Issue #23, Christmas 2008

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olson family

Just the other day we had an interesting event in our village with the tribal people –

Friend, we have no food. All our money is gone, and all our rice is gone. We have eaten all our potatoes, and there are only a few vegetables and bananas left. Will you help us please?

If Palawanos were straightforward and direct, this is perhaps what they might have said to us. Instead, it transpired more along lines like this –

 

Village lady:

Hi friend! Good morning!

Missionary:

Hello to you, friend! How are you this morning?

Village lady:

O we are doing ok, friend. You see here my rash is getting better.

Missionary:

It does look better, friend. Here, friend, would you like a drink?

Village lady:

Yes, friend, thank you. Do you see, friend, as I take this cup that my hand is shaking?

Missionary:

Yes, friend, I see that. How long has it been doing that?

Village lady:

Well, friend, about 2 days, since my rash has been starting to get better.

Missionary:

Friend, are you feeling better? Have you been able to eat without throwing it up?

Village lady:

Yes, friend, but the problem is, my stomach hurts because we don’t have any food to eat.

Missionary:

O really, friend? You don’t have any potatoes left?

Village lady:

No, friend. They are all gone now.

Missionary:

Well, friend, do you think your husband could walk downriver to the town to buy some rice for you and your children?

Village lady:

He can’t, friend, because we don’t have any money. In fact, no one in the whole village has any money, and everyone is out of food.

V. grandmother:

Yes, that’s right. We are all out of food, and all out of money.

 

From that point led to a village discussion into how they were going to get some food for the time being, and how we were to be involved. They know the jungle well and how to get food from it in times when their crops have not done well, but it is not easy for them, and the jungle only yields a little for them to eat.

 

Here we are at the end of 2008! It is almost Christmas as I write this, and we are rejoicing in the provision of our dear Savior’s birth! This was our 2nd year in the Philippines, a year of transitions. From the big city of Manila to the Palawano jungle tribe, this has been a year of many changes. Here is a summary:

 

-          May 2008 – Finished Tagalog studies and made initial move into the Palawano tribe.

-          June 2008 – first task in the tribe – to paint, repair, and build furniture for our house, formerly occupied by some other missionaries. First week – 3 emergency medical flights and a baby dies.

-          July 2008 – We return to Manila to move out of our house (which we are still paying rent on). We pack, sell, and give away.

-          August 2008 – Isaac moves into the dorm. We return to the tribe.

-          September 2008 – After 1 week we receive a report of some peace and order problems. We are forced to do an emergency evacuation. It looks like a possibility that we will have to leave the Palawano ministry.

-          October 2008 – The peace and order problems settle down around the country. Through much prayer, we decide to continue in the Palawano ministry and make plans to return.

-          November 2008 – We return to the Palawano tribe and spend the last 4 weeks alone there without our partners.

-          December 2008 – A couple of big events described below:

o   A family has their first baby. After 2 hours of 6 or more men pushing on the woman’s stomach (the way they do it here), the baby comes out, but is still-born. The cord was wrapped around his neck.

o    An invasion of centipedes in our house – the fast aggressive type that bite the moment they touch you. One falls on my neck and bites me. Villagers say my skin will soon turn rotten. Hot water and benadryl, and no more problems.

o   We receive word that Ginny’s mom is sick and in the hospital. Ginny flies home to Texas to help take care of some things with her family over Christmas.

 

Ginny is back in Texas now, and the rest of us are back in the capital for Christmas and our annual field conference! It it nice to see Isaac again, and to take a break from the constant demands of the tribal ministry! While we are out we ask for your prayers for the Palawano – that they will be safe from sickness while we are gone, and that we will all be able to get back real soon!

 

As you read above, our Palawano friends we live with are without the provision of abundant food, and are still without the provision of abundant salvation through Christ. Please pray for the day we will be able to teach them about this incredible gift God has given them!

 

So as remembering all that God has done to make us all part of His family, this Christmas remember us also as we serve Him bringing the message of grace to those who have not yet heard!

 

In Christ’s love

George (writing) & Ginny

Isaac, Sarah, & Abby

 

Oh, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments and His ways past finding out! "For who has known the mind of the LORD? Or who has become His counselor? Or who has first given to Him And it shall be repaid to him?" For of Him and through Him and to Him are all things, to whom be glory forever. Amen.

- Romans 11:33-36

We sometimes enjoy bringing people into our house and talking with them around the kitchen table.

There is a woman under there giving birth to her first child, with 6 guys pushing on her stomach during delivery, as is their custom. They are very much afraid that if there are less than 3 people pushing on the stomach, the baby won't come out.

Midita is very proud that she can remember how to read and write 6 months after her literacy class! Here she holds up a note she wrote - it was a story about preparing food.

Minan (Aunty) Mulok loves our kids, and as is custom, calls them her grandchildren. It was hard to say good-bye.

I had 2 guys make ladders out of bamboo and sticks tied together with vine from the jungle. Then I could climb up and repair the part of the roof that needed to be fixed. It was necessary to be barefoot on the ladder to keep from slipping, but it hurt my feet!!

A centipede just like this, but smaller, fell on my neck and bit me! Everyone in the village thought my skin would turn rotten, but hot water and benadryl cleared it up...