Rough Welcome

Approaching Clove Island on the plane

We have only been back on the islands for a handful of days. In many ways it is nice to be back: back in our own home, back reconnecting with old friends, showing Tom’s parents our life here.

But it hasn’t been an easy few days. And it is easy to start to focus on the negatives and allow it to get us down.

The travel into the islands went fine, but it started with boarding a plane at midnight in South Africa with three little kids (not an easy time of day). The flight was shorter than normal (good winds) which meant less sleep than expected before we landed in Kenya. So we got to the islands tired with three tired kids.

Grace & Grandma arriving on Clove Island

None of our bags made it. It took well over an hour for Tom to do the paperwork for the missing luggage because almost everyone was missing bags and islanders kept cutting in front of him. He was literally the last passenger to be processed. Meanwhile lunch time has passed-- now we were tired and hungry with three tired and hungry kids.

The next day we were able to check that day’s flight from Kenya for our luggage before our flight to Clove Island. But again, no luggage. Plus, they would not forward our luggage to Clove Island, we would have to come back to claim it. Tom’s parents would have to spend their entire visit with us without their luggage.

That evening someone called to say that all our baggage had just arrived on the big island (hours after we left). That night Megan was sick and stayed up most of the night with an upset stomach. The call to prayer seems especially loud outside our bedroom window at dawn.

Then the following evening, something truly terrible happened. Tom was bringing a kettle with boiling water to the bathroom (to take the edge off the cold bathwater for the kids). Peter jumped unexpectedly and head-butted the kettle, splashing the water out of the kettle onto David who was standing nearby. David was badly burned. We slept with him between us, taking turns all night making sure he didn’t scratch the dressings off his burn.

Burned & Bandaged David says "cheese"

The next morning with some good medical advice, we went to the best pharmacies on island for supplies, only to be told again and again that they didn’t have the things we wanted or even anything remotely like it.

At moments it has been enough to make us want to leave the islands and try again. But it hasn’t been all bad, we have seen grace and blessings interspersed. The first flight was hard but the Kenya airport had a lounge with comfy armchairs for people with small kids, a most welcomed and rare luxury at that airport. The kids would add also that they got to eat M&M’s at the airport. The time on the big island was frustrating but we also had some great moments reconnecting with our old teammates over a good meal.  The luggage didn’t come, but we were able to get by just fine without them. David’s burns break our heart but we were able to get medical advice quickly and he slept well that first night and hasn’t been in too much pain.

The island doesn’t have a lot of supplies that we need but friends came over and gave us the supplies that the pharmacies lacked.

We might see lots of attacks- bad things happening, but God is moving here and already in these few days we have had the chance to pray boldly for the sick and have people asking questions that really matter.

Grandpa, Tom & island friend

So, are we glad to be back? In spite of a rough welcome, yes, we are glad to be back where God has called us.

PRAYERS ANSWERED
We made it safely back to the islands. Megan’s back has done well considering all the travel and stress. Tom’s parents and the kids were troopers through all the travel and difficulties. We are thankful for the outpouring of prayers for David and for the fact that he hasn’t been as much pain as we feared. We thank God that one young man read faithfully the Book that we left with him.

PRAYERS REQUESTED
Please continue to pray for David. Pray especially that his burn would not get infected (everything tends to get infected on the islands). Pray for quick healing and that we would be able to keep the area clean. Continue to pray for Megan’s back as she tries to fit her PT routines into island life. Pray for the rest of Tom’s parents visit (they leave on Thurs). Pray that we figure out how to get our luggage to Clove Island! Pray for our teammates as they travel back to the islands from vacation that hopefully their time won’t be as rough as ours.