Between His Shoulders

About Benjamin he said: "Let the beloved of Yahweh rest secure in Him, for He shields him all day long, and the one Yahweh loves rests between His shoulders."

Deuteronomy 33:12

Their neck strength is amazing!

In Papua New Guinea, the string bilum is the workhorse of life. From tiny purses to gigantic bags carrying heavy loads of kaukau (sweet potato) or firewood, bilums vary in size, shape, material, and patterns (oftentimes the pattern and materials will tell you which part of the country it was made in, or even which people group made it). In addition, making bilums is an important social activity, and very few PNG women would be caught without having a half-finished bilum project with them. Even I’ve been roped into learning this essential skill!

Although we might think it’s unstable, I’ve never seen a bilum fall off a PNG woman’s head; on the contrary, they often balance several bilums at a time, up and down steep mountain paths without a second thought. Little girls begin developing the muscle strength and balance from the moment they start walking—mothers will make tiny bilums for them, and occasionally put rocks or a water bottle inside to start building those neck muscles). Even I’ve developed a preference for it!

Little girls start carrying bilums early!

Although bilums are important in all aspects of PNG life, there’s one type of bilum that every young woman ought to have, and it’s made with extra-special care. It’s the baby bilum.

Many missionary families use the bilum as well.

Hung from the rafters in the PNG version of a cool and breathable cradle, a baby bilum is the comfortable home from tiny infants to squirming, still-nursing toddlers. In order to lull their fussy child to sleep, mothers will walk and gently swing the bilum back and forth, not unlike our rocking chairs. Later, if she decides it’s time for her to leave, the mother simply lifts the bilum’s handle to balance on her head and walks gracefully off...all the while, the baby, trusting and content, continues sleeping, resting between her shoulders.

Deuteronomy 33 tells of the promises given to each of Jacob’s sons, and in verse 33 we reach Benjamin: About Benjamin he said: "Let the beloved of Yahweh rest secure in Him, for He shields him all day long, and the one Yahweh loves rests between His shoulders."

I can’t imagine a more beautiful picture of the care and love of our Heavenly Father than of a child, sleeping in a bilum between his shoulders.