Bible Faith (Orphanage) Outreach Ministry Nov 2009 News

By Aunty Rosa

“Praise God from whom all Blessings flow”

“As you do not know what is the way of the wind, or how the bones grow in the womb of her who is with child. So you do not know the works of God who makes everything. In the morning sow your seed, and in the evening do not withhold your hand, for you do not know which will prosper, either this or that, or whatever both alike will be good.” (Ecc 11:5-6 NKJV)

1. Elen a deserted child with her wantok, a baby girl

November was another special month for BFO with significant events! Firstly, the Ministry was introduced to the outside world through a young Australian man, Matthew Preece, who works as an engineer with MAF PNG Engineering Dept. He volunteered to assist BFO by publishing its news on his website. Thankyou Matt.

Praise Points

1. Praise God for new friends praying for us all around the world by learning about us from Matt’s website. The children can now define good from evil, respect rather than being rude and sharing together with obedience rather than being selfish and disobedient. They are so eager to learn and go to school, but we will have to wait for God’s perfect timing in providing land for building houses for them to sleep in and to build a learning centre.

2. 9/11 God answered our eight month prayer for sewing machines due to the 25 rolls of fabric material donated by one MAF family. A young Christian mother who was a former youth member of my local church donated one sewing machine and the other was donated by my family members.

2. Uncle Jiwa, Aunty Rosa, Sarah & Eli with new sewing machines and clothing already produced

3. 21-28/11 Praise God for community support! My church woman’s group invited the widows, deserted and sexually abused women, HIV victims and mothers along to their “End of the year party”. Three of the HIV ladies were convicted of their sad and worthless lifestyles and decided to surrender their lives with their children to God. It was an emotional time as they testified of the true love of Christ demonstrated by BFO. More are likely to join the outreach.

4. 30/11 It was interesting to see the community coming together to hear educational talks of how to respect each other, from a child to an adult. The gathering was due to an incident a few days earlier when a drunkard visitor threw an empty bottle onto a bystander. Consequently his front three teeth fell out. This occurrence was a good illustration of a poor attitude to use as a demonstration. Because I knew the injured, the message was spread to the whole community of forgiveness and no retaliation. We helped the victim with medical expenses. Those who know PNG know of the “pay back” system and huge compensation demands. For them witnessing this event was weird, but as Christians we know this is God moving in situations to fulfill His purpose to save mankind. As a result, the victim gave his whole life to Jesus after a month of the incident. Now he is a Christian. The neighbours decided to come to church too, after realising the forgiveness, but no commitment yet made to follow Jesus. Four more new children were added to our group, now our number has increased to 160.

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Friday night we had our first program of the year for the MAF ministry team. There has been several invitations received already from different churches to go out and minister to them. The church on Friday was Andakapla Church ten to fifteen minutes past Newtown. We had first visited this church last November, so it was great to be able to return. The church leaders had requested us to run a program on forgiveness (lusim rong). There has been tribal fighting in the Newtown and around Newtown area back in the New Year.

1. Waiting for the crowd

We arrived at the village a little after six, hoping to start around 1830. After setting up we just sat around talking with the people there, some church leaders and kids. Come almost seven thirty, people had started to arrive, so Pastor Jack started the evening and they lead a time of worship. Since being there a few months earlier we had seen some development in the church and that was encouraging to see.

2. Fully packed, was cramped operating the gear

After our last visit and the people knowing who MAF is and what we shared last time, it was a simple program. Starting off with an introduction to the movie, then showing End of the Spear with interruption at points and a talk on forgiveness.

3. Some of the line outside

Normally any church building in a village fills right up, but this was the first time I had seen a line out the door for ten metres. It was very cramped inside the building. The population of the area is over two thousand people and amongst the community there are nine churches. I was told that all churches were represented that night. On finishing up, person after person brought forward fruit and vegetables for us as a gift.

4. Where’s Matt?

After the program, packing up and talking a little we headed back towards town and to the airport to drop the gear off at work. After dropping people home, I arrived home fifteen past midnight. It had been a long day, but again was a really good night at Andakapla. The people are very welcoming to us and it is great to see God at work in them.

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The previous week our PNG airframe licenses had arrived after a three month wait. It had taken a long time for them to be processed and a lot of chasing too. That Thursday afternoon I finally received news that the lock bag had been sent from Port Moresby and will be on the afternoon jet. I went down to the Air Niugini cargo to pick up the lock bag. Friday morning at morning lotu (devotions) a presentation was made and the licenses were presented to Laz, Auda, Daniel, Maipson and myself, plus Mat T received two new ratings. Somehow by God’s timing Mike Jelliffe arrived in Hagen on the same flight the previous afternoon, up from Australia. He was the program manager during 2005, along with the PNG board who helped kick start national Engineer training again. So it was special that he could not only be there but also present the licenses to the new LAME’s too (Mike played a big part in my short term trip to PNG in 2005).

1. Receiving airframe licenses from Mike Jelliffe (member of the PNG board)

It has been a big victory for the guys and me to finally get our first license or licenses. For all of us it has been bit of a journey and a lot of work. Back in 2000 and 2001 when waiting on the Air Force, I never thought of getting licensed, as the military system is different to the civilian. But when I started my apprenticeship in 2002 with Qantas that was the goal, to get licensed. So after four years of shift work at Mascot, I moved to Richmond where I worked on military C130′s, after that bible college/getting ready to come to PNG and now almost two years in PNG. Serving here in PNG with MAF is the first opportunity I have had to get licensed following completing my apprenticeship. By that getting the required hours of experience on aircraft type to get licensed and finish off exams required too (For MAF aircraft, Group 1 & 5 airframe). I know that it has been all in God’s timing. Now the next goal is to get engine licenses. I don’t know how to explain the system easily, your apprenticeship is like getting your degree and getting your license is like getting your masters.

2. New LAME’s with Mike (Laz, me, Maipson, Daniel, Auda & Mike)

It is really encouraging to see the National guys to get their first license, as it has been many years since the last. Also to see the team of Engineers and staff in Engineering that God has placed together. Having five more licensed Engineer’s will make a big difference on the hangar floor. But it is always said that once you get your license, your real learning begins, we still have plenty to learn (you never stop learning in aviation). The difference between an AME (Aircraft Maintenance Engineer) and a LAME (Licensed Aircraft Maintenance Engineer), is that the LAME certifies the AME’s work or his  own work (where the AME signs for, but does not certify), supervises and release’s an aircraft back to service.

3. Little department bung before lunch to celebrate – cake and coke

Please pray that with the new responsibilities of being licensed that we would continue to grow as Engineers. I had set the goal to obtain my airframe license’s by the end of my first term. With my furlough coming two months earlier than expected, it is great to achieve it after almost eight years since starting my apprenticeship.

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I finally have got round to making a video of Mt Hagen’s main market. There are little markets scattered all around town, but this is the main market for town and for the province. The market is a meeting place for some and traders come from all over the province, even some produce comes all the way from the coast. The market is open normally 7am to 5pm everyday except Sunday. It is a very easy going place, but can be intense due to the noise and crowd of people.

There are a few cultural things to know about shopping at a market in PNG. You pay before you take anything or touch anything. You don’t walk over food on the ground, especially women (this can be considered offensive). You don’t pick up items too many times while trying to chose something good (it can offend the seller). You need to have close to the right change, anything bigger than 2K will be hard to get change. The price of most things is fixed, especially food.

I normally do my shopping Saturday morning. Umm this Saturday morning I was a bit out of it, ummm we had a plan of what we would do, umm but it didn’t really work out, it was noisy as usual. It wasn’t too busy, but hope it gives a little insight into shopping in PNG.

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MAF discovery day in on this Saturday out at Camden airport from 10am to 4pm. There will be alot of activities happening through out the day.

• MAF aircraft displays
• Latest GA8 Airvan
• Meet MAF pilots
• PNG brewed coffee
• Discovery joy flights
• Some free flights
• Free flight simulators
• MAF aviation seminars
• Free children’s activities
• All day sausage sizzle

Don’t miss a good day out, especially if you want to learn more about mission aviation or MAF. More info click here and download the brochure here.

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In the short time I have been in PNG I have seen quite a few MAFer’s come and go. For those who have been here a long time, it is quite a large number. It is a normal thing to have a flow of new people and people leaving the PNG program throughout the year and something you get use to. Just over two weeks ago saw our compound neighbours Tony and Jill leave PNG after seven and a half years here. They have been serving with MAF in several other programs since the early nineties. They are now in the transition of moving to MAF’s program in Bangladesh where Tony will be Chief Engineer.

1. Dinner @ the Highlander

The weeks leading up to their leaving, there were a few gatherings especially for them. One of their last nights in PNG Timon and I took them out for dinner. It was a good night of fellowship and good food. Tony and Jill are similar ages to our parents (Timon’s parents are serving in Bangladesh MAF program, his Dad is a pilot). I have enjoyed and appreciated their friendship a lot and have many good memories. They have been good neighbours, Jill has taken care of things for us on the compound while at work. Tony being a good and experienced Engineer, I have learnt a lot from. It was sad to see them go and they will be missed. But it is great to see them following God’s leading into this new chapter.

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In the final week of 2009 one news channel kept showing highlights from 2009 in different areas like sport, politics and natural disasters. While having my photo screensaver going on my laptop one night. I was listening to music. Seeing photo’s of the year with music, I was inspired to make a little slideshow of pictures from the year. I didn’t take too many photo’s last year and most of the good ones have been used before, so it was hard to put together a good collection of unseen ones, so there are some recycled photo’s. I can’t believe how quick January has gone already. I wanted to get this done before the end of the month, just a day late.

While putting together this video it helped me look back on the year more than I had already. I was really blown away by what I was able to experience and achieve last year. Something that I am grateful for the way God gave me these experiences and achievements throughout the year. Despite how good the experiences were or how hard they were or how big the achievements were. I know that all these things are nothing without Him and sharing them with Him. That knowing Him is better and greater than any of these on a level I can not comprehend, looking back on last year and other years too. Every year I do long to know God more and to walk more closely with Him. Last year was a struggle at times and this year  will be hard too at times. Like each new year, I want to grow and mature more as a man of God. Growing in His word and prayer, among other things. To share the experiences and achievements of this year with Him in His will, which is only possible by His grace.

“What is more, I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord.” (Philippians 3:8a)

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