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More Seal Hunting

Published by S.M. Wibberley on November 22, 2020
More from the Add-on Eskimo as he hunts seals with his father.
 
They sat down on the ice to wait for a seal to pop up for air. One of the brothers got a fishing line out of his pouch. On the end of it was an old rifle shell with sharp wires shaped as hooks protruding from the opening; tied to it was a small red rag.
 
He went around the end of the ice pile where he could fish without disturbing the hunting. Lowering the line into the water, he jiggled it around a bit, then suddenly jerked it upward. It came out of the water with two small, sardine-like fish stuck on the points. They had been attracted by the dancing red cloth and circled around it to where the boy could catch them on the points. In an hour he’d caught about fifty of these little fish and put them into his pouch.
 
The Eskimos knew how to be patient. Waiting is important in the arctic, as rushing things can easily result in death in the harsh climate and dangerous conditions. Even the dogs were patient as they lay in their harness awaiting the trip home.
 
Okfagit was willing to wait all day, if necessary, for a seal to surface, but it was only two hours before the water rippled and a nose poked out followed by the sleek head of a ring seal. It drew a deep breath while Okfagit drew a bead on it and fired. The seal jerked and lay still.
 
Ayit came running with a float, which his father expertly threw out beyond the seal. Then he carefully pulled it back in on the leather line, hooking the float onto the dead seal so he could bring it to the edge of the ice. Then he took his staff and reached out the end with the hook to snag the seal and pull it up out of the water.
 
He offered the dead seal some fresh water, as a part of their shamanistic beliefs, an effort to appease the spirit of the animal just killed. This, they believed, would prevent the spirit from becoming angry and bringing disaster upon them. His sons then loaded the seal onto the sled.
 
The boy with the fish opened his pouch and offered some to his brothers and father. The fish were now frozen solid, but the Eskimos ate them with relish. The other way they liked them was when the fish were “mature”, having sat in a box near the fire for a couple of weeks. That gave them a particular flavor which the Eskimos loved.
 
Okfagit settled down to watch again and, and in the next three hours he got two more seals. Loading the last one onto the sled, they pulled the sled anchor out of the snow and headed home.
There Ayit’s mother and his two sisters would skin the seals and cut up the meat, which would then be put on a platform outside the house, a kind of natural refrigerator. After scraping the skins and washing the extra fat off, they hung them to dry on the side of the house.
 
In order to make decorations on their clothes, some skins were put out in the cold to bleach, either on frames or on poles.
They then took the intestines of the seals, washed them out and hung them on a line to dry. These would become raincoats. The intestines would be slit, laid flat and then sewed together to make a sheet, which was then made into a coat. It was tedious and delicate work, but Nisana and the other Eskimo wives were skilled at it from long practice.
The intestines naturally let liquid pass out through their walls but not in, so, as a raincoat they would let sweat and moisture out but prevent any water from passing in, keeping the Eskimo dry. Such a raincoat was light, easy to carry and when in need, it could be eaten!
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Settling in in Savoonga

Published by S.M. Wibberley on November 21, 2020
Since I didn’t have much to unpack, it didn’t take long.to settle in. I looked again at the “honey bucket,” and noted the can of pine oil to pour in it; I supposed that would keep the odor in check. Since I had often used the outhouse on the farm, this was not going to be a hard adjustment. At least there were no flies here.
 
I went outside and walked around my little house. The Tundra was muddy, explaining why all the houses were interconnected with boardwalks.
 
I noted that the drainpipe from my sink ended one foot outside the wall; the water would just run out on the ground. Basic, simple, easy to maintain. No OSHA regulations here to interfere with life. Later I found that I had to periodically go out and break off the huge icicles that would form on the pipe in the winter so the water could drain out.
 
I walked over to the edge of the steep bank that went down to the sea. The wind blew cold and strong in from the Arctic Ocean. There was a narrow beach of black volcanic sand with a number of aluminum boats lying on it. The waves rolled in one after the other and were split by the point of land sticking out into the sea.
To my right were wooden racks holding several walrus skin boats. Beyond them were sled dogs chained to their little houses. They greeted me with challenging barks, causing the sea gulls to rise up and wheel overhead.
 
“Well,” I thought to myself, “There are going to be a lot of challenges in these coming days.” Very prophetic words.
After supper Jim took me to my classroom, which was in a Quonset hut left over from WW II. This was actually the National Guard Armory and played an important role in US security. Since this Island was one of the closest to Siberia, the Eskimo National Guard played a significant role in monitoring radio traffic and activity in this area of the USSR.
 
Jim gave me one day to prepare lessons and then we plunged in. I had 6th, 7th and 8th grades in one classroom, thirty-two students in all. As time went on I found that the spectrum of abilities actually ranged from first grade through eleventh! Plus my students all spoke English as their second language, with the range of English language skills going from zero to perfect.
 
I had no experience, no training and no idea how to proceed. Having three grades at the same time meant I had to give some kind of class work to two while I taught the third. Then give that third class some work while I taught another. It was literally a three-ring circus.
 
I had responsibility for all subjects and had to prepare as many as sixteen lessons each day. I struggled to keep up. The old feeling that I never had done enough nagged me more and more.
 
Discipline was another challenge. These kids were Eskimos who would much rather be out hunting seals and seagulls, not sitting in a classroom. With English being their second language and sitting still not being what they were used to, it was a challenge to keep their attention. Add to that my insecurity and desire to be accepted, and you had a prescription for discipline disaster.
 
Another factor was that I had entered an ancient culture with a totally different approach to life. The Eskimos were only a few years out of their traditional life style. They had ski-dos for travel in the snow, but often piled their dogs onto a sled to pull behind their snow traveler in case it broke down, which happened at times.
 
In their homes they weren’t sure what to do with the ready-made clothes they could now buy. The houses were tiny, and often were crowded with eight or more people living together. There were no closets and the clothes were just piled up in a corner.
 
Along with this, I had none of the normal relaxation outlets from my old life. I soon realized that what most people back home did to relieve stress was go somewhere, visit someone or buy something. Here it was difficult to do any of these things.
I could go to a “coffee shop” in the evening, a tiny room in the front of a home where there was a coffee bar, a couple of pool tables and lots of Eskimos hanging out in the blue haze of cigarette smoke.
 
They were very kind to me, and included me as much as possible, but the ability to speak English for many was not fully developed so they conversed mostly in Yupik Eskimo. I was an outsider and really felt it. Loneliness was another pressure in my life. What was the Lord going to do with this?
Picture: my school building in the village
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More from Psalm 27

Published by S.M. Wibberley on November 20, 2020
“of whom shall I be afraid?”
[Since you are the Almighty, the Most High, the Great King above all, who can contravene what you deem right? Who can overrule the desires of your great overarching plans? Who can condemn when you forgive? Who can harm us spiritually when you are there?
There is no one else I should fear but you, O Lord God, King of Glory. Help me to move every day away from fearing those around me to fearing you, away from fearing what others think of me to caring deeply what you think about me, about what I do and think, wear and say.
You are worthy of respect, honor and fear, for you are Awesome, Almighty and Eternal, while all others are not. Therefore, I choose to believe you, to fear you, to live in the light of your grace. Help me this day to consistently take refuge in you, thereby honoring You, your Name and your Word before all those around me.]
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Psalm 27:1c

Published by S.M. Wibberley on November 20, 2020
Psalm 27:1b “The LORD is the stronghold of my life—“
[In the midst of uncertainty I can praise you, Lord God, for you are the safe Place, the generous Giver, the good Guide, the Rock and Stability of my existence. When things look bleak and unhappy like in the picture below, you are my Shelter, my Joy, my Strength.
 
You have revealed your beautiful character in your promises to provide what is needed in ease and pain, to give what is best, to protect me and sustain me with your right hand, to be my shield and enabler. And you faithfully follow through on every promise.
As my stronghold, you are the One who protects me in the hurts and harm of life. To you I can retreat and find safety, comfort, encouragement and joy when all else is bleak, broken, sad and dangerous.
Living in the power of your promises, I praise you now for what you will do today, this week, next month, next year. I praise you that each day is a new adventure with you, as you have laid out the race for me to run and are constantly helping me to see and lay aside the weights and sins that so easily entangle. I am so glad to be able to follow you.]
“of whom shall I be afraid?”
[A needed repeat in a broken world. Since you are the Almighty, the Most High, the Great King above all, who can contravene what you deem right? Who can overrule the desires of your great overarching plans? Who can condemn when you forgive? Who can harm us spiritually when you are there?
There is no one else I should fear but you, O Lord God, King of Glory. Help me to move every day away from fearing those around me to fearing you, away from fearing what others think of me to caring deeply what you think about me, about what I do and think, wear and say.
You are worthy of respect, honor and fear, for you are Awesome, Almighty and Eternal, while all others are not. Therefore, I choose to believe you, to fear you, to live in the light of your grace. Help me this day to consistently take refuge in you, thereby honoring You, your Name and your Word before all those around me.]
 
picture from the internet
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Psalm 27:1b

Published by S.M. Wibberley on November 18, 2020
Psalm 27:1b “whom shall I fear?”
[Who is greater than you? Who can defeat you? Who can fool you? Who is stronger than you? No one! You are the Almighty, the Most High, the Eternal One, dwelling outside of time, knowing and seeing all. “From His dwelling place the Lord looks down and watches all who live on the earth…He considers all that they do” (Psalm 33:14.15).
You are aware of every thought, every intent, every plan. “There is no wisdom, no insight, no plan that can succeed against the LORD” (Prov. 21:30). You have the power to counteract the devil’s every desire and duplicity.
Yes, whom should I fear, of whom should I stand in awe? Why should I fear the words and thoughts of others? You are the One who gives us significance, you declare us righteous in Christ, chosen and beloved. You have replaced our guilt with forgiveness, our shame with honor and our fear with faith, while those around us often seek their own honor by shaming us.
Forgive me for elevating the opinions of others over your truth, Lord. Help me to fear you, to respect you, to care what you think, not what others think, value or say. You are the measure of all, your Word rules, your estimation is supreme. Help me today to live in the light of this Truth, Lord.]
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Light

Published by S.M. Wibberley on November 17, 2020
Psalm 27:1 Of David. “The LORD is my light and my salvation—“
[You, Lord Jesus, are the light Giver, the Sonshine of life, the Illuminator of our path, the Shinning on us. You show us the way, you reveal dangerous sins and snares so we can avoid them, you give insight and understanding, you help us to make the right choices.
Because of you, “The path of the righteous is like the first gleam of dawn, shining on ever more brightly till the full light of day” (Prov. 4:18). We no longer have to live in “the way of the wicked which is like deep darkness; they do not know what makes them stumble” (Prov. 4:19).
You have rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the Kingdom of Light where you protect us from the devil, from death, and danger and difficulties.
 
You are actively working every moment to counter the attacks of the enemy, to shield us from his deceptions and help us stand against temptation. You also protect us from ourselves, from our old and evil nature.
Praise be to you that no attack, no opposition, no enemy is too fast, too great or too strong for you: you can counter all that comes, protecting and providing, keeping out what will harm while allowing in the things that make us effective. In your light we are safe.]
 
Help us, Lord, to dwell in the light, to turn away from darkness and live in the brightness of your love, wisdom and goodness.
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Thoughts on the Wonder of the Trinity

Published by S.M. Wibberley on November 16, 2020

Praise be to you, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, the Triune Lord, God and King.

The fact that you are one Being with three Persons is one proof that you are truly God. No human or angel, devil or demon has ever thought up an idea like the Trinity. You are totally other than anything in your creation, being three persons in one God, having a character so complete and complex, so far above us that we cannot comprehend it.

Your being a Trinity means that you need nothing to complete yourself. You do not need your creatures for fellowship or fulfillment. Within your triune Being there is perfect love amongst you, full relationship and rich complimentation. I praise you for the marvel of your majestic unity, where there is no competition, no jealousy, no resentment, only full cooperation, joyful submission and perfect, lovely loyalty and leadership

In many situations you, Father, plan things. Then you, Lord Jesus, bring them to pass. And you, Holy Spirit bring them to completion. Salvation is the best example: the Father planned it, the Son bought it, the Spirit is bringing out the results..

I praise you that you are the One(s) who created all, rule all, and are bringing all to a conclusion. In you there is the hope of help, the goodness of your guidance, the power of your protection, the purity of your purpose and the stability of your shepherding.

I praise you that when turmoil comes, I can cling to the certainty of your almighty presence, the comfort of your unlimited help, the constancy of your goodness and the completeness of your power.

You have provided solutions for the three aspects of the curse flowing from the Fall. You have given us forgiveness and cleansing for our guilt; you have given us honor and glory for our shame; you have given us power and strength for our weakness and fear.

I praise you, Lord God, for what you are doing in and amongst us. To you be glory forever. In response to your goodness, may I live wholeheartedly for you, trusting you by rejecting complaining and grumbling through offering the sacrifice of thanksgiving. Fill me so full with your Holy Spirit that He will overflow onto all those I will meet today and thereby give you a continual flow of honor and exaltation. Amen.

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Add-on Eskimo

Published by S.M. Wibberley on November 16, 2020
The Add-on Eskimo
 
The father of the family, Okfagit, looked around the circle of his family and gave thanks in his heart for his six healthy children, ranging in age from eight to eighteen. Among the Eskimos many children died before their second birthday; he was thankful that so many of his had survived.
 
As they ate, Okfagit said, “We will be hunting seals today, and you, my son Ayit, will come along on your first hunt!” Ayit’s eyes danced with pleasure, excited to hear that finally, at eight years old, he was going to be allowed out with the men on a hunt.
 
His father was a typical Eskimo, short, about five feet tall, with a round and somewhat flat face, well suited to the harsh arctic conditions of his homeland: his short nose did not freeze as easily as the longer one of a white man. He was strongly built, and the years of hunting had toughened his body so that he could go for long periods without sleep or food and still function well.
 
The life of an Eskimo here on the Eastern end of Asia was both harsh and dangerous. With yards of snow falling in the winter, it was a struggle to get about. And at each turn there was the chance of death: getting caught in a blizzard as Ayit’s grandfather had, falling through the ice, being injured while hunting alone, being swept off the cliffs by a strong gust while collecting bird’s eggs, having a boat capsize or sink, and even having a whale jump over the boat and land on it, killing all—which had happened to one family from their village just two years earlier. But Ayit didn’t think about such danger. He accepted it as part of everyday life
 
After breakfast Ayit collected the two wooden floats studded with metal spines used to snag the seals that were shot in the water. Before stepping out of the house into the cold, crisp air, his father took his big rifle, which he had gotten from Russian traders, put it into his gun sheath and slung his seal skin equipment bag over his back.
 
He looked around at the other homes in his village of Chatlino and saw others preparing to hunt. There were eight houses in the village of fifty-four inhabitants.
 
Okfagit looked out over the shore ice to the edge where it was piled up. This was where the moving ice packs had been driven by the wind and currents into the solid shelf of shore ice, stacking up towers of ice. He could see some open patches of water beyond them and smiled. These were where the seals would come up for air, places where he could get food for his family, oil for their lamps, and skins for their clothes.
 
His three older sons began to hitch the dogs to their sled, expertly putting the harness onto each and attaching them to the sled. They used the line method with a lead dog, and the others fastened behind, instead of the fan method some other artic dwellers used.
 
With Ayit and one brother sitting on the sled, their father stood on the back and spoke to the dogs. They leapt to their feet and, barking excitedly, lunged ahead, jerking the frozen runners out of the snow, and lurching off towards the shore ice. The two older boys walked behind, as it was only a mile to the edge of the shore ice, and it wouldn’t take them long to get there.
Okfagit pulled up the dogs at the piles of ice and stamped the sled’s anchor into the snow. The dogs laid down, knowing they were in for a wait. He took his pole, a walking staff with an iron point on one end and a metal hook on the other and climbed a pile of ice. He looked out in each direction, orienting himself to where the open water holes were. He then climbed down and called for the boys to follow him out onto the “young ice,” which had formed in the night as the ice packs had moved away from the shore ice.
This was dangerous because an incautious step could plunge one through the ice into the freezing water. If it was just a leg that went through, that was not a big problem because they were all dressed in waterproof, seal-skin clothes. But if a person went all the way through and water poured down inside his parka, it would mean almost certain death.
Okfagit tested the young ice (above) with his staff before he stepped onto it. His boys followed him carefully, each with his own stick. When they reached the open water, they found an ideal spot where some ice was piled up on the edge of the open water, giving them a hiding place. When a seal surfaced, it would not be able to see them, for if it did, it would immediately submerge before they could get off a shot.
 
 
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Arrival in Savoonga

Published by S.M. Wibberley on November 14, 2020
Chapter 16 A New World
St. Lawrence island is located in the Bering Sea, 125 miles west of the coast of Alaska and 40 miles from the coast of Siberia. The international dateline runs just a little to the West of it. In theory the Eskimos were able cross the dateline into tomorrow to go hunting in their skin boats and come back to today with their catch.
 
The island is about the size of the state of Connecticut, but had a population of only about 600 Yupik Eskimos, originally from Siberia–two villages of 300 inhabitants each.
 
On the northern tip of the island is the village of Gambell, an ancient site that has been continually occupied for at least 2000 years. Then halfway down the coast on the Northern side is Savoonga, a village grown from a much more recent hunting camp. I was assigned to teach here.
 
As the little plane flew over the Bering Sea, I looked down at the waves. It looked really cold even though it was just the beginning of September. I was glad the plane had two engines in case one gave out.
 
An hour later we approached the island, which appeared at first as only a thin black line on the horizon. I looked for the village and was amazed at how small it was, just a tiny cluster of plywood houses on the shore, dwarfed by the empty vastness of the island sweeping up to the low volcanic mountains that made up its backbone. When I climbed down the ladder onto the runway, I stepped onto crushed black volcanic rock. I was now in a different world.
 
The principle teacher, Jim, met me and helped to load my baggage into the decrepit Ford pickup left over from the construction of the runway. Then we climbed in next to the Eskimo driver and rattled down the single dirt road into town.
 
Actually it didn’t go into the village, only to the edge where the road ended. All the houses were built on short stilts on the Tundra and boardwalks ran between them; there was no room for roads.
 
Jim got some of the Eskimos to help and we carried my stuff through the village to a little house on the point of land overlooking the water’s edge.
 
“Here’s where you’ll live,” said Jim. He patted the stove, “This is both for heating and cooking; it runs on kerosene. The barrel for it is outside. The janitor from the school will help you fill it when it runs out. The refrigerator also runs on kerosene, so you’ll have to keep your eye on that and refill it about once a week.
 
“Your water is stored in some barrels in an insulated shed behind this wall.” Jim tapped the wall that faced inland towards the mountains. “It’s brought here by dogsled from a spring two miles from the village. You can drink it, but should boil it first as there are liver parasites in it.
 
“And here’s your toilet,” Jim pushed open a plywood door to a little cubical in the corner. “As you can see, it is a ‘honey bucket,’ a chemical toilet. When the bucket is full, you have to take it out and empty it in the sea.” I nodded, somewhat surprised.
 
Jim turned and pointed to a ladder leading up into the attic. “Your bed is up there. We insulated the roof this summer; hopefully it will be warm enough for you when it’s 50 below 0.”
 
“What about taking a shower?” I asked
 
“You have to come to the school. There’s a place there where you can wash but there’s no shower. Water is a precious commodity here. There’s also a wringer washer in the utility room of the school you can use to wash your clothes.”
 
Life was about to become very different. In addition to all the changes of living in an Eskimo village and teaching school, I had to learn how to cook for myself. Beyond bacon and eggs I had very little experience in that department. I’d already written to my sister and asked her to send me a cookbook. Hopefully I could follow the directions.
 
Jim looked around, and seeing that he’d covered all the essentials said, “Ok, get your stuff unpacked and come over at five for supper.” He pointed through the big window to the white building further along the water’s edge. “That’s where I live–at the back of the main school building.”
Picture: village of Savoonga from the air
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Trinity of Truth.

Published by S.M. Wibberley on November 13, 2020
Recently a little book Josh recommended to me brought together a number of truths I’d collected over the years. “The 3-D Gospel” by Jason Georges explains the three terrible results of the fall and the three wonderful ways God has provided restoration for each in the death and resurrection of Christ.
When Adam chose to trust Satan, his wife and himself instead of God, he ate of the forbidden fruit and Immediately he became guilty. He and his wife also became ashamed and tried to cover their shame with leaves. And they became afraid, hiding from God when He came to talk with them.
While different cultures tend to emphasize just one of these results over the others (Western “guilt culture”, Eastern “shame culture” and animistic tribal “fear culture,”) we all suffer the twisting effects of each part of this trinity of guilt, shame and fear.
In our Western culture, the gospel is presented mainly as dealing with our guilt (think of the Romans Road presentation—and this is certainly correct). However, little is taught about how the gospel also provides a solution for our shame and our fear.
Many (if not all) of us have has a sense of shame, maybe from past experiences where we were abused verbally, emotionally or physically. We also have failed to measure up to biblical and church culture standards. And we all have done foolish and destructive things we know are wrong. Shame is there, but often not acknowledged. Undealt with, it is a weight and blight on our souls, keeping us from loving ourselves so we can love our neighbors well.
Fear also is a big factor for us, as the world seems to be falling apart, as Christianity is more and more marginalized, denigrated and portrayed as evil, as millions of believers are persecuted We wonder where this all is going–and are filled with fear. Look at how many believers are consumed with worry, experience anxiety attacks and need medical help to cope.
God knows all about this and has provided a solution to each one. When the Holy Spirit does His work of conviction, He addresses each of our areas of need: guilt, shame and fear. As it says in John 16:9-11. “When he comes, he will prove the world to be in the wrong:
–“about sin, because people do not believe in me” [there is guilt];
–“about righteousness, because I am going to the Father” [there is shame as we stand humiliated before the righteous One, who exposes the emptiness of our futile, selfish attempts to make ourselves look good];
–“and about judgment, because the prince of this world now stands condemned.” [There is fear as we, too, without Christ stand judged and worthy of condemnation.]
However, for those who respond to the Spirit’s work, Ephesians 1:18-19 tells us what God has given to free us from each one of these: Paul writes, “I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know:
–“the hope to which he has called you” [forgiveness in place of guilt],
–“the riches of his glorious inheritance in his saints,” [honor in place of shame]
–“and his incomparably great power for us who believe” [power in place of fear].
All of this I vaguely comprehended, but now they have come into full 3-D focus and it makes a difference. I have wholeheartedly looked at my hidden shame from my failures and sins, as well as from others’ opinions of me, and am embracing the honor Jesus has given me by taking my shame on Himself in His suffering before and on the cross.
I have also confronted my fears more directly, embracing the fact that “God has not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind” (2 Tim. 1:7 KJV). This is making a difference in my life, and in the lives of those I am sharing this with.
So I encourage you, too, to embrace the full trinity of the gospel, internalizing the fact that Jesus died to save us from our sin, our shame and our fear. “My salvation [guilt covered] and my honor [shame covered] depend on God; he is my mighty rock, my refuge” [fear covered](Ps. 62:7).
As Corrie Ten Boom said, “If we look around us, we will be distressed; if we look within us, we will be depressed; if we look to Jesus we will find rest.”
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