Chapter Nine: Love and Works
The cool of the evening had quietly arrived on the island and the village started to settle down. The five Americans joined Gamini in his hut. His wife, young son, and teenage daughter joined them in the common room. The brothers had brought their instruments. That was the first time they had them out since customs had pulled all their belongings out on the tables. Gamini’s hut was nice. It had thick mud walls that had been perfectly smoothed out when it was built. There were actual walls that divided the rooms. The common room and kitchen both had small cut-out windows. They closed the thin window covering for some privacy.
Gamini spoke softly at first. “You will play music with my children. Explore their songs, teach instruments and whatever need is to keep a busy noise. Do you have paper?”
This was the time that they all had been waiting on. The brothers knew they had something important on them, but didn’t know what or where. Ryan and Amy knew there was a mission involved somewhere too. The mystery was about to be solved.
“Wayne, hand me your bongos.” Bill took the bongos from Wayne and turned them upside down. He put his hand inside the opening and felt around. “No, not there,” he said. “Hand me the other one.” Wayne did as he asked. Bill did the same thing, but this time he began gently pulling something from inside the bongo, first one side and then the other. Taped to each wall was an envelope. He handed the bongos back to Wayne. When he opened the envelopes, Gamini gasped.
“This is it? This is the words you speak of to me?” He was so excited and childlike. He asked Bill if he could hold the papers. Tears came to his eyes as he held the papers to his chest. “Thank you God! Thank you God!” Gamini took the papers away from his chest and kissed them. His hands shook as if he were holding precious gems. He kissed the papers again. Expressive sounds of praise rose up from his very soul. The Americans didn’t need to understand his words. They understood his heart. They watched him as he was unashamed of his tears and worship. Amy cried with him. If they would leave at this moment, they already knew a life had been changed for eternity by their efforts.
Ryan tried to see what Gamini had, but could not. He mouthed the words “What is it” to Bill. He got up and moved closer to the others. “It’s the first thirteen chapters of Luke. Gamini has never seen a Bible before.” They all watched Gamini as he held the pages so carefully as if they were his most valuable possession. “There are not any Bibles translated into the Dhivehi language, which is why we are here.”
Softly, Wayne started tapping on the bongo. Mark picked out a harmonica and reverently started playing to the tune of Amazing Grace. Daring not to sing the words, the others hummed the tune with them in worship. None of them had ever seen such a response to a person seeing God’s word before. It didn’t matter that it was only half of a book either. The pages were holy in the hands of Gamini. Fifteen minutes passed, Gamini continued his silent praise and thankfulness to God as the tears that were dammed up in his eyes, finally spilled over. The rest of the world didn’t exist right now. They were all in the presence of God as Gamini whispered prayers and the others hummed in worship.
Ira could no longer hold their curious kids back. Mifrah, their four year old son, burst into the room running straight for his father. Gamini opened his eyes to see his boy staring, not understanding the emotion he was witnessing from his father. Sana, their thirteen year old daughter, watched the faces of those worshipping. She was nervous and uncertain of what was happening at first, but the peace in that room was undeniable. She didn’t want to leave. Amy motioned for her to sit down beside her. Gamini hugged his son and reached out for his wife. Ira came to him sensing the same presence of a God. This night would be remembered by everyone in that room eternally.
That is how the next two weeks went. Every day they were up early and straight to work on the new building. The Americans were joined by the village men who Ryan had befriended during his tree climbing and fishing ventures. Respect bonded them.
Ryan’s group was in charge of cutting down what the islanders called Jamdul or Dhanvah, which were simply trees. This wood was to be used for framing and boat-building, because it was durable and it was water and termite resistant. Of course, there were palm branches that needed to be cut for the roof. This became a game to the men. The competition always came down to two men, Ryan and Arzan. When the two of them climbed, all the others watched to see who would stand first at the top of the palm tree. The two young men were definitely well-matched in strength and ability. The brothers, Gamini and Bill did the framing and building of the walls.
Amy went with the women every morning to gather reeds for the mat weaving and extra for the building. Other village women continued making the coir rope. Amy was invited to go back to the marshes this time carrying baskets of freshly hulled-out coconut. She didn’t understand this process at all. Each of the women grabbed a yellow-tipped stick and began burying the shells and marking the place with the stick. She later asked Gamini the purpose of the whole bury and dig up procedures. He explained that burying the coconut shells in the mud for a couple of months was a way to loosen the coir fibers from the shell. It all began to make sense then. Amy finally understood how the fibers were pulled from the shell and softened by beating them, but they never did give Amy another chance at rope making. Mat weaving was all they trusted her to do during the rest of her visit.