Debrief

Wow, five months can really go by fast. It’s hard to believe that August 3 was so long ago (feels like just a few weeks). Our most recent (and longest) visit to the States was indescribable, but I’ll go ahead and attempt to give an overview here, as I sort of “debrief" myself :).

Family & Friends: Hands-down, the thing we miss most about the US is the relationships. It’s kinda good that we don’t even realize that we’re missing it while in Vanuatu, but it tends to hit us like a ton of bricks when we get to experience it, especially for a prolonged amount of time. We love Vanuatu, feel like it’s our home, and truly have a “family” here. But, we’ll always be just a shade shy of being ni-Vanuatu (due to culture, custom and language barriers), which means we cherish times with our American friends and family. We had some INCREDIBLE times over the past five months, making new friends, rekindling old friendships, and spending a lot of quality time with family and great friends. What a blessing! Of course, experiencing that kind of relationship non-stop for so much longer than we’re used to makes it that much more abrupt to return to our Vanuatu-life. Rest assured, we’ll get back into the groove here as soon as possible, but we will continue to cherish in our hearts our wonderful time together, and patiently look forward to our next opportunity.

Holidays: As I’ve hinted at in the last paragraph, spending time in the US was a great blessing. At the top of our list was the blessing of opportunity to be with our families at Thanksgiving and Christmas for the first time since 2004. Thanksgiving isn’t really celebrated in Vanuatu (of course), and though Christmas is, it’s hard to catch the spirit when it’s so hot and humid (December is the beginning of summer in the southern hemisphere). We were in Houston for Thanksgiving with my extended family (fun, food, football and films), and spent Christmas in South Fork, CO, with both sides of the family (more fun, food, skiing and sledding). My mom said all she wanted for Christmas was all her kids and grandkids together, and she got it!

OC: I can still vividly remember receiving an email early last year from Kent Hartman at Oklahoma Christian University, asking us to consider applying for the Visiting Missionary position there for the Fall 2013 semester. We were interested in the opportunity, but both Shawnda and I dismissed the possibility pretty quickly, assuming we just had too many other things on our plate. Little did we know that this was a door God was opening at JUST the right time. First, it coincided with our previously scheduled furlough quite nicely. It also allowed us to have our “own place” while on furlough, which meant we weren’t living out of suitcases the entire time. The house they provided was perfect for homeschooling, having overnight guests (including our parents several times), and having students and friends over for dinner. We were in the same town as my brother and his family for the first time ever, and enjoyed the opportunity to assemble with them regularly at the Edmond Church of Christ (where our Bible class availed us of wonderful new friends…some of whom we’re hoping will come visit us in Vanuatu - hint, hint). Our experience as Visiting Missionaries was second-to-none. The administration, faculty and staff treated us wonderfully, and we thoroughly enjoyed getting to know so many students (who, oddly enough, simultaneously made us feel both old and young!). Lord willing, we’re looking forward to hosting four of them as interns or apprentices next summer, and hope that a few others will come visit too (hint, hint).  God knew just what we needed at this particular juncture in our life, and He provided.

Extras: Being in one place for an extended amount of time meant that Titus could attend weekly occupational therapy sessions. As we’ve suspected for quite some time, he has a mild case of sensory processing disorder, and these few months of therapy helped us all better understand how to help him cope with his sensory issues (and he thought it was the best thing ever). Alexis is officially a ballerina, having taken several months of ballet lessons from the Tippy Toes Studio in Edmond. They provided a very laid back atmosphere, which was exactly what we were looking for. Alexis is looking forward to continuing her career in Port Vila, and Titus is looking at starting Karate or Archery for his extra-curricular activity.

Difficult times: I would be remiss if I didn’t mention the struggles we have faced over the past several months. Thankfully, we’ve had opportunity to visit with most of you regarding the specifics of our situation. Losing a sponsoring congregation after almost 9 years together (as well as a few other financial supporters) was a very difficult process to go through, but like they say “what doesn’t kill you, only makes you stronger.” There were some dark days as we wondered whether or not we would have the funding to return for Phase 3 of our work in Vanuatu, but the Lord provided richly for our needs, with our final $500/mo need being met the morning we departed from the US. Another positive is that we were never treated harshly, and even the relationships that were ended were done so amicably. In the midst of our experience, I was visiting with a good friend about what we were experiencing and mentioned feeling lost in it all, and he (very wisely) responded, “Eric, you aren’t lost, you're growing.” It got me to thinking that Scripture does indeed use some “painful” terminology (e.g. pruning, discipline, etc.) to describe Christian growth. Looking back, it was actually an amazing experience … as one door closed, God opened another. And I believe we really have come out the other side stronger and more faithful Christians, better equipped than ever to serve in God’s mission. And we couldn’t be happier with our new sponsoring congregation, the Perkins Church of Christ (located in NE Oklahoma).

Future: Twelve months ago (though it seems like just yesterday) we were excited to announce our “missionVanuatu:2025” initiative. The primary reason for the 12 year timeline was the ages of our kids (now 7 and almost-6). Our primary mission field is our children, and we are very considerate of how a major culture change would/will affect them. It was our understanding that the “danger zone” for such a move was between the ages of 8 and 16, and since our children were right at that age and we didn’t think it was time to leave Vanuatu, we thought it best to commit to stay throughout their high school years. Having now had the opportunity to visit with some who have done extensive research in this “Third Culture Kid” area (another blessing of being where we were, when we were!), we better understand that the “zone” really starts around the age of 10 or as late as 12, which means we do still have a three to five year window. As we discussed with most of you in person, our interest and hope is still to remain in Vanuatu through 2025, but keeping our children’s ages in consideration, wisdom dictates that we should firmly commit to the next four years, and reevaluate our future at that time. We would appreciate your prayers as we seek to do God’s will over the near term and long term.

Last but not least, a special thanks to those who supported us financially during our stint in the US - it was truly a blessing for which we are very grateful. Have a blessed 2014! We are praying for you all…

Oh my, Vanuatu: Expedited Service

NOTE: There was a popular string-band song in Vanuatu when we first moved here that repeated the line “Oh my, Vanuatu” several times. It was usually played in the arrivals lounge of the airport. Over the years, our team adopted the saying, reciting it tongue-in-cheek whenever we experienced something that could happen“only in Vanuatu.” I thought I’d start sharing some of those funny/frustrating stories this year…

Upon our arrival back into Vila, we learned that some Christians were in town from South Tanna Island, as their young son was in the hospital (he had gotten into the fire in their kitchen and burned his foot very badly, having to have all five toes amputated as a result - unfortunately a fairly common occurrence in the islands). While we were there visiting the family, I was reminded of a funny story that happened at the hospital two years ago.

Pierre is the eldest brother of Flexon (a Christian in Vila) and Alsen (a Christian in Tulwei Village, Malekula). While we were living in Tulwei, Pierre and his family regularly attended studies and assemblies, and we had several Bible studies and religious discussions. For several years, Pierre had suffered from a couple of different ailments - (per my novice diagnosis…) epileptic seizures and an abdominal hernia. He had been to the hospital on Malekula several times (there aren’t actually any MDs there), and had also spent a few months in the capital city at the public hospital a couple of years back. Having witnessed the pain he endured, and the tremendous load placed on his wife and eldest daughter because of his inability to go to the garden, we offered to take him to Vila with us to see one of the private doctors (hoping that they would do more than “take some tylenol and don’t do any heavy lifting…maybe it will be better in a couple of years”).

The private doctor did her examination and wanted us to go to the public hospital to have an x-ray and some blood work done. After waiting about an hour (it seemed longer) in line to check in, we were finally given some paperwork and told to go to an adjacent building. We checked in there, and had a seat. After another hour of waiting, we heard a ruckus down the hall. A man (obviously inebriated) in his late 20s, who was being pushed in a wheelchair by a very embarrassed friend, was cursing loudly, throwing his body around, grabbing at spitting on people as he passed by. All of a sudden, the x-ray door opened up and the man was ushered in immediately. 

So, I turned and looked at Pierre and said, “from now on whenever I bring someone to the hospital, we’re getting a wheelchair and they’re gonna act like that, so we can get faster service!” Once he realized I was only kidding, he chuckled. After another 30 minutes or so, we were finally called in. As we like to say, “oh my, Vanuatu!” Come to think of it, almost every Vila Central Hospital visit is an oh my, Vanuatu moment ;)

We spent a few days at VCH back when Titus was just a few days old

Bon Voyage

So many of you prayed that we would have a safe trip back to Vanuatu, and God answered! In fact, I’m not sure things could have gone any better.

To save $400 in airfare, we decided to fly to LA on Saturday afternoon instead of waiting until Sunday like we normally would. We had six bags (weighing exactly 49.9 lbs each), four roller carry-ons, and four backpacks. It took two vehicles to get us and our stuff to the airport, but this was actually our lightest luggage load since having kids … we considered it a success.

We checked-in curbside with Southwest airlines … allowing two bags free per person is wonderful, and curbside means they don’t even weigh your bags (unless they're obviously overweight). Since we had the allowance, we went ahead and checked two of our carry-ons, so we wouldn’t have to mess with them in the airport and plane. That experience is well worth tipping the skycap a couple dollars per bag! We always fly Southwest because of their baggage policy, our experience with their friendliness, and their one-way fares.

After one last treat (Jamba Juice) with Mema and Papa, we headed to the security checkpoint. Apparently, the TSA is trying out a new system where everyone leaves everything (travel liquids, laptops, etc.) in their bags, and keeps their shoes and light jackets on. You still have to empty your pockets, but it was much less hassle - we were glad to have been randomly selected to pass through that line (not only was it faster, but it was also a much shorter line).

We got to the gate just prior to boarding time, and got on the plane during the family boarding process. The flight was uneventful, and we arrived at the gate in LA on time. We headed to the baggage claim area (after stopping by McDonalds for a snack), where I left Shawnda and the kids with their hamburgers. I went outside to look for abandoned luggage carts, and found two pretty quickly (they cost $5 each from the kiosks … I’m a cheapskate, I know). All eight of our bags came out, we loaded them onto the carts, and pushed them out to the curb. Both kids wanted to go with me to the rental car place, so Shawnda stayed with the bags and the three of us walked over the rental car bus loading area. After just a few minutes, we were on the bus headed to the Dollar Rental Car building. We checked in there no problem, got our minivan, and headed back to the airport (BTW - GPS on the cellphone is such a blessing!). We got our bags loaded, asked Siri “where is Four PoInts by Sheridan?”, and were on our way once again. We’ve learned that this system works better than trying to get all our bags onto the rental car shuttle bus, off of the bus, into the rental car center, and into the car. It took us almost nine years, but we’re getting the hang of this traveling stuff.

I checked in, got back to the car, and we found a family-favorite nearby for dinner - In-n-Out Burger. The place was beyond PACKED, so we decided to get ours to-go. After a yummy burger & fries and showers, we were all sound asleep. Bonus to rental car: we left all but two roller carry-ons and our backpacks in the minivan overnight, which meant we didn’t have to mess with them. I told you we were getting the hand of this! And if you’re worried about theft in the parking lot… I would have been alright if one or two bags went missing - ha!

After a good night’s sleep, we found our way to a nearby Middle School where a local church meets on Sunday mornings. We were warmly greeted by several, and quickly found that we knew some people in common (it’s a small world). The preacher introduced us at the beginning of services, and asked me to get up a say a few words about our work in Vanuatu. We were greatly encouraged by our time together with these Christians.

After a quick lunch, Shawnda took the kids down to the pool, and I got to watch the Broncos playoff game. Being so close to the airport, the hotel where we stayed recently instituted a new policy, which means you can stay a full 24 hours without paying an extra for the room - what a deal! About 5 hours before our scheduled departure, we packed everything up and got into the minivan. I dropped Shawnda and Alexis off with our luggage at the airport, and Titus and I returned the rental car. We caught the rental car shuttle back to the airport, and found our way to the Fiji Airways counter in the international terminal (no abandoned luggage carts to be found, so we had to pay for two this time). It was about a 30 minute wait to check in, but the kids did well. We had a very kind agent check us in, we made our way thru security, and found our gate. They have totally redone the international departure terminal since we were there last, and it was quite impressive. We had some Chinese food and waited for our plane. The kids made some friends and played with them until it was time to board.

The flight was full, which means no opportunity to spread out, but thankfully we were close to the front (and would be able to de-board first), because our schedule only allowed us one hour to transfer planes in Fiji. Air Pacific recently changed their name to Fiji Airways, and got new Airbus 330s in the process. The planes are new and seem to have an inch or two of extra legroom, which was much appreciated. They are a bit smaller than the old Boeings, and take about 30 minutes longer for the Los Angeles to Nadi leg of the flight. The kids both slept pretty well on the flight (we took off in LA at 10:30pm Sunday, and arrived in Nadi at 5:30am on Tuesday, having crossed the international dateline).

Folks flying to Port Vila were ushered to the front of the line at the Nadi transfer desk, and we got through without much of a hitch, and found a sit close to our boarding gate. After a quick trip to the bathroom, we boarded our final flight to Vila. We were on the back row of the plane, and once again had an uneventful flight. We got thru Immigration, Baggage and Customs with no problems, and Flexon was there to greet us outside (along with his son, Renzo). He called his bus driver to come and pick us up, and we enjoyed visiting with him while we waited on the bus to come. 

We hadn't been able to make short term accommodation arrangements from the States, as the place we normally stay was over the threshold of giving us our usual local discount. We stopped by a couple of places, and ended up taking a room at the second place. It’s a one bedroom apartment with a bathroom and a kitchenette, and there’s a small swimming pool outside. It’s no frills and pretty small, but hopefully we’ll be able to find permanent housing quickly.

As I mentioned, your prayers for a safe trip were answered, and we ask your continued prayers as we find housing and get re-settled. God is good … all the time!

Intercultural Communication, Part 2

I was invited back to the Intercultural Communications class to lead a discussion on "How Intercultural Communication Has Affected My Faith." I have mentioned in previous posts how much I've enjoyed sitting in on this course and considering the topic, and I especially appreciated the opportunity to think through the past 8 years in these terms.

At the outset I had to disclose that sometimes I feel like practically 100% of my "Christian experience" has taken place in an intercultural setting, and thus it can be difficult for me to ascertain what part of my faith has been impacted by intercultural experience and which part as simply been impacted by (generic) experience. There is a sense in which all of my real-world experience has been in a culture foreign to my own, and I think that's a fairly unique position in which to be.

One of the impacts that stands out most clearly in my mind is the role my cross cultural experience has played in creating a great dependence on God. Shawnda has been the best help-meet I could ever ask for, but operating in the absence of an extended family and (similar-culture) friends has forced us to rely that much more on our God. I remember vividly the strengthening of our faith as we endured Titus' on-again/off-again adoption process, as we prayed to and trusted in God for provision and strength. Financially speaking, we have been living on faith for years, and God has never ceased to provide. Living in a different culture has meant living outside our comfort zone in a lot of instances, but has also provided an opportunity for our trust in God's providence to grow.

My experience has also shaped my appreciation for what we might term "incarnational ministry." It was best exemplified by Jesus himself, as he gave up heaven to come to earth, humbling himself to the point  of taking on flesh and ultimately dying on the cross. Paul followed that example by becoming "all things to all men...by all means." My own attempt at incarnational ministry has paled in comparison, but I have a more keen awareness of what Jesus and Paul were doing in their ministry because of my opportunities to minster cross-culturally.

One of the greatest things about living in Vanuatu, and especially about spending a few years in the village, has been witnessing the natural expression of hospitality, generosity and community that is evidenced in their culture. I have been convicted time and again in these areas, as members of this "developing country" teach me lesson after lesson on these very-Christian principles/attitudes. From the elderly widow who unexpectedly gave us money for an upcoming mission trip, to the village store owner who refused to raise the price of a kilogram of flour even after I helped him realize that he was losing 10 cents on every sale (because he was operating his store as much to bless the community as he was to make a profit), to the numerous times I've witnessed people sacrifice greatly to help a family member or friend in need (sometimes I myself being the recipient). Generally speaking, independence is not a valued quality in their society ... and as hard as it sometimes is for me to accept that, I am growing in my appreciation for a life lived in dependence upon others.

My comprehension of Bible narratives has been enriched through my experiences as well. I am convinced that 21st century Vanuatu culture is has much more in common with 1st century Palestine than 21st American/Western culture does. I have had the opportunity to be exposed to "households" like Lydia's or the Philippian jailer, to noncommercial fisherman and gardeners (who rely on their skills for their livelihood), and to unique travel scenarios (boat, walk, cart, canoe, etc.). The list could go on and on.

My experience has also impacted me in regard to the relevance of the NT Scriptures cross-culturally. Perhaps the best text to consider as an example (and the one I brought up in my discussion in class) is Galatians 5:19-26. I am amazed at how the things mentioned in that text can be so very true and relevant in cultures as divergent as America and Vanuatu. They are sometimes manifested in different ways, but the deeds of the flesh and the fruit of the Spirit are very much cross-cultural.

One last observation I shared was the way in which I have been able to understand how absolute truths can still be applied in variant ways. For instance, we understand the command to "honor your father and mother" to be absolute. However, "honor" in Vanuatu looks something like making a way for your parents to be in their home village, well taken care of (food, clothing, housing, etc.) by their son(s). On the other hand, in America it could be quite admirable to financially provide your parents a comfortable residence with care givers (e.g. assisted living or retirement village) who are able to provide a comfortable and pleasant atmosphere that they very much enjoy, albeit hundreds or even thousands of miles away. But in Vanuatu, to pass off your loved ones to someone else's care would actually be interpreted as dishonor. Sometimes it can be a challenge to determine what in my makeup is "American" and what is truly "biblical." I think that setting up an American church in a non-American culture can be a recipe for a very empty faith, because such would not be relevant to the individual. This only adds to the beauty of Scripture - it's ability to be applied across cultural lines.

One of the things we hear most from people who travel internationally is how that experience affects them in various (mostly positive) ways. I think there is a great value in understanding cultures foreign to our own, especially as it relates to our faith. Some day as Christians, we will be able to be a part of "a great multitude which no one could count, from every nation and all tribes and peoples and tongues, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes ... saying, 'Salvation to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb'" (Rev 7:9,10). It's a blessing to get to experience that in a small way even here on earth!

OT Story

A couple of weeks ago, one of the instructors here at OC had a speaking engagement out of the country, and asked me to fill in for him in his Story of the Old Testament class.

On Tuesday morning (at 8am - which is VERY early for college students), I had 50 minutes to present an overview of both Ruth and Esther. It was fast and furious, but I enjoyed the opportunity to view the books from a "30,000ft level" perspective. Some of the highlights from the Book of Ruth that we discussed were:

• the fact that the narrative serves to present a bright spot amidst the perilous time of the judges,
• it illustrates the compassion that was at the heart of the old Law (gleaning, levirate, kinsman-redeemer),
• of primary Jewish concern, the legitimacy of David... and ultimately Jesus,
• and most beautifully, the providence of God ... for Ruth/Naomi as well as for the establishment of the kingdom.

Some things we focused on from the Book of Esther were:

• the historical setting of the narrative (why were there Jews living in Persia?),
• God's ability to work in spite of evil people/motives,
• and once again, the providence of God for Esther/Mordecai, the Jewish nation, and ultimately the Messiah/kingdom.

On Thursday morning, I had the equally complicated task of giving an overview of the entire book of Isaiah in only 45 minutes (a quiz over the assigned reading took a few minutes of class time). Because of time constraints, I was forced to take an outline approach to the book, which I hope proved to be helpful.

So much of our understanding the writings of the prophets depends upon the historical context of Israel/Judah, so we spent some time recalling what was happening in both the North and the South during Isaiah's time of prophecy (invasions, foreign alliances, etc). We then looked at his unique "calling" from chapter 6. I think chapter 1 is especially valuable in setting the tone for the entire book, because it gives a glimpse at the real problem Judah/Jerusalem was facing: a very poor spiritual condition. They continued to go through the "right" motions, but their hearts were woefully far from God. From there, we considered:

• the fact that Jehovah is a universal God and is in total control,
• the 6 woes,
• judgment/redemption terminology,
• an interesting historical interlude (ch.36-39) regarding Hezekiah and Assyria, as well as the introduction of Babylon,
• and finally, Christ, Redemption, and Consummation (with an emphasis on Messianic prophecies).

Isaiah's writings are very deep and sometimes hard to understand, but I remain in awe of how God used him to communicate His enduring love and devotion to His people and His cause. What an awesome God we serve!

World Mission Workshop

Photo credit: Henoc Kivuye, Oklahoma Christian University

The World Mission Workshop has been taking place on the campuses of Christian Universities since "Harding College" hosted the first back in 1961. As such, it is geared towards university students interested in foreign and domestic missions. Approximately 350 students from several different schools attended the workshop this year, hosted by Oklahoma Christian University here in Edmond.

I was given the opportunity to speak twice during the weekend event. My "keynote" was during the normal OC chapel session on Friday morning. Hardeman Auditorium seats 1,200, and every seat was filled, making it (by far) the largest crowd I've ever had opportunity to address. The theme for the workshop was "Renewal: Experience It. Share It." I chose to share a story of renewal from Vanuatu during that session. Looking back on our 8+ years in Vanuatu, it is really encouraging to see the ways in which the gospel has changed lives, particularly within family units. I centered most of my thoughts around Sam and Leimawa in Etas Village, and the significant change they've undergone over the past several years in response to their faithfulness to Jesus. I think they are a perfect example of those who have "laid aside the old self with its evil practices, and have put on the new self who is being renewed to a true knowledge according to the image of the One..." (Col 3:9,10).

I was also given the opportunity to teach a class on Saturday morning, and was very pleased to have 40-50 show up for that. The title of my lesson was "Sharing the Gospel in the Shadow of Traditional Religion." I had never really stopped to think about all the challenges we face in Vanuatu because of the indigenous religious roots that are shared by the ni-Vanuatu, but preparing this lesson really facilitated my "connecting the dots" on a number of issues that we face. Hopefully my presentation broadened the perspective of those present, to help them understand some of the unique contexts in which the gospel is being shared and having positive impacts.

A couple of professors from Harding University were in my Traditional Religion class at the workshop, and invited me to come and deliver that lecture to four sessions of their "World Christian" class (approximately 240 students total). It was a pleasure to travel there last weekend for a couple of days and share with them.

We continue to enjoy our time Stateside, and have especially benefitted greatly from our experiences at OC. It continues to be a wonderful opportunity for growth and fellowship.

Missions Prayer Group

There is a group of 15-20 students on campus who have formed an unofficial club of sorts that focuses on God's mission and how they are/will fit into it. They come from a diverse set of majors, but all of them are purposefully prayerful for how God can use them in their various vocations. It has been very encouraging to get to know several of them.

A few weeks ago, two of the group members came into my office and asked if they could conduct their Monday night meeting at our house, and have an opportunity to ask us about our life and work experience in Vanuatu. They requested that we split into guys and gals, because many of the questions they had prepared were gender-centric (especially the role of wife and mother on the mission field). I wasn't sure how a Q&A would go, but was pleasantly surprised by the thoughtfulness of their questions.

Both Shawnda and I came away from the experience very encouraged. We were grateful to be able to be an encouragement to these young people, and also appreciate so much the wisdom that is being manifested in them at such a young age. In fact, several of the group members have stopped by my office in subsequent days "just because they wanted to pray for me."

Today's youth sometimes get a bad rap, and perhaps often justifiably so, but rest assured that there are some very high quality young people that are seeking to glorify God in their lives. If you know of such a youth, let them know that you are proud of them and the decisions they are making! And be praying for them diligently.