Security

Grace & Uncle Matt at the park

It’s 6:45am and the house alarm starts going off.  Not really thinking about it, I jump out of bed and turn off the alarm, but then Megan says, “Wait a minute,what set it off?”  Looking at the system it says there has been some movement in the garage.  Immediately all sorts of thoughts zoom through my head.  Could this be a break-in?  Someone trying to steal the car?  What do we do?  Is it safe to move through the house?  How do we know what’s going on in the garage?  We can’t see anything from here.  If there is an armed man in the garage and we open the door to take a peek, we could be getting ourselves into more danger.  What do we do?  Call the security company…

In a few minutes the security company arrives, with a guard out front we open the garage door and then open the door to take a look around.  There’s nothing, nothing out of place, nothing to be seen, except for a small lizard.  “It could have been this guy,” the guard explains. “If he runs over the motion detector it can set it off.”  So much for our armed robber.

Peter at the Bunny Park

But the incident highlights the reality of life in Johannesburg--a place where crime is rampant and dangers are real.  As the owner of the house gave us instructions, he was very thorough in explaining all the different sorts of ways one needs to be diligent.  At first we thought, perhaps he is a little bit paranoid, but then as he pointed out the 3 neighbors and two family friends who had been affected by armed robbery, his precautions seemed warranted.
 
Africa is a vast continent and each part is different and unique.  It’s only natural to find ourselves comparing South Africa with the islands.  In South Africa, we are enjoying-- hot showers,malls, fast food, bacon, one-stop shopping, playgrounds, going to church, and privacy--we come and go and no one really knows who we are, where we are going, or when we’ll be back.  This is unheard of, nigh impossible on the islands.  There, everyone sees our comings and goings.  Having a leisurely lunch outside on the back porch (like we did today after church) would begin a neighborhood gathering in the islands.

On the other hand, on a family walk through the neighborhood in South Africa, we couldn’t help notice the razor wire, electric fences, guard dogs, and other security measures that surround every single home.  The price of privacy has resulted in each home being a small castle complete with fortifications.  On the islands, our neighbors are our protection.  Anyone trying to break into our house would be noticed by our neighbors and I really believe they would jump to defend us.  Added to this, everyone knows everyone on the islands so the anonymity that aids criminals in Joburg is nearly impossible.  Finally, on the islands violent crime is very rare and weapons are greatly limited.  We know of almost no islanders who own firearms except for the occasional soldier or police officer.  

David at the Bunny Park

Ultimately good community is good security.  On the islands we aren’t worried, and the next time I go walking alone late at night on island streets without the least bit of concern, I hope to remember to be thankful for one of the beautiful things about the islands. We may not have all the comforts and luxuries but people look after one another.

PRAYERS ANSWERED
We have heard that our team is doing well in Kenya. We had a wonderful time with Uncle Matt! He was a great help and the kids loved playing with him. He is on his way back to the States as we type. We continue to be thankful for the excellent timing of this trip where we could have a house and car available to us (as friends are away from SA for the month). The kids are doing well. We were able to have doctor’s check-ups and dentist visits. 


PRAYERS REQUESTED
Continue to pray for Megan’s back (the main reason we’re in South Africa). She is going to PT twice a week and has been given exercises to do every two hours during the day. These aren’t always pleasant but we’re hoping it pays off. We’ve also been reminded today of our true Healer and so we pray for miraculous improvement as well. We just realized that Tom’s US driver’s license has expired and they won’t let him renew it overseas-- this means Megan has to do all the driving (which is something she is supposed to be limiting with her back)-- pray that this doesn’t have any negative effects and that Tom can get some kind of Island driver’s license so he can legally drive somewhere. Tom’s parents arrive this coming week- pray for their safe travels. Tomorrow should be the big holiday on the islands- pray that we would be able to make contact with our island friends tomorrow and maintain those relationships and encouraging brothers and sisters there.

Traveling

Peter on the beach on the "Big Island"

“We’re traveling.” 
We had to say this simple phrase many times within the couple days of leaving home. Even if you have already told people that you would be traveling, it is considered polite to let them know again the days before leaving.

Islanders usually wait until the latest possible moment to inform people that they are traveling. We think there are a couple factors contributing to this phenomenon:

1. Usually people’s travel plans are still in the air up until the last moment. They don’t know if the proper visa will come through or whether they will be able to gather together the money for the plane ticket. So there is a sense that they think it would be bad luck to talk about their travel until it is for sure-- they don’t want to “jinx” it.

2.  Another factor is jealousy. The ability to travel is a sign of wealth and opportunity for islanders. They don’t tell people they are leaving because they sincerely fear the jealously of their neighbors and acquaintances.  It is believed that jealousy could lead to unintended curses from the evil eye or even intentional curses being aimed at them by spells performed by a witch doctor.

3. The final reason islanders don’t want to tell people they are traveling is all the requests. There are many things that are hard to get on the islands so people come with requests of things that they want you to get for them. And in our experience the more advanced notice you give people, the more requests you get.

On big island, on way out

Requests aren’t necessarily a bad thing. It is nice to help people by picking something up for them. The problem is that most islanders haven’t traveled internationally. Most don’t really understand luggage allowances. Some just assume everything abroad is inexpensive and high quality. Some are used to businessmen who travel abroad and then fill a container to bring back to the islands-- so they assume that there is no limit to the size or weight of their request. Plus, unless they see themselves as wealthy, they won’t expect to pay anything toward the purchase.

So, we confess, we often wait to tell people that we are traveling too. We will buy things for people but if they haven’t had time to make an unreasonable request then we won’t have to disappoint them.

Here are some of the requests we received this time around, even with limited notice:
 - a 3G/Wifi tablet,
 - a pair of dress shoes,
 - 2 phones (“good ones”),
 - an oven!,
 - and laptop computers.

We tried to warn some of them that the things they were asking for were expensive or very big, but it isn’t polite to say a direct “no” to a request. So we try to be culturally appropriate and say “we’ll see” and the customary island tag-line “If God wills it.”

Bundled up for bed in COLD South Africa

We want to be generous and loving, but it is difficult when people don’t understand our circumstances. We’ll end up buying what we can, but we can’t buy all our acquaintances laptop computers or bring back large appliances. So the woman who asked for an oven will probably get a purse or some sandals instead. She may be disappointed but she’ll accept the gift and hopefully she’ll realize that we do care for her.

PRAYERS ANSWERED
The big answer to prayer is that Megan will not need back surgery. Both the physical therapist and the neurosurgeon agreed that her back had shown enough improvement since March to not warrant surgery. Uncle Matt arrived safely to South Africa in time to watch the kids so Tom could come to the appointment with the neurosurgeon too. After a delay of two days, Uncle Matt’s bag finally arrived! Megan’s mom had successful surgery on her foot.

PRAYERS REQUESTED
Continue to pray for Megan’s back, while she will not have surgery, her back is nowhere near normal-- the hope is that with physical therapy, she will show significant improvement during our brief stay in South Africa. Pray for a safe, restful and productive time for us in Johannesburg-- we have a number of administrative assignments we’d like to get done while we are here. Pray for our team as they get training in Kenya. And of course don’t forget to pray for our island friends during this special month.

Fulania

Megan & kids at harvest party

It was already a unique evening. It was our first time celebrating a Brazilian harvest party! Our Brazilian teammates had organized it and we were having a good time at our house- wearing our “Brazilian farmer” outfits and playing simple party games.

We were sitting around enjoying our island imitations of Brazilian fare when a girl came up to our front door. I didn’t recognize her but I assumed that she was sent from a neighbor family to ask for something for dinner preparations--maybe some oil or sugar or something. So I greeted her and quickly asked, “What are you looking for?”

“I don’t want anything. I just want a home.”

This was a bizarre answer. At first I thought I had misunderstood but then I noticed that she seemed a little scared and nervous. So I welcomed her in, got her some food and told her to sit down. She sat very quietly, ate a little and watched on as we played various silly party games.

Tom & boys dressed for party

With so many people in the house, it was hard to have much conversation. But I learned that she lived not too far from here, but her home village was far away and that she had been told to leave. Just this quick explanation told us a lot. Most likely she was from a poor village and had been “given” to a rich family in the capital where she was expected to do housework in exchange for an education, food and housing. It is very common. Sometimes these children are treated very well and it is seen as a great opportunity for them, but too often it is just child labor plain and simple and the children are neglected, poorly educated, overworked, unloved and possibly abused.

We were worried about her and what may have happened to her, but why had she come here? We didn’t even know her. She spoke quickly and under her breath, making it hard for us to understand her. Doesn’t she have family or friends to go to? But here she was, sitting in our living room and making no moves of leaving-- we felt a responsibility to help her. We weren’t able to get much out of her but this: Her name is Fulania and she is 14 years old.

We spent a short time in the kitchen praying about how to proceed. We quickly realized that we needed to enlist the help of some islanders… but who?? Many islanders would treat a girl like her with contempt and insist she return to the potentially abusive home. Plus it was already after dark and some of the people that came to mind lived far away and were taking care of their children. Our answer came when Tom’s good friend, Sterehi, called to say that he was coming over. Sterehi was a man (perhaps not the best person to help interview the girl, but he was a kind father and generally a good man). We decided to at least get his opinion-- we knew we were in an awkward position. Felicia was a minor and we were not her guardians, but also as foreigners we couldn’t understand all the cultural implications of the situation. Plus we were leaving the islands in just two days and would be gone for over a month-- we were by no means a longterm solution to her problem.

After Sterehi came, we learned where Fulania lived. We knew a woman from that neighborhood and so we quickly asked her to come and help us. She didn’t know Fulania but she came and tried to help us learn more. We offered her other options: Tom and Sterehi could go to her home and talk to her guardians, they could call a group that is supposed to be advocates for people like her, we could help her find some of her friends, tomorrow we could help her go back to her home village…. But she needed first to tell us who her guardians were. She refused. We promised that we would not make her go back there, but she still refused to give us a name or location.

Grace playing party game

More of her story slowly came out. She had been living/working there for 4 years. She went to school. Her grandparents were dead. Her father had left her mother when she was young. Her mother was poor and far away. Her surrogate “mother” had accused her of wanting her husband and kicked her out. We worried that this husband may have done something to her, but we couldn’t be sure. Eventually light bulbs lit in Sterehi’s eyes and he left the house. He knew the family and he agreed that Fulania should not go back to the house, but he called the husband and soon had him outside our house. Tom went out and talked with him, but we didn’t not let him into our house.

There were no obvious solutions and we didn’t know what to do, so we asked for more help.  We ultimately had 6 different island adults, men and women, in our house offering different solutions for Fulania through the evening. Some knew her story and readily defended her that she should not return to the home she had just left, but she refused to accept any other solutions.

For the most part we let the islanders talk, but finally we suggested that she stay at our place for the night and figure out going back to her village tomorrow. We assumed she would agree because it didn't seem like she wanted to leave our house and yet everyone agreed that she would eventually have to go back to her extended family in her village.  At this point, in a surprise to all of us, Fulania got up crying, said she was leaving, and went outside. We followed her onto the porch and talked to her more there, but ultimately she left- not with anyone, but just on her own around 11:30pm. The adults went their way too.

We felt very unsettled about it all, but didn’t fully understand everything that had happened or why Fulania wasn't open to the any of the options being laid before her. We were honored that she felt like our home was a safe place to go to, but we don’t if she was ultimately happy with us. Our hearts break for her- at 14 years old, she felt like all the options before her were horrible and opted to walk away alone.

So we prayed and continue to pray for her. 

PRAYERS ANSWERED
Our team made it safely to the big island, though some got seasick on the boat. :( We had a good time of reflection with the team and have made it safely to South Africa! A huge answer to prayer was how our kids did arriving at midnight to SA. We were very worried that Megan would have to carry a child off the plane, but Peter & Grace woke up well and walked out under their own power. 


PRAYERS REQUESTED
Please pray for Fulania- we don’t know if we will hear any follow-up about her (she has no phone and we have no common acquaintances) but we pray. Continue to pray for the islanders as they finish the month of fasting. One of young men who has shown lots of interest took a Book to read while we are gone, pray that it would impact him. Pray for Megan’s back and our decisions related to it- she has an evaluation with a PT on Monday morning and an appointment with a neurosurgeon on Wednesday. Pray for our kids as they transition to this time in South Africa.

Are you fasting?

Tom walking & talking with islanders

“Are you fasting?”  This is the constant question we have heard every year at this time when one fifth of the world’s population is supposed to spend an entire month fasting.  It gives us numerous opportunities to talk about how things are different for us.  And we find ourselves answering the question in many different ways.  Sometimes we simply say, “This isn’t my time to fast.”  Other times we say, “For us, fasting is between me and God.”  Still other times, like this afternoon for example, that question can lead to an extended conversation that goes on for over an hour and ranges on subjects from sin, holiness, what is truth, who is right, and how can we find heaven.

I’ve also found it fruitful this year to ask a question in return, “Why are you fasting?”  This led to a very interesting conversation with my friend, Hanyo.  (If you look back at old blogs you might remember that I’ve had some tough run-ins with Hanyo, but we still continue to see each other regularly and talk about things.)

I asked Hanyo if he was fasting and he said yes.  Then I asked him if he knew why we fast.  [Note: the following is the gist of our conversation.  We were speaking a mix of French and the island language and I confess that it probably wasn’t this clear or well said:]
He said, “Why they fast or why you fast?” 
    I said, “Both.”
    “They fast because it’s an obligation.  They have to.  And also somewhere it says that when everyone fasts it shows that rich and poor are all equal.  Everybody has to fast and they all have to suffer together.  So it makes men realize that we are all the same.”
    “Okay, why do people like me fast?”
    “I don’t know,” he said.

Megan & friend at picnic

So I explained to him that for us, fasting is not an obligation.  There are are no set rules.  I explained that there are no “points” to be gained or lost. (Here people believe good works give you spiritual points that help you qualify for paradise.)  I explained about the many different forms fasting can take and the different amounts of time.  Then I explained that fasting is for the purpose of drawing near to God, knowing His will, and remembering how much we need him in our lives, more than food or anything else.
    “So how people fast is between them and God.  On our team we have someone who is fasting right now, and others who are not.  Me, I am fasting when I get invited to break the fast with someone, to show my solidarity and friendship, but generally I’m not fasting now.”
    “So some of you are fasting and some aren’t?”  he asked.
    “Yes, you see, it’s a choice.  And it’s about the heart.  The same can be true for you.  Maybe you are fasting because you’re afraid of what people say.  Maybe you’re doing it because everyone else is.  But maybe you’re taking this as an opportunity to do a real fast, to pray and be close to God.”
    At that Hanyo started talking about a subject that comes up every time he visits.  “If only I wasn’t alone.  If only someone could come and encourage me in my village.”  (Hanyo’s village is far away and truth be told, I think he would like a foreigner to live there for the possible economic benefits as much as for mutual encouragement.  Every time we meet he talks like this.)
    “Okay,” I said, “Why don’t you use the fast as an opportunity to pray for that very thing.  That someone would come who could encourage you and give you fellowship.  That is an excellent thing to pray for.  And many times we fast to ask God about something important just like this.  And during this month I will pray too.  I will pray every day that you will not be alone.”
    Hanyo agreed, but not whole-heartedly.  I am not deterred.  I am praying.  Would you join me?

Grace finishes Kindergarten!

PRAYERS ANSWERED
Grace finished Kindergarten (this is homeschool, she already finished her year at the local island school). The next day she began asking, “Mommy, when can we start first grade????” We have had some good conversations so far and opportunities to share and challenge. Not only us, but the whole team. Our time of team prayer went well.


PRAYERS REQUESTED  
Continue to pray for us during this month of fasting and the unique conversations it gives us. Pray for Hanyo and others like him.  On Wednesday we leave Clove Island- first for the biggest island for a few days and then to South Africa. Pray for our final days interacting with neighbors and friends here. Pray for Megan’s back as we travel- travel is usually hard on her back. (We go to South Africa to get specialist opinion and treatment for Megan’s back. We’re praying that she won’t need surgery.)    Pray for all those islanders who are seeking- that they would seek and find.