(Picture: We've started gathering boxes to pack up our house. We leave for the States in less than a month)It’s funny how some things on the islands can be so different from the US and yet other things can be so very much the same. Take, for instance, the whole culture of summertime. In the States summer arrives and schedules change. The routines of daily life and work are upset as kids get out of school, as half the office goes on vacation, as weekends get busy with weddings, as family reunions and other excuses for fun come up. Church attendance wanes, small groups reconfigure, in certain parts of the country there is the influx of tourists, people head to the beach, park, or pool rather than to meetings, and the general rules of duty and responsibility take a unavoidably (and probably necessarily) more relaxed attitude.
Strangely enough, the islands have a very similar “summertime.” Weather wise, it’s actually winter here, but this is the time to enjoy the island. Island summers are unbearably hot, so it is actually the island winter when things are sunny and pleasant. So just like in the States, this is the time for weddings; this is the time when the foreigners come; this is the time for family reunions, picnics, and vacation for school kids.
Of course, it’s not exactly the same. Take weddings for example. Weddings are a big part of island life—possibly the biggest. Weddings determine your status in society. Without a wedding you are still a child; you are not allowed to speak with authority; you are not considered an elder no matter your age, wisdom or character. And weddings cost a lot. Many people go into major debt to pay for their wedding. Also everyone is invited—everyone. It’s common for a whole town to show up for the wedding. And the weddings are not one-day affairs. They can last for weeks!
Weddings being so important to islanders, many islanders return from abroad this month to either attend weddings or to be wedded themselves. So the “tourists” walking all over town are not exactly tourists, but often islanders who have lived most of their lives overseas. They are easy to spot, as they walk the streets with a certain swagger showing off the latest European fashions. Also university students are finishing up classes right now and after exams they are a continual presence on our street, on our porch, and in our house. All this means there is a lot of reason to party.
What does this all mean for us? I must confess, it has taken me by surprise again. As we are winding down and thinking about saying goodbyes, finishing up our classes, meeting with brothers for study and prayer, and other things that seem crucial to us, our friends and neighbors are off in all directions, headed back to their villages for marriages, hosting long-absent relatives, and getting in that last picnic before fasting begins at the beginning of August.
So we have to accept smaller classes, cancelled appointments, fewer goodbyes, and less frequent visits from some of our friends, but that’s the way it is, right? It’s summertime!
PRAYERS ANSWERED
Peter is all better. Thanks for your prayers. We’ve done some initial packing and have moved a number of things out of our house into storage. Some of our brothers are now meeting on Mondays to pray together. We are hoping it will catch on and become a regular thing. We will have our last team meeting next week. We are thankful for the team we’ve been able to have these past five months and for all the things we’ve been learning together.
PRAYERS REQUESTED
Megan and our short-termers plan to climb the volcano next week. Pray for a safe trip, good weather, and that Tom would be okay watching the kids. One of our brother’s father is dying. Pray that he would be able to travel to be with his father (who is in a different country) and to be a light to his father in these last days.
