This is a picture of me learning how to make "hat wara" or basically just soup. All that is in here is A LOT of greens called "tu lip" and a little bit of sago to thicken it up. But it takes a very long time to cook over a fire. It took several tries to get this picture as I had to educate my friend who was teaching me how to cook, how to take a picture. She took several pictures of my forehead and some without my head completely, but finally got this nice shot. Don't worry, I was a very patient teacher.
She was a very patient teacher as well considering I dumped about half of the contents of the pot into the fire while trying to stir it. It almost put the fire out and she had to work very hard to get it going strong again.
I had many experiences like this one while hanging out with these people. They may not know how to use my digital camera, but they have many skills that I do not posses. If they were to get lost in the middle of the jungle…well they wouldn't be lost because they know their way around the place like I know my way around Target. What I mean is, they have no use for Bear Grylls (is that how you spell his name? I can't google it to find out). They have hard core survival skills.
There were many times this made me feel very incompetent and inferior. Sure, I know where babies come from and how the internet works (sort of) but without all the modern conveniences that I am so used to, I would definitely die in no time.
I think this is the way it should be though. It keeps me humble and protects me from having a paternalistic attitude toward them (treating them like they are totally dependant on me). In fact, I do not want them to be dependent on me at all. I want them to need the Gospel and the Bible translated into their language and that is all. I want them to feel like they are taking care of me and my family while we are in their world giving them the one thing that they truly need. They don't need my wealth and all my junk. They don't even really need my access to health care even though I really want to help in that area. The truth is, I can give them all the materialistic crap I have and the best medicine that money can buy…but they will still die one day.
In reality I am very, very rich. I have the most valuable thing in the world, and I am responsible to share it. It is going to take a lot of hard work. Living in harsh conditions, learning a whole new language, translating the Bible. But the Lord says that to whom much is given much is required, and I got to experience the joy of a group of people who reaped the benefit of some other rich people who took that command very seriously. And it was the coolest thing I have ever experienced in my life.
Too bad the photo didn't work, but I completely understand you on appreciating their own kind of wisdom and feeling incompetent sometimes in their environment.
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