I guess we all know now what my answer would be to that question- yes I would jump. Especially if a ten year old was challenging me. Due to the overwhelming responses of shock and horror at my recent jump from "suicide rock" I feel the need to react. The concern hasn't been for Ben, or the missionary children that jumped, but me, the pregnant woman. I would like to put this to rest right now- everywhere you read, the two activities approved for pregnant women are walking and swimming. I was well within my limits. Moe Moe the embryo (we've changed the name) responded that very day by ceasing to cause me nausea. Is it a coincidence that the event coincided with entering the second trimester? Probably, but I prefer to see it as an act of approval. I do hear your concerns though, and have decided to no longer jump off waterfalls. On the bright side, we have encountered an act from God. Our camera is actually in complete working order.
On a completely different note, I wanted to sit down and write about a new prayer request that is affecting the entire country. Almost three weeks ago, there was a major landslide about 30 minutes from Kudjip. Basically because of all of the rain, the side of a mountain fell off and sunk completely below the ground. The result was a ripple of land that completely destroyed about a mile stretch of the Highlands Highway, which is the main/only road servicing the highlands from the coast. The word floating around is that it will take about 6 months to get this fixed. This has had huge implications all over the country. One of the main issues is that groceries and diesel cannot be brought up. For example, we talked to a coffee plantation owner the other day in town. His problem is that he cannot drive around to the local growers to collect the coffee cherries. (Starbucks is actually one of his buyers). This is the only income that these local farmers have. (I'm sure Starbucks will still carry your Java, but these families won't be able to survive). Yesterday when we went into town there were cars lined up and clustered at the fuel stations. Many waited for hours, but only a few were able to get diesel.
The hospital here is also seeing the fallout from the landslide. Mainly, the supplies of medicine and oxygen will be affected, but also, people are just plain having trouble getting there. For transportation, there are PMV's (public motor vehicles) that move people from town to town, but the prices have gone up considerably and people just don't have money. The maids that work on the compound are having to walk about an hour to get here. The big push now is for the government to declare a state of emergency. They can't start working with heavy machinery yet because evidently the land is still moving, but if a state of emergency were declared, then (according to the plantation owner) troops could secure the area and they could build a pipeline to at least transport diesel across the landslide site. In the U.S. of course this would have been done within a week, but the corruption and general slow nature of the government is keeping this from happening. Anyway, as I look back at what I wrote, it is just so hard to put into words what is happening, but it is so sad for the people. I think the general consensus is that they are upset, sad, and completely frustrated- but they don't have a government that is really worried about public opinion, and they don't feel like anyone is working on their behalf. We do have someone who is bigger than the government and definitely cares though- would you all join us in praying that He would work in this situation?
I also learned something new about the culture the other day at our "toddler
pool party". (Don't worry, no cliff jumping involved- and the only waterfall was from the hose finding it's way into a two year olds hands). The peoples lives are heavily influenced by their belief in evil spirits and the spirits of the dead. Evidently there was a case of a family who was convinced that their colicky baby was possessed by evil spirits. So much so, that they held it over the fire to scare away the spirits- then brought it into the hospital.(I have a feeling that social services would have been all over that in the states) Also, when an important member of a tribe dies, they automatically assume it is a curse from a rival tribe and will seek retaliation. These beliefs are prevalent in the non believing tribes, but also amongst Christians. I gathered that the missionaries are pretty frustrated about these beliefs, obviously, but don't know how to approach it in a way that they aren't immediately shut off as just being the "white people who just don't understand". So, yeah, just another thing to pray for- that God would give the missionaries wisdom in handling these deep rooted beliefs.
I think that's enough update for tonight. Thank you all for your letters and encouragement. We love hearing how everyone is doing!
On a completely different note, I wanted to sit down and write about a new prayer request that is affecting the entire country. Almost three weeks ago, there was a major landslide about 30 minutes from Kudjip. Basically because of all of the rain, the side of a mountain fell off and sunk completely below the ground. The result was a ripple of land that completely destroyed about a mile stretch of the Highlands Highway, which is the main/only road servicing the highlands from the coast. The word floating around is that it will take about 6 months to get this fixed. This has had huge implications all over the country. One of the main issues is that groceries and diesel cannot be brought up. For example, we talked to a coffee plantation owner the other day in town. His problem is that he cannot drive around to the local growers to collect the coffee cherries. (Starbucks is actually one of his buyers). This is the only income that these local farmers have. (I'm sure Starbucks will still carry your Java, but these families won't be able to survive). Yesterday when we went into town there were cars lined up and clustered at the fuel stations. Many waited for hours, but only a few were able to get diesel.
The hospital here is also seeing the fallout from the landslide. Mainly, the supplies of medicine and oxygen will be affected, but also, people are just plain having trouble getting there. For transportation, there are PMV's (public motor vehicles) that move people from town to town, but the prices have gone up considerably and people just don't have money. The maids that work on the compound are having to walk about an hour to get here. The big push now is for the government to declare a state of emergency. They can't start working with heavy machinery yet because evidently the land is still moving, but if a state of emergency were declared, then (according to the plantation owner) troops could secure the area and they could build a pipeline to at least transport diesel across the landslide site. In the U.S. of course this would have been done within a week, but the corruption and general slow nature of the government is keeping this from happening. Anyway, as I look back at what I wrote, it is just so hard to put into words what is happening, but it is so sad for the people. I think the general consensus is that they are upset, sad, and completely frustrated- but they don't have a government that is really worried about public opinion, and they don't feel like anyone is working on their behalf. We do have someone who is bigger than the government and definitely cares though- would you all join us in praying that He would work in this situation?
I also learned something new about the culture the other day at our "toddler
pool party". (Don't worry, no cliff jumping involved- and the only waterfall was from the hose finding it's way into a two year olds hands). The peoples lives are heavily influenced by their belief in evil spirits and the spirits of the dead. Evidently there was a case of a family who was convinced that their colicky baby was possessed by evil spirits. So much so, that they held it over the fire to scare away the spirits- then brought it into the hospital.(I have a feeling that social services would have been all over that in the states) Also, when an important member of a tribe dies, they automatically assume it is a curse from a rival tribe and will seek retaliation. These beliefs are prevalent in the non believing tribes, but also amongst Christians. I gathered that the missionaries are pretty frustrated about these beliefs, obviously, but don't know how to approach it in a way that they aren't immediately shut off as just being the "white people who just don't understand". So, yeah, just another thing to pray for- that God would give the missionaries wisdom in handling these deep rooted beliefs.I think that's enough update for tonight. Thank you all for your letters and encouragement. We love hearing how everyone is doing!
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