SOVEREIGN GRACE BAPTIST MISSION
International – Papua New Guinea / Malawi Africa
P.O. Box 60150 Ndirande Bt. 6 Blantyre Malawi /
P.O. Box 233 – Mt Hagen (WHP) Papua New Guinea
Tanggi Mission Station – North Koroba, Hela Province, PNG
Missionary / Evangelist: Peter A. Halliman
Email: panagioite04@gmail.com  /  Website: sgbm-malawi-africa.com

Date: 18 June 2020

Dear Pastor, Church, Supporters;

Continued from Series Six (6)… Now Part Seven in Series (No. 7)

25 April 2020 (Saturday) — Day Six (continued)

Romans 8:29–31 — For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren. Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified. What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us?

Folks were assembled and the Bible Conference was again underway. I try to meet with the pastors prior to the people congregating in order to have a time of prayer. I appoint certain men to pray, kept to a small number — as most of the men here, when asked to pray, one would think they are trying to catch up on their prayer life! However, being the people whom they are, with the culture, the interactions, discussions, etc., there isn’t a time that they don’t pray lengthy prayers, so we just get on with it.

People were still coming in, hiking in from the nearby mountains, some near, some far — but all came. They were summoned by the Tribal chief and told they must attend the church services and hear what this white man had to say or what kind of message he brought.

It is interesting to hear the different approaches within different languages, and as I have learned, when you really learn a language you have learned the people. Just being able to assimilate the words into sentences and speak, write, and read does not mean you understand the people. When you can laugh with their humour and understand the idioms, then you have begun to understand the people as a whole.

Church services were underway, and I had two of our young pastors from around the mission station to preach before I came in. We had a crowd of near one hundred and fifty people, all sitting on the ground cross-legged. No one complains, no one leaves, no one goes home, no one asks for a better seat.

Several messages were preached on the Articles of Faith. I don’t always have a scheduled programme — sometimes I do, and in this instance I had asked the speakers to follow the Articles of Faith which we believe and embrace as Baptist.

Again, through the course of the day and preaching we only took about fifteen minutes break for lunch, as the sun sets early and there is only so much daylight. We try to be as productive as possible with the daylight we have.

As I was preaching, at different times there were different ones who raised their hands and stopped me during my preaching. As I enquired with each, their reply was: “The GOD of creation has come to me.” Someone said, “The LORD has found me!” Amen.

Even simple tribal people know it is the LORD who saves, it is the LORD who is the seeker and finder. They know full well where they were — dead in sin, unable to come on their own. As one man put it: “We are the only ones here, until you came. How could we know about the one you have preached about, unless one told us?” That makes for good preaching, doesn’t it?

I finished out the day, having preached three times back to back, and was ready to call it a day.

Several men who had come today had not been here yesterday, and I noticed there was something they seemed to want to talk about. So I gave an open invitation to any who would want to talk with me after the services were closed for the day.

No sooner had I changed clothes and rested a bit in my quarters than two groups of men came to discuss with me various topics and issues. The afternoon was getting on, the food had been prepared, and we ate, talked, and discussed several things.

They disclosed the fact that there was no missionary or mission work being carried out or that had been in past years. They had heard long ago of a white missionary named Halliman and wanted to know if he was still around. I gave a quick summary of the history and how I was the son of this man called Halliman.

As is most often the case here in PNG, when you meet with folks and there is an interest in church or mission work, they always want to know if you are going to move there and work out of their area. I again quickly explained my living quarters, the mission station, etc., and that I cannot just set up residence everywhere I go. The next question: “When will you come again?” This of course has to be planned and worked out, so it is difficult to lock down a timetable — but the good thing is, these people know nothing about time and it doesn’t mean anything to them, so the good answer is: “In GOD’S time I will be back.”

The landowners wanted to give a portion of land for the mission work and an area in which to build a proper dwelling and worship sanctuary. I advised them that when they decided, it needed to be voluntary and there would be no taking it back, as GOD was not in the business of entertaining short-term promises and arbitrary offerings.

I finally had to ask them to leave as I was worn from the day and spent. Another day the LORD had blessed, and it was good to see people excited about the LORD’S work again.

Tomorrow would be another new day and the final day of the actual Bible Conference and preaching. Much was scheduled and planned, therefore I spent a little time in study before switching off my solar light and calling it a day.

Again, as I closed my eyes for the evening, I heard the natives singing in their vernacular — “What can wash away my sin,” and another house singing about GOD’S Amazing Grace.

Day Seven — 26 April 2020 (Sunday)

The morning was upon us. Coffee was on the short order and my bath water was prepared. After a short quiet early morning, the natives began stirring around, and not long after it was time to assemble for our prayer service.

09:00 hrs we started our church service for the day. I had one preacher speak and then I spoke; in-between another young preacher (pastor) spoke and then I spoke again. The preaching services would be a little different today, as for the past three days there had been several who had been saved and a baptism would be conducted in the nearby river.

I preached until mid-day and then we had an examination of the candidates. There were seven whom the LORD had saved during this Bible Conference, and two women who had been saved but were members of a non-denominational church some years ago, had married into the group within this area, and wanted to become Baptist.

There was a young man who had been doing evangelism on the other mountainside and was a member of one of our churches in the Duna area, two days’ hike back. His name is Poko. After some discussions and interest expressed, the group wanted — after baptism — to be organised into a New Testament Baptist Church.

The Bible Conference was still ongoing but the preaching in the main had ended. We had a closing prayer and walked to the river, which was not far. The area chosen for the baptism was less rapid but still swift. It is easy to lose someone in these rivers during a baptism, so sometimes we opt to tie a rope around the candidate and one around myself, just in case.

The baptism of nine people was carried out. Though I agree it doesn’t matter the arena or the water — moving or not — as long as they are immersed, however there is something about baptising in a mountain river with all of GOD’S creation surrounding and witnessing this wonderful Gospel message.

After baptism, we all assembled back where the people had gathered for the preaching, and the result was a new church was organised. They voted for Poko to be their pastor. He accepted the nomination. A Treasurer and church Clerk were also nominated, voted, and set in order.

I preached the charge to the newly organised church and her pastor. Afterward there was given the right hand of fellowship, and it was indeed an honour to have been a part of these services.

It has been over twenty years since a newly organised church has been added to this mission work. Most of the younger generation of pastors and preachers have not witnessed the birth of a New Testament Baptist church.

By HIS grace and divine plan of redemption we are what we are.

The day was far spent and little time remained for physical food to be prepared in the remaining daylight.

There were more discussions with the local people, and they had many questions regarding the mission work and church life. I advised them that no one could learn everything in a day or two, and that it would take time for them to learn and for their pastor to learn — but this was necessary and needful.

As the LORD began to switch off the lights and blanket the valley with darkness, I felt the words of the Psalmist — Psalm 122:1: “I was glad when they said unto me, Let us go into the house of the LORD.”

That evening, I felt some sense of joy that our LORD would appoint from before the beginning of time that on this date these events would take place — a Bible Conference would be planned, and many people and I would hike for three days — in view of the fact that the LORD had a few of HIS sheep lost in these jungles of Papua New Guinea (were we not all lost, in our own jungles of sin?), and it had been appointed that on this hike, certain people would all come together in one place to hear one man preach the Gospel of Jesus Christ, and each one would be called by HIS Name.

End of Part Seven… To be Continued!

In His Name,

Missionary Peter A. Halliman