Names of New Stu

 

“Jean-neeeeeee!” I hear her call my name from the playground. She waves along with two other girls and a smaller boy.

With one hand holding onto Ruby’s hand and the other on the door to the green house, I squinted to see who was calling me. Did I know them? We had only been in New Stuyahok for a couple of days. I met many children, but don’t remember these. How did they know me already? I closed the door to the greenhouse and walked over with Wolfe and Ruby. The girls asked to visit, which I replied, “Maybe another day, when the sun is hiding”.  They must have not heard me as they poked Ruby’s cheek and stroked her long hair. “Can we hold her?” “Can we visit?”

Two weeks after, these girls and their tag a long, Kaden, would still be Ruby’s fans and Wolfe’s playmates. They would make a habit to come after school for homemade bread or cookies. Anya, Katrina, Elicia and Kaden. Four names and faces that I know by heart now.

Then there is Peter. He is the school janitor that has a slight bend in his back and a few teeth missing. He greets Wolfe by name and offers him a pretend astronaut hat he found in one of the teacher’s trash. He doesn’t remember me, but knows Wolfe loves space suits.

John is another one of Wolfe’s favorites. As the village’s garbage man, he rides his four-wheeler and trailer to pick up trash on Mondays and Fridays. He stops and talks to Wolfe who is in the doorway of our apartment. John is trying to teach Wolfe how to count to three in Yupik. Wolfe chants the numbers back to him and sometimes I give it a try too.

Meet Mary. She works at the school’s front desk and cares for her nephew, Jonah. Mary’s mother, Honey Bun, offers to take Wolfe home and braid “her hair”. Honey Bun is self-proclaimed the best babysitter in New Stuyahok. As long as the children don’t bring cats or dogs with them, you can ask her any day, anytime. “Midnight is okay too!” her husband says. I didn’t catch his name.

At the school, “Mother” introduces herself with a hug. Her face is sweet, plump with small eyes, and a smile that’s genuine. She hopes to see the children often too, she says. Her husband, Father, is the priest at the village’s Roman Orthodox Church.

Little Kaiser will lead you to anyone’s house if you asked. He likes to chew the same kind of gum your chewing too. At that exact moment.

Joel, youngest of seven boys, likes to give knuckles. He says, “Next time, you take you ring off, Jean-neee! It hurts to pound knuckles with rings!”

Maria will tell you to cross at the heart and pray before you eat a snack. 

Kara will ask to join you for a run, even if she already ran for track and field that day.

These are just of few names of people of New Stuyahok. They are slowly winning my heart, when I had hoped to win their hearts to Jesus. They are a people who are proud of their religion, who acknowledge their ancestors and heritage; and who are eager to teach you their ways. So instead of being the one to preach, right now I am the one who learns. And prays that God opens my heart a little more so they might see Jesus instead of me one day.