Saturday, December 26

We celebrated our family Christmas today by pulling out the stove top waffle maker and making gingerbread waffles. Food is one of the few traditions we can continue no matter where we live!

Caroling in America usually takes place before Christmas, but here the festivities kick in after Christmas. Our village has hosted nightly caroling, sometimes groups from multiple villages. They usually begin around 8 p.m. and can continue until around 2 a.m. Sometimes the group carols from house to house, and sometimes they sing in each of the village’s zones. Our village is big enough (around fifty households) that each zone hosts. While the group sings, the listeners bring small gifts up to a table. We usually contribute a container of unpopped popcorn. Katherine and Olivia went down to listen tonight to the first group, but came home and went to bed before the second group began.

Friday, December 25

Christmas Day in the village always begins early with bells ringing to call us to church while it’s still dark. When the service finished around nine, everyone went home to change clothes and to prepare for the festive day ahead.

Today’s celebrations were sponsored by one of the big men in the village, so things looked different than they have in the past. Balloons were strung up throughout the community hall, and special foods from Honiara had been brought in to augment the special day. Different groups sang carols while we drank hot, very sweet tea and ate yeast rolls for breakfast.

I really appreciate that our house is near the area where all of the dancing and feasting took place. So we could easily walk home for a bathroom break or a drink of water or when our introverted selves just needed a few moments of quiet.

Yesterday, one of the village leaders asked Aaron about borrowing our spade to dig a trench for when they killed the pig. Today, four pigs had been slowly roasting underneath the hot stones of a motu. When the men pulled these juicy guys out and carried them to the community hall, you could hear everyone’s stomachs growl!

Olivia and Katherine roamed around with their friends and holding babies, and I enjoyed a chance to move around among my friends, too. Mamas around here are so busy just taking care of everybody’s daily needs, and it was a treat to have time to just sit and visit.

We brought our lelenga to add to the feast, and then everybody lined up at the front of the community hall. Ten at a time we walked through the line and filled our plates. All I wanted was lelenga and some of the tender pork.

After the feasting, we listened to quite a few speeches. Our village chief, Hensi, sent greetings to our college kids, and Aaron was able to send greetings back to the village from Sarah and Benjamin. Then the dancing began.

Olivia has been taking private lessons this week to learn the new dances for Christmas. I’m thankful that her friends took the time and energy to help her be ready for today. Olivia is working really hard to finish her time in the village well, and today was a big part of that.

All of the festivities wrapped up around 5:30. Twelve hours of partying hard with our neighbors, and we were ready to fall into bed.

Thursday, December 24

Aaron and I were focused on “chest flies” and pushups a few minutes after six, when Olivia came running down the hall saying, “Somebody is knocking downstairs!” Because our house is built on concrete pillars, if people don’t walk up the steps to our porch, we often don’t hear their quiet knock. One of the ladies wanted yeast for Christmas baking, and we were happy to share.

That got our Christmas started off with a bang! Since our outdoor kitchen still hasn’t been rebuilt, we borrowed Volella’s kitchen just down the hill for making cassava pudding/lelenga as our contribution to the Christmas feast tomorrow. We thought we would have to move all of our stones, but she wasn’t making lelenga, so she allowed us to use her stones and firewood. What a sweet and thoughtful gift. We are still super slow, so we planned to alternate preparing the lelenga with decorating the church.

Olivia and Katherine walked over to the church once the other kids their age began to gather. Aaron continued to scrape and squeeze twelve coconuts, and I kept peeling the cassava. When the decorating action lagged, the girls came home and scraped more cassava. Back and forth. Back and forth. We got the lelenga on the hot stones late in the afternoon, just about the time the girls finished up in the church.

We all quickly showered and washed off the smoke and grime of the day, grabbed and consumed the leftovers from our little fridge, and walked the short distance over to evening prayer with a day full of good preparation for Christmas behind us.

Wednesday, December 23

“Our good works go forth horizontally (toward our neighbor), while our faith alone (not a result of works) is directed heavenward. We can love our neighbor and serve him or her through our work because we have been transformed by grace alone, through faith alone. Understanding this truth can transform how and why we work. Work is not for us. It is not for our own fulfillment. It is not for our own glorification or status in the world. It is for our neighbor.”
-Courtney Reissig, Glory in the Ordinary

Because the bell for morning prayer rang a little bit after 5:30 this morning, our little market started shortly after 6:00. I’m so thankful for the handful of friends who brought us fruits and veggies out of their own surplus. While I marvel at the good food that helps keep our bodies healthy, my neighbors think it’s a wonder to have some extra cash flow. Bonus...pineapple season is upon us!

Even after living in the Solomon Islands more than twelve years, we’re still figuring out our roles in the community and what serving here should look like. Daily we pray for wisdom and discernment to know when and how to give. If I’m going to introduce anything into this culture, then I want to be a strong proponent of sustainability. We’ve seen the damage done by people who truly want to help, but just throw Western money or Western practices at a problem. At the same time, we want to take Proverbs 3:27 to heart in a culturally appropriate way: “Do not withhold good from those who deserve it, when it is in your power to act.”

Since our return to the village, we’ve enjoyed giving to our neighbors. Olivia bought earrings as Christmas gifts for every young girl here. Forty-five pairs. I lugged a bale of onions across the ocean so each household here could have one as a treat for Christmas. We’ve been able to meet a variety of requests...for material to make clothes, a rain tank tap that locks because water is scarce and often stolen, Vicks Vapo-rub, band aids to keep the flies away from sores, water from our rain tanks, laundry detergent, and pain reliever. All of these gifts come in the context of Melanesian relationships, and we choose to do good when it is in our power to act.

Tuesday, December 22

“The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us.” John 1:14a

Moving in the middle of Advent challenged me. My surroundings haven’t really felt like Advent, and my mind certainly has struggled to ponder the gift in the manger. But after a very, very long day of travel and unpacking and cleaning yesterday, enjoying one of our favorite Advent traditions together helped us finish the day well.

We remember that Christ came and immersed himself in our world, and as silly as it sounds, when we dunk our bread cubes into that cheesy goodness, I’m tangibly connecting the dots. My mind is drawn to focus on Jesus.

Monday, December 21, 2020

 Yesterday morning, Katherine noticed that the chrysalis was growing darker.

Last night, we could clearly see the wings of the newly formed butterfly inside.

And this morning, before we left, Katherine was delighted to find the butterfly, freshly emerged. In the midst of loading the truck, we marveled as the creature stretched its wings.

We enjoyed a quick chat with Sarah and Benjamin and sang happy birthday to our now twenty-year-old son. Then we were on the road by 7, stopping briefly to pick up a couple of guys who were catching a ride in the boat with us. Our fully laden boat chugged away from the beach by 9, and we crossed a flat sea to walk into our house in time for lunch! Thanks for all of the prayers for our trip, we see God’s hand in every little detail...from each person being ready on time (instead of following “Solomon Time”) to finding that our cargo had recently been delivered from the Rusa to our front door. Transition is always difficult, but we couldn’t have asked for a smoother trip.

Off we go...

 Belza called this morning and said everything is ready for tomorrow morning's crossing.  We're packed up.  Our amazing SITAG colleagues are providing supper for us tonight.  And we've soaked up long conversations with our college students, even singing happy birthday to Benjamin.

We'll be bringing a couple of extras from Honiara back to the village with us and plan to leave around 2 p.m. CSDT on Sunday.  As always, we value your prayers for safe travel across the ocean, for our cargo to arrive safely, for the translation team and the work they will be tackling together, and for a love for God's Word and its truths to grow in the Lavukal.

Yo-yos

Today felt like we were living inside a yo-yo.  Up.  Down.  Up.  Down.

Aaron drove into town to check the wharf and to the last minute market shopping.  He found that the J. Harms, which posted their schedule as going to the Russell Islands tonight, actually was going somewhere else tonight.  But the Rusa had finally passed inspection and planned to leave this afternoon.

So we bumped up the intensity of our packing and Team Choate got everything loaded into the truck earlier than anticipated.  We watched the sky get darker and darker as we loaded, hustling because the ship hadn't set a clock time, just "afternoon".  As we turned on to the main road, we got stuck in traffic and the rain drops began to fall.  

When we finally arrived at the wharf, the rain was pouring, making the path up to the landing craft's loading area slippery.  For the first time ever, Aaron and the crew unloaded our cargo and stashed it on the boat while the girls and I stayed inside the shelter of the truck.  The ship's crew expected their departure to be delayed because of the rain.

After we returned to SITAG, Aaron called our translation committee one more time just to confirm everything.  And he learned that there is no motorboat available.  We felt like we had been punched in the gut.  Olivia especially took the news hard, because Sundays are the best day for dance and choir practices, and Christmas is only a few days away.  We are hopeful that a motorboat will be available on Monday morning so we can get settled before the Christmas festivities begin.  

 We think it's gonna happen! Looks like we will be able to get out to the Russell Islands this weekend!  I love the way Honiara's wharf looks as the first rays of the morning sun hit it.  

I don't love the way that sickness seems to take hold of our household when we try to get back to the village and to the more intense work of Bible translation.  Last time we found a boat and were ready to go, a stomach virus slammed us.  This time, I just finished a round of antibiotics for an ear infection, and Olivia just started meds for strep throat.  It's not an accident or a coincidence, and we covet your prayers.

"Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand."  Eph. 6:13 

Still Waiting

We are still waiting for transportation to Marulaon.

But while we wait and make frequent trips to the wharf, we work to steward our lives well.  We observe Advent by reading "Remarkable Advent" over supper each night.  The girls diligently push ahead with school, knowing there are just a few weeks left in the school year.

We take our daily walks, drink lots of water, take our vitamins, and eat our fruits and veggies.  We pack and prepare as best we can for the next months.  Aaron continues to work towards a consultant check of The Sermon on the Mount in February.  We do "Me Checks" in every area...mentally, emotionally, spiritually, and physically.  And we trust the timing of the One who holds the world in His hands.

 

This dude (or dudette?) is one of our favorites to find on the bush outside our current SITAG house.  Every time we stay here, we keep our eyes open for these beautiful creatures.  We've been watching a couple of them eat and eat and eat, reminding me of Carle's book The Very Hungry Caterpillar.

And now, while we wait for a boat, we're watching this glowing chrysalis and wondering if we will get to see the butterfly emerge.  When Aaron went to the wharf, he discovered that Lavucy will no longer go to the West Russells, only the East Russells.  The Rusa is still waiting for an inspection from maritime to remedy their infractions and be allowed to sail again.  And there is one other ship that we've just discovered, the former Kosco, now J Harms.  It might be going our way soon!  So we stand by with everything packed up and ready, just like the little caterpillar in the chrysalis, waiting to fly.

Travel Update

 Aaron goes down to the wharf at least every other day to find a ship going to the Russells.  Earlier this week, he was able to get petrol on a boat after quite the fiasco of changing stories and schedules and ships.  We're so grateful that eventually, the fuel left the wharf and began its journey to Marulaon.  

Now we are just waiting for the next boat.  We'll load our cargo like last time, then take a motor canoe across to Marulaon.  With no regularly scheduled ship, we're planning to be "backpack ready" this weekend so we can load up as soon as we find a ship.  That means today was the last day for holiday baking.  Katherine and Olivia made Peppermint Candy Canes and shared them around SITAG.  So, the pantry is about to be packed up, and we'll rely on the muffins and casseroles stored in the freezer while we wait.  

Carnation vs. Orchid

When it comes to science experiments, carnations win.  Our little orchid didn't soak up the food coloring very well.  But it's still beautiful.

Gingerbread Creativity

 Before we leave for the village, where ingredients are scarce and we ration propane, we wanted to have fun making our gingerbread creations.

Lots of planning and scheming and laughing as we tried a new dough in addition to our old favorite Scandinavian dough.  I think this new dough is the best tasting gingerbread we've ever made!

Whole Wheat Gingerbread Dough

(from the 2001 Better Homes and Gardens Christmas Cookie magazine)

1/2 cup butter, softened

1/2 cup shortening (or butter, since we don't have Crisco here)

1 cup sugar 

1 1/2 teaspoons ground ginger

1 1/2 teaspoons ground all-spice (we substituted ground cloves)

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 egg

1/2 cup molasses (another substitute for us, treacle)

2 tablespoons lemon juice (we used lime juice)

3 cups all-purpose flour

1 cup whole wheat flour

Beat butter and shortening in a large mixing bowl with an electric mixer on medium to high speed for 30 seconds.  Add sugar, ginger, all-spice, baking soda, and salt; beat till combined.  Beat in egg, molasses, and lemon juice till combined.

Beat in as much of the all-purpose flour as you can.  Stir in any remaining all-purpose flour and the whole wheat flour.  Divide dough in half.  Wrap each portion in clear plastic wrap.  Chill 3 hours or till firm enough to roll.

Katherine made a tiny house with the angel Gabriel informing Mary about the upcoming changes in her life.

Since we made two different batches of dough, we had enough to add some whimsey, too, like this Body Pump instructor brandishing weights and a tank top.  He was needed to hold up the stable, which promptly collapsed as we were eating supper.

The stable was delicious.  And sleeping Joseph and his bed weathered the earthquake just fine.

Standing on Holy Ground

 "The practice of paying attention awakens us to what is extraordinary in the midst of the ordinary.  As we live our lives in humble response to the One who is calling to us out of the burning bush in our own lives, we discover that we are standing on holy ground more often than we think."  

-Ruth Haley Barton, "Strengthening the Soul of Your Leadership"

Looking back at the week we've just completed, I want to pay attention and remember some of the small moments of joy.  Maybe they are "holy ground" moments, too, simply because they are sweet gifts from the Lord.  

Moments of celebrating the amazing creation of hard working and kind Betsy as we sang happy birthday and lit a candle in her honor.

Moments of realizing we don't live in a place where we can obtain carnations for the traditional food coloring science experiments.  So Katherine walked outside and found the next best thing, an orchid.  She didn't even know that this lovely flower is a rare treasure in most places around the world.

Moments where we get to borrow little ones for the morning.  Observing their delight in measuring ingredients for Christmas cookies, their fright at the noise the mixer makes, and their delight in tasting the dough.

Certainly extraordinary moments in the midst of our ordinary.

This weekend, we celebrate twelve years of serving in the Solomon Islands.  The mirror tells me a lot has changed since I limped off the plane.  I've finally started using a wrinkle cream, and Katherine has reminded me to make sure I put it on my forehead.

Twelve years ago, just before we set foot on the plane that would bring us to the Solomon Islands

I just added "Marriage in the Middle" to my Kindle, since I'm almost finished with "When Did Everybody Else Get So Old?".  And I giggled when I read the author's observation that when we hit midlife, we start reaching for "superfoods" like quinoa.  The Solomon Islands has just started carrying a fairly reliable supply of quinoa, and our family has discovered some recipes that we really enjoy when we're in town...like this quinoa pear breakfast bake and this fabulous ginger chicken quinoa stew.

Maybe it's because we're getting ready to launch our third child in just a few months.  I'm reminded to number my days well as I read Psalm 90 and as I listen to songs like Legacy.  "I want to leave a legacy.  How will they remember me?  Did I choose to love?  Did I point to you enough to make a mark on things?"  I still have "Aging With Grace: Flourishing in an Anti-Aging Culture" and "Lost in the Middle: Midlife and the Grace of God" on my wish list to read soon.

Maybe it's because we only have a few months left in our current term, and even those months are filled with uncertainty.  The Solomon Islands state of public emergency has been extended until March 24, so we will be depending on the handful of sporadic government sponsored flights to leave the country.  Our hope is to have the Sermon on the Mount consultant checked before we leave, but with such an unpredictable departure date, we are holding plans very loosely.

In my Bible reading challenge this morning, I read Psalm 59, and it was exactly what I needed:

"But I will sing of your strength, in the morning I will sing of your love; for you are my fortress, my refuge in times of trouble.  O my Strength, I sing praise to you; you, O God, are my fortress, my loving God."  Psalm 59:16-17

And so it begins...

Advent begins at our house with "The Art of Advent" and a big bowl of gingerbread baked oatmeal.

Gingerbread Baked Oatmeal

4 eggs

3/8 cup brown sugar

2 cups milk

1 cup melted butter

1/2 cup molasses

4 tsp baking powder

1 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp cloves

1 1/2 tsp ginger

 6 cups rolled oats

Combine eggs, sugar, milk, butter, and molasses, mix well.  In a large bowl mix dry ingredients.  Add egg mixture and stir well.  Pour into a 9x13 pan and bake at 350 F/180 C for 30 minutes.  Or, keep the dish in the fridge overnight and pull it out just before breakfast to help make breakfast fast and easy (that's the way we like it!).

 

It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas

In December and January, everything in the Solomon Islands slows down.  School is out, most people return to their home villages, church organizations like Sunday School and women's groups close.  And many of SITAG's employees will combine their remaining vacation days with the two weeks that the office is closed.

So we held the Christmas party this weekend.  The event is always a huge team effort, and work started early in the week with shopping.

Thursday afternoon, several of us gathered to harvest, peel, and scrape cassava.  Katherine found one with a "nose" and quickly used the knife to make a face on her cassava man.

Aaron squeezed forty coconuts worth of nice thick coconut cream.  No added water.  I love his servant's heart.

Katherine asked to be able to stay up late with her SITAG aunties to finish the cassava pudding and get it on the fire.  So one of the trays was "Katherine's special pudding from the Russell Islands".

While Katherine stayed up late and left a note on the chalkboard asking to sleep in late, Olivia got up at 3:00 to join the SITAG aunties with the second fire and all of the food prep.

By mid morning, the food was all off the fire, and we were all driving over to the beautiful SWIM campus, trying hard not to pull over and eat the food in the back of the vehicle as the aroma made our tummies growl.

While the ladies cut up fruit and plated all of the hot food that had been cooked at SITAG, the dads and kids played.  

Olivia enjoyed helping out with the smallest of our SITAG family.

The men are normally so focused on work and taking care of their families, watching them shed the weighty mantle of responsibility as they played games made my heart sing.

The food was abundant and delicious.  There is absolutely nothing like food cooked on hot stones.  Especially when you are sharing it with some of the most dedicated and precious people on the planet.

We lingered long around the tables, then the cleanup crew stepped in as people drifted away to let their stomachs settle.  We parceled up the leftovers and washed dishes and swept the floor.  Then everyone gathered again to sing a few Christmas carols and to say goodbye to the BTLP SI director who was moving on to another ministry position.

What a perfect way to kick off December, with some of my favorite people.