High Water

Perhaps for my first post since the Gospel presentation here in the village, I should be writing about the growth in the church and such and I will write about that.  But today as I listen to the water crash against the shore here in Sinow, I’ve been thinking about who God is and what He’s trying to teach me through high water.  It’s rainy season here in Papua New Guinea and the main Sepik river rises and falls based on the amount of rain up and down the river.  We expect it to come up over the air strip in January or February or even March, but not usually this early in the season.  I just moved into Sinow at the end of October so I’ve not had a cargo flight since I came in.  It’s not like I’m running out of food or anything but I have run out of fresh vegetables.  I can get greens here in the village and I even have some taro and sweet potato at the moment.  But no lettuce, tomatoes, green peppers, broccoli or anything.  I have one more container of fuel to make my next run up to Wabuku and back, but then I’m out.  The water kept rising over the weekend so that the strip was partially covered on Sunday.  I was planning on a two-night overnight up in Wabuku, leaving Monday morning.  Sunday night, the rain just kept coming down.  The river came up even higher, so much that the guys taking me to Wabuku preferred to only go for one night so they could get back and get some necessary work done with water in the village and around their houses and gardens – totally understandable but that cut short my visit.  So we went up to Wabuku with beautiful weather and it almost looked like we might get through the night with no more rain…..but no, a good thunder/lightning storm and lots more rain came down.  The water actually went down a couple of inches in Sinow but not enough to help with the air strip situation.  I also found out when I got to Wabuku that my main taper wanted to help me and had left word for me but we had to leave before he’d get back.  So I missed out on a translation opportunity – because of high water.  So we came back and the rain came down again the next night….would it ever end?  I can’t imagine it raining for 40 days and 40 nights like it’s been raining the last week.  Yikes – I have new appreciation for Noah!  Anyway, it was official – the strip was under water by a good 12 inches so today’s fuel flight was cancelled – it had already been delayed from Tuesday.  And the flight that was supposed to happen tomorrow to get my blood taken to check my thyroid levels isn’t going to happen either.  So not only will I not get the fuel I need to keep making trips up to Wabuku, I won’t get the packages that I’d sent myself with medicine and other things in them….and we may not get our cargo in on Tuesday as we’d planned.  The pilot heads to another town for meetings on Wednesday so if the flights don’t happen Monday or Tuesday, I have to figure something else out for the blood draw and wait until December to get more supplies in.  In addition to all the food items, I’m waiting on a 9 volt battery so I can use my oven.  (It’s the igniter for the oven’s pilot light.) There’s no local store to run to for that around here.  So although it’s been a month since the last supply run, I’m not entirely sure how much longer before the next one.  There’s a part of me that would like to get frustrated but how can I?  Part of this is just the reality of living in the jungle.  But apart from that, if I say that I believe that God is good….that He is sovereign….that He is gracious and merciful….that He will take care of His children….that the righteous will not lack for any good thing….then it’s in the midst of high water and no flights and a shorter stay in Wabuku that I have the opportunity to live out what I believe – or not.  Do I just say this with my mouth or with my life too?  If I really believe that is who God is, then how can I complain about His plan and what He has for me right now?  I can but then what do I really believe about God?  My life – my actions say far more than my words what I believe to be true about God.  And I believe He is good and sovereign, able and all the rest, so I just can’t let myself complain or get frustrated.  Sure, my flesh wants to but what good does it do me anyway?  Rest is found in Him.  Walking in the Spirit has rest, joy, peace and all the rest of the fruit with it – so I think I’ll trust Him.  And ask Him to work it out for the flights to happen before Wednesday.  J