Living Waorani Style 2

Loren got to play in the river a game the team made up that was a mix between soccer and american football. Looked like so much fun! We had soccer tournaments that were going on with all the Waorani tribes represented at the Conference. Loren and I were on the Gringo-pare girls and guys teams.

During the week they found a lethal snake. If this thing bites you they said you would be dead in 20 minutes

. It was only by God's protection that the Wao killed it before it harmed anyone!

The Waorani men and youth broke up into their Bible study classes.

These women are literally racing to their Bible class destination to gain a prize. The whole time they were running by I heard them giggling and trying to keep their babies in the sling! Many of the young mothers I talked to who have one or two children are about 19 years old. If you see the lady in all blue: her ear lobes are all stretched out from the old tribal style. The new generation does not practice that anymore.

These children

are listening intently to the Bible story. Some of the younger ones do not know Spanish and only Wao. While others understand Spanish better and don't know much Wao. This proved to be quite the challenge to little ones' attention span as the teacher would have to give the lesson in both languages! The reason some children know Spanish better is because of school. Their schooling is all in spanish while their home life is all in Wao. Talk about third culture kids, you can even find them way out in the jungle. Loren and I can relate to how they feel with living in two languages growing up.

The greatest part about the conference was the 49 people who got baptized! Loren got to help baptize people. It was a great testimony of God's work!

I took this photo of this precious Waorani girl named Naida on Dan's (works at Youth World with us) great camera! Thank you to the US team and Dan for these great photos! It really captures the timid personality that most Waorani people have when you first meet them. Give them a few minutes, hours, or days to warm up to you and you won't want to leave! I enjoyed learning about their culture. Every tribe I have been around (Venezuelan tribes and others here in Ecuador) I have noticed how unique God has created them. One thing I love about the Waorani are their patience. Food might be right in front of them but they don't grab and run, they wait with hungry stomachs until the food is given to them.

Thank you for those who pray for us, in whatever ministry we find ourselves in!