Newsletter: Wewak to May River

Dear friends and family,
Hello again from the bush of Papua New Guinea.  We are all doing fine and beginning to adjust.  Below is  a continuation of our journey from Wewak to May River.
Saying our goodbyes to our new friends at the Sepik Mission in Wewak was easy and hard.  The girls had made new friends and now we were moving on.  We left for the River at 9:30pm to ride through the night.  After two other stops picking up more travelers, we were finally on our way.
Resting quietly on the thin, rough boards they called seats the PMV(public motor vehicle) continued down the dusty road.  All of a sudden we were jolted awake and I found myself extended up away from the board I had previously been sitting on.  I grabbed Alissa who was resting on my lap and realized it was only a hole in the road we hit, plus Alissa didn’t even wake up.  Many times during the night the same experience was repeated to eventually find ourselves back on the boards again to try and catch a few more winks of sleep.
We approached the River to immediately begin transferring our supplies into the boat that would take us to May River Mission.  We would be traveling with the clinic boat and the two nurses that were stationed this year.  It was a welcoming sight to finally see water and not dust flying in our faces.  The girls and I watched with anticipation as our belongings, food and other items were loaded on the boat to venture out into another part of the unknown.
Even though the boat trip took all day and into the evening before we arrived, we had a good time.  Between rain and sunshine we finally arrived late in the evening at May River.  We climbed out of the boat and waited for our things to be unloaded.  People began coming from different directions to help carry our things.  In the darkness of the night we followed others down the dirt path, past the church and up the steep hill to the place we would call home for our first year.  Out of breath I could only see shadows of the house.
 Abby and Alissa immediately went through the house with flashlights choosing which room would be theirs.    All I wanted to really do is sleep, so we found two rooms for us to bed down for the night; One for our family and the other for Dale. 
In the morning as I Looked out the front door a beautiful sight met my eyes.  We were located on the top of a hill along with the clinic and medical housing.  We could look all around to surrounding villages, the winding River and the hills beyond.  What a wonderful place for God’s mission to be located.  I hope and pray that we are His shining light on top of a hill.
Looking around the house I noticed we had four bedrooms, an office and pantry besides a good size kitchen and sitting area.  I have a kitchen sink and many cupboards that I will hang curtains on.  A big kitchen table is going to be really useful with eating and preparing meals on. The windows all have screens, but most of them need replacing.  I hope to purchase material to make curtains for the windows and cupboards.  The first thing I did was start scrubbing the walls with bleach.  They were dirty, but to me it looked like mold.  There is a full size wooden bed off the ground in our room and then single beds in the other rooms.  We bought mattresses before coming and they fit perfectly on the beds.  Our room and the classroom have closets to hang clothes in.  The house is made of wood and is off the ground with posts. 
Along with the house that God blessed us with I was also provided with a gas range stove top that I can use to cook on.  We have enjoyed “kumu”, which is greens of any type.  “I never imagined that I would eat leaves off a tree”, said Alissa.  We have a tree out back which is called a two-leaf tree, and it is good to eat the leaves.  It tastes like spinach when boiled.  We have eaten Rice in coconut cream which is really tasty.  Sego with a little salt and ketchup is tolerable, but great when hungry.  Sego Pancakes are one of the girl’s favorite foods.  We have banana, Papaya, Bread fruit trees in our back yard now and also pit pit(tall like sugar cane, but taste like sawdust when cooked), yum.  I am learning to cook many other things and also how to live off the ground.  Even though we do not have these in plenty, I am hoping that my garden begins producing soon. 
Behind the house is a hill that belongs to the mission.  We paid a man to clear the land so I could have space for a garden.  With sweat pouring down my face and back I dug on.  It sounds like my garden back in Kentucky, but wait, it is not the same.  I have been learning how to garden on a hill that when it rains, which is most every night, I slip and slide.  I dug steps in the clay soil throughout my garden so I could get to different areas better.  I have been having so much fun planting seeds and transplanting other plants.  My corn, watermelon and squash seeds are coming up, but I am waiting for my eggplant and tomatoes which have not made an appearance yet.  I have my own pineapple garden but it needs lots of prayer.  I have transplanted Taro and banana slips too.     
Dale Goodson was such a big help to us as we began settling in and we cannot thank him enough.  He helped John get the water tank on the roof and connect the pump so we could have water in the house which turned out to be such a blessing.  This enabled us to have a running toilet and a shower in the house.  This really was more than I had even hoped for.  Since the weather is sticky and hot we all have really enjoyed the cold showers, yes, even me.  Dale also helped John put the solar panel on the roof and get it connected too so we could have some power for the computer and a few lights.  I began my tasks of learning how to survive in the bush.
Bending over a basin in the hot sun, sweat pouring down my face and little eyes watching every move that I made was what I experienced when first washing clothes outside.   I am learning to share my space and surroundings with everyone who comes to visit and stay to watch.
Our first assignment is learning the language and since John has worked with the men more than I with the ladies, he is doing quite well.   He just gave his first talk in Tok Pisin and I was very proud of him.  You could tell from the people how pleased they were that he was attempting to speak their language.  I have been spending a lot of my time trying to get settled and get my garden going.  Life here takes so much more time to do anything so we have to allow for that.  I have purchased books which teach children how to learn tok Pisin and I will be using them.  We have been visiting church members in May River and other villages by canoe.  It has been neat meeting people in their own homes which are on posts because of the level of water now and different times of the year.
We have taken a motor canoe to Ama and visited the village there.  What a welcome we got from most every village we passed on the way. The missionaries there have prayed for so long for a missionary to come and they were delighted to finally meet us. 
Ama is a very nice village but more remote than May River.  The airstrip there is very long and has been cleared quite well.  We can travel by boat or by plane when going to Ama, but it depends on the time of year for the boat travel.   The canoe would take around a day to get to Just May River and then 26 more hours to town. 
The people provided food for us to eat and also a hut to stay in.  There was a small stream behind the hut which we used for “wash wash”(bathing).  Walking through the village we met church members and many others that were sick.  We were asked to visit some sick people.  Even though we were not prepared for that, we did help some that had malaria, but didn’t have anything else with us.  There is no clinic in Ama so if the people get sick, unless that travel out by boat, they eventually get worse and die.  We tried to help one lady who was so weak.  She had been sick for close to a year and we heard later that after we left she had died.   Wendy, who was another lady so very sick, came back to May River with us and they treated her for Pneumonia.  They thought she also might have TB.  There were six in the family that we fed for a 1 ½ weeks and then they had a ride back to Ama.  After being back in Ama for a little over a week, we heard she had died too.  We took a saliva test before she left and we need to find out if that is what she had, because it could be spreading through the village and other villages too.
The church there has around 35 interest and no baptized members.  They are eager to learn more about Jesus though.  They are still meeting in the little church that was built by Michael, who at the time was visiting another village.  When arriving back in May River, we continued getting more settled. 
I have not made friends with the mosquito’s yet and I don’t ever plan too.  Since it is dry season right now they are not that bad, but still bothersome and they itch terribly.   Abby had bites all up and down her legs, scratched and picked them too much until the bites became infected and were turning into small ulcers.  We had to put her on amoxicillin and dress her sores twice a day.  They are doing much better now, thank the Lord.
Alissa complained that she felt hot, her ears hurt and she just wasn’t feeling good.  I took her temp and it was 102 F.  We looked into her ears and found them quite red.  The nurse came over and checked her for Malaria and Praise the Lord, she didn’t have that.  She had an upper respiratory infection, so we put her on Amoxicillin.  She is now feeling quite well again.  God is good.
I have started the girls back on their school work and they are doing quite well.  We heard that our crate is coming around the 25th of May.  We will be traveling to Wewak the middle of June.  We are trying to decide how to bring the crate in, because it isn’t safe to leave it in town anywhere. 
The weather is quite hot during the day and that is when we usually do our school work.  The house stays cool and there usually is always a nice breeze that blows through.  I try to work in the garden during the evening hours when it is cooler outside. 
We have found that there is a big need for clothes of all ages.  These people wear clothes until it is not wearable anymore.  The church has asked for clothes.  The church in Ama has asked for the same thing, but there, the children run around we nothing to wear and the men and women have clothes that have holes and are torn.  We will see what the mission in town can provide.  Also we would like to provide song books and Bibles in Tok Pisin. 
The church in May River is struggling and there is many back sliders that we need to visit and pray for.  There is a problem with drinking and parties that go on late into the night.  Please keep May River and the surrounding villages in your prayers as we step out to reach them for Jesus Christ.
May God bless you all.
Love the Lello Bunch

In Training: April 2012

“Hurry girls, I want to get to church early to set up for our mission presentation,” John said.
As we rushed out the door, Alissa suddenly stopped. “Wait! I need my purse,” she said. Knowing we were in a hurry, I hesitated. “Please, Mommy! My tithe is in it.” I hurried in to find it, and then we were on our way.
It wasn’t the little purse that was important to Alissa, it was the gift she wanted to give back to Jesus. As she placed her tithe in the offering plate, I beamed at her with pride.
Later that evening after vespers, we were following friends to a gymnastics program. As they took the ramp leading to the Pennsylvania Turnpike, I realized the only money we had brought that day had gone into the offering plate. I voiced my concern, and Abigail replied, “Mommy, you don’t have to worry, because Jesus always provides our needs.” As we approached the toll booth, I was still worrying about what we would do when Alissa spoke up. “Mommy you can have my savings to pay for the toll.” God had already made a way for us by softly reminding Alissa to bring her purse that morning.
What an awesome God we have who cares for all our needs! “Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment?” (Matt. 6:25).
As we live among the Ama people, we will feel comforted knowing that God is our refuge and strength, and that many of our family and friends will be lifting us and our mission up in prayer. Thank you again for faithfully giving and praying for the Ama people. —Pam Lello

In Training: March 2012

“Is it true, Daddy? Is it really true?” asked Abby. “Are we finally going to Papua New Guinea?” “Yes,” John replied. “God has answered our prayers and completed our fundraising so we can finally go.”
“Can we go today?” begged Alissa.
“Not so quickly, girls. There is still a lot of planning to do.”
“Oh! We can hardly wait!” they chorused, and both girls began making plans of their own.
“I’m going to get a parrot,” said Alissa.
“I can’t wait to ride in a dugout canoe,” said Abby.
“Do you know why I’m so excited?” said Alissa. “I can’t wait to meet our new friends in Papua New Guinea. I want to tell the Ama children about Jesus and what heaven is like. Then they will have the chance to join us in heaven and meet our friends from America, like Gracie.”
“Yeah!” said Abby. “We can all meet under the Tree of Life and gather fruit together to take to Jesus.”
As the girls continued to make plans about their new life, my list of things to do before we go didn’t seem so pressing anymore. “Dear Lord,” I prayed. “Thank You for giving me peace about our future, and thank You so much for family and friends who have stepped out in faith with us to reach the Ama with the Gospel of Jesus Christ.” —Pam Lello

In Training: February 2012

On November 10, 2009, my wife and I accepted God’s call to go to the Ama people of Papua New Guinea with the message of His love. But with over $40,000 of business debt and a home in a depressed rural area that had attracted almost no attention during a year on the real estate market, our dreams of mission service seemed very distant. But we believed God’s promise, “Faithful is He that calleth you who also will do it” (1 Thess. 5:24). And so we set out to prove it true.
What followed was not an instant answer but rather the sustained providence of God that has brought us to the verge of launching. Slowly, steadily, one by one, God has removed the obstacles from our path. First, He miraculously sold our home to a couple seeking a quiet country getaway. Then, after a year of raising support, He completed our $90,319 launching goal. Next, He erased what remained of our $40,000 business debt. And now, after a second year of fundraising, He has completely funded our $7,148 monthly budget!
During the next three years we will face even greater challenges. But as we travel to one of the remotest places on earth, learn two new languages, build a home in the jungle, make sense of the mysterious ways of the Ama and design a method of evangelism that ministers to their unique needs, we know one thing: “We have nothing to fear for the future, except as we shall forget the way the Lord has led us, and his teaching in our past history.”
As He so often does, God has used many people to work out His will for our lives. To each one of you we say thank you ever so much for answering God’s call to assist us. Your continued prayers and support are a great source of encouragement. —John Lello

In Training: January 2012

The ringing of the phone broke the stillness of the morning as my mother-in-law hurried to answer it. A sweet, soft voice on the other end wanted to know if John and I could visit that morning. We climbed into the truck, bowed our heads and asked God for His guidance during our visit.
She was waiting at the door when we arrived and invited us in. As we began talking, she mentioned she had heard about our mission to the Ama people when we spoke at her church and had felt the Lord urging her to help. Weeks went by before the Lord once again spoke to her through the Sabbath School lesson: “If you feel deeply enriched in your own spiritual faith walk, resolve to step out in service as a mentor or support to others in your circle of friends, family, and faith community.” Once again, her heart was touched and she decided to act upon that still small voice. Not knowing if she would have enough each month for her bills, she took out her checkbook and pledged a monthly gift.
I sat there thinking about this dear lady whom God was using to strengthen my faith. What does it take to have that much faith in Jesus? I wondered. What would that kind of faith look like for me? I have found that when I open my heart and mind to a personal relationship with Jesus and give my all, faith becomes real.
Traveling to Papua New Guinea to reach the Ama for Jesus will take a giant step of faith. Also, we can’t do it on our own. If you want your faith to become real, too, step out with us and join our mission team. Together we can reach the Ama for Jesus.
—Pam Lello

In Training: December 2011

“Oh no! Were we supposed to exit at Lenhartsville?” My chest tightened. “We passed that exit thirty minutes ago.” Swept along the rainy interstate by a tide of cars and road spray, there was no going back and no way to follow our old directions forward. We exited the highway, but with no map, each turn only compounded our difficulty.

Wedged into our pickup, we battled along congested city streets in the direction of our appointment, Pam pressed against the far door, Abby and Alissa squirmed uncomfortably in the middle, and I gripped the wheel more tightly after each appeal for quiet. As our girls’ bickering developed into pushing, I snapped. “Can’t you girls just leave each other alone? Be quiet and sit still!”

Then, under conviction, I confessed my sin to my children and the Lord and asked for their forgiveness. Calling the people we were scheduled to meet, I explained our situation. Listening graciously, our hosts told us of their decision to support us with a monthly gift. Praise the Lord!

That night in our hotel room, I asked God for help, and in the morning I proposed a simple plan. “Today when we sense Satan beginning to attack, let’s immediately warn each other, stop what we’re doing and pray.” It worked, and the day was blessed by God’s peace.

This is all a part of the frustration and challenge of raising support. However, we do not allow logistical difficulties or family problems to deter us. “No, dear brothers and sisters, we are still not all we should be, but we are focusing all our energies on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead, we strain to reach the end of the race” (Phil. 3:13, 14 Paraphrase). We’re almost there. Please help us cross the finish line.—John Lello

In Training: November 2011

The sun shone warmly through the window as we sat around the table for breakfast. As we lifted our heads from prayer, the stillness was broken by Alissa’s soft voice. “Mommy, where is our home?” Those words struck me. I had never stopped to realize how all this traveling was affecting my girls.
My thoughts flashed back to our trip the night before. As the stars twinkled in the sky, we squeezed into the front seat of the pick-up truck to begin the 10-hour trip back to Kentucky. I rested my head on the window as the girls began asking questions. “When will we get there? Will we see our friend, Gracie? How long will we stay this time?” It doesn’t matter where a person lives; there is no place like home.
Returning to the present, I searched for a gentle way to respond to Alissa’s question. Before I could think of anything to say, a smile came to her face, and she said, “I know, our home is in Heaven.” I leaned back into my chair, relieved. God had come through again, giving us peace about our situation.
It reminds me about how Abraham followed God’s leading and wondered when he would arrive at his home, the New Jerusalem. It was a child’s small voice that reminded me to be patient until we get to our home in Heaven. God still has work for us to do. When it is accomplished, He will take us to that Heavenly home where we will stay forever. —Pam Lello