A Cool Oven

Our team spent three days on an island not far from the mouth of the Oras River. The circumference of the island Tubaboo is no more than five miles, but in the barangay, Santa Monica, there is well over 1,000 Waray people. Upon our arrival, we had no former connections or a place to stay. So, first Mike and Joal went to speak with the Barangay Captain about the details of our visit. While they were gone, I waited with our gear and the team unloaded the boat.

Those twenty minutes were some of the most interesting minutes of my life. I seriously felt like an animal in a zoo. It would be too much to actually describe the type of people that greeted me, but let's just say, I was just as shocked to see them, as they were to see me. Well finally, Mike and Joal returned to inform us that we would be staying with the Captain and her family. In the Captain's house we were given a small room off of the kitchen. It was a tight space for nine people, but hey, you take what you can get here.

In Gap Ang, our first barangay, we stayed in an even smaller space, so we knew it was doable. It was actually in Gap Ang that our translator, Joal, came up with a phrase we all love to use. Early one afternoon, in the heat of the day, Joal described the barangay hall we were staying in as a cool oven. Definition? A "cool oven" is essentially a room that is has been poorly designed to keep in every bit of heat. Our team has had the pleasure of staying in many a cool oven.

However, none can compare with the cool oven on this island. The first night there I laid down on my thermarest, so happy to finally sleep. But to my dismay, I immediately realized that I was in a cool oven. What a special night that was… I recited 1 Peter 1: 6,7 over and over. When 5:00 a.m. finally came, I was the first one up, and the first one to take a cold bucket bath.

Night number two…it's pathetic, but I was dreading it all day. I laid down, exhausted, and sighed as I began to pour sweat. (At times like this, it's helpful to think about the Apostle Paul or some other famous missionary martyr.) It was 8:30 p.m. and the Lord was gracious enough to let me sleep for an hour or so. But about 10:00 p.m. I was woke up with a brilliant headache.

I fumbled around for a flashlight then reached to find some Advil. That's when I saw Mark sitting across from me, fanning himself, with a 20 peso straw fan that's in the shape of a heart. You see, Sweet Mark had gone swimming that morning and scored some impressive sunburn on his back. I chuckled because it wasn't the first time I had woken in up a cool oven to Mark with his fan. Just a few minutes later, Megan asked, "Are you guys sweating to the point of dehydration, or is it just me?" (Cool oven 101- A cool oven is most bearable when shared with others.)

So, it's about 10:00 p.m. and Mark, Megan, and myself are all awake. The three of us baked for about an hour. At 11:00 p.m. a dog started to bark. A few seconds later, the dog was right outside our window. I was just about to say something when Joelie blurted out, "This is ridiculous. That dog might as well be in here with us!" So, then Joelie joined our party. The four of us carried on because when you're that tired and overheated anything and everything is hysterical.

Unfortunately, the sound of our laughter woke up our leader, Mike, who lovingly told us to quiet down. And even though he was dead serious, our laughter only grew louder. It felt like I was a kid sitting in church, desperately trying not to laugh, but failing miserably. When we had all shut up for a moment, Daniel let out a little chuckle, which he could not remember at all the next morning. The clock (or $10 Timex) struck midnight and everyone laid there…wide awake, hot as ever. Despite the inevitable cool oven misery, I think I finally feel asleep with a smile on my face.