Me with my most faithful language helper, Welson.
It’s been roughly three months since I have started learning the Tobo language…and I can honestly say things have been going good. I’m so thankful for the Tobo guys that have been helping me out, and I’ve started building some great relationships with believers and unbelievers alike. But trust me it hasn’t been without its frustrations!
When we left for PNG we made sure to let everyone know so we could say our goodbyes. We spent several weeks seeing everyone one last time before we left. The culture in PNG is so different! One thing I’ve learned here in Tobo is that when someone wants to leave, they don’t worry much about goodbyes. I’ve recently had quite the experience with language helpers just leaving without telling me! Just this morning I got up to go meet my language helper. We had planned to go on a hike to the river and camp out over night. I got up really early, got my backpack all loaded (about 23 lbs) and walked the 25min hike (up a mountain) to meet him at his village. When I arrived, I was quickly informed that the previous day he had gone off to Lae (a larger city 2 day’s walk from here). Of course he didn’t let me know ahead of time, so I could plan something else for that day! Besides that, we had begun to build a great friendship and I would consider him one of my closest friends here in Tobo. I’m not sure when he will be back, often people leave and can be gone 6 months to a year or more.
The thing is that this is not the first time that this has happened. This is the third helper who has done this to me! I had another man come to me and ask me if he could help me with language, so we agreed and decided on a day to meet. When that day came he never showed up. He too had left without telling me! Man alive, what’s wrong with me? Do I smell or something? Do they think I’m a waste of their time? I’ve really been struggling with having consistent people here to help me with language. It’s especially hard when I spend time building relationships and begin to see them as good friends and not just “helpers”. I get excited about how the Lord may use this time as not only a language time but also a time for discipleship. So when they get up and leave it’s temping to get frustrated with them and give them the cold shoulder when they come back. I know that I’m probably looking at this through my culture and to them this is what they do and it’s not a big deal. If they have a chance to go they drop everything and just go, and most of the time their friends and family understand. Pray for me to learn to be flexible and sensitive to the Lord’s direction in finding dependable language helpers. . The Lord uses these things to remind me that He alone will give the grace and wisdom to learn the Tobo language in His way and in His timing.
One of my language helpers is actually on the verge of death. He has been with me for almost 4 years and has been at my side assisting me in almost every thing I do that is language related. Before you get worried and saddened, I will reveal that he is none other than my post-trustworthy Dell laptop. It is almost more unfortunate than the experiences I’ve written about above as I use my laptop for thorough language review, filing and more. We do not have an immediate replacement and are trusting the Lord for his direction and provision in purchasing a replacement, which we unfortunately cannot find in the closest village as with our other language helpers!
We praise the Lord for using you in our ministry whether you give, pray or encourage us. Thanks for all you do to keep us pressing on in language among the Tobo people!
Your hands & feet,
Jason, Nisae, Kadynn, Judah & Eden
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