The people here are just so welcoming!! Yesterday, we drove over to another neighboring village. We had to park the car and then cross the river by food (don’t worry, it was only about 2 feet tall!) As we are getting into the water, kids from the village race over to greet us and welcome us into their village. People start coming out of the woodworks to come and see us. People are so excited to greet us and talk to us. I was surprised when I told a guy that I knew little pidgin english, he went on to talk to me in english! What a surprise. I was thinking, couldn’t you have told me that from the beginning! Haha, but I am visiting all of these places to learn THEIR language, not stay in my comfort zone. Several of the people close to the city may speak english because they are educated. BJ met a guy named Alex, who invited himself and his family over to our house Saturday. Pray for this! It’s a great opportunity to learn language/culture, but I don’t really know how to host people who we stumble to communicate with!
Today was great! Our leader coordinated with an island tribe to come get us in their motor boat and bring us to their village! Mandy and I both LOVED it! and our kids loved it too! The island was covered in shell/rock, that our kids and the tribal kids played in! The atmosphere was so welcoming again, and so laid back! The women and children ended up sitting under this woman’s house and talking. She told us all about the foods they eat, how the whole island is their family’s, and how they feel so free and safe there. I am really starting to recognize a lot of what people say, it’s just responding is my issue! It will come. The men were off calling pigs! I’m not kidding! Apprently, each master has it’s own “hog call” and all the pig come when they hear their master! BJ connected (I didn’t) the verse about the sheep come when they hear their master’s voice (from the Bible). We are going to be constantly learning their language (in our own tribe), so that when we hear things like this that connect to the Bible, we can jot it down and use it in our teaching! But we are just so amazed how welcoming everyone always is when we visit their village! And now, I am going to enjoy 2 of my favorite things that are PNG made: twisties and fanta!
And now to end on something real:
I’m so glad for your safe arrival and for the warm welcome you’ve been receiving! What an adventure it has been already! I love the picture of Sophie with her oranges! Praying for everyone!