Not very good sleep last night, but I woke fairly rested. Every sound in the village can be heard through the thin walls and open windows…including the termites chewing the “diwi” (wood) that the walls are made of. Odette served us breakfast again. While we were eating she told us she had arraigned for two local leaders in the community (Bino and Joe) to go with us through Kaintiba to look at land to use for the Baptist church building to be built on. She has also been looking after an old house (European built) that people have been disassembling for personal use. She said it would be a good house for us to fix up for my family to live in when we come.
Before we went we went to have a “look-about”, we three missionaries went down to the river to bathe. The water was low, so it was not too cold. This will be our washing place until we head over to Hambuwinni (Waititako) area for Sunday services. This is where the closest Baptist church is…about a 5 hour walk on a narrow pathway up and down…though valleys and on the sides of mountains.
We learned much about this area (Kaintiba) again as we “rounded”. Bino, the Council Secretary, took us up to the “State” (Government) house that was to be “condemned”. It had been built and used by Australian government workers back before PNG became an independent country (1975). It was built with good quality materials that were still 95% in good shape. The roof has protected the main structure of the house. I think with about $3,000, we could have it in livable shape…and another $3000 complete with running water. That would consist of collecting rain water and pumping it into a holding tank on the hill behind the house. From there the water would gravity feed/ be pumped into the house for the toilet, sinks, and shower. The rain gutters are still on the house! With all of this in mind it is not officially ours yet, so pray that God would bring His perfect will to pass concerning us securing this house for the Baptist Mission (as we call it until it is established complete as a church). God had given me a promise in His Word one of the first days in Port Moresby about given me “houses” here in PNG…could this be the first house(and the land with it)? (Mark 10:29 And Jesus answered and said, Verily I say unto you, There is no man that hath left house, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my sake, and the gospel's, 30 But he shall receive an hundredfold now in this time, houses, and brethren, and sisters, and mothers, and children, and lands, with persecutions; and in the world to come eternal life.)
Bino and Joe also showed us a few parcels of “state” land available to use. Eddie, the headmaster of the elementary school is still adamant against us securing the land near the school (the best piece of land). He says that it has been marked for the school to use, but according to the Lands Office, it is still available. He is the only one who does not want us to use it and he will probably give us trouble in the future if we are granted the land. Eddie is Catholic, but I am not sure if this is the reason for forbidding the Baptist Church from securing the land. It is in God’s Hand.
The remaining part of Thursday we rested, read, and refreshed ourselves in the Word in preparation for the weekend (walking across the mountain and preaching in Waititako). In the evening I played the trumpet at the airstrip, but only for about 15 minutes because of rain. Odette supplied us supper again before we went off to bed. Before we retired to the guest house, I gave a Bible lesson to her and her family. Jorum called Odette “mama”…culturally this is what you say to an older woman that takes care of you (like feeding you). This verse is beginning to fulfill itself to me. (…houses, and brethren, and sisters, and mothers, and children, and lands, with persecutions…)
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