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
November 25th, 2008 at 5:56 am
Hi Matt, It’s great to see by way of the photos and hear through the account that you wrote some of what our Father is doing in and through you as part of the MAF team and the local Church.
The fields are indeed “white and ready for harvest” so each one of us needs to hear the voice of the Lord and respond as He directs us. Thanks for sharing some of your own feelings which show us the personal side of your walk with God and the humanity that we each have as people. In the words of one of the Psalms; we “are fearfully and wonderfully made”. Keep up the good work.
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