Month 1 and random bits

In the middle of the night there was a commotion out on the path somewhere that abruptly pulled me from a deep sleep. I honestly was waiting for someone to pound on the clinic door and yell that there was an emergency.  But soon the voices faded away. It was good that I was awake though.  I was all jittery by then and was not going back to sleep easily when I heard my name faintly through the breeze.  Someone was down below loudly whispering my name.  It was the neighbor; there was an emergency.  Down to the clinic.  In that hour or so between being wakened and hearing my name called, I had been praying.  Last week when I was off island there was a big medical issue but it was taken care of down-island since we weren’t here, and due to the issues involved, that was best by far.  On this night though, I was praying, telling my mind and heart to trust.  Jesus knows what I can handle, and I feel it’s often less than he thinks I can. I just asked for a lot of grace in the clinic. And there was. Turned out to be a small thing medically, more than anything an opportunity to just love on a neighbor and pray for her baby.  Nonetheless at 2am I was rather awake so spent some time with my sketchbook and journal over a bowl of coco-puffs.

So one of my favorite movies when I was a kid was the Newsies. There’s a line in there, “I spent a month there one night”.  Well my roommate and I can identify. It is unbelievable where the days go.  I’m not sure why I am always so exhausted.  Life in the moment, taking whatever comes up those steps or down the path.  This first month seems to have flown by. My hope and prayer is for opportunity to graft into the community more.  Doing things is all well and good; there’s always more to do and it’s good stuff. But my heart is to be in relationship with people. Work in the clinic, helping in the school, doing classes and Bible studies - it is all great stuff, but the goal isn’t to check off a bunch of tasks each day. My heart longs to be in community; to do life with my neighbors to whatever extent possible. I want to hear their stories. I want to share meals or walks down the path. I want to know their names and family tree.  Had an interesting conversation with a pastor from another Caribbean island last night. So interesting to see this culture through his eyes.  So much to learn.  

In the training portion of life, we are going through some amazing materials.  I love the congruity of the Spirit: similar themes appearing in multiple sources, even one’s from other places than here.  For example we spent two hours Saturday morning going through a class/discussion on world view, truth claims, postmodernism, and assumptive language.  I came back to my room for a little rest time and listened to a sermon from a church back in Phoenix. The content was so parallel to the morning.  Good stuff. 

Looking at the upcoming weeks:  We have this week to prepare and then a big group coming in for a week to do various projects around the community. It’s wonderful but tiring to have a team here.  We have later nights, busier days, and very little personal/down time.  Along with that, I am very blessed to have a doctor also coming in that same week.  I want to spend all the time I can in the clinic and pray to absorb information in a supernatural way.  That means that this week I hope to get ahead of my usual curriculum requirements so that I can devote as much time as possible to the clinic during the doctor week.  So it’s going to be a bit busy.  But in all that, always ready to stop and sit and spend time with people. Prayerful that I am on God’s agenda each day and not my own.  

The wind is gusty tonight.  Wish I could share withe you the beauty of this night. Sunset from the prayer deck was fantastic.  Took a walk to the far end of the island (about 4 miles round trip from the clinic).  It was gorgeous standing at the end of a long dock as if walking off into the edge of world over turquoise water, the gentle tide blowing the sea grass in the shallows. The generator has been running great, thanks to a new bank of batteries and generous hearts.  It’s amazing how sometime so simple as dependable electricity in the clinic or even my home takes off a little pressure.  I’d be happy if I don’t have to do any more stitches by flashlight, although it does make for a story.  Thank you for your prayers, letters and generosity.  You’re faithfulness is invaluable. It’s powerful and encouraging. Love to you all.