In Papua New Guinea we don’t haggle on price as in other third world nations
The costs of the goods are set in most stores and in vegetable market locations
But out on the street craftsmen line up their baskets and carvings for us to entice
It’s almost expected that you’ll walk on by unless he gives you a second price
“Prais i antap tru (the price is too high). Yu gat second prais?” you appeal
He knows there is hope you will buy if he lowers the cost and makes you a deal
He tells you what he may be willing to take for this fine masterpiece he created
As he counts his money you pick up your bargain and deep inside you are elated
It may have been worth the first price that he asked and you might have been able to pay
But he was too bent on making a sale so his family would have food today
The second price would suffice for him and you know in your heart you were kind
You both will feast in your homes tonight leaving regrets far behind
Over my years on the field I’ve seen lots of folks visit here from the States
Sometimes they come for a week or a couple of months but departure awaits
I’d love be the one boarding that plane heading back to a comfortable place
With malls and Starbucks and clean grocery stores where I’m not the only white face
I long to attend joyful family affairs, all the weddings and parties we’ve missed
Holidays here are always a struggle but that’s not what tops my list
I’m aching to know first hand what my grown-up kids might be doing today
To meet with them over lunch and hang on to every word that they say
Sometimes it feels like it just costs too much, Lord, the price is “antap tru!”
Do You have a second price? Is there something easier that we could do?
My heart wants a little extravagance, and I yearn for my kids far away
Can we haggle a bit on this one Lord? It gets harder for me every day.
What’s the amount You are asking for this fine masterpiece You created?
Jesus paid the “antap tru” price and for centuries now He has waited
At last the fullness of time has come and He has all His servants in place
His Word in a tribal tongue goes forth and new life shines in a black face
Often I find myself longing for temporal comforts and gratification
But having them could mean that someone here may never learn of God’s salvation
It’s been worth whatever He asks us to pay for it’s Him that we must glorify
We’ll know when we all feast together above that His first price was never too high