Nike Mentongwene (nee-gay men-DOENG-way-nay)
Some of the first leaders of Nike Mentongwene
"Moving forward." In Ngäbere, this phrase carries more meaning than just physical movement or going forward in time. It represents a grand ideal that all Ngäbe people strive for. We have seen this ideal expressed in other indigenous cultures as well. It is the idea that where we are now includes suffering, lack of education, sickness, hunger, loss of dignity, and hopelessness. Nike Mentongwene means getting educated, rising above the fray, getting ahead, becoming financially stable, providing for your family, and getting out from under the thumb of your oppressors (plantation owners, unfair traveling merchants, sexually abusive elementary school teachers, etc.). It is a feeling of shalom peace that Jesus came to bring to all mankind.
Nike Mentongwene is the name of the discipleship-education-development-cultural revival project that we are developing among the Ngäbe. We have already spread the vision to two different groups of leaders in key, central villages within the Ngäbe Comarca (reservation). They will begin to have after school meetings where the students will be taught stories, values, and language by a cultural elder in Ngäbere. The students will be taught Biblical principles by a culturally sensitive pastor in story form. Older students will help the younger with their homework. The leaders of Nike Mentongwene will begin making connections with the government and NGOs to secure scholarships for the students’ continuing education.
These two villages will be our prototype for the project. When they are up and running, we will invite leaders from other regions to observe and hope they will start similar programs in their villages. Though we do not live inside the Comarca, we are beginning to start a discipleship program for Ngäbe high school graduates in our area who are trying to get into college. I will be meeting with them regularly to pass on the vision, and hopefully raise up leaders for Nike Mentongwene.
We feel a sense of mission and permanence, really feeling that this project has the potential to create great change within this next generation.
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ALDEA Trips to Dominican Republic and Peruvian Amazon
The two goals for ALDEA are to spread the vision of culturally appropriate arts among Latino missionaries and to encourage Ethno-Arts among the indigenous leaders who live in Latin America. The next two trips John will take represent those two goals perfectly.
John, together with ALDEA member Pablo from Argentina, will share at the 25th anniversary celebration of COMIBAM on Nov. 7-9 in the Dominican Republic. ALDEA was given one of the few, coveted 2-hour break-out sessions in a 2 day conference. Our goal is to communicate the importance of Ethno-Arts to the top leaders of the most influential missions network of Latin America. Please pray for us to communicate in a way that these leaders will capture the vision and bring Ethno-Arts training to their regions.
Then for two weeks in January, John will be heading to the Peruvian Amazon, up a river that is close to the Waodani of Ecuador (End of the Spear). This project was the one John was going to go to in July, but got postponed until January. We got tickets in hand, so it is a go. This project represents the second goal we have in ALDEA. Please read here for more information. We are also thrilled to announce that Panamanian indigenous leader and one of my best friends, Tulio Rosales, will be coming along with me to inspire the Urarina.
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Daily Life
The last two months, Kristina and I were blessed to have both our moms come and visit for several weeks. It was a grandmafest for our kids and we got to do some much needed reconnection. John is steadily working on mid-terms in his goal towards a degree in Indigenous Rural Development. He was also able to teach at the OM missions training school and will be teaching on the YWAM Indigenous DTS next week. Kristina has her hands full as Titus is now walking and there are three small children all needing discipline, corralling, comfort, love, attention, feeding, and all that. I have been able to work from home a lot lately and I can see more than ever how hard a mom’s job can be. Won’t you thank the mother in your life today?
The kids are doing great.Titus turned 1 year old on October 6th! We love our family so much and love to see them grow up in a very different world than we did. They are learning cultural sensitivity, Spanish (and even some Ngäbere), and it all seems normal to them. Titus waves “hola” and “bye-bye.” Asher and Natalie are just starting to understand how they are Panamanian and American, but they recognize and are more excited at the sight of the Panamanian red, white, and blue, than they are of ours. It’s a unique and wonderful experience to raise third-culture-kids and we look forward to seeing the contribution to this world that they will be able to make with such a unique upbringing.
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