Sweet Sabbath

"Since you are my rock and my fortress, for the sake of your name lead me and guide me."

Psalm 31:3

 

Today didn't go exactly as planned.  We were supposed to be sending Henk and Aaron on the ship this morning.  Instead, God clearly closed that door because the ship was having engine trouble and wouldn't allow Aaron to buy a ticket for Henk. 

 

And because the whole family had been battling a stomach bug since Thursday night, I was delighted to stay home this morning and enjoy a slow, restorative Sabbath rest.  Sarah made us a delightful Norwegian Cinnamon Wreath and brought me a piece to enjoy in bed while I read my Bible.  Then the whole family sang and worshipped together until our hearts were full.  We quarantined ourselves until we had been fever free for 24 hours, and church at home was made sweeter by a sermon from our Conference pastor, Scott.

The kids were delighted to be released, especially Benjamin, who felt the effects of the bug less than any of us.  I watched dark clouds roll in and listened as the thunder got closer, and finally we smelled the rain as it rinsed the dust and soot out of the air.

 

For Benjamin, the rain brought a chance to help out SITAG's operation manager.  While the rain was pounding down, this was a great time to check the downspouts that should be guiding all of that precious water into our rain tanks.  Benjamin and some buddies got to do the climbing and cleaning as they scaled rain tanks and roofs to make sure that SITAG captured every drop of rain that fell on our buildings.  A refreshing day in every way!

Crochet Club

 So, while twilight shades are falling,

Threads of fancy I am twining

With the rosy wool combining;

 

 

Heedless of the voices calling

From beyond the garden wall;

Till at last the steady motion

Knits up all my zephyr ball.

 

 

Here's the spring of my devotion --

This is why I love my hook

As the poet loves his book:

 

Thus its charms my cares beguile,

For I'm dreaming all the while.

Blossoming

Yesterday morning, I was reading history to Katherine and all of the sudden I just wanted time to stand still.  I asked her to freeze while I fumbled for the phone to snap a quick picture.  I didn't want to forget the sweet time together.  I'm grateful for the Educational Resource Center that gives us a place to practice keyboard skills and provides things likes books and globes and math manipulatives.  Most of all, I'm thankful that I get the time with my children who are growing and blossoming like strong healthy flowers.

Maybe the flower analogy doesn't work as well for Benjamin, but he is certainly maturing in every way.  A survey team from Papua New Guinea came to join two of our own SITAG guys for a 2 1/2 week trip around the weather coast of Guadalcanal for a Talise language survey.  The SITAG young men were invited to ride in the truck to take the survey team out to their starting point, two hours up the road.  The team was surprised that all of SITAG came out to tell them goodbye.  That's what happens when you live in a tiny branch - we get to support each other because we are the only ones around to cheer and encourage.

Please pray for:

- Good weather/calm seas and safe travel

- Protection of the families while the dads are away

- Understanding and cooperation in the villages the team visits to collect language data

- A growing understanding and interest in Bible translation/literacy and that educated people can be found to become involved in Bible translation

We're so grateful for this team and for their willingness to live "bush true" for the next several weeks as they do language research.  Benjamin and the other teens bumped along in the truck and enjoyed every minute of it.

We missed this boy-growing-into-a man.  Our house was quiet and without some of its joy while Benjamin was gone.  We did have some extras join us for supper, which we enjoyed immensely! 

But this mama's heart sang when Benjamin got home around eight and scarfed down the food we had saved for him.

CHED

A large part of our work in Honiara consists of serving on committees and serving our branch.  Yesterday, the ladies of the Children's Education (CHED) committee (plus a couple of extras, thanks Sarah and Margreet!) worked for 2 1/2 hours carding books and inputting them into our small database.  We are so grateful for the resources we have here to help our families love God with all our minds!

1963 Pillsbury Cookbook

 

I found a gem hiding in a dusty corner in the SITAG kitchen.  A 1963 Pillsbury cookbook ushered me into a world of bridge parties and new convenience foods:  "Miraculous appliances, prepared and semi-prepared products, canned, frozen, dehydrated and freeze-dried foods, aluminum foil and pliofilm have revolutionized and revitalized the task of preparing three meals a day.  Today's food looks better, tastes better and is better."  That's a long swing of the pendulum from today's slow food movement.

 

This cookbook is full of good recipes, but I also gain a snapshot of history:  "We have come a long way since Grandma's day.  The kitchen is still the heart of the home, but you can get the makings of a meal together more easily, cook them faster, and still as proud of the finished product as Grandma ever was.  What's more, with instant, semi-prepared and ready-made products no farther away than the nearest supermarket, your meals wear an air of glamour that would have left Grandma speechless with envy."  Somebody forgot to tell me that one of my goals was to supposed to be having my meals wear an air of glamour. 

 

 

But I did find some good recipes that we can make here in Honiara, like Potato-Spinach Soup.  We just substitute the local potatoes, which are a little sweet, omit the celery, and substitute a different leafy green that needs a little bit longer to cook than spinach.

 

Potato-Spinach Soup

6 small servings

 

1/4 cup butter

1 large onion, chopped

2 celery stalks (with leaves), cut fine 

1/4 cup all purpose flour

3 cups water

2 cups cubed potatoes

2 teaspoons salt

1 cup finely chopped fresh or frozen spinach

1/2 cup cream

shredded Swiss, Gruyere or grated Parmesan cheese

 

 

Melt butter in a large sauce pan.  Add onion and celery.  Cover.  Cook over low heat until tender, about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.  Blend in flour.  Add water, potatoes and salt, stirring constantly.  Bring to a boil, cover and simmer about 30 minutes, until potatoes are tender.  Stir occasionally.  Add spinach.  Simmer uncovered 2 minutes.  Add cream.  Heat thoroughly.  Serve hot, sprinkled with cheese.



Thank you, US military

It's still a little bit surreal that we have been hanging out with a friend from college for the last couple of weeks.  David's job has been to serve as a part of a team searching for soldiers MIA in WWII here in the Solomon Islands.

He gave us a rare treat this afternoon - a chance to watch members of the US armed forces at work and a peek inside a C17.

 

The trip was also educational.  We learned that if a black can of coke is inside a black backpack sitting in the Solomon Island sunshine, that can will explode and make a big mess in the backpack.

 

Inside the huge plane, the first thing that caught my eye was the Stars and Stripes.  I tend to take our flag for granted when we are living in our passport country, but here, the familiar red, white, and blue can bring me to tears.

The crew of the plane was very polite and kind to let us ask questions and observe the loading of the team's cargo.

We're so proud of the men and women who serve America, including our friend David.

The remains the team found were brought on board the plane with much respect.

 

 

Our kids had never seen anything like it, so we took the opportunity to explain that these were the remains of the American men who fought more than 70 years ago here on Guadalcanal.



Huge thanks to this team and to David, for leaving their homes and spending time away from their friends and family to serve the families of military men who died long ago.  You made an impact on our family today.

Last of the birthdays

For such a small branch, SITAG has celebrated a ton of birthdays in the last couple of weeks.

This morning, we got to host a precious family, the Havengas, for a birthday breakfast.  Our celebration was a little bit different from John's birthday celebration in Marulaon Village four years ago.

We think this is the last birthday for a while, but we are so grateful for the opportunities to celebrate our SITAG family and the variety of personalities and gifts that God has brought together to serve here in the Solomon Islands.

Why we are here...

"Just as an optician grinds the lenses of eyeglasses to correct and sharpen our vision, so the regular reading, personal study, and practical application of the Bible will shape our convictions about what has lasting value."  ~Jean Fleming

 

 

Serving the Lavukal through Bible translation is our joy because it shapes their convictions about what has lasting value.

Happy birthday, Margreet!

 

Yesterday, Margreet very kindly took Sarah and me out for coffee to celebrate her birthday.  Tonight we got to celebrate her birthday on North American time with supper and a few rounds of Quiddler.  It's a good thing our family isn't cut throat competitive because playing Quiddler with linguists can be intimidating.  We sure do love these two!

 

Henk has started work on a new veranda on the Calder flat.  The old steps were awkward and dangerous, and we are all looking forward to seeing Henk's new creation of a safe way to enter and exit the house as well as a place to sit and enjoy the beautiful view!

 

Today, when I came home from listening to piano practice in the ERC, I found Margreet helping Henk.  I just love these two and their eyes that see needs, big and small.  They always find a way to jump in and meet those needs.  In addition, today is Margreet's birthday, and she is still working hard to make SITAG a better place.

Happy Birthday, Babra and Caroline!

 

This time of year is full of birthdays around here! 

 

 

We've been looking for a good time to celebrate Babra and Caroline's birthdays,

 

 

and tonight was the night we were finally able to all get together. 

 

 

Chef Olivia prepared a lovely pasta dish

 

 

and a lime pound cake to serve as the birthday cake.

Weekend Wonders

What a great weekend God gave us!  A year ago, we unexpectedly bumped into this college friend in Honiara.  Other than that short meeting, we hadn't seen David since we were on a choir tour singing around Europe.  He looked like this:

 

 

He really hasn't changed a bit in twenty years, and this weekend we got to enjoy being his adopted family while he is away from his own precious wife (he is sitting next to her on the bus - pre-wedding) and five children.

 

Friday night we enjoyed his company, then all day Sunday, too!  We attended church together, shared meals, played spades (he has only honed his skills at going nil since our college days) and basketball.

 

And we laughed.  A lot.  I'm still a little bit in awe at watching God orchestrate our schedules again.  This is David's last tour of duty in the Solomon Islands, and we only arrived a few weeks ago.  We're praying that this is only the first of many times where our paths cross.

Birthdays Galore

The last week has held many opportunities to celebrate birthdays here at SITAG.

Last week, we got to host a birthday party with a request for "cinnamon cake", so Sarah made a coffee cake with a cinnamon ribbon inside (I grew up calling this kind of cake "sock-it-to-me" cake!). 


This week we got to celebrate another special friend, and her birthday cake request was for flan.  Sarah was happy to whip up this one, too.

One of the SITAG traditions I love the most is the ladies piling in the vehicle for an afternoon coffee break in town.  It's amazing how quickly we can finish our work for the day or rearrange our schedules when we know that sweet fellowship and a treat are waiting.

 

 

These ladies are the best support through the ups and downs of life!