Nathan & Jennifer will be in Malakula (another island in the island chain that is Vanuatu) for two weeks, so there will be no new posts until they return. Hopefully, by the time they return, the computer cord I sent last week will be there and they will be back in business. Keep them in your prayers!!
Trica
Thursday, April 15, 2010
Friday, April 9, 2010
My Ni Van Friend
Her name is Harriett. She is tiny in stature, but has a smile that can quickly light a room. She is not loud or boisterous. She has kind eyes and a friendliness that does not hesitate to reach out.
She is the closest Christian neighbor we will have when we move into our house that is being build on the school campus. I liked her instantly and secretly hoped that we would become friends.
A couple days ago, Nathan and I went out to the land to start digging our septic system. Some men had volunteered and Harriet had come with her husband. I was beside myself that she had come and there was nothing for us to do. There were not enough shovels to go around.
We left the dirty work to the men and walked through the garden where she pointed out to me the tarro, and kamala which she said were Vanuatu's potato. I proudly told her I had already been cooking kamala and was delighted with the taste. We walked and talked and I began to feel as if I were back home again, spending time with a close friend! We chatted about normal things like cleaning up after our husbands, how many siblings we have, the children she has and the children I plan to have. We were talking for twenty minutes at a time, with me hardly realizing we were conversing in Bislama, until inevitably a sentence would come to mind that I couldn't figure out how to say.
This went on for a while, and just when I began to feel as if I were back home, it was time to make lunch for the men. We gathered wood and I watched the unique way the Ni Van women start a fire, then throw whole bananas on the open flame.
To her, we were the same - just two women sharing our pasts and our dreams for the future. It was a good moment for me. In a world where I can sometimes feel so different, I realized that we are really all the same. We all have hopes, fears, pain and joy. We were two sisters in Christ just sharing precious fellowship.
Later, when I was sharing my experience with Bryan Webb, he informed me that her marriage was arranged. She was purchased by the Visitation Pastor at Pastor Dick's church. Her husband prayed her through to salvation on their honeymoon night and she received the Holy Spirit the next week. Bryan went on to say that he has never seen anything but good Christian character in her. She and her husband still walk around like newly webs, very much in love.
In a culture so very different than mine, I am glad to have found a friend. She has offered to teach me to cook Vanuatu style and while I doubt Nathan and I will ever cook it in our own home, I am honored to spend time learning along side this beautiful little Godly woman. I am so thankful God sent me a friend and I look forward to many more 'girl' talks.
Jennifer
She is the closest Christian neighbor we will have when we move into our house that is being build on the school campus. I liked her instantly and secretly hoped that we would become friends.
A couple days ago, Nathan and I went out to the land to start digging our septic system. Some men had volunteered and Harriet had come with her husband. I was beside myself that she had come and there was nothing for us to do. There were not enough shovels to go around.
We left the dirty work to the men and walked through the garden where she pointed out to me the tarro, and kamala which she said were Vanuatu's potato. I proudly told her I had already been cooking kamala and was delighted with the taste. We walked and talked and I began to feel as if I were back home again, spending time with a close friend! We chatted about normal things like cleaning up after our husbands, how many siblings we have, the children she has and the children I plan to have. We were talking for twenty minutes at a time, with me hardly realizing we were conversing in Bislama, until inevitably a sentence would come to mind that I couldn't figure out how to say.
This went on for a while, and just when I began to feel as if I were back home, it was time to make lunch for the men. We gathered wood and I watched the unique way the Ni Van women start a fire, then throw whole bananas on the open flame.
To her, we were the same - just two women sharing our pasts and our dreams for the future. It was a good moment for me. In a world where I can sometimes feel so different, I realized that we are really all the same. We all have hopes, fears, pain and joy. We were two sisters in Christ just sharing precious fellowship.
Later, when I was sharing my experience with Bryan Webb, he informed me that her marriage was arranged. She was purchased by the Visitation Pastor at Pastor Dick's church. Her husband prayed her through to salvation on their honeymoon night and she received the Holy Spirit the next week. Bryan went on to say that he has never seen anything but good Christian character in her. She and her husband still walk around like newly webs, very much in love.
In a culture so very different than mine, I am glad to have found a friend. She has offered to teach me to cook Vanuatu style and while I doubt Nathan and I will ever cook it in our own home, I am honored to spend time learning along side this beautiful little Godly woman. I am so thankful God sent me a friend and I look forward to many more 'girl' talks.
Jennifer
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