Last night we took Megan and Paul and our visiting friends, the Stapleton’s to see the Fireworks at Stony Creek Metropark. It was an amazing time and I really got to see the whole day in a brand new light.
Special visitors
We’ve known Erik and Michelle for about 10 years now. But since the live on the other side of the world in Vanuatu, we rarely get to see them anymore. (They are in a small village translating the Bible into Neffi.) Of course, it was great seeing them… But it was even better being around their beautiful 3 children. JohnMark, (7) Sierra, (6) and David. (4)
What made yesterday’s excursion to see fireworks so special was that it was the first time the kids had seen fireworks in their whole lives. Erik told me, “Obviously, we don’t celebrate the 4th on South Tanna… And if we did the fireworks would scare the people. They wouldn’t get it.” JohnMark, the oldest, remembers seeing fireworks once before he left as a 3 year old.. And he has told his brother and sister all about it. While they had seen pictures and been told about them… The whole thing was brand new to them.
The kids were very excited and impatient for the fireworks to start. Since they didn’t start until 10:00 PM… They were wired just to be up that late! But as the show started the three kids just stared. They hadn’t imagined it would be this big and loud. They were absolutely elated. It was something they would tuck into their memory banks for years to come.
Other things I learned
While I was reading a book to JohnMark and Sierra… They saw a jack-o-lantern. They knew what it was but had never done it before. JohnMark asked me, “How do you carve a pumpkin?” He listened carefully as I told him. Then he said “Do you think I’ll get to do this while we’re in the States?” His eyes lit up when I told him that Halloween is in October, so he would probably get a chance to do it. Just wait until he finds out neighbors will give him candy!
In their village, personal space is a bit different. JohnMark or Sierra regularly bumped into people while swimming in the lake. They didn’t even think to say “excuse me” since in their world rubbing up next to a stranger or swimming between their legs is no big deal.
Sierra is a precocious and fun little girl. To say she’s “All American” would be a lie. She is far from American. Her half Aussie/half islander accent made her fun to listen to. (Both Erik & Michelle also have funny little accents.) She and Megan had a blast playing together.
Proud partners
As the family talked very matter of factly about their living condition and the hard work they encountered all the time… I was really humbled by their service to the Lord. They need their families as much as we do. Their kids miss their cousins and grandparents. Their kids don’t have many friends… And neither do they. But yey their simple and compassionate dedication to the task of making God’s Word available in the native venacular drives them every day.
I am in awe of what they do. They are doing something I am not brave enough to do. I see that the work is important, I could even squint and see myself studying that hard for the serious work of Bible translation. But I could not see putting my family that far from home. That far from what we “feel we need.” God really spoke to my pride as we hung out with Erik and Michelle.
Despite my selfishness and insecurities… Kristen and I stand up as proud supporters of Erik and Michelle. What they do matters. God has called them to do something I cannot or would not be able to do. We are happy to partner with them as prayer and financial supporters. More than that, we are happy to call them friends.
