Community Health Evangelism Training Continues

We have had a couple more days of good training by our CHE facilitators, Eric and Shannon.  David also got in on the action every once in a while.

On Wednesday we learned some interesting things about some of the villages and tribes our students come from.  They were telling us some of the odd beliefs they have grown up hearing in various places.  These were kind of like our superstitions, but some of them are taken very seriously.

For instance, in one tribe the number 9 is considered bad luck (well, worse than that!) They avoid the number 9 any time they can.  If they have a large taxi/truck and 9 people happen to get on, the driver will pick up a "stone boy" and put him in the taxi also. That way he has 10 riders, not 9!  (On the other hand, the number 9 is considered very lucky in Thailand, just the opposite!  This is because the new king of Thailand has 9 children, I am told.)

Another example of a false belief:  If a person wants to plant bamboo, they dare not do so until they have been married for 3 years or they have reached the age of 40.  A young single person would never think of planting bamboo because that may cause great injury or death.  Another belief:  if your palms are itching it can mean one of two things. If your right palm itches, you are going to get some money that day. If your left palm is itching, you are going to lose some money that day.

Some of these false beliefs can have a fairly serious impact. In one tribe it is believed that a new mother's first milk is actually bad for her baby.  We know, however, that just the opposite is true, so their babies miss out on the good God intends for them. Of course, in the CHE training the students are being taught how to address these false beliefs and ideas in a way that does not offend.

Thanks for continuing to pray for them as they continue learning many new things.