HELEN REDMAN, DIRECTOR
NEWSLETTER
September 2005
|
HELEN REDMAN, DIRECTOR NEWSLETTER September 2005 |
Helen's Testimony Board Members Our Missionaries Bill Burch Stephen George Jun Javillo Eric Kurfman Our Children Haiti Hebron Philippines Monthly Newsletters Most Recent September 2010 Archive 2010 Index 2009 Index 2008 Index 2007 Index 2006 Index 2005 Index 2004 Index 2003 Index 2002 Index 2001 Index 2000 Index 1999 Index 1998 Index 1997 Index Books 
 Helen Redman For Christian Search Engine visit: CrossSearch ITINERARY Sept. 11 - Fairview Hgt.s , IL Grace Church, Pastor Hal Santos Sept. 16 - Reunion in O'Fallon, IL Sept. 18 - Reception & Book Signing Sept. 22 - Speak at Skiatook Christian Church Sept. 28 - Speak at Skiatook Methodist Church Oct. 3-5 - WME Mission Conference Nov. 3-14 - Paraguay, So. America Christian Missionary Association Webmaster |
|
NOV. 3-14 ACHE' TRIBAL INDIANS CULTURAL ROOTS The following information was sent to me from Stephanie Bryant. She and her husband are missionaries from New Zealand working with the Fostervold’s in teaching and training the Northern Ache’ tribal Indians on the border of Paraguay and Brazil. The problems a lot of women face as individuals are from cultural roots. In the forests, before they became civilized in the ‘70’s, they had a time of the “clubbing” different from clubbing now. However, they would use their unstrung bows to beat each other and others from other communities in a mock war or battle. I believe that in the culture ‘to survive’, a woman and her children needs lots of fathers to provide food for them which caused much hurt and community disruptions. As their culture expected congeniality for them to survive in groups of 15-20 (adults) in the forest. The way they vented their jealousy and hurt was for the men to have these ‘clubbings’. This was a terrible time of injury and the whole village was in an emotional up roar and turmoil. Men died or were severely hurt. The strongest (physically) survived and were not always the best men in the group. The women always went for or were attracted to ‘strong men’ who were good hunters and knew how to keep working when tired. Those who were less attractive as partners were those who could not be bothered to do what was necessary to look after family and women. Then things got unpleasant in the forest life. In their life time, the Ache’ were always on the run from Paraguayans and possibly others they believed would kill them or take their women and children. Keeping up was an essential survival ability. Rather than be left behind, they would plead to be buried alive. If it was a man who provided for women and family, to take the pressure off the other men and family, some of the dead mans family had to be buried alive with them. Unless a child had someone stand in for them and say “No, I will feed and care for this child”, three or so children could be buried alive with the provider that died. Can you imagine being a witness to all these things as children? The girls are also traumatized as a result of their culture which welcomes a young girl’s menstruation as a time she would become a woman. Menstruation in the forest was usually between the ages of 13 and 15 but now because of better nutrition they are having menstruation at the age of 9 to 12. The culture of taking or being given to men at menstruation carries on in their thinking. And this from the Fostervold’s: “Three decades ago the Ache’ owned a jungle that stretched unlimited where they could hunt and forage with its plentiful fruits and unlimited animals, but today this is but a distant memory that does not come back, no matter how much they wish that they could turn back the clock! Today they are obligated to learn how to “swim in our world” with its technology, farming techniques and global management programs in order to stay alive. The Ache’ leadership is under a burden and they are going through extreme anxiety as they try to come up with sustainable development strategies that somehow will give them the margin that will guarantee basic survival of their future”. I need you to be part of the team with your financial help of $3,500 toward the airfare and seminar expense. There are 3 kinds of missionaries. Those that pay, pray and go. Please pray what God would have you to do. Together we can make a difference in the lives of these Ache’ tribal women. |
||||||
|
Your financial contributions toward travel expenses for the seminars are greatly appreciated. Please designate on your check the seminar you wish to help with. We'd love to hear from you:
|