Being the end of November, what better than to post this collection of stories from October. Knowing the end result of our work in Mt Hagen through out the country, but not seeing it through out PNG can be hard at times. It is so important to keep perspective. It is always encouraging to hear stories from the work of MAF aircraft, pilots and staff. i will try and keep these coming, enjoy.
1. Arriving at Mt Sinai
Since the last post on the MAF ministry team, there has been quite a few events. It normally works out to be three out of four weekends a month. Last Friday we had been invited to minister at the Mt Sinai PNG Bible College Church at Pori. During the week we met together during our smoko break as a team to discuss the program and to plan. Come Friday afternoon we were planned to leave work thirty minutes early at 1600. This time round there was seven of us going (four nationals and three expats), taking the MAF hilux and the equipment needed.
2. Village scenery
After some running around town trying to get some petrol for the generator we were on our way back out to the airport and towards Pori. We took a road that cuts through a lot of villages and joined back onto the old highway. Normally you could take the old highway from town, but a bridge had collapsed. As we were driving along it was amazing to see the geography and the gardens and houses amongst it. We made it to the church around 1730, which is on top of a large hill, that had been flattened all by hand to build a church and bible college and it is called Mt Sinai.
3. Some village kids
There was no electricity or lights at this location, so we had to try and setup our lighting and generator before it got dark, as well all the sound gear and projection gear. We worked really well together and were able to get everything setup by 1800 and were able to go outside and enjoy the sunset. But now came the time of waiting for the people to arrive from surrounding villages.
4. Starting the generator
We had hoped to start around 1830, as we have been finding that by the time people arrive we start later than planned and finish a lot later than planned. This makes it harder to stick around and talk to people after the night has finished. As it is not always that safe to be driving late at night. In village life there is not much concept of time. If someone says they will be there early morning and are there before lunch, they are doing well, so we go by PNG time a lot.
5. The Hilux, one of my favourite MAF vehicles to drive
The program started after 1915, which was pretty good. The program had been reduced in some detail, but the main content was there. After a worship time lead by the church, they handed over to us. There was the MAF awareness presentation (which includes the new MAF video), a testimony, a message and the movie, the End of the Spear. I have seen the movie quite a few times now, but it is still moving, especially being on a MAF pilot. But is no where as slow as the AIDS movie we can show at other times. It’s always good as a team how we rotate in what we do, this time I looked after the sound and projection and drove.
6. Looking down from Mt Sinai
So the program had finished and we were all packed up by 2300, ready to go home. A lot of us were pretty tired after a big week at work and a long day. We still had to travel and unpack the equipment back at the hanger. We had gone without dinner and it is quite a traditional thing to be fed when visiting a village, especially in this way of visiting. I was really just wanting to go and eat when getting back home. But it is rude to not accept and eat food that has been prepared and given to you. So we couldn’t be cultural inappropriate and we ate a late dinner at the Pastor’s house. After wards we traveled back towards Mt Hagen and dropped off the gear and team members. I made it home after 0030, and made it to bed just before 0100. So again it is some adventure and great to see these people blessed and touched by our visit. Again it is a blessing to minister to the people out in remote villages.
7. Part of the sunset
8. Philipp sharing his testimony
It is finally here, after a long wait my overdue newsletter is finished. It is hard to sum up the past four months in two pages, but hope it is beneficial and you like it.
Matt’s Newsletter Jul-Oct 2008
You can also find previous Newsletters below
Matt’s Newsletter May-Jun 2008
Matthew Preece
Email: mpreece(at)maf(dot)org
Mobile: +675 72404950
Skype: aquaman_sic
Work: +675 545 1477
Postal: PO Box 273
Mt Hagen WHP 281
Papua New Guinea
Last Monday a thought came to me about getting away for the weekend. I had been needing a weekend out of Mt Hagen and to rest a bit. There were a few possibilities of places to go, depending what MAF flights were going on Friday and Monday. But also at the moment, we have plenty of work on and are stretched, especially as we are in the middle of a C check and have other aircraft scheduled as well. One of the possibilities of places to travel to was Ukarumpa. Come Wednesday morning I had leave and flight approved to go to Ukarumpa Thursday till Monday.
1. Ukarumpa from the air
Ukarumpa is the world’s largest mission station, which belongs to SIL. And is the place where the majority of my friends from POC are serving or are based when not in a village. There are about 1000 people living at Ukarumpa, from translators to support staff. The PNG branch is the largest of SIL branches throughout the world, due to the diversity of 800 plus local languages in PNG (SIL translates the Bible into local languages).
I had been wanting to make to Ukarumpa to catch up with friends and to see a place that I heard a lot about. So it was really amazing to see the timing of it all and everything to fall in place for me to go.
I stayed with a friend from POC, who is also an Aircraft Maintenance Engineer. For me it was a relaxing time and to reflect on the past few months and refocus my perspective. Ukarumpa is another world compared to Mt Hagen. No fences, nowhere as much noise, you can go walking at night (if you are a guy). But really it is like being in a small country town in the mountains in America. But there are still security issues there.
2. My food supplies from the store, less than half of it made it back to Mt Hagen
The store there imports certain items from Australia and America that I cannot get here, or easily. But visiting the store was some of a culture shock for me. The store was clean, didn’t have any weird smells, wasn’t hot and did not have anyone watching or stalking me. It was like being a corner store in America and I did forget I was in PNG. But I couldn’t spend too much time in there or otherwise I would have spent a lot more money that I had on me.
I got to experience several other activities over the weekend. Friday night it was a blessing just to hang out with a group of young adults for once. Sunday morning church service I saw the most white skins in one place since leaving Australia. Sunday afternoon we had our POC reunion lunch, which was a good time of fellowship and catching up with friends from POC.
3. Some of PNG scenery
So it was really good to get away and to have a break. I guess with all that has been happening the past month have increased the amount of stress that comes with living in Mt Hagen. Since arriving back today, I have noticed the difference and it is amazing to see the contrast between the two places.
Yesterday marked me being in PNG now for six months. It has gone quickly, but has felt like a long time. This week I had my six month probation review with my manager, which went well. I also finally received my CASA exam result which I sat over six or seven weeks ago. I passed which is great! I can now try and start studying for another exam in December.
Continue to settle in to the new house and with the MAF ministry team. We are going out to a Lutheran church this evening about 20-30 mins outside of Mt Hagen.
At the moment out at the hanger we have had a lot of scheduled maintenance. Mainly one of our Twin Otters for a C check. It has been in the hanger for almost four weeks and have worked on it three out of those weeks. We have not been able to have all hands on deck, like normal during a C check. There has been a lot of work on it and have discovered a lot of defects that need rectifying, which is a good thing. It is a high maintenance aircraft, but it amazes me that this aircraft is forty years old and does the work it does.
Last Wednesday after finding out about having to move so suddenly, I quickly filmed a tour around part of the compound after work. It has been a video that I had been meaning to try and film for some time. It doesn’t really show compound life that well and is just a quick tour. But hope it gives some idea of it and you enjoy it.
I have been meaning to upload more photos for some time, here are some photos from my village living experience back in June. I did not take many photos while there, but a lot of video. So have a few video projects planned if I ever get round to it.
During POC I spent six nights in a remote village on the coast near Madang. Living with a national family and experiencing what life is like in a village.
48 Photos
1. Part of the new place
Last Wednesday I was planning on moving house this weekend. But at lunch time at work, I received news that my colleague who I was house sitting for the past four months was actually passing through Hong Kong and would be back in Mt Hagen Thursday afternoon. So instead of moving over the weekend, it would have to be Thursday morning. This was an inconvenience, as there is a lot of work for me on the current C check on one of our Twin Otters. But also a lot of things to do outside of work. It also involved a lot of work over a short period of time. But my manager gave me the day off, to pack and move. I have lost count how many times I have moved this year and places I have stayed. The process started Wednesday straight after work and continued Thursday morning, I made it back out to work around 1400.
2. Electric security gate
Interesting enough the house I am now in is the one I house sat three years ago exactly. It has been the General Managers house for many years now. But it came available after our new Program Manager (new name & role for General Manager) chose another compound. It is a three bedroom house on the Church of Nazarene compound, which is leased to MAF. I have two new housemates, one from Switzerland and one from Germany. Who have been staying in flats else where since arriving here. So definitely abit of mix of culture in this house. Back in December last year it was planned that I would end up sharing a place with one of these guys. So after being here almost six months it has been a long time coming, but now I have a place of my own.
We are located on top of a gully and surrounded by settlements. So there is some noise, especially at night. Ranging from drunks yelling and screaming, home made guns going off, and anything else, which I am use to.
3. Roxie, our killer gaurd dog (all these pictures are three years old)
I have spent all day today unpacking and setting up, with still a lot more to do. Previously I was not using everything that had been packed. But now I am able to use everything and has been good finding stuff in my drums that I forgot all about. Thankyou again to all the ladies at WSAC who gave generously in their gifts, it is a real blessing to have these items here. But I am looking forward to getting settled here and having a home and not just a house.
