I was excited to suddenly hear that I could go, since we were previously told it would be limited to those who had not yet gone. My biggest concern is the actual travel -- I'm still sore from the prior trip. My lower back and hip are out, and my butt is actually bruised. First I hear that the trip is 6 hours (too much for me to physically cope with, in the back of the flatbed truck, without a seat), but then I hear 4 hours, then 2, then 3...
After some confusion about the meeting place, we make our way with our knapsacks and water to the trucks, only to stand and wait. Apparently, the man that was supposed to visit the village ahead of time to tell them we were coming left too late yesterday to come home (by bike) before dark, so we need to wait for him to return before we are allowed to leave, to make sure the villag will be expecting us.
As we are waiting to leave, I ask the Bible students (native Mozambicans) to help me with some Makua. The guy I ask first tries to explain the difficulty to me: he only speaks English and Portugese (and probably a tribal language he doesn't bother mentioning), while the ones who speak Makua don't speak English. As he explains who speaks what, he gestures to one fellow who speaks Portuguese and Swahili, so I politely say Jambo to him. They all act as if I have done something brilliant. I guess they are so used to Americans who don't bother to even try learning anything besides English, that one word of Swahili puts me ahead of the crowd. Given that I'm speaking to people who average at least 3 languages, I feel a little silly, but at least it somehow serves to communicate to them that I'm serious about trying to learn something.
I had written a few English words or phrases in my little notebook and they hand it around trying to translate them for me. It takes two or three (one to translate the English to Portuguese, one to translate Portuguese to Makua, and one to figure out how to write it down).
When we finally pile into the truck, I make a point of sitting next to one of the Makuans, to try to pick his brain on the way. Since we don't share a language, I have to resort to asking in Portuguese, which of course I don't know. I hope I'm not inadvertently saying anything rude! But he takes pride in the fact that I write down everything he says. He seems content for me to write phonetically. Even among the Bible students whom I originally asked back at the base, there seemed to be some confusion about spelling. I suspect it is because most people simply have no need to write, and may not even be familiar with the official spelling, which adds letters that I don't hear when they speak. Using the truck for a language lesson also adds the sound of the wind whistling by, but at least my new friend is a captive audience and patiently keeps trying to answer my questions. He's the one shown in the photo at the beginning of this paragraph, and he's also seen about 30 seconds into this little video. The video also gives a little bit of the flavor of travelling in the camion.I finally end up with the following list of words and phrases. This language is so obscure that even when I return home and try researching it on the internet, I cannot find a dictionary or a phrase book.
Thank you. KoshuKUroo
Where is the pain? eNOWereeani VaEE?
Do you feel better? ohhoVOna?
Yes. AyEE
No. MENa
Hello. SaLAMa (used throughout the orphanage)
Excuse me. KIlehvehLEHleh (used when the truck goes over a bump and your body crashes into the person next to you).
What is your name? un CHEEna natepani? (some people seem to pronounce this more like SEEna and some like CHEEna)
Glory to God. Mi weh MOHlooma amooLOOkoo. (I got several versions of this phrase -- I have no idea why they are different).
Jesus, savior -- Yesu maw POLi.
Jesus loves you. Yesu maw FENda. or: Yesu unu nu fena a tu oh teh. (again, no idea why they insisted on two different variations).
Where are you going? Un RHAvai?
Demon be gone. Jacera oo kumnay piaro.
Do you want to receive Jesus as savior? Ki non pela yesu Chriso moh poli?
Very good. KeeOHsukOOru. (this sounds suspiciously like the word for 'thank you', so I don't know if the pronunciation difference I'm hearing is truly a different word, or if I'm just not understanding)
Come Holy Spirit. abooeeheeeh nehpa daketeefo.
Jesus is with us. Yesu Chriso rhinehevano.
Jesus heals. Yesu Chriso navONia.
Jesus will wash you with the blood. yesu honerapEEha nee pomeh yoaria. (I'm not sure what this one really means, but my Mozambican friend really wanted to teach it to me and insisted that I write it down. He tried to explain to me in Portuguese and I think he was saying the word for wash, and when I mimed washing clothes he seemed satisfied...)
How are you? Muharoo?
Before I know it, we have arrived at the village, where we receive a friendly welcome. There is a short church service where the local church leaders are introduced, as well as the village leader. The mayor tells us through an interpreter that we are welcome visitors, and that we should feel free to return any time, even every day. I suddenly am unaccountably teary, at the generosity of these people. It is great to feel that we are welcomed by the village, not just by the church, and indeed the whole mood here is easier than in the last village. Of course, we need to bring the Gospel to the dark places too, but for now I'm just grateful at the welcome.
