The cool season is beginning and with it comes the millipedes. One of the advantages of having a semi-bush house is the constant flow of critters. The millipedes are harmless (though some say if one falls into your drink you could be poisoned and die) but annoying. At night I start sweeping at one end of the house and when i'm finished i have big mound of curled up millipedes and more have already slithered back to where i started. They crunch beneath my feet as i walk barefoot around the house, but are preferable to the occasional big slug that squishes between my toes. Frustrating, but just apart of life. Dishes are done everyday but the sink (I love having a sink! so grateful to not be squatting in the mud!) always is refilled with dirty ones. Hours are spent doing laundry (also love having a washing machine now!) just to have the laundry basket refilled in a day or two - especially in the bush. Love, time, patience, money, etc. are all given out just to be needed again and again and again.
Mind numbing at times and I catch myself becoming hardened and unfeeling towards others. New people are constantly introduced into our lives along with old friends and I struggle with wanting to be selfish and keep everything good for myself. So grateful for the grace and mercy God gives to us everyday. The battle is always there; to wake up and see the world as God does instead of the way I want to. To not get hardened against endless requests and to love and forgive those who constantly are offending. To eat what is put before me with thankfulness, knowing it may cause stomach problems later. To spend time with people when all i want to do is chill out with a good movie.
Patience is key in Tonga and although our prospects of obtaining land for One Love inc.(our non-profit geared towards helping youth and deportees) seems unlikely, we are looking forward the possibility of leasing a huge warehouse to accommodate the tools for the wood and mechanic workshop, skateboarding, and Wing Chun. The cost to lease it for a year would be about $4,800 USD which $1,300 USD would be needed before we leave to secure it for the months we will be gone. Having a place in Tonga to keep the tools we have in storage in the US is extremely important. Without it, it is useless for us to ship over tools and then have them stolen or ruined because of the being improperly stored. We are getting prices on the costs of shipping over a container from Boston to Tonga so we can figure out the total cost of shipping plus the duty and fees when they arrive here. This will help us get our projects to train the youth and deportees up and running. We would love your help, support, and prayers in this area.
Meanwhile, we have started our first informal church meeting with our friend Nguae and his family! Although we all don't know the same worship songs and some translating is involved it's great to sit together on mats singing and encouraging each other through Scriptures. I'm excited to see what God does in the coming weeks!
