigration to get the service visa.  After some friendly conversation it was explained that it would be necessary for Tom to write a letter asking for a letter of recommendation that he could then bring to the immigration office.  So Tom went home and crafted a letter in his best French (thankfully you can find templates for formal letters on the internet).  He then went back on Tuesday and handed in the letter and was told to return in a few days to get the other letter.  So today Tom went back to the ministry of education.  After more friendly conversation, he was sent to the general secretary.  The general secretary wasn’t in his office, so Tom waited for half an hour.  The general secretary finally came and said the letter had not been written yet and sent Tom off with another person who would write the letter.  For the next hour, amid friendly conversation, Tom helped the office worker craft the letter, even helping with French spelling and word choice.  Finally after an hour the letter was completed, reread several times and printed off.  All it needed was to be signed!  But then,
“Oh, the minister already left (It’s 11:00am in the morning) you’ll have to come back on Monday, okay?”  So Tom said thank you and planned to come back on Monday.  All this just to get the letter so he can go through a similar process at Immigration.

Tom and kids with our little tree

So that is to say the process for getting visas is usually a long but friendly process. The process with the Minister of Health has proved to not be so friendly. Tom isn’t sure if he did or said something wrong in one of the early meetings, but the Minister is not his friend.

Tom went in this week to get the letter of recommendation for our teammate, “Ben”, who is a doctor. The Minister greeted him by saying, “I’m surprised to see you here after I already refused your doctor.” In disbelief, Tom asked for an explanation. Tom was under the impression that while things still needed to be discussed once Ben arrived that there was never any actual threat of him being “refused”. The Minister reiterated some of their previous conversation that included Tom not complying with the Minister’s requests for money and other types of aid (our NGO here provides volunteers, not money/supplies). It was clear that the Minister had selective memory of their previous dealings, but the issue remains that we need his signature. Tom returned the next day with a colleague from a different NGO who seems to have more of a rapport with the Minister. The Minister would smile congenially at our colleague, but had no smiles for Tom. Still with her help we were able to settle for more meetings scheduled to discuss what exactly Ben will do on the islands.

Our daughter reading to our youngest

Meanwhile Ben and his wife have already made a great relationship with a village outside the capital that greatly wants Ben to work at their understaffed clinic. In fact, a friend from that village says he knows the Minister and will be able to talk to him about it.  The question is will the Minister like any idea about Ben’s placement that doesn’t come from himself? Please pray.

PRAYERS ANSWERED
We are thankful that our team seems to be settling into routines. Most have found good language helpers to assist them in learning the local language. We are thankful for Advent and the chance to follow and remember the amazing story that started “In the beginning..” and led up to a birth in Bethlehem and continues now!

PRAYERS REQUESTED
Please pray for this visa situation. Pray that something would soften the Minister’s heart and that Ben would be able to work exactly where he is meant to. Pray that by next week’s post, our whole team would have longterm visas in their passports. Pray for health. The babies on the team have all struggled with diarrhea and now Tom and some of the other adults haven’t been feeling well either. Pray for us as we start a new round of English teaching this coming week. Pray that with these added responsibilities we would still be able to balance work, rest, family, outreach, team and personal growth. Pray for our team that they would continue to feel encouraged in the language learning process (this will be a recurring request).