The following story was related to me by Wopa Eka, translator of the West Kewa New Testament. It happened, as near as I can tell, sometime in 2010.

Rai-aapim poasimi-na remaa apo lagialoda

I am telling you the story about them cutting me with an axe

Nina amaa apaa lapo lalo.

I am talking to my mother and father [Karl and Joice].

Nipi Gote-me puri ginalo beten latema.

We all pray that God will give the two of you his strength.

Nipina email go epena-laena, Jim-mi mea gialada orapi lalo.

Thank you for the email that you sent that Jim told me about and gave to me.

Famili medame kopi-re arere pua yada pisimi rabu no usa.

There in Usa one of the families were arguing about coffee and were fighting.

Panini yada pemega go ada yada na-pipape loa rikirana awa dia su rabu

Since they were fighting along there I said strongly that they should not fight and when I went and stood in the middle of them,

nina aame yomo-na waneme rai-gaapime epaa poasa.

my brother Yamo’s daughter came and hit me with an axe.

Gore ke-rai masanane poasa ora waru noa kupa wan hap lita rupa popesa.

Then the whole of the axe went into my back and blood flowed to the extent of one and a half liters.

Goa pua ni su-amaa lopoa omesuya, Naare ini laapona rupara.

Then I fell to the ground as though dead (they said).  It was about two o’clock when this happened.

Rai-gaapimi, uni para, kogapu para na-nisaya pare pa midina none naniasaya.

The axe did not hit my bones or veins [rope, so it could be arteries] but just went deep into the muscle.

Kagua sikiada kar amblens no usa pa yada pua ipisaya.

An ambulance from Kagua had just come and was at Usa.

Go rabu go kar-para ni madia painalo agaa misimi rabu e-sa.

When they asked if I could be taken in the ambulance the reply was “yes”.

Goa pua kagua sikiada pua rabusu. Nina kupa usa tu kagua go poranini pala-pi rupada popesa.

Then I went to the Kagua hospital. My blood kept flowing along the road from Usa to Kagua.

Kagua sikiada onaame raai-mi poae madare rabulamona mone k60.00 giaina simi

At the Kagua hospital they told me that I should give them K60 [about US $20] for suturing me.

na-gialidare na-rabutema simi. Pare ni mone meda ora diasapulu mada na-rabuta-pisimi

if you don’t give it we won’t suture you, they said. But because I didn’t have the money they didn’t suture me and left me.

pare go rabu naare-ini 6 kilok riba-talo palaina ona medame k60.00 epaa gua siki-ada kabaisa.

From then until 6pm it was like that and then a woman came and bought the hospital work for K60.

Gote-me kar no usa mea repariaya.

God had sent that ambulance to Usa.

Siki-ada kabape mone k60.00 ma-nagolabaisaya.

Without that K60 to buy the hospital nothing would have been done.

Goa pua Gote-me ni waru raba-mea. Pres God, ora epea paa.

But God really helped me. Praise God, for his good work.

Siki-ada eta na-giame pulu 5 weeks-na rupara siki-ada pirawa rabu

For 5 weeks when I was at the hospital because they didn’t give me any food

mone ora adape k472.00 rubua rekawa.

The total costs for stitching was K472 [about $155] when I got up

Rai-gaapimi poae parare kodo Nico Van-me page ini-mi ada.

Nico Van [SIL Regional Director] saw with his own eyes the scar from the axe.

Abiare nina kupa ora adape popesa pulu ni puri ora abi meape-naya.

Because I lost a lot of my blood I do not have my strength back yet.

Johnna Fenton para nipuna onaame page nipimi page beten waru laemeda orapi lalo.

I am thankful to Johanna Fenton and her people for their prayers for me.

Nimina laeme beten pagoa Gote-me ni raba-mea. Pres God, ora pia.

God heard all of your prayers and helped me. Praise God, my thanks.

July 28, 2010 rabu Hibru kos para wala epalua King Fil ne aa medame raba-meala.

On July 28, 2010 Phil King asked me to come to the Hebrew course with another man to help us.

Maik para kero ninaa baani nipuna nogo naki para Gote-me nimi surubena abi patalepapelo greetings apo repatoda.

Mike, Karol, my siblings and you children may God look after you. I send my greetings and say goodbye.

 

Johnna page lakepe. Gote-me nimu page surubena abi patepelo greetings apo rapatoda.

Tell this to Johanna too: May God look after you and I send you my greetings.

Abi patape. Gote rapu.

Goodbye for now.  Together with God.

 

Wopa Eka.

Wopa Eka