Today has been a sad day for us. It was the first time that one of our Amdu friends has died since our being here. There have been some babies who have died and that has been very sad, but this time it was someone whom we have begun to build a relationship with. She was a wife, and a mother of two young children. Last week she had gotten sick suddenly and the last few days it seemed as if she had been a little better, but this morning as we were cleaning up from breakfast, we heard that she had died in the night. Some of her last words to her family were something like this: “My body hurts all over…..please take care of the children”. Although family life can look so different in this culture, it is interesting to see that a mother, no matter what the culture, is very concerned for the wellbeing of her kids. The need to learn their language seems ever more urgent! As we were in the village today, listening to them wail, not being able to hold back the tears ourselves, and just being part of it all, there was talk from them about wanting to find out what caused this death. Was there a disagreement or “heavy” as they would call it, between the family and someone else? Did someone work sorcery on this woman and cause her death? The Amdu have no answers to these questions and are left not knowing how to deal with their circumstances. They bury their dead and wonder. Benjamin went out tonight to spend time with people in their homes and hear more about what is going on the people’s minds as this death has taken place. As I was contemplating whether or not to turn our porch light off, it reminded me of what my Amdu neighbor told us one day. She said, “When you guys flew out to town for a couple weeks, it was like the life was gone. We couldn’t see the lights coming from your houses anymore. When you are here, it is like there is life again”. I decided to keep our porch light on not only so Benjamin can find the houses easier in the pitch black and rain, but to be a reminder to my friend, and the rest of the village that there IS light when we are here….it is different when we are here. We ARE lights to these people even now while we still cannot speak in their mother tongue. Pray that our lives continue to look different to them…that they see that we sincerely love and care for them….that they will live long enough for us to learn their language so that they have the chance to hear about the True “Light of the World” who came so that they could have eternal life! Thank you for your part in this incredible job of being Ambassadors! Benjamin & Missy