Date: 9th Nov 2011
Dear Pastor, Church & all Supporters;
(Col 3:12) ¶ Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering;
(Col 3:13) Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye.
Continued from Report No. 5… (Part No. 6)
Wed 10th Aug 2011
Our day started at 0600 hrs, after some stout coffee we prepared for the day, which, would involve going into town to do some shopping for supplies both in food as well as some hardware that would sustain us for the next few weeks out in the bush. Since we do not have any electric out at the Tanggi Mission station I made a plan to try and work out some charging system with solar.
At the proper time we made it into town walking, and since we had no vehicle I decided to do the grocery shopping last so that we could hire a mini-bus to take the goods down to Bro Ekere’s and store them until we were ready to depart town for Tanggi, which would be in a few days time. Trying to make a list for the bush always poses a challenge, one because of the budget to work under, secondly I now have a wife to consider, and thirdly I must calculate for how many days we will be in the bush and just exactly what it is that we will need.
We had made out the list early in the morning and so once in town we simply went to the shops. Most Papua New Guineans do not see ‘white people’ walking around town, carrying things, so our activity drew a lot of attention as we went from shop to shop.
The day pressed on, and most of the hardware we had considered was purchased, we only had to do the grocery shopping. Most of the items, which, we secured, were of a wholesale nature. Some of the items, which, we purchased for the bush, were as per the following;
Brown rice, brown sugar, salt, corned beef, canned fish, candles, matches, batteries for our head-lamps, bar soap for bathing, and bar soap for washing clothes. Cooking oil, coffee, tea, noodles, toilet tissue, Tarp for housing shelter.
There were the odd bits and pieces but in the bulk that constituted our list. I figured that by the time we departed Mt. Hagen it would be at least three to four weeks before we would be in a position to come back.
As in Africa, so too here in PNG, the shopping does not go quickly and there is a lot of moving from one shop to another to find the best prices and or item in the event the first shop does not have what you are looking for.
Regarding the solar, we found a hardware, which stocked supplies and so after discussing with some of the staff what our particular needs were, we decided on a package of a twelve volt solar battery, a twenty-five volt solar panel, the cables for connecting and a regulator with connectors. We found a vehicle and took the items to Bro Ekere’s and for the next three days I had connected the solar to the battery to test the items. This package would enable me to keep my battery charged on the mobile phone, my laptop and cameras.
Thursday -11th Aug 2011
The day started out early, we had some bank work to do and in the afternoon we would join Bro Ekere and Kim Bap church in church services. He asked me to speak so I spent some time in study and preparation.
I had prepared some outlines whilst in Malawi, and sometimes the LORD will give me a message on those outlines, and sometimes HE will not. The LORD only brings to remembrance those things which one has studied previously, we are not any longer in the days of the N.T. and we do not have the gift of Tongues (though it would be convenient) the LORD will not bring to our remembrance things which, we have not studied, therefore a preacher needs to have his nose in the book every opportunity he can get.
After the bank work, we went to the Chemist in order to obtain the correct medication and medical supplies. There are several things, which, one can do without in PNG, but one thing for certain which you do not need to forget and that is a good Medical Kit.
From band-aids, to semi-surgical dressings, tropical ulcers are a real issue in the Tropics and are a real threat. Malaria would be near the top of the list for major concerns in PNG. Following our town work, and after lunch we caught transport and went to Bro Ekere’s to join in worship services.
As I was already asked to speak and was prepared and did so, there is a comment I would like to insert at this point… for the past fifteen years I have preached, taught, pleaded and encouraged the pastors and churches here in Malawi Africa to conduct two services on Sunday, (they surely could, being village residents) and at least one service during the week.
Every church that has been organized here in Malawi & Mozambique Africa I would ask them during their organization ceremony, (What day (s) and what time do you desire to meet for worship service.
Most would agree and vote for Sunday morning hours, and one day of the week. However, I have yet to see or been part of a weekly service of any church after they were organized. All I will say is, folks have time for what they want to do.
We were invited to a late afternoon meal with Bro Ekere and his family and then we called it a day and went back to where we are putting up.
Friday 12th / Sat 13th Aug 2011
For the next couple days we started packing up our things again and searching for a vehicle that would provide transport out to the Tanggi Mission Station. There are several places where one can rent from, if you want Avis then the rentals will go for around one thousand US for a four-wheel drive pickup.
This is for a twenty-four hour time-table. There are other places, and locals who have some four-wheel drive vehicles, pickups, and enclosed so we began to explore the possibilities.
For two days we explored Mt. Hagen finding either the vehicles were out of our budget, or else they had been hired out, or none available. We had our plan set on pulling out of Mt. Hagen on Monday the 15th if all went well.
Sunday 14th Aug 2011
Kim Bap Church had asked me if I would again preach for them, I accepted and services commenced at 0900 hrs. I preached for the S.S hour then they dismissed for about fifteen min and we resumed for morning worship hour. I will again insert something here, most of the (Baptist) churches here in PNG will not go for a sermon-et, they don’t want to be entertained with stories, or talks, they want to hear God’s Word preached. After two hours of preaching, we closed the service with some songs and a prayer. Though the LORD did not choose to save anyone, the church was encouraged and we felt a blessing from being there.
The day passed with us having fellowship with many different church members, some travelling from three hours hike, to some living right on the property with Bro Ekere and his family.
In the late afternoon, we received a phone call from a long time friend who had just purchased a new Toyota Land Cruiser four by four pickup and was on his way to Mt. Hagen from Lae. He informed us that he would be going onward to Tanggi and that if we needed a lift that he would be happy to assist us. This was an answer to prayer that we had been having for several days now.
The LORD truly is good and HIS love for us is beyond human language. I felt that the LORD was truly blessing this trip and we would continue to see great and wonderful things, both in the work and in our lives.
In His Name,
Missionary Peter A. Halliman