Bro. Matt came for Bro. Bill around 8:00 a.m. on Wednesday. On board the plan already were two persons I knew: Laura Lee Alford and Sarah Glover. It was good to see them again, even though it was a few minutes while we loaded Bro. Morrissey’s luggage. I had met both of them at Baptist Bible Translators Institute, Laura Lee being one of the teachers children. She had been in PNG for two months and she was returning home. So it was “farewell” to them all.
Before I flew up to the mountains, I was able to go one more time to the hospital to see Isaac and inquire about his wife. He told us that they had to go to Port Moresby to have the baby removed from his wife’s womb. I hope to find out of their well being when I return.
Our flight to Kaintiba was only about 20 minutes. It was not too comfortable on the airplane, but it would have been strange if it was. Upon my arrival, I was met by Bro. Jorim and Bro. Bluman (from Matt Allen’s church). Bro. Jorim was my interpreter the last time I came to PNG (2007) and he will be with me during my time up here in the mountains. They both had walked from Koditanga (about a day and a half [16 hours]) to join up with me. (If you fly it only takes about 10 minutes, but the cost is over 100 kina one way per person…this is a large amount of money for the mountain bush people.) As they told about their journey is was sweet to hear from them how God had provided 2 meals (apiece) for them from strangers along the mountain trail.
Bro. Jerry had sent me with a letter to a relative of his in Kaintiba. Her name is Odette and she has opened up an addition to her second “house.” A house in the bush is mainly for sleeping and other structures are built for cooking and eating in. A guest house would include a fire place in the middle of a large room where people sit and eat, “story”, and sleep. Odette and her adopted daughter Unise prepared a time of “tea” for us. We were served tea/coffee and kumu (boiled greens) koukou (sweet potato) and taro. It was very nourishing …God has already begun to answer our prayers concerning this trip:
1. a place to sleep 2. a meal (food) to eat.
Around 4:30 p.m. Bro. Jorum, Bro. Bluman, and I walked over to the airstrip and I played a few songs on my trumpet…the sound carried out across the valley. Many children began to gather around me. I showed them a picture of my family and told them their names in Pidgin. Every time I said a name they repeated it. We went over their names several times and it was like a game to them to remember and say the names as I pointed to their face. Some of the older children knew some English, so I began to ask them some questions in relation to the Bible. Because of previous “missionaries” (Catholic and Lutheran) many knew the answers and shouted them out. Just as I was beginning to relate why God had given us the Bible, we were called by our host that it was time to come over for the evening meal. It was getting dark any ways…I hope to do this again tomorrow.
Odette served us again. She has made it her ministry to minister to us even though she was raised (“baptized”) Catholic. It does not bother her that even her priest has talked to her that she should not entertain the Baptist. She tells those that are offended at her for doing this that God wants her to help all those that come in the name of the Lord…those that have come to preach the Bible. She realizes that we have come to help her people in both spiritual and physical aspects, so she will not turn us away. To God be the glory!!
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