Date: 28th Nov 2011
Dear Pastor, Church & all Supporters;
1Th 5:14 Now we exhort you, brethren, warn them that are unruly, comfort the feebleminded, support the weak, be patient toward all men.
1Th 5:15 See that none render evil for evil unto any man; but ever follow that which is good, both among yourselves, and to all men.
29th August 2011 – Monday Continued… (Part 14)
0400 hrs our day started with the fire made in the wood stove to make some coffee and breakfast, this day would be our first day of many, patrols into the bush to visit and encourage the local churches whom had been anxiously awaiting and expecting our arrival. There were several men who were in route from the Levini Valley coming to meet us at the Tanggi Mission Station, for one purpose, to assist us with the carrying of the gear, food etc… which would be needed to sustain us in the bush.
We packed by candle and torch light, the list we had made over the past days and rehearsed among ourselves proved efficient, working in low light conditions of the early morning hours. Soon it was light, we had our breakfast at 0600 hrs, finished the packing, and had our daily bible reading. The men had arrived of which there were ten in number.
We greeted each one, then had discussions as to what was expected and who would be assigned to carry what. After the preliminary debriefing we had our prayer, and departed the Tanggi mission station for the Levini Valley, where we have three of our churches.
There are others on the Tanggi side of the mountain but we would meet with them on the return side. The morning air was brisk, with low-lying clouds quickly giving way to the morning sun. With the Tanggi mission station at six thousand feet elevation above sea level, the air is already thin, for the next three miles we would slowly wind our way up the Levini Mountain, which stands as a timepiece and majestically rises above the Levini valley floor to Ten Thousand feet on one peak, and on another Twelve Thousand. The pass in which we would negotiate would rise to only Nine Thousand Five Hundred feet.
After nearly an hour of walking along the main road, we came to the bush road, which would start up immediately. There is one thing I should like to mention here, safe, and good hiking in PNG for most (white folks) or those who did not grow up there – firstly, one must at all times pay attention to foot placement, and secondly, one must be very careful what they grab with their hands for support.
I have told others who did come to visit the mission work and hiked with me there, the rules are simple and short – “Do exactly as I tell you, and you have a chance of making it; disregard what I tell you, and you may come out in a body bag.”
That may sound a bit rough to some, however, the Jungles of PNG, are not contingent upon someone’s ability or NOT. They are simply what they are, it’s a rugged country, with rugged people, and the way of life is tough and rugged. There is no walking around in the bush of PNG looking at the clouds above, or the mountain ridges in the horizon.
Like I have told others in the past, so too I told my wife, you place your foot exactly where I place mine, where I step you step. This simple rule can mean the difference between a good time and a very bad experience. After several days of hiking in the jungles of PNG, one gets a real good idea of what Christ meant when HE said, ‘…follow me’. In fact there are many lessons, which, take on a different meaning at a different level, one of those would be that of prayer and faith.
Two hours in the way and the sun was already hot, PNG being three degrees South of the Equator receives a good dose of the Sun’s rays and the strength of those rays are quite strong. Even in the high altitude one can feel the burning of the Sun’s rays. The hike was going slower then expected not because the Natives were carrying such big loads, but because we were out of condition for this type of life.
We had come from Malawi where we depend largely upon the vehicle to move from point A to point B, yes the life is physical in Malawi and the work is hard, however the hard hiking in Mountain Ranges is not found until one comes here to PNG. That being said, the only way one can train for hiking Mountains, unfortunately is simply to hike Mountains.
There is some advantage of hiking in a Tropical Rain Forest, and that is the canopy, though it may be hot, and humid, however it does provide an umbrella from the Sun’s hot rays. After nearly four hours of hiking, and from where we were geographically located, and considering what was yet to be hiked, I made a decision based upon the expediency of the timetable needed for this hike, that decision involved increasing our hiking speed due to two reasons;
the rains come in early afternoon and without much warning,
(ii) the hiking is difficult enough with all the mud, jagged limestone, logs for bridges, and a integrated root system that are covered with moss and mud which, makes a perfect pitfall for the untrained eye.
I instructed the patrol team to halt, and at 8000 ft we made a bush type stretcher with which, we would transport Sherry in order to expedite the remaining part of the mountain.
I should insert a comment at this point in the defence of my wife, firstly, she could have made the hike, (but not at our speed), secondly, she did not complain, nor ask to be carried in this manner. I have done this hike many times over the years and I know when it is taking too long or when we are about to put ourselves in a situation, which is not conducive to a safe hiking environment.
The last time I did this hike in 2009, I was with Bro. Bob Cowan and Alex Little, The hike went slow due to Bro. Cowan having (dengue fever) – daytime mosquitoes – sudden fever and acute pains in the joints, it becomes progressively worse without treatment and can be fatal. With this condition, Bro Cowan was unable to keep a steady pace and it took us nine hours for the hike, which normally I do in four hours with the PNG men.
It was during that time in 09 which, we were caught in the rains and I did not want that if possible this time around. I said all that to say this, the stretcher was made, and I assigned two men, one in the front, one in the rear, the backpacks, which those men had been carrying, were picked up by others. The pace was now picked up and we continued to ascend for another hour and half where we reached the top and it was there that we took our break.
The elevation was 9,600 ft, we rested about thirty min, had some fresh water to drink and sweet potatoes to eat that had been cooked in the early morning hours for the hike. After a refreshing rest, the hike down was actually more challenging to stay upright due to the mud and slippery conditions.
We continued descending until we reached the Levini Valley floor at which point Sherry was able to hike and keep up with the pace; it was there where we had another five miles to hike before reaching the first church where we would make camp.
With a valley that is some twenty-five miles in length, and some five to six miles wide, surrounded by mountains which tower up to twelve thousand feet above sea level, it creates its own weather pattern.
The rains are never far away, and within minutes a storm can formulate without warning, if you are unfortunate enough to be out in the valley when a storm empties itself, you will know by experience what it means to be caught in a Tropical monsoon rain storm. The pace was quickened and most of us simply walked in silence until we reached our destination.
Missionary Peter A. Halliman