Mena Japawena,” we call out as we arrive and the area where our village helper lives. “Mena,” comes the reply from Mwedi.
Mwedi is a Dobu tribal person (a teacher Rhonda here at the school). She lives on an island in Papua New Guinea. We visit her at her manena’s house twice a week to learn the language and culture of the Dobu people. We are in teams of 5 to 6, and we are here to practice the things we have learned so far.
On the Dobu island they think very different than we do, and they do not like people outside of their clan. So we had to come in and try to make friends with our helper. It was not too hard to become friends with our helper thankfully.
Names are important to them so you call them by something, like a nickname. Our helper wanted to be called “Witni Huston”. 🙂
We learned a lot about ourselves and the way we learn during this class. I know that I will take with me the things that I have learned in this class to the field.
On the last day of class we found out that our helper Mwedi was dying. We only got to talk to her for a while before she asked us to go. It was so real, and we could not tell her about God and the way of salvation.
How true to real life. How important to be there giving your all for the chance that they might hear about the Cross and to have a relationship with the one who died on it.
Just Life
In all truth, “just” does not describe my life here. I volunteer at a youth program called Young Life which is about 6 to 10 hours a week. I co-teach the 3rd to 6th graders for Sunday School. I work in the front office 7.5 hours a week, and go to classes. Somehow with all of this going on I still find time to read a book, and I can even get bored. I know … crazy, huh?
Classes here are really good and I have truly loved those that I have taken and am currently in. I cannot wait to talk to you more in person about those classes.
I will be graduating on Dec. 18, 2009. And after grad. I will be heading home to visit family and friends.
I will be heading back to the Training Center in Jan. to work in the Tech. Center to learn more about the technology that we use on the field. I will also be helping out in Childcare.
After that, Lord willing, I am heading to Brazil in the fall of 2010.
Prayer and Praise
Pray:
- For the time I spend training in the Tech. Center, and working in Childcare.
- For more people to start supporting me as I will be heading out to the field as soon as I have the support needed.
- That I finish well the task set before me.
Praise:
- For all that God is doing in my life.
- For the people God put in my life as a huge blessing.