A Fool Speaks Before he Listens
Watch this video about our ministry strategy to see a mature church established among the Uruwa people. You will also see pictures from a church in a neighboring people group, Dinangat. Lord willing, one day the Dinangat and Uruwa churches will meet together for fellowship and strengthening of one another.
Their brows furrow as the confusion sinks in. This is the fourth group that I have asked and the response is still the same. I have asked about the idea of something ‘pure’ to many people. The trade language word is ‘Piwa’ but among the Uruwa it never seems to land (so far). If anything is said examples are given along the lines of: “Just water.” “Only Lime.” Of course, you and I know that this doesn’t quite hit the button of ‘Pure.’ It will be an important concept to communicate one day as we teach about God’s holiness and also his standard.
Important semi-abstract concepts like this remind me of the importance of our time learning the Uruwa language before we communicate the most important message in the world with them.
“It just sits there and rots?” I say, and with a big grin on his face Soke responds, “Exactly, it just sits there and rots.”
This is what the Uruwa call tithing. What little people know of Christianity here is often pasted over a deeply animistic worldview (that we are currently discovering). This is why many people in Uruwa take a portion of their crop and set it in the crook of a tree or even make a raised covered table for it to sit and rot on, so that God will accept their “tithe” and thus bless their new garden with abundant growth. We believe it will take a deep understanding of their language and culture to overcome such misunderstandings.
Prayer and Praise
Thank you for praying for our team as we learn language. A little over a month ago we had our first language evaluations. Luke got level 4 of 9 and Jess received level 2, almost making it to level 3 at that time. Our co-workers who are in the tribe with us received level 2 and level 1. We will need continued prayer for the Lord to help us as we dive deeper into grammar and continue to expand our vocabulary. Also please pray for us as we learn the culture here.
Please pray for continued opportunities for Christ to be shown in our lives to the Uruwa people.
The Uruwa language varies slightly from one village to another. Please pray for God’s wisdom for our team in what that will mean for for future literacy classes and Bible translation, as well as for our own language learning now.
Pray for Vinom, Ben, Celina, Soke, Naomi, Nyali, Yuwing, Ambon, Sem, Gonge, Monibu, Dominke, Yongin, Dot, Dono, Eni, Siusi, Metrix, Jonathan, Jeu, Gaus, Lunsi, Ruti, Evilin, Jaylin, Mono, Guong, and many others that the Lord would prepare their heart for the day when we get to share about Jesus with them.
Pray for Nusu, Numonek, and other deaf or hard of hearing people in Uruwa. There are many people of this sort and we pray that God would guide us in how to show them the truth one day.
Please pray for our team to remain strong and unified in the Lord as we work together and make many decisions.
Pray for the continued strengthening of our walks with the Lord as well as our marriage.
Want to receive more frequent updates and prayer requests? Join our prayer group via Facebook or e-mail:
Jess:
imessage: +67570243653
whatsapp: +18165207474
email: jessica_thek@ntm.org
Luke:
imessage: +67570245656
whatsapp: +18054236830
email: luke_thek@ntm.org
