The Past Week....which felt like a year!

This past week has been spent in recovery mode.  Here is a snapshot of what happened:

 

Sunday (two weeks ago)- Caleb started working night shift.  There has been an increase lately in security related incidents, so he wanted to be out and about with the guards to see first-hand how these guilty few were getting away.

 

Monday- Adrienne caught the 24-hour bug going around center. She spent Monday and Tuesday doing NOTHING. (i.e., all the dishes started piling up, clothes needed to be washed, no food in the house because she didn’t shop, no fruits or veggies because she missed going to the market on Monday).

 

Tuesday, Wednesday- Caleb continued to work night shift.  He would wake up for dinner, then he was out and about all evening….Ben started missing him and began “acting out” because of his absence.

 

Thursday- The directors decided very quickly that discussions needed to be made with the neighboring villages regarding the security incidents.  Caleb had to quickly switch from working nights to working days….without a break in between.

 

Friday- Two meetings were scheduled. The morning meeting for the members of our branch and the afternoon meeting for the entire community (members and employees).  In between the meetings, we learned that my grandmother had passed away.  We also knew that it was impossible for me to return home for the funeral.  As we were trying to process this, the phone was ringing with people who were not happy about what was said at the first meeting.  Everyone needed Caleb.  Not to mention he was in constant communication during this time with the local police….hoping they would catch some of these guys who have been causing the security incidents.

 

Saturday- Adrienne got a migraine from all the crying the day before.  She was unable to tend to Ben well.  And, it has to be said, you cannot call for take-out, you don’t have a dishwasher here and there are many other things that make a “sick” day impossible to cope with.

 

Sunday- Caleb had many more meetings with the local villages.  At this point, Caleb was really getting run down and tired….can you blame him?  Not only was he not rested from coming off night shift, but he had the weight of the center on his shoulders while trying to keep our house running and trying to “be there” for me.

 

Honestly, I write this now and I’m a bit ashamed I didn’t see how bad things were for a time.  Seriously, in the States, these things would not have been as difficult as they were by being here.  I also didn’t realize how quickly things can go bad so quickly here.  You see, we were already planning that it would be a very stressful week-end and week once we knew about the plans for the meetings, then we got word about my grandmother.  Things just kind of crumbled around us.  And, to me it seems so silly to say that it crumbled or got that bad.  But, it did.  Here, you just  have nothing that is easy…nothing that is convenient.  Everyday living is a challenge….it is a nice challenge when things are going well….but not so nice when you need a break.

 

Finally, we got a break!  Our member care department hunted me down. =0)  She then said she would set up meals to be delivered for us for 3 days of the following week.  Well, it ended up that we had 7 days of dinners.  And, again, I feel kind of silly accepting them.  It’s not like I was hospitalized or anything….but she helped we realize how big a help something like that could be.  When the stress starts to rise, having meals meant more than just having something to eat each night.  It meant that I didn’t have to plan out everything.  The market is only open 3 mornings a week (and it closes at 8am). The store is only open M-F until 4pm.  Things cost crazy prices here….so this meant I didn’t have to worry about budgeting for the week.  It was wonderful!

 

So…that is a little bit about our past week.  I will post more in a bit….but thought I had waited so long to post that it was time for an update….. Do know that things are better.  We have an amazing group of friends here and back home.  So many people helped us through this difficult time and we could feel the prayers.  Friends even helped me handle sending flowers and cards to the funeral home.  Again, a HUGE help during such a difficult time.  Caleb is rested now and I am back to “running” the house.  We even spoke with some wise people around here who encouraged us to book a vacation. 

 

Miraculously, God worked out all the plans so that we are able to go September 29^th to Madang (where we went for training earlier in the year).  Family friends of Caleb’s are the directors there (but were not the directors when we attended the training).  We will get to spend time with them and some other friends who are there on staff.  We will have 5 days where Caleb will not have a single phone call. 5 days where we will just be able to “get away”.  And, Ben will LOVE swimming in the South Pacific!  I wish we didn’t need this trip….honestly, I do.  But, I am learning that I have a big job here in PNG.  Whereas Caleb is the one responding 24/7, I am the one who has to help keep him (and our marriage) healthy!