Hair Bees

The following is a read aloud story for February 2004 (the March story is still in the computer waiting to find a way to get out!!), especially thinking of Awana Clubs, homeschoolers, Sunday school classes, DVBS, mission conferences, or just for fun. Print them out. Collect them. E-mail them to others. Use them. God bless! This month I tell the story of two Culina boys and their adventures in the great Tropical Rain Forest of the Amazon River of Brasil. One was bold and feared nothing, the other feared almost everything until one day he learned that not everything that buzzes in your hair stings.

The old story teller, Douemi (Dough-way-MEE)
Missionary/ culture observer among the Culina Madirra for many years
Serving with New Tribes Mission, Sanford, FL

Niro (Nee-ROO) snuggled deeper into his cotton hammock. He began to shake uncontrollably with fear as flash after flash of brilliant lightning illuminated the night. Rain poured and the thunder roared. An electrical storm was sweeping across the great forest and over the flooded swamplands of the Culina people. CRAAAASSSH! Niro’s heart nearly leaped out of his startled mouth. “Ai! Ai! Senarra! (Seh-naw-HA) Senarra! Are you awake? Ai! Ai! I can’t take it any more! Make the thunder stop it’s shouting!”
Senarra had been sound asleep in the hammock next to Niro’s. He wasn’t even aware there was a storm raging over the village. He awoke with a start and realizing his younger brother was crying out in fear…he laughed and teased. “Hide your head, Little Brother, the next arrow from the sky will hit you! HERE IT COMES!” and he clapped his hands loudly near the younger boy’s ear and nearly rolled out of his hammock with glee when Niro gave a startled yell of desparation. Senarra feared nothing, Niro feared everything. Then both boys sat up and watched with wonder as their uncle came out from under his mosquito net, took down his old shotgun and put a shell in the barrell before he stepped outside in the rain lifting the gun to the skies and BAM! The little grass-roofed shelter shook from the explosion. “There,” the uncle said boldly, “I have killed the spirit of the storm! Now go to sleep, my son!” And Niro scrounged down not feeling one bit better.
The next morning the boys were racing to the river in bright sunshine to get in their small canoe for a ride through the swamp. Niro gripped the sides of the canoe as if at any moment he would be thrown over the side into the teeth of an alligator. Senarra calmly paddled without a tense muscle in his body. “Look, Niro, do you see that parrot peeking from the hole in the dead tree?” The canoe bobbed and the boys balanced themselves as they stared at the red and blue parrot cocking it’s eye as it studied them down below.
“I’m going to climb up and get her eggs! Maybe there will be some parrot chicks! Come on, Niro, let’s shinnie up the tree and get the eggs!”
Niro was unwilling to wiggle, let alone climb a tree in the middle of the swamp. “You go, Senarra! I’ll just wait here for you to come back down!” And Senarra was off as agile as the iguana lizard, racing up the tree with his knees gripping the wood. Foot by foot he went up and up and nearer and nearer to the parrot’s nest. Niro watched and hated himself for his lack of courage and because he never could overcome his fearfulness. The parrot protested and flapped its wings amidst mighty scolding squawks, but as Senarra got within hand’s reach the big bird flew out and screamed it’s protest at the invader. No eggs. No chicks. Just an empty nest. And down the tree the boy came quick as a flash.
The boys paddled on to firm ground. The canoe bumped to a stop and they started down a well-used trail back into the forest. Niro had troubling throughts. Would he ever be brave? Would he ever have courage like Senarra? Would things always scare him nearly witless? Senarra suddenly veered off into the thick brush chasing the small jungle turkey called inabozi (ee-naw-boo-ZEE) and Niro raced behind him. The bird was not willing to be caught…it darted here and there. And then suddenly the air was full of flying, blitzing, buzzing bees! BEES! This time even Senarra was startled. The boys ran back through the brush stumbling, lurching, racing as a mad million of diving demons circled their heads and tumbled into their thick black hair. Niro just knew he was going to be stung to death! He could feel the stings! Couldn’t he? Couldn’t he? No, he couldn’t. But he wasn’t going to slow down to figure out why that was. Suddenly Senarra shouted to him “Rrizi uauanade! (Hee-ZEE wah-wah-nah-DEH) Hair bees!” And he stopped and just laughed and laughed. “What were we so afraid of? They can’t sting! They just tangle in your hair and buzz you to death!” The boys sat on a log picking the black harmless bees out of each others hair. Niro suddenly realized that most of his fears were just hair bees.
He feared things that were harmless. He was going to overcome his fears! Yes, he would!
When Jesus walked on earth amongst boys and girls He often said, “Fear not!” Do you struggle with a fear of the dark? A fear of heights? A fear of failing? Are you always holding back and letting someone else do the adventure because you fear that you might not be as good as that person? Jesus says to FEAR NOT!! He wants you to put your hand in His almighty hand and let Him take you on the great adventures of life. Will you trust Him? Will you reach out and take His hand and go with Him? Just do it!!