Bearers of bad news

This week, we’ve had some big news for the Kovol community. We’ve needed to tell them that the Stous family will not be returning to Kovol but will remain in the States. Rhett and Stacie were well loved by the Kovol people, and the news of their not coming back has been upsetting for many.

Knowing how rumours can spread easily, we decided to hike to each of our seven Kovol villages to deliver the news in person. In the Kovol culture, when something sad happens, it is common to assume that someone is at fault. People may have been wondering if they didn’t provide enough garden food for them, for example, and that this was the reason. We didn’t want anyone carrying around unnecessary guilt.

We told everyone that it was not anything they had done. In fact, they had done an outstanding job in caring for and supporting us all. We reiterated the promises we made to them when we first arrived:

• We will learn your language.
• We will teach you to read and write.
• We will teach you the Bible.
• We will translate Scripture into your language.

Those promises have not changed. I was able to remind them of the progress that has been made. I have finished language study, we are currently preparing the literacy program, and a start has made on translation.

I went on an overnight visit to a village to our north. The hike was tough after a week of sickness. I had mostly recovered but hadn’t yet started eating full portions again. It was a real slog up the steep mountain, but I’m glad I went.

When I arrived, the village leader started telling me about the bad things he had done that had caused the “heavy.” Then, while I was shaking hands with everyone present, one of the women grabbed my arm and fell on my shoulder, weeping and wailing. The news had hit everyone pretty hard.

During the meeting afterward, I was able to talk about what had happened and why. I could see it was a visible relief for them to hear that it wasn’t a sin of theirs that had caused this “heavy.” I even specifically mentioned the pigs digging up our front lawn right now. Yes, that is annoying, it is a problem—but we’re going to get a wire fence, and that’ll be the end of the problem. The Kovol people have looked after us exceptionally well, and it was good to be able to remind them of that.

Philip is off again to another village for an overnight, and that will take care of informing all seven villages in person. As the days and weeks go on, we’ll see what ideas people are getting and whether there are things we need to address.

With the Stous family stepping back from the work in Kovol, the task now falls to our two families. We’re open to the possibility of a third family joining us to bring our team back up to full strength.

This has been a sad season for us all as we adapt to the loss of our friends and coworkers. We all wish Rhett and Stacie well as they settle back into life and ministry in the States. At the same time, we’re trusting God to continue building His church in Kovol, even through unexpected changes.