Reading with Friends

Ananas comes by every weekend.  He’s from a village about 20 minutes away by car.  Ananas is probably in his 50’s or 60’s.  His skin is weather-beaten from his work as a farmer. 

Reading with a friend

I’m never quite sure what to do with him.  

He sells us eggs and bananas at a terrible price and the quality of the products are often sub-par.  It feels like charity really.  But Ananas is faithful to come each week and before he leaves we always pray together.  Where is his heart?  I don’t know.  Sometimes he seems genuine, other times he seems caught up in the things of this world.  I hear stories about him, but I don’t know whether or not to believe them.  For a long time I’ve wondered and pondered and thought, “Should I challenge him?”  Should I stop giving this charity?  Is there something I could do to find out more about his life?  Or should I just let it be?  Mostly I’ve been led to the conclusion to just let it be.  But recently we received some kids books.  

These books are wonderfully illustrated and in the local languages.  They tell the stories that are most dear to us.  We love to share these stories with islanders and this is a wonderful new way of doing it.  There are 25 of these little books, each a couple dozen pages long, with simple language and simple storytelling.  A few weeks ago I took one out and gave it to Ananas.  He loved it.  He read it without too much trouble and repeated the story back to me and then shared with me all the things he liked about the story—the truth he saw in it.  I was delighted.  Not only that he liked the story, but that it gives me something to do with him for the next 25 weeks—something that could be life giving, even if it does come in a small square book with simple stories.

Playing games with friends

Muki comes by at random times.  Mostly he comes by to get some frying oil.  He often brings a little plastic water bottle for us to fill.  Muki might be in his 60’s or older.  He is small and wiry, but strong.  Most times he’s got an impish grin on his face, spitting out bits of tobacco from between his teeth..  He still gets by as a day-laborer or doing odd jobs for people around town.  This has gotten harder as he’s gotten older—his body just doesn’t hold up the way it once did.  I’ve prayed for his knees and his back.  The knee pain was healed of after prayers.  We often have meandering conversations and he is another example of someone I‘m often not sure what to do with.  He takes pride in being able to read the island language passably well, so a few weeks ago I thought I would show him a book—just for him to take a look at.  But he enjoyed it so much he was determined to take it home.  I told him if he came back another day we could read another book.  Sure enough, he came back asking about it, so now I have something to do with Muki when he visits!

I used to see a lot of Mnyawe.  We had a regular weekly meeting with him and Bwe.  We would study and talk and pursue the truth.  But those times came to an end, and Mnyawe got busy when he found work as a fisherman.  I thought perhaps that was the last I’d see of him.  

I’m not quite sure what to do with Mnyawe.  He’s like a puzzle piece that doesn’t fit.  There is evidence of change in his life and a desire for it, and yet life goes on the same as ever.  Could I challenge him, or should I just let him be?  The other day he came over to help me out with something.  We had some time before we had to go off to the job, so I took out one of the little books.  He read it beautifully, told the story back to me and shared with me the light he found revealed in it.  I was pleased.  So I told him, if he came back I’d give him another one.  He’s been back once already.

These little story books have been a blessing—originally we thought of them as just for families with children. But even with these adult men, it’s something to talk about, something to make our time together valuable and give it purpose.  As I write this I find myself wondering, who else might like reading a story?

Do you ever get stuck with people?  Like you’re in a rut—you don’t have much to say to them or vice-versa but you just keep on visiting because—that’s what you do?  I don’t like being there.  It bothers me.  How do you get unstuck?  I’m not sure what this might look like in your context.  I doubt a children’s story book would work for most.  In many countries a children’s book in your own language isn’t anything special and would probably be seen as patronizing.  But here, children’s books are a novelty, and one in the local language is almost unique.  So, what could be a novel and unique conversation starter in your context?  

Yay! First lychees of the season!

PRAYERS ANSWERED
Our short-termer has been doing well. She has jumped into language learning and has been living with an island family. Tom got to see Fakhadi who has barely been leaving his room for weeks. Tom found him more open than he has ever been. He shared some stories with him and was able to pray for him. The next day he came to our English Club for the first time in a couple months. There is definitely things going on in his mind and heart— please continue to pray for him. Our prospective team member has decided to come on a vision trip. She comes next week! We are thankful for this progress and the movement towards a decision about where she might be longterm. Also on a lighter note— lychee season has begun. It’s short and it’s sweet and we eat lots of lychees which makes us happy. Also, Thanksgiving is coming.  Happy Thanksgiving Everyone!

PRAYERS REQUESTED
The medical team were surprised to learn that the head guy at the health ministry that they had talked to in the past was moved to another job on another island. So they ended up meeting with a completely new person who doesn’t know anything about them. Please pray for them as they wait to hear back from this new health guy and that everything would be cleared for them to start working at the hospital on the south side of the island in December as planned. Pray that they would find favor with all the health administrators on the island. One island sister wants to encourage more corporate prayer and fasting— please pray that God would show a clear way forward in the midst of security concerns and difficulties hosting big groups. Please be praying for our island sister ‘Dunga’— her extended family had a gathering to confront her about her beliefs. She was able to speak and clear up some misunderstandings, but the meeting was left with them saying that they would give her time to change or that she would have to leave the family house. Pray for her whole family— pray that she would have peace and a love in her heart for her family members and that she would be able to show it in a way that breaks down barriers.