Traditional village life in F__ village

Bark containers and woven net bags. Houses tied together with vines. While we race ahead with wireless technology and bluetooth (whatever that is) people still cut meat using knives made from cassuary bones and hunt and gather in F__ village.

Teaching at F___

The church is the best built building in F___ and this is me teaching. Contrast the church building with the traditional houses in the community.

I brought a generator and projector and showed some films as well. After the 3rd film finished, the people asked for the films to be restarted (since this is the first time almost all of them had seen a film) and they rewatched these films again... about 7-8 hours worth of film within 2 nights, plus 5 sessions of teaching.

I was recovering from falciparum malaria, but their zeal really helped me to forget my fatigue. Only if everyone were so eager to hear the Word.

Croc season is starting!

Be careful where you bath in F__, it is prime croc hunting locale and this month starts the prime time for hunting them.

But, it is not all bad. Croc skins help support the local church and community. Skins that are shipped out and sold on the coast fund a local teacher and the community is redoubling their efforts to get more crocs and fund translation of the Book into their language.

The F--- People's gift of food to us, and a pic of the ceiling

The F____ people brought us their local food, in their local "silverware". The pulp of a local tree is mashed and filtered with local river water and then heated by adding hot rocks down into this thick goop. The meat is wild jungle pig, cooked over an open fire. Use a knife to cut the hair off before you eat the meat underneath.

Also, I added this pic of the view of a ceiling...bows and arrows and smoke-covered grass as the roofing material. The smoke actually accumulates and helps to seal the roof from rain leaks.

Medical needs among the F___ people

This man spends most of his time sitting by the fire.

Why?

Because the smoke keeps the flies and bugs off of his rotting flesh.

The sickly-sweet smell of infection attracts insects and flies, which lay eggs in the wound and cause further pus and swelling. He is forced to spend his days by the fire, keeping his mangled foot over the smoke.

He slipped badly and fell on a sharp branch several years ago, a nasty gash and wound which never healed and which infection further disfigured.

We are planning to boost his diet to strengthen his weak body and then ship him to the coast to have surgical cleaning and care of this wound. His foot might be saved, but it is doubtful. Life-threatening infection is a constant threat.

If anyone is interested in helping out with the medical costs, email me.

F___ Tribe, language project

They gave us a warm welcome and even smeared mud on us in appreciation at our coming.

I am standing in front of a local house.

The F language project

B____ has graduated from a literacy course and a writer's workshop - another small success along the way. Also, others have been recruited to help in the translation of the F__ language.


In the picture B___ holds up the very first typed stories in the F___ language ever printed in the history of the world! The content? About pig hunting and B__'s first ever school experience. He is also compiling his people's myths, legends and oral history.

The F language project

Lot's of hard work ahead, but these local guys are determined.

The Peanut's New Desk

Doesn't he look studious?


Of course, he does not want it in a corner of the room. He wants the desk in the smack dab middle of the flow of human traffic - right through the kitchen!


Also, he is undergoing hand-dominance confusion right now too, and righty-hand and lefty-hand are duking it out... we are waiting to see which side wins. I am voting for left hand dominance, but the left hand carries distateful hygience stigmas here (for reasons you might be able to guess in the Third World)

The two babies compared

The Peanut was quite chubby and round, with little hair. Baby Sister is more petite, with a cute little curl. It was fun looking at Big Brother's pics from 2 years ago, though. Maybe another comparison will be due in another 2 years.

Peanut modeling the geckos he caught

The Peanut is crazy over geckos!!!

We hunt them every night.

We are becoming efficient gecko hunters, as evidenced by our Tub O' Gecko pictured above.

Last week we bagged 20 within 2 hours.

Who needs toys when he has wriggling little friends (although gramma and grampa's robot still is competing for tops in the Peanut's little world).

Big Brother and Baby Sister ready to swim

SPF 50 sunscreen? Check. Hats? Check. Cute smiles? Check.