Language
Training & Cultural Experience
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| Stairs cut into the red earth |
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| Bubbles are always a big hit |
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| School kids on the road in Ambang |
A few days after arriving in PNG, we made our way to the bush
village of Ambang for four days of language training and cultural experience.
Traveling north of Kudjip past tea fields and coffee plantations, the road
climbed into the mountains that separate the Waghi valley where we live from
the more remote Jimi valley. Upon arriving in Ambang, our friends the Mason’s
delivered us to the Ethnos360 (formerly known as New Tribe’s Missions-PNG)
station. Levi and Robyn Lenz have lived here with their 4 children for the last
8 years working with people from the village translating the New Testament into
the local Tok Ples (heart language).
We were here to begin to learn Tok Pisin,
the
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| New friends in Ambang |
language that is used by all the people groups of PNG. Stephen, a patient,
gentle man who lived next door to the Lenz’s, was to be one of our language
helpers during our stay. Giving us a tour of his garden, Stephen pointed out
the names of the bountiful plants that grew there. Soon we settled down to the
business of learning the words, phrases, and correct pronunciation of Tok
Pisin. Later that day we were introduced to Gabriel Mara who walked with us
along the main road of the village where we were warmly greeted by many of the
local people. After belo time (lunch),
we enlisted the services of Daniel and Matthew, the Lenz’s sons, for a hike to
the river. Down steps cut into the red earth, through gardens of tapiok, taro,
and kaukau (sweet potatoes), past
homes with barking dogs and kakaruks
(chickens), we finally arrived at our destination. The boys played in the pools
around the giant boulders and fast flowing water, while Brenda practiced her Tok Pisin with a woman washing her
clothes. Daniel and Matthew are not
lacking for activity here in the bush of PNG. With a river to explore, homemade
live traps to set, slingshots to use, and giant bats buzzing your outdoor
hammock in the middle of the night, who needs TV!
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| Sunday school in the grass hut |
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| Church service in Ambang |
The clanging of the hammer on the tire rim was the call to
church the next morning. After a time of singing, the kids left for Sunday
school. Brenda accompanied them to the grass hut where they sang and had a
Bible story about Elisha. Stephen led the service using Romans 8 translated
into their Tok Ples. The service was a mix of reading, Stephen elaborating, and
both men and women speaking up to exhort and encourage each other. Robyn and
Levi are passionate about discipling these people, and it is obvious these
people are passionate about living out God’s truth in their daily lives.
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| Shoes are removed before entering church |
After returning to Kudjip, we began meeting each day until
school began with our language helper, Sarah. We have a long ways to go in our
journey of learning Tok Pisin, but our new friends are very patient, forgiving,
and helpful to us!
