Of Trips, Talking, and Toilets

If you are interested in seeing a short video update of the trip that Nate just came back from, click this link.

Sunset in Kuyu-land. 

Is that illustration clear? It all depends on your perspective.

A couple of weeks ago, while visiting some of our missionaries among the Kuyu people, we had an interesting conversation about using illustrations in communication. 

“You know how we use illustrations to make something super clear,” said my friend, a missionary. “Oh yeah,” responded one of the people from the Kuyu language group, “Like when we talk around things so some people can’t understand!” 

It has been a while since I was in a situation that so clearly showed clearly the potential issues that come up when we try to communicate across cultures. I had to laugh! 

It is so true that people here in PNG often tok bokis, using metaphor, parallel examples, and idiom to make a point without actually explaining the connections they are making. The idea is “we are going to talk in such a way as there are many possible interpretations of what we are saying so that only the people in the know will understand the core of what we are saying.” Everyone else is left guessing (and, it’s often the case that it’s us missionaries that are the most lost in it all.)

I was happy that the topic came up and we had the chance to talk about it. My friend is working toward cultural and linguistic fluency for the express purpose of communicating clearly with the Kuyu people. It would not be so good if he thought he was saying something that everyone would understand right away, but they all were looking for the hidden meaning!

Getting ready for some fellowship and chatting after Mesi-church.

A few days later, “Dig your toilets!”

After a day with the missionaries and Kuyu people, I hiked over to Mesi-land to spend 5 days with the believers there. How interesting then, on Sunday morning, when our landowner took it upon himself to exhort everyone as we waited for the  believer’s meeting to begin. “We all have been just pooping in the bush! All over the place! It’s disgusting! They told us over and over to dig toilets, but we didn’t and we are just pooping wherever!” 

As he marched back and forth carrying on about hygiene, voice rising and falling, even giving the occasional stomp for emphasis, many of the believers hung their heads and looked away but a couple caught my eye and smiled. Why are they smiling? This is an embarrassing topic, but that isn’t normal, I thought. My friend rounded off his exhortations with one final, 

“I’m done with that disgusting practice, I’m digging my toilet and pooping there like I’m supposed to. You should dig your toilets too!” 

Then he sat down. There were a few moments of silence, and then, one of the Bible teachers got up and said, “We all heard that, if you have something (an apology) to say, you can do it after church today.” Then we began with prayer and song. 

What we had just heard was a passionate exhortation, PNG style. My friend and I had been talking that morning about heresy - and people coming to Jesus with the thinking that He would give them secret power and money. His entire potty talk had actually been about only listening to and obeying the real truth of God’s Word and not whatever rumor was running around. Few sermons I’ve heard have been as effective at making a point - and only members of our Mesi community understood the conviction that he intended.

Pray for us:

• We are happy to be back into the work here, but there is are real needs that we feel inadequate to meet. Pray for wisdom to balance our time and attention as we serve.
• We are looking for ways to continue to help the Mesi people and others meet their own physical needs as well. Pray for wisdom as we think and talk with our team mates about the different ways we can help. (And, if you are interested in giving towards medical supplies or clean water here, please ask us for more information.)
• We are thankful for the Mesi Bible teachers that have been faithfully traveling in teams to the outreach village of Mutuvav. They are just about done teaching through the evangelistic lessons there and we should have a report for you at the end of September about the response there. 
• We are also thankful for the Mesi men and women that are standing firm on God's Word and His gospel. They have been facing local opposition lately from some that would like to insert animistic ideas into the church. 
• Pray for us as we are apart more than usual these days. Nate had scheduled trips that keep him connected with the different ministries here in PNG and on the road about 1/4 of the time. 

Thanks so much for keeping us in your prayers and supporting the work that we are doing here in PNG.

Nate for us.