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Making New Friends


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Sehebwe is also one of the friendliest men we have met. With a smile like this, who could deny it. Now that we have a place set up that we can use as a base of operations, we have to start on the adventure of learning all we can about the world of the Maniwo people. This little marsupial escaped a few hours later. A couple of days later a little guy who looked suspisiously like this little fellow was not so lucky. After having his fur burned off in a fire he was eaten -- skin, bones, innards, everything! We also begin to gather language and develop friendships like Andy is doing here. They are monolingual so we have a long road ahead of us. Fortunately we have a linguist with SIL working in an adjacent dialect who has been an immeasurable help to us.
One of the things that speaks volume to the Maniwo people is showing care and concern for their medical condition. They seem to be very appreciative for anything we can do for them. We are not the only ones who have a long road of learning ahead of us. Piado found the mirror fasinating. Using a used razor blade he spuced up his looks. We didn't teach him to screw up his face like that though. It must be a natural inbred male trait. We also started our fist step in our literacy program by showing them picture albums. This is all new and exciting for them to realize that if you hold the book right side up the colored blotches actually look like people and animals from other places in the world. Now they are picture literate and their world is about to blossom. We build houses a little different from them -- so no doubt this holds a fascination for them.
These two men are the big wigs of the area. The one on the right has already started building a house closer to where we are at. One thing we always try to keep in mind is that relationships with the people come first. They have to take priority in everything that we undertake to accomplish. Whenever visitors from far awy come, all work comes to a halt while introductions are made and we get aquainted with them. Sometimes we have to go to them. This hike lasted for an eternity. We hiked down for two hours to this vine bridge swinging 50 feet above the Maniwo river.
The next 4.5 hours were spent going straight up to Sehebwe's village. Never did a village look so inviting to our aching legs. Sehebwe is a quiet but influencial man in the community. Next year he is hosting a pig feast that will bring people in from all areas. This should be a great time for gathering cultural information. Bupai offered us some sweet potatoes cooked in the fire. They tasted so good after such a hike as the one we finished. Ekeniai here is making a new bow. He traded the last one for a pot from us. We asked the men as best we could where the old man was who lived in this village. (Note his picture in the Maniwo archives).
They couldn't understand us and vice versa. We got the impression that he had died and they didn't want to talk about it. Our hearts sank until who should slaunter into the village but the very man we were hoping to see. His name is Maneapapa and his photo from my trip in a year earlier with Mike Moxness had challenged Andy to the Maniwo people. Now that we know his name won't you pray with us that he will live long enough to be able to hear the gospel. No greater thrill could there be in eternity than hearing his name being read from the Lamb's book of life. Pray as well for all of the Maniwo people that we would continue to be able to develop good relationships with them and one day be able to present the gospel to them.
They live scattered throughout the Maniwo valley in little huts like this. We've got quite a task ahead of us. Sehebwe and this young boy guided us back down the trail to our houses. Back over the same precarious bridges that we had crossed on our way there. It was good to be "home" again. Praise the Lord for the relationship He has given us with the Maniwo people.
Andy -- back to the daily "grind" of trying to learn the language. Who knows -- maybe I have my arm around the next "Apostle Paul" of the Maniwo tribe. Maybe one day we will see him standing before his people holding a bible in his own language and sharing a testimony of something that blessed him from the Word. So pray for the Maniwo people that they Lord would soften their hearts to the message of the gospel. And a BIG "Thank you !" from both the Maniwo people and from us in making this a possibility through your prayers and support.