Each and Every Count!

I am writing this as the electricity and water is off today from 8-6.  I finally stopped guarding the kids from opening up the fridge so things did not spoil.  The kids were hot and resting under the shade.  And the computer was surprisingly charged so I thought this could be a good time to blog – if I remember to post this when the electricity does come on J 

              Even though we have had this month as a break from classes, the time has been used to redo all our inspections (fire, health), work on immigration for ourselves and students, insurance renewals, recruitment, and lots of meetings,  And meetings (meaning 1 at a time) here usually can last for a whole day, because the waiting takes a whole day until you get inJ  It never feels like you accomplish much, but we are learning if we can get one things done each day- it was a successful day on the business side of things!

              This weeks business things were…interesting.  One of the things was we had a meeting with the pediatric surgeon on the Island.  People often think health care will be so amazing here with so much tourism.  But we have heard several scary cases.  Our current student had a sister go in for routine surgery to remove a cyst this year and they operated on the wrong side – TWICE!  So, we have thanked God we have not had to go to the hospital. 

              That changed when Naiyah fell and broke her arm.  So, we prayed.  And since we don’t have official papers here nor insurance still because of that, medical care is through the roof.  So just the xrays, reset, iv, and doctors visit were over $2,500.  It would have been cheaper to hop on a plane to a doctor we know and love in the States.  But, we decided to firmly plant our feet and stay here and trust God and the doctor here. 

              After an hour wait for him to arrive, we realized all 5 patients in the waiting room were given the 9am time slot, so that meant more waiting. After we were finally called back, he immediately started telling us her break would likely need surgery, would require Naiyah being put to sleep, getting a shot, cutting- she was a mess and scared.  I guess we weren’t used to the directness with kids there.   Then, he sound out we homeschool and were missionaries and proceeded to interrogate the kids on what part of the restoration movement we were from  - to our 5 year old!  Pax, of course, had no clue so then he pointed out homeschool was not working for them.  Somehow we made it through the $175 appointment to be told to come back in a week after the swelling had gone down.

              Later in the week it was time to renew our driving licenses.  Yes, we waited until the day before they expired.  The main office was close, leaving open one office for the whole island.  We arrived, waited in line, only to find out a lady in front of us had already been waiting 3 hours!  We decided to come back the next day- the day we had to get it done!   And we would be genius and arrive 30 minutes before the office open to get there first.  By the time, we arrived the line went way into the road!  We are standing there with all 4 kids in the sun for a half hour, when a security officer comes out and says we can’t have the baby in the hot sun (yes, by 8am already hot here!).  So he takes us to the front of the line and has us go first.  And that is when the mob started.  So many shouting, “Unfair Americans.  Pay taxes and then you can go first.  Of course, the Americans are treated better.  We have been waiting for over 3 hours, etc.” 

              It was horrible.  We said we’ll just wait like all the others.  Because it was not fair.  And the officer said no, you have kids.  So we finished our business, tried to apologize to the line on the wait and kept our heads down because we got through in an hour.

              All this to say – this summer when back we heard so much on black lives matter, saw firsthand foster care kids uncared for, and so many other situations.   It made us think we all are in situations.  In our situations we can sometimes feel like a minority for homeschooling, for being American, for being a Christian, for having several kids.  All of us are in different situations and each and every life counts!  Our family goal we are striving for to learn and show is we don’t know everyone’s story but we know they are each significant and to help love them to see that – no matter our circumstance or story!