Over the past month we were given the opportunity to spend a couple weeks living in the people group that neighbors Kovol, the Pal (or Mesi, depending who you ask). We went in order to spend time with the missionaries and church there, find out what went well, what could have been done differently, as well as to learn more about the culture and the physical layout of the land, knowing that Kovol would be similar. While there we would also learn a lot about each other, given that we were three families (12 people!) living in one house, sharing meals, and maneuvering around multiple nap/school schedules! Here is a summery, in pictures:
We ladies (and children) began our journey on a friday, two days after our husbands had started their hike into the tribe. This allowed us to fit more food into the helicopter, as well as giving the guys an opportunity to experience the long hike that the people living in the tribe have to do any time they want to come out to town.
One of my favorite things on this trip was attending the midweek Bible study. Believers would meet in various houses to worship and talk about what had been preached on Sunday.
We were blown away not only by the generosity of the people, but the lengths to which they went to show it to us! Deligations came from Kovol bearing food (and children), walking through mud and sometimes rain, over landslides, often for a full day to get to where we were staying.
After returning to Kovol we've been getting back into language learning. I actually always find getting started a little difficult. Before our break, I was chugging away, but then you stop, return and think to yourself "where was I?" "what was I doing again?". It takes a week or so to get going again and shake the sense of aimlessness.
Reconciliation
Affirmation
Farewell
Think ahead.
Movement from one place to another is very quick. It will take less than 12 hours to go from the UK to the Netherlands, but transition is the process of emotionally arriving - and that can take longer.
Whatever we're gaining by moving, we're also leaving something behind, and there's grief in losing it. We want to try to work through that grief, and not just deny it or bury it for it to cause problems later.
We haven’t shared much since we’ve been home on furlough, mostly because it looks very similar to what many have been experiencing. In case you suspected we dropped off the planet, here’s a rundown of Read more…
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