Kevin's Sursurunga Village Experiences
I had heard stories about the Sursurunga people but the time came to go meet them. Half the way was on paved roads but the other half made for a long ride on bumpy roads and rickety bridges. We finally arrived in the Sursurunga area but it took a while to get to our final destination because we had to stop and greet people along the way.
At Himau Village we stopped to greet Gertrude's adopted mother, Tumsup. Both of them cried for joy to see each other again. And everyone we met seemed pleased to meet me. It had been nearly ten years since Gertrude had been there so we stopped all along the way to greet Gertrude's many sisters.
At last we made it to Don and Sharon Hutchisson's house. They are nearing completion of the Sursurunga New Testament. I rejoiced to hear English again. Up to that point, I had not understood a word of Sursurunga that Gertrude was speaking with everyone. Not long after we arrived we attended a big feast. There were eight large pigs and three smaller ones that had been roasted on hot stones. The men and women sat in separate areas. Thankfully, Don sat with me to explain what was happening. Breadfruit leaves functioned as plates; these were served up with generous portions of pork, sweet potatoes, and yams which we enjoyed very much.
Later, there was a constant flow of people coming and going from the house to visit with us. One of the highlights of our stay was to visit the school that Gertrude helped to start in 1991. It was exciting to see and hear about the impact that the school has made on the lives of the children. Students have a greater appreciation of their own language. They are doing so much better in their studies since they start learning in Sursurunga instead of English only. Everyone complained about our short stay but now I can put some faces to the people that I have heard so much about.
Created on ... March 15, 2005..................................Last edited March 20, 2005