Thankfulness in the Red

My thankful list continues on though I have to say unless I have my journal right with me I tend to be forgetful about writing things down, but I am almost half way there, to 1000 is my goal. 

I'm thankful that E was able to get the consultant to the village...

They arrived covered with mud, soaking wet, but safe. 

The consultant was thankful for a shower, I was thankful that the water was still running, it usually gets plugged up with sticks and palm leaves when it rains. Actually I guess it has but someone climbed the mountain and fixed it. 

I'm not sure how much of IJohn they got checked, but I'm thankful the villagers helped prepare food this time  it takes some of the burden off of Michele. I love to hear about the villagers,Mamma Ellen made lunch, I prayed for her. I'm thankful for the NiVanuatu. 

It had rained continuously for days without let up, making it impossible for Michele to get any laundry done, but I was thankful to hear that for a few hours the sun came out and the laundry dried so everyone finally had some clean underwear. 

God is merciful...

When I was there, I can remember being so thankful for a few hours of sun to get the laundry dry after days of rain.Underwear that is mildewy and damp is at least wearable.

This morning we got e-mail from John Mark, He sent along a copy of his journal. I'm thankful for his journal and his willingness to let us read it. It is fun to see how he spends his day, and it blesses this grandma who is missing all of her grandchildren.  

I'm so thankful for internet access right now..even with all that rain, we are communicating.

Wow, when I think about it, aren't us POM's blessed? Think how hard not to hear from your kids for weeks and then it would be old news, makes me thankful for technology and the internet.

The work goes on, and I'm thankful for my missionary family. They are resilient, determined, strong, and brave while being humble, hopeful and joyful. I'm thankful that God is their source of strength and hope, and that they know this truth. 

This POM can learn from them, as well as being proud of them. 

Lets Play Some Football....

I woke to 16 e-mails this morning!!!

Because the kids do not have the v-sat internet connection, we are not able to communicate daily by e-mail or skype. Every couple of weeks they go into Lenackel and send all the saved up e-mails from the weeks before. Some were only one sentence, but they made me smile.

One Message from John Mark had these great pictures from a football game between two villages. He is playing. Can you guess which one he is?

He is the tallest white boy in the front....
John Mark is in the background....
Notice the villagers standing and watching....

Who would have thought football in Vanuatu?

I love it :)

Tell me that its not broken....

About 7 months ago the kids got what is called a V-sat. They moved a huge satellite dish into the yard, and the dish gave them Internet access right at home they no longer had to go into town to find an Internet collection to send e-mail, and we have had skype on a daily basis.
This old POM has quickly gotten spoiled .and now I'm suffering withdrawal, angst, and disappointment. The dish is broken.

What fun it has been to send the message, " Erik, are you there?"
and have him respond,"Yes mom, just working on the book of John with Neckky."
I love hearing what they are working on. " Well, tell Neckky, hi from me."

What fun it has been to hear the skype ring, and find Erik and the grand kids on the line.
What fun it has been to skype with Michele, to hear what us woman consider the important details of their daily lives.

What fun it has been to be on line, and have the message pop up that Erik is online.

I think that when it comes to my missionary children, thankfulness should be in order each and everyday. Things can change with them anytime, and those changes often cannot be handled as easily or as quickly as if they lived here.
The v-sat repair man is in Australia for the rest of the year. Seriously....
So unless we get a miracle, and I have seen God meet their needs over and over again.
I am going to have to say it was nice while it lasted.

What About The Shorts?

The skirts were a complete blessing, both to those who received them and to me as I saw how important they were to the girls and their moms.

When I was there and I suggested to Sierra that we ought to make skirts for all the little girls, my motivation was simply that since I have access to so much fabric, trim,and patterns why not do something special.
I really did not realize the impact one skirt would have on the people, but they have.

The only problem has been that the boys are upset...They want shorts:)
So Michele went through he village and measured 22 big and little boys for shorts.

My next project is 22 pairs of shorts. Hopefully to be done before February 1....
At least the shorts don't need to be trimmed.

So let the challenge begin....seriously how hard can it be..ha...

A Very Special Skirt....

This is Lafosa...
I thought you might enjoy seeing this picture...It was taken at a special ceremony that took place this week in her honor.
Notice the grass skirt...Her mom made it and painted the design on it...
That is a beautiful skirt.

Praying for the Skirts...

On the island of Tanna there is another family of missionaries. Ken and Mendy have children the same age as Erik and Michele, and the families are very close. I like that my grandchildren call them Uncle Ken and Aunt Mendy it gives them family in this place.

One day on my last visit we decided to go visit them. This family lives very close to the active volcano on the island. Yasur is a favorite tourist attraction and roads in and out are well maintained at least until we reached the 4 wheel drive road that led right into their village, rain during the week made this part of the road more of a challenge, but this was a clear day and I could see the volcano in the distance rising high into the sky with clouds of smoke surrounding it. Yasur volcano is an awesome and humbling sight no matter the distance.

It was Sunday; a day of rest in Vanuatu, and the families had decided to hike to a distant waterfall. I volunteered to stay back and babysit my youngest grandson knowing that the long trip on foot would be to daunting for both of us. I gathered some toys and Joel and I went to sit on the front porch. I watched children playing in the community lawn in front of the house, and as I played with Joel two teenage Ni Vanuatu girls came to the porch. They silently approached me and sat down right next to me. This was unusual. I find that the people are curious about me, but they usually stay at a distance and stare, sometimes for long periods of time, they will stand and watch me. Not sure what to do and because of the language barrier I just smiled and waited to see what they would do next.

"Hello," said one of the girls.

I was surprised at her English, and I responded quickly,
"Do you speak English?"

She smiled broadly; the Ni Vanuatu women have beautiful smiles.
"Yes, I go to school, and I came to speak with you so that I could practice my English."
She began to tell me her story.
"My name is Naug."

"My mother died having me, and my father left and went to live in the city of Port Vila. I do not know him well. My grandparents live here in the village and they raised me."
" I go to school, it is very unusual for a girl my age to go to school past the 8th grade, but Mendy's mom pays for my school. She love Jesus and she pays for my school. I love Jesus; He has blessed me so I can go to school."

"I saw you here and you are like her. I wanted to come and talk to you and say thank you. Thank You for Ken and Mendy, and thank you for your son and his family. I see them here sometimes, and to tell you I am so thankful that I can go to school."

She continued on to tell me more about her desires to better herself in school. She told me more about her village, and throughout her sharing she would often stop and praise Jesus.

There are times when I am visiting that I sit back and wonder if my children' s lives and sacrifices are making a difference in this place. Sometimes the needs and work is overwhelming, and sometimes the difficulties of every day living here is overwhelming , I am sure it is the selfish pondering of a POM, but that day, listiening to this young girl speaking to me boldly in English with such conviction I was completely taken aback. With tears in my eyes I thanked the Lord for this moment and this girl. It was though He spoke directly into my heart that day:

"They make a difference Karen...Trust Me....They make a difference...."

Later in the day, I asked Mendy about Naug.

"Can they make her quit school?" I asked.
"Oh yes ,when the elders in the village say so then she will have to quit school and get married. She is marriage age. Her grandparents have fought for her, and so far they have let her continue, but that could change any time."

I can't tell you how that grieved me, and at the same time gave me a focus for my prayers for Naug. This was the first time I had heard or seen such desire in this place. This was the first time someone had shared with me the difference Jesus love had made in their lives.

Vanuatu society is carried on the backs of the women. It is the women who do most of the work. Bearing and raising children starts at an early age. The women maintain the gardens; do the cooking, washing and cleaning, and whatever else that keeps the family and the village running smoothly. Women here carry a great burden and live hard lives.

I pondered on this story this week as I looked at the pictures of the girls in my skirts....a whole new generation... God has put a love in my heart for these young girls...how do I pray for them?

Lord Show Me.....

Let the Holiday Begin...

The e-mail read: I gave out the skirts early because many are going to celebrate in different villages. The girls loved it, they clapped and giggled and they all fit!

Skirt Update....

Working on skirts and I have 8 done.
I am making them in lots of different colors and trims.
Makes it more interesting.

Some of my Scripture prayers for the Ni Vanuatu...

Great are You Lord, and greatly to be praised..Ps. 48:12
Clap your hands all the peoples of this great earth
Shout to God with a shout of JOY..
For the Lord Most High is to be feared,
He is a great King over all the earth...Ps. 41:10

We praise you O Lord,
All the nations, and
all the peoples we laud You for Your loving kindness is great towards us.
Your truth is everlasting; we Praise You Lord...Ps.117

Your Word O God is truth as well as everlasting..
Blessed are You oh Lord.
I ask you that as the people on the island of Tanna hear Your Word
in their own language that You would teach them Your Statutes...Ps. 119:12

Open their eyes Lord that they might see wonderful things from your Law...Ps. 119:18
Please let Your Word penetrate their hearts. Let your Word teach them good
discernment and knowledge...Ps. 119:66

Jesus You are Messiah, You have been appointed by the Father to be a covenant to the people.
You are a light to all the nations on the earth
to open blind eyes, to bring out prisoners from the dungeons and those who dwell in darkness.
Jesus, the Ni Vanuatu dwell in the darkness of their customs.
Please give them eyes to see the error of their ways and that this is sin in their lives...Is. 42:6

Lord, You will not give Your glory to another, nor your praise to graven images...Is.42:8
Please show them that their custom beliefs are deceitful, that they will not bring life they are worthless and a mockery...Jer.10:14
We cannot have it both ways partaking at the table of the Lord and demons...Icor. 10:20
Give the Ni Vanuatu the eyes to see and the ears to hear this truth...to see that this is what they are doing....turn them back that they would repent of their evil ways.

You say that all the islands and those that dwell in them will declare Your praise...I want the people to sing to you a new song of praise a song of praise to the ends of the earth. Is. 42:10
Please God give them a new song to sing....

I believe that it is Your Word that will change the lives of the people on Tanna Island. I pray that Your Word in the tongue of the Tannese will go out in your power, and in the Holy Spirit bringing with it full conviction. Use Erik and Michele as an example to the people that they serve so that these people may be turned back to serve You the one true God...I Thes. 1:5

I love Your Word Lord...You declare that all nations will come and worship before You, all the nations shall glorify Your name...Ps. 86:9

What Joy Lord to know that someday every tribe, and tongue, and people, and nation, Yes Lord, some of those who speak the Nafe Language will sing a new song to You.
A Song of Praise and Worship because you are Worthy and Worthy to be Praised.
Thank you for this truth Lord...Rev. 5:9

I Pray for these beloved people in the precious name of their saviour and mine Jesus Christ ...
Amen..

Not Feeling To Good....

Please pray for this little guy....Joel.
He has an intestinal problem.
I can just hear him now,
"Me sick Gama, me have bugs."
Joel is so cute I could just eat him.
Pray he feels better soon.

We Are At War....And Not Against Flesh And Blood...

I have already shared that my week on Tanna was most difficult. Joel had been sick, relentless rain had washed out the road, and Erik's closest neighbor had asked a Cleva (like a clarivoyant) to come and divine the causes of both a recent death in the village and a death that had happened many years ago. He was also asked to explain why so many people had been getting sick lately in the village. In spite of the weather he spent two days meeting with villagers giving them instructions and guidance.

On Thursday the day of our clothes sale we learned that he had been asked to come. So Erik decided to speak from the translated book of Acts to confront him while he was there.
I had just settled down on my mat to eat my much anticipated laplap when Sierra came running across the field.
"Someone must come quick, Joel has made such a mess," she said in high volume.
"I will go. It is important for you to stay here," I told Erik.

Entering the house the smell was enough to gag a hungry maggot, as the saying goes. Now my young grandson is having trouble getting potty trained, but only partially he can pee without a problem, it is the other he tends to do wherever he feels like it and he felt like it on the kitchen floor. Then he tried to clean it up leaving hand prints pretty much around the room and down the hall wall. I put a screaming Joel in the shower, and began to clean up the mess with cold water and the one rag that I could find.

Sierra poked her head in the door just long enough to say, "Are you okay grandma?"
"Sierra, you go tell daddy that our battle is not against flesh and blood," I said with a chuckle sweat rolling into my eyes as Joel continued to scream.

"What does that mean?" she asked.
"Just tell dad he will understand."
She shrugged and ran off.
Within a few minutes Erik came running back to the house. By then, I had dried and dressed Joel though he was still clearly upset, and I was still scrubbing away.

"Mom, I'll do it," he said.
"Don't worry about it, he is my grandson, I don't mind."
"Are you sure? Sierra said you told her to tell me that it's not my flesh and blood."

At that point we had a much needed laugh, as I told him what I had really said.
I share this story to make my point.

I saw a new that week, over and over, that WE ARE AT WAR, and our battle is not against flesh and blood.
And I saw very clearly the absolute need for me to be praying fervently for my children, their work, and the people they serve.
I've always prayed, but my experiences this week showed me so clearly the need to be more diligent.

Ephesians 6:10-12
"Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of His might. Put on the full armor of God, so that you will be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil.
For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places."

2 Corinthians 10:3-5
"for though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh, for the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh, but divinely powerful for the destruction of fortresses, we are destroying speculations and every lofty thing raised up against the knowledge of God, and we are taking every thought captive to the obedience of Christ."

Sometimes having them so far away I have been lax, not any more.

Meet Baby Grace...

This is baby Grace, she is about 6 months old and a little beauty... She has the biggest brown eyes, and the softest skin.
It took the whole time I was on Tanna for Grace to finally come to me.
She would look at me and immediately cry. When she finally let me hold her I had the kids take this special picture.

I mentioned in my last post that I had a chicken for Sierra to pluck. On Tanna meat is scarce, and since the people are poor a chicken is a precious commodity, so that a chicken is a very special gift.
There is nothing like a village chicken, no matter how long they have been allowed to graze and grow, they are still skinny, and I don't care how they are prepared they are still tough and chewy.

Michele is holding my "special " chicken... Mama Ellen, baby Grace's Mother gave it to me.
When baby Grace was born I sent her an outfit and some yarn. When Mama Ellen learned that I was coming she saved to buy, and then fed for weeks this guy to thank me.
I was blessed and moved by her generosity.
Mamma Ellen and Grace with her little brother.
Sierra loves to watch Grace.

Things we take for granted...

The night I came home one of the first things I did was throw a load of dirty travel clothes into the washing machine. Normally this is a task taken for granted, but after my week on Tanna Island I was very aware of the privilege to be able to do this.

I think when you are a mother a washing machine is one of the things that you really need. A family of 6 produces lots of dirty clothes.
In the village, Michele has laundry every day, but with no electricity there is no machine.
So How Do They Do Laundry In Tanna?

Michele usually has one of the village women help her every morning.
They start with two large basins or buckets of cold water, soaking the dirty laundry.
Each piece is then scrubbed with a brush using bar soap. I have seen some of the women use a rock instead of a brush, and often they will beat the garment on a board. The goal is to get as much dirt out as possible, but the dirt never comes out completely

Next step is the rinse cycle. Here the washed laundry is soaked in the second basin of water getting the soap out.
The last step is wringing each piece getting out as much water as possible.
Laundry is then hung on the line, a fence, a tree, or whatever is available.

I don't mind doing laundry in the village, but the last step makes me crazy. Each piece needs to be flipped as many times as necessary until it gets dry.

The drying is totally dependant on the weather.

The South Pacific can be miserably hot, and when hot, laundry dries fast, but the South Pacific can have relentless rain and when it is raining, the laundry can hang for days. This is were the flipping comes in. Whenever there was a break in the rain I was flipping laundry.

because of the rain last week I left many wet shirts on the line.

The moldy stinky smell of clothes is taken for granted, but I was surprised when a towel that I had brought along invoked this reaction.

Michele passed the towel around and everyone smelled it and touched it.

"We love when you send these kinds of things," she said, "we always smell it and say how much it smells like Grandma's house."

That made me smile.

Just Thinking...

Yesterday I read a devotional that started with the question: If you were going to meet the queen of England and you were told to bring her a gift would you take the time to pick out something special or would you give her something that you had around the house?

Seems like an obvious answer doesn't it? Of course I would put time and effort and pick the perfect gift for the queen.

Then the author compared this to how we sometimes prepare packages for the missionaries without any thought or by sending something that we have around the house that we don't want or need.

Us POM's know that our children are easily satisfied and thankful for most anything they receive, but I also know that it especially delights them when they get something that they want or especially need. Being a POM gives us the oppurtunity to share what we know with those in our church body that want to send something to missionaries.

This has gotten me to thinking about the people in the village. I have been collecting clothes, for them, to take with me . I have used clothes in all sizes, and I know that these things will be appreciated because there is a real need for clothes.
The last two times I went to Tanna I left my old clothes for the people, but I'm thinking that this time maybe I should take a couple of my favorite shirts and skirts and leave them. It's easy to leave my old clothes, but if I'm honest, not as easy to leave something new or something that I really like. But I'm thinking that I am going to try and change that this time. Mamma Ellen would look very pretty in one of my new t-shirts.

New Prayer Requests...

I consider this to be rather urgent... Dengue fever has shown up in the village.
This might indicate that the mosquito's are in their area.
This fever can cause great sickness and even death, please pray for the protection of my family and the villagers.

200 copies of Acts were dedicated during the month of February!! How exciting.
Please pray for people hearing and reading God's Word.

Michele is teaching in a local school every Tues.
Pray for her and for the children.
Praise because of the children are now able to read the book of Acts!

Michele will be talking to local adolescent girls about sexual purity and God's plan regarding marriage.
Please pray for this sensitive but much needed talk. Please pray that it will be well received by all in the community.

Erik will be teaching 2 men from the translation committee basic computer skills.
Pray that they will learn and be able to accomplish what he teaches them. This will be something very new for them.

To those that are praying I thank you.

Caterpillars Anyone????

I wasn't kidding in my last entry when I said that my missionary family will eat most everything.

MEAT is a scarce thing in Vanuatu. Because there is no refrigeration it is impossible to keep meat fresh consequently when a pig or a cow is butchered then the whole village shares and enjoys the meat immediately and together.


GARDENS are the main source of food for the people. Every family has their garden. They grow many kinds of vegetables and fruits.

Last time I was there I tried everything, but I drew the line when one day we went to the beach and my grand kids and the neighbor kids began to dig into the dead tree stump with knives.
Everyone was so excited.
In the wood they found huge white caterpillars.



These caterpillars burrow in and eat the wood. Here you can see Erik digging them out.

After he dug them out he roasted them over the fire on a stick.

He is saying," come on mom, try it, really its not bad. PLEeease."

Yes, he is eating it, as I was having a fit watching him.

This is were I drew the line.

There was no way I was eating caterpillars .

All the kids continued to dig and roast. They were thrilled to have found them. These little grubs are a delicacy.