The excitement in the village was evident from the time missionaries Jonathan and Susan Kopf awoke.
Yesterday was the first day of literacy classes for the 13 Hewa students chosen by the people, and the ten men and three women couldn't wait to begin.
Throughout their time with the Hewas, the missionaries have encouraged the people to make their own decisions. Besides choosing the first students, the people selected the site for the classes to be held.
The Kopfs were pleasantly surprised that their "haus win" -- a gazebo-like structure where people can get out of the hot sun and rest a while -- was the selected site. The missionaries only have to go out their front door to begin classes.
The first lesson for the people was an introduction to books and how to hold them right side up. Without even that basic knowledge many began by holding their books upside down.
The next item of teaching was to show the students the pattern of reading, from left to right and from the top of the page to the bottom. Something that might seem so simple is a foreign concept to people who have never held books in their hands or written even a single letter of the alphabet.
The first day progressed to where the students were writing their first two letters in the Hewa alphabet. As expected, their first attempts were like preschoolers, but by the end of class their work was more refined.
The Kopfs considered it a good start for the students who will be trained as teachers for future classes.
It was an exciting day for the Kopfs, exciting from the response to the very first question that was asked the students: "Why do you think it is important to learn to read and write?"
The quick and emphatic response: "Because we want to read God's Word."
"That was music to our ears," the Kopfs wrote.
Pray that the students will persevere in their learning. Pray too for a clear and accurate translation of the Scriptures in the Hewa language.
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