It was the final morning of our visit to Ama village. Orion, my husband, was standing near the community leaders listening as they discussed plans for the day. I hurried to take down our tent and finish putting our belongings into the duffel bag, listening while I worked.
“First we will walk to the local government leader’s house and talk to him. We need his welcoming for AFM missionaries to stay in the Ama territory,” the local tribal leader explained to the group. Words of agreement were voiced around the circle.
“Then we need to show you the new school building,” he continued. More agreement came from the group.
“If you want, we can walk to the airstrip,” he continued dubiously (an Adventist group originally built the airstrip in the 1960s). “But, it is really overgrown, and part of it is underwater,” he explained.
“We would like to see it,” Orion spoke gently.
I was eager to see the airstrip. I knew that walking its length would give me first-hand knowledge of its current condition, helping us and our teammates, Sean and Joella, plan the logistics of adding a much faster, safer route to and from the village.
“Are you ready to go?” the tribal leader asked me. I zipped the last bag and said yes, checking to make sure my camera was with me.
After our discussion, the government leader gave his blessing to having foreigners in his territory. Then we began our walk to the airstrip.
“Keep going, Keren!” my teenage guides told me as I slogged, mostly ankle deep, through the waterlogged path. “We are almost to the airstrip!” I hurried, excited to see this swath of land in person, and run the entire length of it on my own two feet!
Years ago, when Orion and I first began praying about coming to Papua New Guinea, we expected to serve in the Ama territory, but we did not know exactly where it was on the map. As the two of us looked at Google Earth, Orion said, “It should be around here somewhere.” I peered at Orion’s phone.
“Look!” I exclaimed excitedly, “See that straight green line! Do you think it is an airstrip”? I knew there was an airstrip built in Ama many years ago.
Now, I would finally get to see that airstrip. I hurried after my eager trail guides, and soon the path was fully above water and easier to follow.
“Here we are!” they exclaimed when I reached what seemed like a wall of leaves. They pushed through, and I realized the forest was extra dense right on the edge by the airstrip because there was so much more sun near the ground there.
Standing on the airstrip, I could see that it was definitely the “straight green line” I had seen before, but it had not been maintained for many years. Grasses ranged from knee- to chest-high. Shrubs grew in bunches along the entire area. Small trees, larger than my arm in diameter, stretched 25 feet into the air.
Down the middle, there was a path, which I quickly headed toward. Getting there, I looked both directions and chose one. “Let’s run!” I said, and soon I was running the length of the airstrip, arms outstretched, pretending to be taking off. Nearly twenty laughing children followed me, finding the antics of pretending to have wings quite funny. Yet, copying the white missionary was an opportunity quite difficult to pass up!
Repairing this airstrip will make it possible to get into town from Ama with just an hour of (comfortable) travel instead of the one to two days it currently takes. It could also foster more teachers at the school and medical missionaries at the project, make it easier to bring in supplies, and allow patients to be transported out of the area more quickly. With Pastor Sean and Joella now living in Ama, I believe it is the right time to begin repairs on this important transportation option.
Thank you again for your support of our ministry as we reach the unreached in the deep jungles, riverbanks, and valley crevices of Papua New Guinea.
