God has been working in the hearts of people in our area and blessing the ministry of the local church pastor who baptized 26 people in Arai on Sabbath, August 20.

We had planned to attend the baptism and assist in spreading the gospel in that area. But as the time for the baptism drew near, we realized we could not complete all our pre-departure tasks at Wewak in time for both of us to leave for three months. (The distances between locations are great—up to a day’s journey by plane, boat and car—and the cost is expensive, so we prefer to schedule our work at each in three-month increments.)

I strongly felt Orion should be at the baptism while I stayed in Wewak. At the same time, we needed to plan a two-week trip for the builder we hired to complete our home at May River Station (two to three hours away from Arai) to do his assessment and prepare his shopping list of needed supplies.

As we made arrangements for Orion and the builder to travel upriver, a missionary Bible translator approached us and asked if a community elder from his village could ride partway with Orion. The missionary also volunteered to drive with Orion to Pagwi (the town where the road and river meet) and come back the same day, driving our truck. We gladly accepted the proposal, seeing God’s hand in the timing.

While loading the canoe, Orion received a phone call. Many people from our church had traveled by motor canoe to the mission health department, home to an old ham radio. They used the radio to call a clinic with cell phone coverage. The health nurse at that end then made a phone call connecting Orion to our people. The person on the other end said, “The whole congregation of your church is here wanting to know if you are coming upriver.”

“Yes, I am,” Orion assured them, “And I am stopping on the way to pick up the pastor who will be performing the baptisms.” The group on the other end of the line let out a cheer.

After a brief, somewhat garbled conversation, the cell phone network dropped, and Orion began the 20-hour journey, safely arriving at the village shortly after dark.

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