Suya and the Big Fight

From SPARK

One-sentence summary

A Papua New Guinea children's story about fighting and getting even.

Description

This is a flipchart story about a little boy named Suya.

Suya lived in the mountains of Papua New Guinea. His village often fought with other villages. Suyu liked to shoot his little bow and arrow. He wanted to be a great warrior when he grew up.

One day the village men went off to fight the people who lived beside the big river. One of the men died in the battle. It was Suya's uncle. That night the village mourned their dead.

Suya asked his father why they fought. He said that the men wanted to get even for deaths in other battles.

Suya was very sad. He worried about the other villages attacking his village. All the men had to stand guard every day while the women worked in their gardens.

Then it happened! Arrows were flying and people were running and shouting. Suya hid in some bushes. When he smelled smoke he knew houses were burning.

When all was quiet, Suya left his hiding place. His house had burned down. His mother had been taken. A man had been killed trying to protect her. Suya's father wanted to get even!

Suya was very worried! He wondered who could stop the endless fighting and killing.

Someone has stopped it. People came to tell the villagers about God's love. They explained that God sent his son Jesus to die on the cross to show his great love. Suya believed This. He began to live as a believer in Jesus. So did many people in his village. So did many of the people who lived by the big river.

They read the command of Jesus in Matthew 5:44-45.

One day the river people came up the mountain again. They left their bows, arrows, and spears at home. They carried little books. Parts of God's message had been translated into their language. They came up the mountain singing because God had taken away their hatred. They came to help build a place to worship the one true God. With them was Suya's mother.

Getting even is like a chain that Satan uses to bind people. Satan wants to put his chain on you too. When you try to get even with someone, you are doing the work of Satan.

God wants all people to hear his message and to believe in Jesus. He will take away the hatred from hearts. God will fill hearts with love.

Considerations

• The story is very simple and short.
• It tells about the sin of wanting to payback evil with evil. All people are tempted by wanting to do this.
• The drawings are simple line drawings that can be colored appropriately.

Limitations

• Three drawings show portions of Suya and others who are listening to God's message.
• Best used with children in the South Pacific.

Guidelines for Use

• This is a good flipchart story.
• It could be used as a children's radio drama.
• It could be recorded on an audio cassette.
• It could be used as a filmstrip.

Where to Obtain

Link to Producer or Source Organization

Summer Institute of Linguistics, Papua New Guinea Branch

Cost

It is free of charge. It will soon be available for downloading on line at this SPARK website.

Producer/Owners

Author/Artist/Producer

This was produced by the Summer Institute of Linguistics in Papua New Guinea.

Current copyright owner

Summer Institute of Linguistics, PNG branch

Other Information

If you are interested in translating this story for a minority language group, it should soon be available free on this website. If you don't find it, contact the SPARK Manager.

Reviewed by

Vida, VMS Children's Resources

Date

March 20, 2008