What does the mission frontier look like? Well, we recently got a chance to visit Papua New Guinea (PNG) for almost three weeks, and it was not at all what I had expected.
PNG is a land of diverse terrain with meandering rivers, immense swamps, jagged mountain ranges, thick jungles and scattered islands. Most of PNG is very tropical, but the weather in the highlands can be chilly.
On our taste-bud tour of PNG, Arnold and I enjoyed foods like sugar fruit, sago (derived from the sago palm tree), cassava, mangosteen, kau kau (baked sweet potatoes) and dia (cooked sago with coconut cream).
PNG is also filled with diverse wildlife: 160 species of frogs, 170 species of lizards, 100 species of skinks, 110 species of snakes and 781 species of birds. There are 25,000 species of beetles scuttling around and 6,000 species of moths and butterflies filling the air. Even the names of many of these creatures suggest a very different world—wallabies, taipans, frogmouths, cassowaries, tree kangaroos, kookaburras, Papuan black snakes and bandicoots.
Like their land, the people of PNG tend to have a “frontier” reputation, too. We were warned that “rascals” (bandits) are active in many areas. In the remote villages, a code of frontier justice—blood for blood—still rules. Many of these far-flung villages are all but inaccessible. Some have short grass airstrips, but many can only be reached by days of hiking or river travel.
What struck me most about the people of PNG was their friendliness and kindness despite their often difficult living conditions. I had learned a few greetings in Gogodala and Tok Pisin. I felt impressed by God to greet all who gave me eye contact, which turned out to be many, many people. As soon as I spoke a greeting in their heart language, their faces were wreathed in smiles. What a blessing to experience!
Another unexpected blessing Arnold and I enjoyed was getting to participate in a communion service and a church dedication with our PNG brothers and sisters. It was like a mini camp meeting as Gogodala Adventist church members from Balimo, Kotale and Awapa came to camp out at the new church Steve and Laurie Erickson had built for Kewa village near their home. At the end of the service, we all encircled this new house of God, knelt down and joined hands in a prayer of dedication. It was truly a high Sabbath! The Gogodala people clearly love the Ericksons and appreciate them for all they do. It was great to see how the Lord has been working through this missionary family.
Please pray for PNG and the more than 800 people groups there. The need is great in this small country, and it takes commitment to work in such a harsh environment. By the time you read this, David and Edie Hicks will have launched to the Ama people. Pray for them as they begin their ministry. Please also pray for more workers to join them and the Ericksons.
Thank you for your prayers, love and support for reaching the unreached.
