It's Been Awhile

Life in Kuyu is difficult to encapsulate into words. It's a tapestry woven from threads of joy and sorrow, survival and celebration, learning and unlearning. The past eight months have been a whirlwind of raw and unfiltered moments.

We have witnessed the miracle of new life and the sorrow of too many deaths. We have seen the relentless pursuit of survival as they hunt for whatever the jungle provides - creatures that crawl, run, and swing through the undergrowth. We have participated in marriage ceremonies, harvested the fruit of their gardens, aided in constructing their homes, and shared meals prepared over open fires.

With every sunrise, we surrender ourselves to the challenge and privilege of learning the Kuyu language and culture. We don't seek to merely convert them into followers of Jesus but to help cultivate them into mature disciples who can confidently handle the Word of God in their own language. It's a challenging journey, but we find our strength in the grace of the Lord, as we ask for His guidance and perseverance.

Our home, nestled in the heart of the village, is an epicenter of cultural explosion. We've learned to hold our plans loosely, surrendering our American ideals of order and predictability to the ebb and flow of the village's rhythm. There are days when our clumsy attempts at their language or unfamiliar ways provoke laughter, and we feel like toddlers taking their first steps. Other days, we encounter deep-seated animistic beliefs that obscure the Gospel truth, but these moments fuel our determination. Just a few days ago, we began treating a baby with severe pneumonia, only to find out that the parents didn’t follow our directions and instead sought out the local shaman. Their ancestral ways are deeply rooted, reminding us of the immensity of the task ahead of us.

In April, our language consultants flew out to Kuyu to evaluate our team’s progress and understanding of the indigenous language and culture. I reached level 4 of 9, while Morgan reached level 2 of 9. We were encouraged by our progress and are eagerly preparing for our next evaluation in September. 

Our coworkers, the Ames, are currently in the States for their home assignment, and the Devalves will leave in a couple of months as they await the arrival of their new baby. We too will be taking a brief home assignment to reconnect with our supporters, friends, and family in America from November to June.

Your prayers, letters, and packages have been a huge blessing to us and a source of encouragement during the highs and lows of bush life. Thank you for journeying with us as we navigate this wild, challenging, yet incredibly rewarding task.

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Please pray for us as we work to finalize the Kuyu alphabet and continue in language/culture study over the next few months. To see more prayer requests, click here.