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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Back on the second last weekend of November was my first full weekend MAF ministry program. We planned and organised throughout the week for the weekend. The team can vary from program to program, but is normally the same. It would consist of Kambowa (mission co coordinator and two of his sons), Maipson (Engineer), Nevan (Aircraft Painter), Stanley (Engineer Trainee), Timon and I. Come Friday afternoon I was pretty tired, with a MAF van packed with all our equipment, we departed work once the other MAF vehicles had departed. Our destination was the Kudjip Nazarene Hydro Church, around forty to fifty minutes from Mt Hagen. We travelled along the Highlands Highway and was my first time driving out that way for a while. Kudjip is home of the famous Nazarene Mission Hospital. The village where we were heading is only five minutes drive from the hospital. It took us only around thirty minutes from Kagamuga and Pastor Jack (assistant Pastor) met us before the hospital.

1. Nazarene Church with Pastor Jack

Pastor Jack directed us to the village and to the church. As we arrived, there was a crowd waiting to meet us at the church, from old ladies to little kids. They were really excited to see us and we were introduced to some. The church is close to a river and is quite a nice place looking across the valley. We setup our gear to start the program that night. As soon as it was setup we were taken to a house where we would be staying the weekend, a haus kunia (grass house). There waiting for us was apinun kai kai (dinner) prepared by Pastor Jack’s wife and a few other ladies. A mumu (ground oven) of pork, vegetables and fruit.

2. Around the fire & having tea - Stanely, Maipson, Nevan, Kambowa & Joshua

After eating dinner and a quick time of prayer, we were off back to the church to run the Friday night program. After a time of worship lead by the church and waiting for people to arrive. As normal we were welcomed and the team introduced themselves. First up would be me to share my testimony, how I came to Christ and how I came to MAF. Afterwards we showed the Jesus film in Tok Pisin, followed by a talk, two women gave their lives to Christ. It was a really good night. After packing up the equipment and talking with some people, we finished late and headed back to the house. Where we hanged around the fire and a have a tea, before going to sleep. It wasn’t a comfortable sleep for me, lots of constant waking up throughout the night to reposition.

3. Our beds

I was looking forward to my Saturday morning sleep as there wasn’t too much planned for the day. But we were staying in a village, people get up when the sun does. I couldn’t believe how much noise and activity there was at 0600 in the morning even in the house. I was tired and needed sleep, but it just wasn’t possible. After laying there for some time I got up for breakfast, Wopa crackers around the fire. The plan for the day was to go for a walk up to the local’s prayer mountain, around an hour to an hour and a half walk. Pastor Jack guided us with some of the boys from the village. As we walked along this road to the mountain, it cut through different villages throughout the area. Which I learned rounded off at around four thousand people, and here we were just in one village interacting with several communities in a larger community. Along the way we saw and greeted a lot of people, saw great scenery and saw the result of the earlier Nazarene missionaries in the area.

4. Coming back down the prayer mountain

After we had been shown the local school where some kids have to work at least an hour to every day, we went up to the prayer mountain. It was a quite a nice experience up there and to be invited up there. After a time praying in a group, we got to go off by ourselves to different parts of this mountain, was quite a spiritual refreshing time. On our way back to the village, we were trying to beat the rain, which started to come down heavier on our arrival back. On our arrival back we were again met with lunch prepared for us, again pork, vegetables and fruit. After lunch we were going to have a waswas (bath/swim) in the river, but one of the team members was coming back from Port Moresby after an exam, so we decided to wait for him. So in the mean time, I thought I would have a power nap for ten minutes or so as we waited, as he needed  to be picked up. I was so tired I was completely out of it and slept for a while. Maipson who was to be picked up, ended up walking to the village by asking for directions. Once Maipson had joined us, Pastor Jack took us to the river. But not where they normally wash, but where they sometimes go to swim. Where we went is called by the missionaries at the hospital ‘suicide gap’. As there is a water fall, then two rock faces either side. You can safely jump off the rocks into the river and be taken down stream. During our bathing there, we had a lot of fun jumping off the rock into the strong current. The water was pretty cold, but bearable, it was really refreshing to have a swim. On our return from the river we started to prepare for that night’s program. Later on we headed back to the church and set up the equipment again. I left a documentary going the search for the real Mt Sinai after explaining it to the people, mainly kids, as we had dinner up at the house. We had to have the generator going that night, as there was a blackout and the hydro was damaged by a storm. Interesting though to go to a village with electricity.

5. Waswas at suicide gap, Maipson jumping & Pastor Jack

After dinner we started up the Saturday night program, with MAF awareness. It still amazes me how many people, especially those who are served by MAF are unaware of who MAF really is. Followed by that we showed the End of the Spear movie. This was the one thing the church leaders had requested for us to do while with them. As in the 90’s there had been tribal fighting in the area for a few years, with quite a few people killed. Still after that time there is still a lot of bitterness in the community. After showing the movie, Timon did a talk following the movie, people were quite convicted and challenged. Again we packed up the equipment and talked to a few people.

6. Timon speaking after showing End of the Spear

That night in the house we hanged around the fire and again giving thanks for another good night and day. After another difficult night’s sleep and an early wake up, was breakfast. For the church service, the church would lead worship and one of us would preach, Maipson was on for Sunday morning. Again setting up the equipment with the generator, waited for the service to begin, as Sunday school finished. The service was quite good, each village church is different. The church leaders expressed their gratefulness for us spending the weekend with them, as they did over the weekend. They were very happy with the program we ran and time spent with them. The ministry team emphasised that even though being an encouraging and strengthening time for them, that they needed to rely on the Lord’s strength to continue, not on the ministry team. Following the service and packing up, I thought we would be released so we could return home and catch up what we needed to, especially for the white single guys. I was quite exhausted too. We were invited back for lunch and asked the church leaders and visiting church leaders from other churches to join us.

7. Sunday lotu - women on the left, men on the right (except Stanley, haha)

Following lunch we were farewelled by everyone in the village. We were really taken good care by Pastor Jack, his wife and relatives. Someone gave up there house for us to have it to ourselves for the whole weekend. We were fed three meals a day, where quite normally in PNG there is one meal, dinner. It had been a special weekend and God had been at work. We boarded the MAF van at the church to depart and the crowd followed us to farewell us at the church. Unfortunately the senior Pastor was not there for the weekend as he was away sick and one of our Engineers Albert James who lives in that village was in the Septik for his uncle’s haus crai (funeral). We departed Kudjip and travelled back to Hagen. We dropped off the equipment at the hangar and then I started on dropping people home. We got home around mid to late afternoon, and I started to catch up on a few weekend things.

8. The haus kunai where we stayed in the village

It really was a great weekend, despite struggling with tiredness and being a busy weekend. It would be my last MAF ministry event for the year. I asked for the following Monday off to recover and to catch up on my weekend jobs. Each time in a village is an amazing experience, to live in a village and amongst individuals, it is another world. It seems like such a long time ago, but was a great opportunity to minster and reach out to this remote community, which we are grateful for. The people and the church were strengthened and encouraged over the weekend.

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The MAF ministry team’s activity has continued a little throughout the year and now has increased the last few months. The team has consisted five of us, three nationals and two expats. With some programs other MAF staffs have joined the team. The villages we have been serving can range from churches in Mt Hagen, to villages out bush outside of Hagen and very remote villages only accessible by air. The programs range from End of the Spear movie (forgiveness – a big issue in PNG), HIV/AIDS awareness training (biblical based, not sissy based like some organisations - again a big issue in PNG, especially in the Western Highlands), Jesus film and others. We plan and organise the programs during the week at work during our break time.

1. Andakapla Church

I have been struggling with tiredness the last few months, especially with studying. Now that I am having a break from studying, it does free me up. But I still have been tired and wanting a break. So with this it has been a battle to go out to minister to people on a Friday or weekend. To get home from work and leave promptly or going straight from work. At the moment we have four weekends booked out of five and two of them being all weekend programs. We are half way through this schedule. But despite how hard it can be sometimes to go out. Once I am there it is such a blessing to be there and to be with these people, I wouldn’t want to be anywhere else. If I wasn’t there, I would be missing out what God wants to do there. Let alone a great opportunity to encourage the believers and reach out to the community. The other week God was reminding me and encouraging me of the great importance of the Great Commission. You would think that being a missionary in a third world country, that you wouldn’t need reminding of this. But just as I needed constant reminding in Australia, so do I in PNG. It is easy to become focused on other things, yourself and what needs you have, prioritise other things. By this losing focus on what is truly important.

2. Sharing my testimony @ Mt Hagen Four Square Church

A few of the places we have visited the past two weeks have been villages outside of Hagen. The first one being Andakapla Church which is located outside of town several km’s from Newtown. It is well known for harboring criminals (‘rascals’) in the community, some of whom have stolen MAF vehicles in the past. It was refreshing just to be out in a village in the bush. We had a very good reception by the people there, the building was over flowing. That night after a time of worship, we introduced the team, did MAF awareness (which was so important for the people to understand) and showed Indescribable, plus a talk. For the believers there they were really blown away to see how big God really is. Two men recommitted their lives to Christ and one young man gave his life to Christ. I was able to talk to the young man afterwards (all in Tok Pisin) about the gospel and encourage him. It was amazing to see God at work in his life and others.

3. Kids @ Kenta Lutheran Church

Last Friday we ventured out to Kenta Lutheran Church which is past the airport. As we had more people coming, we had two vehicles. On arrival there were kids running out of the bushes all over the place. The church had written an invitation to us this time last year to come out and minister to them. They had waited almost 12 months for us to come out. The church building was quite small. So for the first time since I have been involved we set up the equipment outside under the stars and had open air cinema. We waited till 1930 to start, even though the place wasn’t full. I was able to entertain the kids by taking photos and showing them their photo on the little camera LCD screen. This time round they handed straight over to us to start. Again we introduced ourselves, did MAF awareness and for the first time for the ministry team showed the Jesus film in Tok Pisin, which included a good gospel talk by Timon. It did start to rain during the movie, the wet season is starting here, but we pushed on. After packing up, saying goodbye, dropping people off home, I drove home (joking with the guys if we will stop at McDonald’s on the way home).

4. Watching the Jesus film in Tok Pisin

It is a huge blessing and privelege to be part of this ministry and to see God at work in these communities. We have an all weekend program this weekend and despite being tired I am looking forward to it and a break.

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Last weekend over Easter, the MAF Ministry Team (five of us) had the privilege of going out to minister to a village, the first one this year. The village being Kantel, and visiting a CLC (Christian Life Centre) Church. Over the long weekend we ran a program from Friday night to Monday morning, with some of the team staying the whole weekend.

1. Kantel CLC Church

The program involved Friday night, Saturday night, Sunday morning and evening. On Good Friday we were welcomed with a traditional greeting after a time of worship, introduced ourselves, one team member preached and we showed the Passion of the Christ. Saturday night involved the same sort of routine, with MAF awareness presentation, a testimony and talk and showing a DVD called the Lazarus Phenomenon. Sunday morning was a church service and in the evening was HIV AIDS awareness presentation (70-80% of HIV infected people in PNG live in the Western Highlands Province, Mt Hagen’s Province).

2. Some of the Kandel kids

I was able to attend the Friday and Saturday programs and it was quite an amazing time, with a good response from people. The church itself normally only has around 20-30 people, but we were able to pack the building with easily over 100 plus, with people looking on from outside. People came from neighboring villages. What amazed me was how close we were to town, but seeing again how these people live and this is how the majority of people live in PNG. My highlight besides being able to bless these people was seeing the kids. Each day they would wait for our arrival and go crazy. And I would ask why they were so excited to see us and the answer I got was because two of us are white. But what really amazed me, was how happy and content they were. They have very little and know very little of what happens abroad, yet they were so happy and able to keep themselves entertained playing with each other.

3. Timon sharing

In village life, people don’t have much concept of time, so you can tell people in advance the previous night that we will start at 1800. But an hour and a half later no one is really there yet. So in this time we were able to do different things. One of the team members wife taught the children My God is so big amongst other things, so that was really good.

4. Kids learning My God is so Big

Again it was a blessing and a privilege to be able to go out and minister to these people. It is hard to do the work we mainly do and not see the fruit of our labour. So it is great to be able to see, serve and interact with people the way we can with the ministry team.

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This video was originally put together quickly as an update video for my home church. It has been finally tided up a bit. I guess this shows an example of what the MAF ministry team gets up to, normally on a Friday or Saturday night. Unfortunately some really good action footage did not turn out, but all the same I hope this gives you a glimpse of ministry here in PNG. In this video we attend the village called Pontus, where there had been four years of tribal fighting with their neighboring village and about twenty people killed. We drive out in the middle of nowhere to spend the night at this remote village after a big week in the hanger to minster to these people.

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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

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1. Some of the crowd that greeted us

Last Friday I had the privilege of going out to a remote village with the MAF ministry team and spend the night there. It is called Pontus and is the home of one of our store men and has an AOG church there. For me there was a lot of build up during the week, there was the planning and getting ready. But also physically and spiritually. I had volunteered to share my testimony (how I came to Christ and my calling to MAF). During the week I had a really bad mouth infection, something that I had never experienced before. It was quite painful even to speak. But I started to improve come Friday.

There would be nine of us going, most of whom are from the Engineering department. We finished work early and headed out from the airport just after 1530. We took two 4WD’s, one Hilux owned by MAF and my Landcruiser. It is about an hour’s trip from Mt Hagen to Pontus. We spent some time in town before leaving around 1645. The trip out there was quite interesting and adventurous. The roads were quite bad and came to parts that we would not be able to pass through without 4WD’s. It was also an opportunity to test the reliability of the Landcruiser but also use it for ministry. The scenery was absolutely beautiful. It is always amazing how people react as we drive through small remote villages, they rarely see white people.

2. Some of the crowd in the church building

We arrived at Pontus around 1800, just before it started to get dark. We were greeted by a large number of people on the way in, mainly kids who would run beside or behind the car. It was such an encouragement to see how happy they were to see us. We were also greeted by a man riding on a white horse, was very random at the time. We were greeted by many people on our arrival and then started to set up in the church building.

The program we had planned for the night was quite a lot of stuff and we were hoping to start around 1830. After setting up there was only a fraction of the community gathered. So we retreated to the Pastor’s hut to have some space from the people and to prepare before starting the night. A time of worship started and more people started to gather, I would estimate we started the program after worship around 1930. After the worship followed a presentation of MAF for the people, like I said before many people know of MAF. But they do not know what exactly we do. That was followed by the MAF employee from the village giving a short talk about MAF. During all this time the presenting was done in Tok Pisin, but was translated in Tok Ples (village’s native language).

3. Doing my testimony & having John translate into Tok Ples

Following the presentation, were two testimonies. The second one being my own, this was in English and translated into Tok Ples. I have never talked in front of such a large group as that before. There would have been easily two hundred people or more there (some have said 400). It was hard as I have never spoke to a group before and have myself translated. So it was hard to keep my train of thought going, but was good to give me time to think of what to say next. I had a lot on my heart I wanted to say. I shared how I came to Christ and how I came to be with MAF in PNG in a way they could understand and be transalted. I incorporated the gospel with this and at the end with a challenge and encouragement. I even had a little sermon on my heart about forgiveness that I really wanted to share, but I did not believe I needed to. Everything that I said took a lot more time to share as it was being translated, but it went really well.

Followed by this we all performed a song. I did not know the song, as I had been unable to sing I had not learnt it before hand. So I got up in front of all these people and learnt the song as we sung it. Then there was another team member to introduce the movie we would watch. He said what I wanted to say, which was really good. Again we watched End of the Spear, which again is so revealant to these people. There has been tribal fighting between the two neighboring villages for the last four years, with twenty people being killed. So there is a lot of pain and still enemies at present, it is only in the last few months that they have stopped fighting. We drove past the battle field where they would meet to fight on our drive in. It is such a good movie on forgiveness. Following the movie we prayed for them and that finished the night at 0015 (15 mins past midnight).

4. People who could not fit inside, would watch from outside

We packed up all the sound gear and there was still a ground gathered. So after some time the generator was turned off and there were no lights. We returned to the Pastor’s hut to find chicken and vegetables cooked for us. I had been so hungry before, but my body was wanting sleep so much that I had lost my appetite. In the end we stayed up till about 0230 singing and talking and then went to bed. We rose again at 0540 to leave around 0600. As for some of us have a lot to do on Saturday’s and wanted to return not too late.

We left that morning leaving behind us a large community greatly blessed. Spending time out in a remote village is always a unique experience. It always amazes me that people live in such a place and in such a way. I was hoping and praying that we would have no dramas with the Landcruiser on the way back. But as soon as we left the village the car stalled while at idle, even though it had warmed up for at least 10 mins. This continued for through out the trip back to Mt Hagen, as the engine was being flooded with too much petrol. At one point we could not get it started for some time, we prayed as a group and it started. Which allowed us to continue but with me driving the car a certain way to keep it from stalling. We  adjusted the carberotter and made it back to Mt Hagen safely after some strive with the car. Now knowing that the carby is not just an adjustment issue but needs overhauling.

5. Dinner @ 0100 AM

The time out in the village was a great experience. To be able to minister to these people and to bless them physically and spiritually, I was so blessed by that. It was also good just to serve with the guys outside of the work we do back in Mt Hagen and the time of bonding we had too. God was with us and blessed our travel and time ministering. Coming to PNG this was the sort of ministry that was on my heart to be part of besides what I already do. I am really grateful for this opportunity God has given me and the door that He has opened.

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1. Kambowa doing his thing (preach it brother)

Last Friday night I had the privilege to attend a program of the MAF ministry team. Something that I have been waiting to attend for a while now. The MAF ministry team is run by two national employees of MAF and maybe with a few staff attending to support. The team is usually invited by a church or village to minister to them or the team requesting a village if they can visit. This can be locally or some where else in the country. The main purpose being to minister to the believers, but also to reach the lost.

Friday night’s meeting was held at the Kagamuga COC church, which is Christian Outreach Centre. I get confused easily with the abbreviations of churches here, as there is the CRC, CLC, COC etc. It involved the church itself, but other people visiting from other churches, also from the surrounding community. It was absolutely packed with people. I went along wanting to be involved, but going to observe and see what they do. The night started off with a time of worship led by the churches worship team and then was handed over to the MAF team.

2. The whole church was full

Something that I did not expect was time taken to show the latest MAF video and talk about MAF and what we do exactly. Most people would know of MAF, but it is amazing how within the church and communities here awareness needs to be promoted. So that they are aware of what we do and how we are serving them. This was followed by watching the movie ‘End of the Spear’. Which is about five missionaires (belonging to MAF) being killed in Ecuador and what follows this event. If you have not seen it, I highly recommend that you see it. We had some technical difficulty trying to play the movie and during this I was having flashbacks of setting up for Scripture. The laptop had been region locked out, so it would not play a region 1 DVD. Some one ran off to there place and grabbed a DVD player that did not work. So one staff and myself drove to the nearest MAF compound in search of a multi region DVD player. We were graciously lent one by someone. All the time while Kambowa kept the large crowd entertained.

The condition of the church here is that as else where in the world. That there are people within it who don’t have a personal relationship with Jesus. But also the influences of the culture here. They can be involved in tribal fighting. The relevance of the movie to the cultural implications here is so good. The message of forgiveness is one that is required to be preached here. And it was amazing to see how these people where touched by this movie, that they were really challenged and convicted. But for them it is a big blessing, something we take for granted back home, is something so many do not have. Also the teaching and resources we have back home in our churches. The night was finished of by a short talk.

3. There was even an overflow outside the front door

For me it has been really hard leaving many ministries behind and here not having that commitment outside of the work of MAF. Sure there is the ministry of living within the community here and relationships outside of MAF. But I have been waiting on God to see what else He has for me here. And I knew that if I made myself available to Him and waited He would open the doors. And I believe that the MAF ministry team is something He wants me to be part of. Besides it being really good that it is about sharing the Gospel and discipling the believers around many places and building relationships with these people. The one thing that I really like is that it is part of MAF.

This Friday afternoon we are planning on going to a village of one of the MAF staff out bush. It is in a remote place about an hour out of town. There is an AOG church in the village and we will be staying the night there. This area has been a place of tribal fighting for many years. And it has only recently stopped in the past few months (I wish I knew this before hiking through there the other month). So there is a lot of pain from this fighting and still enemies amongst the villages. So it is a great opportunity to minister to these people. I will be sharing my testimony this Friday night, how I came to Christ and how I came to MAF. So it is a real exciting time as God is opening up doors here for me to serve Him in other ways with MAF.

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