Nau Yu Toktok

The people of Songum did not have a written language until 2005. They now have the book of Jonah in Sam (pronounced 'som' with a short vowel). There is a Wycliffe translator working on the book of Genesis and Luke now. He and his family live several villiages away from Songum with a people group who also speak Sam. [they are currently on furlough]

{storying with the young men}

The culture here is very much an oral one. Storying is the main pastime. Every night after we put the children to bed we would go outside to story. These people LOVE anything new you can tell them...We were bombarded every day with "nau yu stori! yu toktok!" (you story now, you talk).

Buai is always involved in story time, as is brus (tobacco). the people get their buai and settle in, they will listen and talk all night if you're game.

one thing i noticed right away about these people is how they have not lost empathy. when you tell them any thing they feel it with you. they are connected to one another and the land. there are no starving among them. no homeless. They take care of one another. they need one another.

it was nourishing to be a part of.

i am different now.

[tommorrow i want to update you on our family]