Eye Exam: check
Wash Car: check
Take pictures of car: check
Drive to Dentist for pearly whites: check
Hit MEGA pothole in road: check
Major low-profile-tire-blowout: check
*Sigh*: check
Call Wrecker $70.00: n/a…God has ace in back pocket…
Call free roadside assistance to change tire for me: check
Smart?: check
Sporting rusted donut tire: check
Peaceful, joyful and filled with the Holy Ghost: CHECK BABY!!
Okay, I have only one suitcase to my name. Not the best for packing a years worth of stuff to a remote island in the middle of nowhere. It’s small and I’ve had it since my Freshman year at college 1991. It’s precious to me only because it has a little furry creature’s paw prints all over it. I was painting one day when he jumped onto my pallet – instant pink panther prints!
At the Lord’s leading, I gave my furry friend to a beautiful family God provided for him in January of 2008. God was even preparing me then for this time of my life. Whatever God asks for be willing to give it, joyfully. It wasn’t the easiest thing to do of course, but our trust in God is the key to success. It was a step of faith to give something away that had become so dear to me but how much more God has blessed me back since I obeyed him – a bountiful harvest – amen!
I’ve been making a list of all the things I have to get done before I leave. Next week I’ve got to get my passport and get fitted for more contacts. I’m going to the dentist too…I’ve had the same dentist my whole life so I won’t be too happy if I have to go to another one. That’s just me. Wash my car, take pictures of my car so I can sell my car (which will happen immediately). Then when Amy, Dana and Belinda return home, I can get my list of things to buy, not the least of which would be sunblock and flip-flops.
I keep a list with me wherever I am so that when a question arises or I think of something I will need to take/buy/or do before I leave, I can write it down. Otherwise these things sneak up on me at the last minute. ‘Always be prepared’ my cousin told me once. And she knows how to do ‘prepared’. I went to visit her in Boston and one hot summer day we decided to take a whale tour cruise. She had a backpack she kept stuffing with all kinds of things. I was thinking, how much more can fit in there? Mosquito spray (gotcha!) sun block, hair brush, food, clothes, umbrella; and then she threw in a big sweat shirt. I asked her what that was for and she directly said, ‘always be prepared’.
By the time we made it to the boat dock I was sweating. We met one of her friends and boarded with all the rest of the people. Once we got out on the ocean, the boat cruising along at probably 40 mph, it got cold, of all things! But I had a handy-dandy sweat shirt my cousin had packed! While everybody else was looking at me saying, ‘that was a good idea’, I was warm and comfy.
I take that as a lesson learned. I also know that Jesus, on two different occasions, gave the disciples different instructions when he sent them out to minister. One time he told them to go and take nothing, the other time he told them what to take so they would be prepared. My personality is to be prepared, especially after the impression my cousin made on me. But I know God also has asked me to just ‘go’ when I’ve felt completely unprepared. Yet he has always provied for me. It’s good to have a Keeper.
This is Ebeye and soon to be my new home for the next year. I will be leaving sometime in August and will post updates as things progress. I’ve been learning bits and pieces of the history of these islands. How small Ebeye seems in the middle of all that water…it’s only a quarter mile long or .14 square miles. Yet there are over
14,000 people on it, half of which are children. The grandparents of these children were originally inhabitants of Eniwetok and Bikini islands farther north, but the U.S. military relocated them to the island of Ebeye. The population has been increasing steadily until it is now more crowded than Manhattan per square mile.
From what I’ve gathered, it is a rapidly developing country (the R.M.I). I have read blogs by people who lived on the islands for several years having left in the early 2000’s, and the technological advances are quite astounding; some of which include internet and cell phone service through Marshall Islands National Telecommunications Authority (NTA). That may not seem like much but it takes a decent amount of money to get an infrastructure laid. It won’t be long before other modern day conveniences are served up for the Marshallese to enjoy, and this is a good thing.
But what does God have in mind? He hasn’t forgotten about the people. What are they asking Him for? I should like to know.
Ebeye Island 