Situation: We are hanging around outside and it’s market day. A tribal kid offers some of her half eaten corn on the cob to my 3 year old daughter and she takes it and begins to finish the corn, thankful that her friend has shared.
My thoughts- “I better run inside and make sure I have the right antibiotics for every possible sickness and that she is up to date on immunizations!”
The friendly tribal kid’s thoughts- “I like you and you’re my friend, so I will give you the rest of my corn”
My 3 year old daughter’s thoughts- “Yippee, corn on the cob! My favorite! Do you have any more?”
Situation: I went up to visit an old lady (believer) whose family insisted that she fly out of the tribe to seek medical help for her legs, she could no longer walk. I would probably never see her again this side of eternity. I arrived and she began crying and saying over and over in her heart language “I want to lick your poop!”
My thoughts- “wow, while she’s in town she should seek physciatric help as well! Maybe I better turn around and leave…”
Her thoughts- “I am incredibly happy you came. I love you so much that I would actually lick the foulest thing that comes from your body!”
Situation: When we came to visit the Tobo people prior to moving in, we sat outside one of the religious churches here and listened as they finished one of their services with a well known hymn.
Our thoughts- “Wow, they know that song? They must have an understanding of the gospel, why should we come here?”
Their thoughts- “We sing this song every Sunday because it’s what we’ve always done, and what our ancestors have always done. If we stop singing it, it will make our ancestors upset and something bad will happen”
Situation: Our Tobo neighbors help us in killing a pig for a party we are throwing. After the pig is cooked along with greens & sweet potatoes we are handed our plates with strange looking meat parts.
Our thoughts- “Oh great, they gave us the nasty parts because they know we don’t really need any more fattening up! When they’re not looking we’ll give it to our dog.”
Their thoughts- “We gave them the snout, because it’s the best part of the pig! We can’t wait to see them try it. It is SO good!”
Situation: A lady shows up with her sick baby, hoping I have some medicine for her.
My thoughts- “I’m glad she came because it gives me an opportunity to show that I care in this way, but can’t she just wash her baby’s hands with soap and keep her from touching the pigs & dogs? She would not be sick half as often!”
Her thoughts- “This time of year everyone gets sick! But maybe someone has put a curse or worked a spell on her…”
Situation: It’s 9 o’clock in the morning and I’ve been waiting an hour and a half for my language helpers.
My thoughts: “There goes half my morning, why are they so late all the time!”
Their thoughts: “She told us 7:30 AM, so we have a while. We’ll get up, eat & when we’re ready we’ll get going- no hurry, we have plenty of time. It’s not like they’re going to go anywhere.”
Situation- After my language session it begins raining and turns cold. I give my language helpers a bowl of cold soup to take home, heat up and eat.
My thoughts: “It will be so nice for them to have a hot bowl of soup when they get home”
Their thoughts: “What are we supposed to do with this? Well, we will just sit here and drink it from the bowl cold so we can give her bowl back to her”
These have been just some of the gaps between our Western thinking, and the thinking of our Tobo friends. The list could go on and on! There continues to be many situations in the culture here that leave us shaking our heads. It just shows us how important it is that we live here in the middle of them and strive to understand their language and their thinking, so we can present the truth in a culturally appropriate way. A way which the Lord can use to break through the cultural barriers and go straight to their hearts. Please continue to pray for us and for the Tobo people who have yet to understand the Truth. Also pray for the Tobo church that they will be a huge means to reach the rest of their community, as undoubtedly they understand their thinking more than we!
Your hands & feet pressing on to understanding,
Jason, Nisae, Kadynn, Judah & Eden
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