* * * A DIFFERENT STORY * * *
February 2009
Kalina and Tama’ye used to live in a mud-and-thatch house located along the outer edge of the village. One of the main trails to the river happened to lead right past their house, and when going to and from the river we would often find them working outside, scraping away the persistent weeds that dared spring up, or keeping their dirt yard swept clean of debris, or putting the finishing touches on a new paddle or fish spear.
Their house wasn’t very big, but it seemed to always be a bustling center of activity as a steady stream of people stopped in to grab a bite to eat from the seemingly bottomless fish pot, or to practice reading, or to just chat and while the time away.
When Bible teaching began in the village, Kalina took it upon himself to keep the meeting room clean and comfortable, at least to jungle standards.
During the teaching he would sit at the front of the room, tracking so intently that he would sometimes blurt out the conclusion of a thought before the teacher could.
Tama’ye, though, presented a different story, or more accurately, an indifferent story. She just didn’t seem to care at all about the Bible teaching one way or the other. She attended the meetings, but more as a social exercise than anything.
Her husband Kalina and her children were quick to embrace the Gospel, but Tama’ye was a different story. She initially showed little inclination to put her trust in the God of the Bible. Thankfully, over the course of time she also became convinced, and joined her family in believing. No one guessed that her faith would be the first to be put to the test.
Not too long ago, she fell ill. Initially no one was overly concerned, but as days dragged into weeks, the tribal people began realizing that something was seriously wrong with her. The village medic didn’t have sufficient training to diagnose her sickness, so her family loaded her onto a dugout canoe and made the three-day trip out to town where they hoped a cure would be prescribed; it never was.
Eventually, after having spent months taking their mother to doctors near and far, and having exhausted their financial resources and medical recourses, Tama’ye’s two sons were left with little option other than to take her back to the village so she could die among her own people.
Her family was distraught, but once again, Tama’ye was a different story.
She told everybody not to be sad; that she would soon be in heaven with God and that she was happy and they should be, too. Choosing to ignore a long-held tradition of her people, she said she didn’t want to be buried with her valuable possessions, but that her family should take all that was hers and use it when she was gone. A few days later she died. Although Kalina and others in the family and village still feel her absence deeply, they can’t help but thank God for the hope that Tama’ye both felt and shared in her final days.
Please be praying for Kalina and others who continue to adjust to life without Tama’ye. And thank you for the role you’ve played in bringing the life-changing message of hope to this tribal family.
Davey and Marie Jank
Joe and Jackie Bruce ...equipping believers for cross-cultural ministry 
