It is cultural in Tobo to “amamas” (make happy) people who have helped us in one way or another. So a few weeks ago we threw a big party for all the men & their families who helped build our house. Actually this party wasn’t optional. It is expected in Tobo to throw a party for people after they have helped you, and even though we already paid them for their work! We even had to pay some men because they weren’t able to attend the party! We were told that we needed to buy two pigs for the party, so that’s just what we did, we- ok, I (Nisae) had nothing to do with this J, but Jason went and helped some of the men round up the pigs and even helped to carry them back to our house to be slaughtered (yummy!). We cooked the pig with cabbage, green beans, sweet potato and rice and had a big feast which lasted until about 6 PM. We also gave out portions of food to each family including noodles, rice, tea, sugar, and crackers. It was a fun time for all of us and everyone left very happy with bags of food and full tummies!
A much needed break…
We’ve been in Tobo for almost 6 months now and about a week and a half ago came out to Madang for some rest and relaxation. We had been through a lot in those last 6 months including house building, language kick off, and just plain ole life in the bush! These things start to pile up after a while and we knew we needed to come for a breather. We’ve been soaking up the sun, swimming in the ocean and just relaxing at the house with no one knocking on our door selling vegetables, needing medicine, or asking for something. We’ve been enjoying our time here at the Madang guest house about 100 yards from the ocean and surrounded by palm trees! We’re back online, talking with family, and watching TV- some of the luxuries we don’t have in the tribe. It’s been great! We have also enjoyed our time with the support staff who keeps us going in the tribe by managing our accounts, sending in supplies, and encouraging & praying for us regularly. Today we celebrated Easter with some of those families and it was great just to sing and enjoy fellowship on a Sunday morning again which is something we miss while being in the tribe.
Things going on right now in Tobo…
As we’ve been out of the tribe over the last few weeks a lot has happened! Our poor partners have had to shoulder all of these things alone! It is amazing that a so- called “slow paced” life in the bush can be so hectic! When they first arrived back after their break (we took their flight out) they were handed a letter from some of the unbelievers in the surrounding area who had come to the resolution that we need to stop our work in here. Obviously, we do not feel that the Lord is guiding us in that directionJ!! However it is real opposition that we need to be in prayer about, and another tool that Satan wants to use to put a stop to the teaching of the Truth in the Word of God. A plane came several days later containing the body of a dead girl (her death had caused the upset we wrote about in our last update about “our normal lives”) and there was very loud waling on the airstrip and a court which was held for 2 days to determine the cause of her death. (The 2 undetermined causes being that she either died from someone working poison on her or that she died from a sin in her life.) I’m beginning to see that in the Tobo way of thinking they always need to blame somebody for someone else’s death. Unfortunately through all of their courts and meetings they came to the conclusion that the Tobo Doctor (a solid believer) and his family were, in a round about way, to blame for this. Because of this, his family must pay 3000 kina ($1000usd) to the family of this dead girl as a sort of bride price. Please pray for the doctor and his wife that they would look to the Lord during this time and trust in his sovereign care, pray that this would continue to strengthen their trust in Him. Unfortunately for us we have missed a lot of the ‘action’ and wish we could’ve been there to help our partners shoulder it all. But, I’m sure there will be more to come!
On a more exciting note, the Tobo believers have just finished being taught the book of Acts! They finished on Thursday and have decided to move the meetings to Saturdays up in the village for more of an opportunity for outreach to the unbelievers. They have also set a date for the next baptism for Saturday, March 29th!! Unfortunately we won’t be there to witness this one (we’re really bummed!), but it’s an important step for them and especially for the Tobo men who desire to obey the Lord and to begin teaching. It’s an awesome thing to see these believers move forward in the midst of persecution and choose to obey the Lord.
Please continue to pray for the Tobo believers and for our family’s & partner’s work among them. Also continue to pray for the Lord’s financial provision for our family as we have not yet fully recovered from house building costs. Thank you for every part you play in keeping us here!
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