Very Rough . . .Studying a language is like putting together a puzzle with more than a thousand pieces.
Studying a language is like putting together a puzzle with more than a thousand pieces. You find the pieces all around, but even when you put them together, they’re not always in the right order. It takes a long time to get a handle on what you’re doing, until it suddenly starts to make sense. Just when you think you’ve got the hang of it, you suddenly stall again.
You have the option to give up, or you have the option to move forward, little by little, piece by piece. You rest and try again.
AN OVERVIEW OF WHAT WE EXPECT
In January, during our retreat with the missionary community, we had the opportunity to be blessed by the teachings of three indigenous church leaders: Piapoco, Sikuani, and Puinave. These are some of the first works we remember hearing when we began our involvement with Ethnos 360, 35 years ago.
Special testimony comes from Isaiah, a member of the Puinave ethnic group, who recounts how, as a child, he had known the missionaries and later served with them in translating the Bible into the language of his ethnic group.
How beautiful is it to imagine being able to see one of the Koreguaje leaders one day sharing the truths of the Word with us as well. The efforts of the missionaries who preceded us, palpable and resounding before us, having them now as our brothers and sisters, enjoying Koinonia and growth. It was incredible.
(Left.) Reynaldo, leader of the Piapoco church
(Right) Jose Arturo, leader of the Sikuani church
WE DO MORE THAN WE THINK
Learning a language doesn’t feel like a missionary ministry. We’re not preaching, organizing ladies’ or gentlemen’s meetings, or Sunday schools for the children; we’re just there, parroting the words we’ve managed to remember and going about the routines of life. But during the few days we were in the community, the older children were playing with sticks like a seesaw on a chair, and one of the babies from the community arrived. It’s normal to see the 8- and 9-year-old girls playing with the little ones as if they were their dolls. But at that moment, Liliana was only thinking about the safety of the 20-month-old baby and whether the children could realize that a bruise on one of her tiny hands would be serious for her.
“When I saw her getting too close, I ran to warn the children. Then I thought, I’m not just here learning the language. Maybe I was here so that God would take care of this baby today, and to serve these people; so that God can show his love for them in other ways, if they haven’t been aware of God’s care and love for them until today by providing them with food, shelter and above all health.“
VERY ROUGH . . .
When we arrived, after being in Bogota for two months, we found our house invaded by rats, everything was filthy with feces. We made all kinds of traps to catch them, but these Amazonian rats are very cunning, and although we managed to get one to fall into our homemade trap, we weren’t skilled enough to go and kill it. Obviously, the only one we managed to catch got away. Meanwhile, our neighbor, the school teacher, caught two with just a broomstick.
We had to clean everything, pay close attention to the water we collect for eating and bathing, and prune the vegetation around the house.
The first night we arrived, the rain brought tons of tiny winged ants that stung us so hard just by touching us that we had to take shelter under our mosquito net.
These 15 days that we were in the indigenous town, with a lot of rain, an infestation of rats and aggressive flying ants, we consider them the most difficult so far. Hans said that it was a “rough” experience.
However, when we trust in the Lord, we can see what He provides for us. We learned to pronounce the word “rat” (sʉ̃a) much better, and from the experience with the flying ants, we learned that their name is a combination of two words “demon” and “bite” (vatirĩte).
The relationship with the people was more friendly than rough. They already appreciate and miss us, and are encouraged to see our progress with the language. Those we meet in the nearby village, who don’t know us, are amazed that, as “white people” (Irakusa), we are speaking the language, even though we are really still at a very basic level, but obviously to them it’s “wow.”
Thank God, and thank you for continuing praying !
There is a special place for washing clothes, Liliana takes advantage of it not only because it is easier to wash there, but also to deepen the relationship with the women who come down to wash and thus practice the language.
Our neighbor asked for help to cut up a small alligator, her husband had hunted it the night before.
Hans trying to teach some baseball, but the boy prefers to go back to soccer.
Our PRAYER
requests
– May we remain faithful in filling out the language puzzle and be encouraged by every piece we can fit together in our minds.
– May the Lord help us with the bugs, the bites usually affect Liliana.
– We thank God for his care for us and our children.
– May God’s pleasing and perfect will be fulfilled in our lives.
– We thank God for his provision not only financially but also in strength and spirit.
Mail:
A.A. 16569
Bogota, Colombia
E-mail:
hans_frank@nhcol.org
Want to support us?:
Through Ethnos 360 By phone: 407-547-2345
Online: Click here
Electronic Funds Transfer: Click here
Check or money order:
Ethnos360
312 West First Street
Sanford, Florida 32771-1231
(To the order of Ethnos360 with a note: for Hans and Liliana Frank)
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