Village Night

Every Tuesday night we go to a nearby village.  Last Tuesday was a bit different.  Usually the group that goes to the village splits off into two groups to share the Stories.  However, the group going out has grown too large for the two studies going on in the village, so it was time to venture out on our own.  We headed to our new village that we have adopted.  It is called Sirraphie.  Along with us we took a national partner named Sun.  She speaks the lingo, so we are able to communicate to the villagers.  Our plan was to wander around the village searching for what we call a “person of peace.”  This is a person who might be receptive to our story, but more importantly a person who is willing to accept us and be a peaceful liaison to people who will be receptive.

We have been in this particular village once before.  In fact, we got approval to teach English in the elementary school starting in May. 

Village School

Community Leader with J

Rotten soybean that we both had to eat

   

Our people of peace and new teaching home

Meeting with the school officials

So, we parked at the school and we headed in the direction toward the people.  After a brief conversation with an older couple, we found they were not a person of peace, however, they did invite us to eat dinner with them and stay at their home.  After walking past some mean dogs, we happened upon a simple street-side motorcycle repair shop.  A man was there, so we greeted him.  We talked to him and his wife for a while.  Then a man on a motorcycle pulled up.  He had something wrapped in a banana leaf.  He asked if we wanted to try.  We timidly accepted his offer.  It was called rotten soybeans (guess what is was).  As soon as I put it in my mouth, I was certain someone was going to jump out of the bushes with a camera to tell me what I really ate.  After regretting putting the horrible piece of inedible bean in my mouth, I tried to keep smiling, all along saying how delicious it was (OK, it was a little white lie).  We both struggled to get it down.

Getting invited in

It turned out that this man was the Community Leader, which means he is in charge of special events in the village.  He invited us to teach English to high school-aged kids.  We told him that we really wanted to teach His Word.  So, he thought about it and said, “No problem.  Teach some English and then teach about J.C.”  Then he asked if he could announce it over the village’s loud speaker.

That is a person of peace!  This Tuesday, remember us as we will be going back into the village to teach English and His Word.

Meeting place this Tuesday for teaching