We are in Waingapu, Sumba, the capital of East Sumba District. 55,000 people live in our new home town. For the time being, we are staying in a hotel but are keeping our eyes and ears open for a house to rent that can double as an office for the project. This is a challenge as there is no newspaper or anywhere to place want ads. So we are dependent on our partner and their acquaintances to spread the word. This seems to be the preferred (and only) means of communication and we are learning that overall it seems to work fairly well. This is an important skill to develop as there is no cell phone reception or internet access outside of the town.
We went for an early morning walk today, while the temperature was still bearable. We saw some scenes that help describe life in this town. Most homes have a bit of a grassy area where they may have a horse or pig or two – no lawn mowers needed!
There are no by-laws to prevent this but we do wish the roosters would wait until a bit later in the morning to wake us up! The whole city comes alive quite early- again to beat the heat. Students attend school from seven in the morning until noon. The student drop-off activity entertained us as we stood and watched. We noted that very few people in this town have cars but most have a scooter or motor-bike. Young children, often more than one per family, are piled on to these and delivered to the school.
Our partner in preparing this proposal is the head office of Gereja Kristen Sumba (Christian Church of Sumba). They, along with our consultant, Iskandar, are arranging our travel to the villages and meetings with the village leaders as well as giving us the cultural background we need in order to function.
Add to that, they are very busy translating every Indonesian word addressed to us and every item on the Indonesian menus we hold. Not knowing the language is a big challenge and leaves us very dependent on others. We have been trying to learn a few essential phrases and words – especially words of greeting. Greeting is a strong value in this very friendly society. We have learned to say good morning, good afternoon, good evening and good night at the appropriate times as well as a short form of each. It’s a start!As the next few months unfold we hope to share with you some of the things we learn about the people that World Renew hopes to bless with food. So far, we have been convinced by data, stories and observation, that the villages recommended to us as the most food insecure, are indeed in desperate need of food. We are thankful to God (and totally dependent on His help) that through or work with World Renew we can be used to help these Subanese people.
Stay Tuned!