PNG TIME

ipblocker

9/19/2013

Kids



This child is dressed up for the PNG independence day celebration.

Notice the lack of smile.

also here


notice, no smiles, although on the left, she is klostu (close to smiling)


Having worked in Children's ministries for years before coming here, I have all kinds of tricks up my sleeves to engage kids, make them smile and laugh, make them sit and listen, etc.  Upon arriving in PNG one of the things I noticed that many people had not, is that at a very early age, PNGians learn not to smile, and then a few years after that, they scowl.

They don't do this because there is bitterness in their hearts.  In fact I don't know why they do it.  They have tough lives, and culturally a smile is not considered polite. 

In the U.S. when you smile, it's polite, you smile and wave hello, and you don't stare.

Instantly you'll feel the culture clash when you visit PNG as you notice, smiles are rare, furrowed brows are common, and people have no problem staring.

It doesn't mean to them what it means to you.  It's not impolite, it's not anger, in fact, in some tribes, smiling while showing teeth, is an act of aggression.

Anyway, as you can imagine, it makes my heart sad to see children reach the age where they stop smiling, stop giggling, stop laughing.  But, it does it that much MORE delight when they do laugh and smile (which happens, just not as often as you'd want).

So whenever I get the chance, I like to make the kids smile and laugh.  Even if I'm just passing them on the road.

Some of my most memorable moments are when I've been in the middle of a crowd of hundreds of Papua New Guinean children, and they all suddenly start laughing in one huge voice.  

Sydney and I were involved in a puppet show some time ago.  I was security and videography, Sydney was one of the puppet actors.  There had to be 700 PNG kids there, and I was standing in the middle running a video camera on a tripod.  And suddenly... this thunderous laughter happened all around me.... it was so awesome I was nearly moved to tears. 

The kids were so attentive to the Gospel story presented by puppets.  Something that we used maybe 10 years ago in Children's ministries.... that today would barely hold the attention of a U.S. kid for 15 minutes.  They were hypnotized for over an hour..... laughing, singing, listening.

It was something to behold.