Good News & Germs

Aikom teaches from Ephesians 4 during Sunday worship

Sweet to gather with other believers!

     Togetherness. I turned my head slightly and saw it coming my way...a thick chunk of grated taro that had been wrapped in leaves and baked in the fire.  Passed from hand to hand, a mouthful was pinched off by the friend behind who turned and offered it to me.  Earlier in the morning, heading to Sunday worship, I had shaken hands with at least 40 different people - maybe 50? My latent germophobe rising up in revolt, I held out the edge of my t-shirt sleeve to receive the portion and whispered to her that my hands were dirty.  She looked at me in confusion - I hadn't been working in a muddy garden or wiping the bottom of a sick baby that morning - and turned to Nate, offering him his piece as well.  "Lord, you know we're only here for a short time and have so much we want to accomplish," I prayed.  "Please don't let me get sick from all the hands that have handled this.  Thank You for giving your body and blood for us.  For me."  Together we ate, remembering His body broken for us.  Good News.

How many breaths per minute?

    Sickness is no joke these days.  Just this morning we read that the number of Covid cases in our home counties in the California is exponentially increasing, and we are praying for family and friends who are again facing restrictions and fear of infection.  Sickness has never been a joke here in Pal.  We've seen a measles epidemic kill several babies, tuberculosis has killed many friends, and pneumonia takes the lives of the elderly and very young regularly.  One friend even died of an ear infection turned to brain abscess.  Our Pal friends live in intimate proximity.  Even though most nuclear families have built their own homes now, village community life is CLOSE.  Close enough for spittle and sweat, laughter and annoyance and tears.  Basically, if YOU catch a cold, I'M going to catch a cold.  And vice versa.  

     

    In the midst of all this germy closeness, we are training medical workers to serve the community here in Pal this week.  For several years now we have worked with 4 Mesi women to train and teach, and now we are adding 6 Mesi men.  It's been a joy to work with them.  Yesterday's activities included using the otoscope and thermometer, information on some of the treatable illnesses that they will be prepared to diagnose and sell treatment for, and basic hygiene principles and procedures.  As believers, these men and women know that sicknesses are caused by 'tiny bugs' that we can't see, not by offending evil spirits.  We still get sick because we aren't in heaven yet, right?  And this ground is cursed by sickness, sin and suffering until Jesus comes back.  As we reminded the trainees yesterday, we 'make His name big' by caring for others in their sickness with gentleness and kindness.  They soberly nodded.  Podis prayed for us before the training started, saying, "Lord, help us.  We're not able to do this work on our own.  Give us your strength and understanding."

Dropping our kid off at college?

    No, Noah hasn't graduated yet.  (Just a few more months.  Deep breath.)  But our children in the faith, the Mesi church, are going to be standing independently in just a few short weeks.  Our coworkers, the Fachner family, are moving out of the tribe in order to care for some significant family needs.  

    So in a sense - yeah, we're dropping (some of) our beloved kids off.  How will the next months of independence go?  Our missionary team will still see our friends regularly to encourage and build up.  They're not left alone:  His Word and His Spirit also challenge and encourage.  Mesi men and women are leading the literacy school, leading Bible study and review times, leading Sunday morning worship times, and soon will be be leading medical work in the community.  They're doing great.  But they're afraid at times - afraid of making wrong decisions, afraid of inevitable conflicts in the community, afraid of their own weakness.  

Pray for the Pal church this week, and especially for those who will shoulder the medical work next week:  Amun, Nevat, Podis, Taligam, Eboday, Apagam, Kisam, Maliak, Madok, and Akamog.

And, pray for the Fachner family as they say goodbyes and process through the mix of sadness and hope in their hearts.