Angry shouts interrupted our morning family worship. Concerned, Pam got
up from the breakfast table and looked out the window toward the health
clinic next door. The usual crowd stood on the clinic porch and spilled
down its steps, but something was wrong. At the center of the crowd, an
argument had erupted between clinic workers and some bystanders, and
everyone seemed to be caught up in the dispute. Women glared and hurled
threats at the besieged workers. Men gripped their bush knives tightly,
their faces tense.
Pam returned to the table visibly shaken. “John, I think something very
bad is about to happen over there.” Immediately sensing the need for
God’s help, I gathered my family in prayer, and we poured out a fervent
request for the safety of the clinic staff. Ending my prayer with a
request for God’s protection and wisdom, I got up from my knees and
headed over to the clinic.
When I arrived, I found the porch cleared and guarded by my two friends,
Sampson and Martin. Entering the clinic, I saw my friend Tokengo, the
nurse in charge of the clinic, sitting on a bench bleeding from a gash
in the top of his head. As the other clinic workers cleaned, sutured and
bandaged his wound, his story came out.
The previous day, a man from a neighboring village asked that his wife
be flown to the hospital. Since the air ambulance is reserved for
critically sick patients, Tokengo declined his request. The next
morning, a large group of angry people from the man’s village returned
with a boy suffering from malaria and began to harass the clinic staff
as they cared for him. Tempers flared on both sides, and eventually a
man grabbed Tokengo’s head and struck it against a board.
Later that week, Tokengo told me that he and Rosalyn, the other clinic
nurse, felt their lives were in danger and would be leaving the
following Monday. My heart sank. Both had become dear friends to my
family and me. Their services are important to our health, the health of
the surrounding villages, and the work of our mission. Quietly, I
replied, “Tokengo, I hate to see you go, but I do understand your
decision. I must be honest with you, though, and tell you that I’m going
to pray that you change your mind.”
That weekend as I earnestly asked God to work on Tokengo’s heart, a
spiritual struggle raged. By Sabbath afternoon, God had won. The fear
that had gripped Tokengo’s heart left him, and in its place he
experienced the peace of God. Radiating joy, he shared with me how God
had convicted him that he should stay and continue to minister to the
people of May River. I praise God for giving Tokengo the courage to stay
and serve those who hurt him. Please pray that his decision will draw
them to Christ.
Monday, October 1, 2012
Saturday, September 1, 2012
Newsletter: September, 2012
297, 298, 299, Oh, hello their! Now I have a great excuse to take a break from pumping water up to the house. I am so glad that you have joined me again for another serious of “The Lello Family adventures”.
What was that Ruth! You want to say, what! Peep! Peep! Peep! Oh! I guess Ruth and Boaz send their greetings too all of you who are interested in how they are doing. We are having so much fun watching them grow taller, run faster, and eat more. What! Eat more did I say. Oh! How these birds can put the food down. They are not picky eaters by any means. Rice, Squash, Banana, Papaya, Corn, Well, let me just say that they both remind me of goats. They eat anything and everything that you put in front of them and they are not polite eaters at all.
Smile Ruth, Boaz look this way. Oh! When will I get them both looking at the camera at the same time? Oh dear! I hope to have some type of picture to send you when John goes into town in October. Ouch! Boaz, stop pecking my hand. These two birds can be a joy or a big problem. But, we love them anyway no matter how messy they are, how noisy they can be or how hard they kick, Ouch!
Mew! Oh, Snowball, you want me to tell them about your story too. Ok, but if I miss anything you just let me know. It was a dark, cloudy night and John and I thought that snowball should spend some time enjoying the nightly adventures only kitty cats can have. If she wants to come in during the night the hole in the basement wall is her kitty door. Sh…..! Don’t tell anyone else outside Snowball we might have many unwanted visitors.
Mew! Mew! Mew! At one o’clock in the morning I climbed out of bed and opened the door hoping to return to a restful sleep soon, but that was not to be. Snowball darted from corner to corner with a scared look on her face like she was running from something or someone. I finally coaxed her onto my lap and hugged her to calm her down, but she would have not of it. I took a closer look at her body and saw black things all over her and put her on the floor as I began to scratch. E-e-e-e-K! Snowball, you have gotten into an ant home and they are taking a free ride. Well, I have a great idea but you have to be really good about it. I heated water on the stove and fixed a basin full of water to give her a bath. Then I woke John up to help me and together we gave snowball two baths which drowned the ants. The next morning John spent over an hour picking all the dead ants out of Snowballs fur. I certainly hope that Snowball chooses someone her size next time to play with, right Snowball. Mew!
Abby and Alissa are really enjoying themselves lately and besides completing schoolwork in the morning, they have plenty to keep them busy in the afternoon. Abby has decided that she needs another project to work on and has included Alissa in her plans. “Alissa, we need to build a bush house that we can call our very own”, said Abby. “That’s a wonderful idea”, said Alissa. So the project began with five workers on the job sight. John cut bamboo for the walls, I dug the holes for the post and the girls, Tokingo and I finished the building by weaving and placing banana leaves on the roof. What a cute little house it has turned out to be. Alissa decided they needed a garden for the home sight too. So she has weeded an area and begun planting.
To complete the whole scene both girls begged for a swing. “Please daddy, please, please, daddy”, they both chorused. So with bush knife in hand John and Tokingo began cutting away brush and trimming a big tree for the swing. Everyone has taken a turn swinging out over the cliff, even me but when it was my turn I closed my eyes and screamed. But now that my turn is over and my feet are on solid ground, I feel much, much better.
John recently returned from a trip to Ama where he spent a week. Yes, us girls at home really missed him a lot and couldn’t wait until his return. He left expecting to paddle two days to Ama by himself, but when church members saw him leaving down the river they sent a man along to help him. You see, it is virtually impossible to leave the village without being noticed. Besides taking the wrong short cut, falling in the water and losing his paddle (which the Lord helped him find) John made it to Ama without any other mishaps.
John Met with the small group of church members and ended up doing Friday night fellowship, Sabbath school, preaching, and AY(Adventist Youth) Sabbath afternoon. John found five government buildings next to the airstrip and we have been given permission to renovate and use them for teacher homes, a temporary home for us, a clinic and eventually a community run trade store. John also was given land for the layman training center that is in the planning stage right now.
Upon his return to May River he came down with Malaria again along with Alissa. High temperatures, cold and hot chills and headaches have been the signs that they experienced. I continually thank the Lord for goodness and watch care over His children. John also had two bad cuts one on his hand and the other on his leg that became infected because of the dirty water and swamps he had to cross when in Ama. The hand healed quicker, but the leg became infected and turned into an ulcer that was hard to heal. We used charcoal poultices and later antibiotics to fight the infection and reduce the painful swelling on his leg. We continued to pray that the Lord would completely heal the ulcer. Today John is up and around with the cut completely healed, Praise the Lord!
Because of these medical issues and the simple treatments that we give to the local villagers, we go through first aid supplies quickly. Some of you have emailed us and wanted to know if there is anything that we could use. First aid supplies are always needed and would be greatly appreciated. For those of you who would like to help out in this way, I will give a short list below.
Band-aids (Tiny, small, medium and large)
Steri Strips
Butterfly band aids
Sterile gauze Pads (2x2, 3x3, 4x4)
Gauze bandage rolls (1”, 2”, & 3”)
Ace bandages (2” & 3” wide)
Medical Tape (Adhesive)
Q-tips
Cotton balls
Alcohol swabs
Charcoal Tablets
Tylenol
After returning from Ama, John visited the village of Imombi again. Many years ago AFM helped the Sepik Mission begin a school here but recently it closed due to the lack of teachers willing to work in this remote location. Up and down the river so many children do not have the capability to learn because they lack in good Christian teachers to teach them. In the government schools we have heard over and over that teachers, villages or school boards get into fights because of misunderstandings or the teacher getting drunk. The school closes down and the children, once again, are left without education. To solve this problem we would like to open mission schools with good Christian teachers. In the beginning these teachers will have to come from other parts of Papua New Guinea, but eventually as the people themselves are educated they must become the teachers, nurses and pastors who will serve in their own communities. (Please pray for Christian teachers for Imombi).
The Lord has already provided two teachers from our church in May River. These two men only have schooling up to 10th grade, but the Sepik mission will sponsor them for the next 4 years, 6 weeks each year for training so they can become elementary teachers, but in the mean time they can begin teaching. Just the other day another couple came to John and both have been teaching for many years and they are good Christian people. We need to continue to pray that the Lord will provide three more Christian teachers so the children in Imombi will be able to learn. AFM is in the process of planning a student missionary program with the Papua New Guinea Union Mission, which will bring Seventh-day Adventist elementary education students from other parts of Papua New Guinea to work in the churches and schools up and down the river. During the week they will teach the children and then Wednesdays, Fridays and Sabbath they will lead out in worship. (Please pray that God will give us wisdom as we make these plans and open the way for this program).
John put his most trusted helper, Elder Mika, in charge of clearing the small trees and grass that had grown up on the airstrip that John Kent and Dave Lackey cleared many years ago at Imombi. When John went back he was overjoyed to find the ground cleared and well on its way to drying and hardening. We are praying for dry weather so the ground can harden completely, a plane can land and the airstrip can be opened. Roger Millist, who fly’s with Adventist Aviation, is planning to fly into Imombi on October 14 to check the airstrip out and get the proper paperwork written up so it can be opened. The village people are looking forward to the opening of the airstrip with great excitement. (Please pray with us that the airstrip will be opened and the school started in January). There will be close to 200 students and six teachers.
Recently I looked out my window and noticed another group of people walking toward our mission home. Now this is not unusual because people are always coming to visit. But as we found out later this group was different. This family walked two days through the bush, swamps and mosquito’s to meet our family and ask for help in finding a teacher for their children in the village of Sari. Although this river has seven villages none of them have ever had a school. John and some of the other members in the church travel and visit these villages to keep them encouraged in Jesus. For now though, John promised he would look into pricing beginner’s books to learn Tok Pisin for their children. The man who requested the books was taught Tok Pisin by another missionary family and would like to teach the 19 children who are ready to learn in his village. As the family continued to talk, John casually walked over to me and asked if we could have company for supper. Since moving to PNG I have found out that John loves to have people over. So once again I quickly went into the house and began to prepare a meal for 12 people. We have been told that our family is different from other missionaries because we invite the natives to eat with us in our home at our table.
Once again we will be saying good-by to John while he makes a two week trip to Wewak for more supplies for our family and mission. This time the girls and I will be staying home here to keep the home fires burning. Well, not literally because the sun does a great job heating up the earth and our home, but we will stay around to watch our things and I hope to plant some more vegetables.
While in town John will walk from store to store purchasing all the food and other supplies that we will need for the next three months. Then he will borrow the mission truck and return to the stores to pick it all up. He will also meet with the Sepik Mission’s Education director, personal Ministries director, Secretary and President up date them on what is going on and make plans for the future. Building these relationships is essential to our work. After this John will be taking a plane to Ama with materials to build a drying rack for the lumber that he will cut using the local government saw mill. He also will be landing at the airstrip in Imombi as I discussed earlier.
We want to thank every one of you who has made our work possible. You’re sacrificial giving and prayers has already placed Bibles and song books in the hands of believers, opened up runways for mission planes and laid the ground work for Christian Education. If you know of someone who would like to join us in spreading the gospel to the people here, please share our email address with them and have them contact us. God has blessed us greatly and we look forward to His future blessings.
Pam
What was that Ruth! You want to say, what! Peep! Peep! Peep! Oh! I guess Ruth and Boaz send their greetings too all of you who are interested in how they are doing. We are having so much fun watching them grow taller, run faster, and eat more. What! Eat more did I say. Oh! How these birds can put the food down. They are not picky eaters by any means. Rice, Squash, Banana, Papaya, Corn, Well, let me just say that they both remind me of goats. They eat anything and everything that you put in front of them and they are not polite eaters at all.
Smile Ruth, Boaz look this way. Oh! When will I get them both looking at the camera at the same time? Oh dear! I hope to have some type of picture to send you when John goes into town in October. Ouch! Boaz, stop pecking my hand. These two birds can be a joy or a big problem. But, we love them anyway no matter how messy they are, how noisy they can be or how hard they kick, Ouch!
Mew! Oh, Snowball, you want me to tell them about your story too. Ok, but if I miss anything you just let me know. It was a dark, cloudy night and John and I thought that snowball should spend some time enjoying the nightly adventures only kitty cats can have. If she wants to come in during the night the hole in the basement wall is her kitty door. Sh…..! Don’t tell anyone else outside Snowball we might have many unwanted visitors.
Mew! Mew! Mew! At one o’clock in the morning I climbed out of bed and opened the door hoping to return to a restful sleep soon, but that was not to be. Snowball darted from corner to corner with a scared look on her face like she was running from something or someone. I finally coaxed her onto my lap and hugged her to calm her down, but she would have not of it. I took a closer look at her body and saw black things all over her and put her on the floor as I began to scratch. E-e-e-e-K! Snowball, you have gotten into an ant home and they are taking a free ride. Well, I have a great idea but you have to be really good about it. I heated water on the stove and fixed a basin full of water to give her a bath. Then I woke John up to help me and together we gave snowball two baths which drowned the ants. The next morning John spent over an hour picking all the dead ants out of Snowballs fur. I certainly hope that Snowball chooses someone her size next time to play with, right Snowball. Mew!
Abby and Alissa are really enjoying themselves lately and besides completing schoolwork in the morning, they have plenty to keep them busy in the afternoon. Abby has decided that she needs another project to work on and has included Alissa in her plans. “Alissa, we need to build a bush house that we can call our very own”, said Abby. “That’s a wonderful idea”, said Alissa. So the project began with five workers on the job sight. John cut bamboo for the walls, I dug the holes for the post and the girls, Tokingo and I finished the building by weaving and placing banana leaves on the roof. What a cute little house it has turned out to be. Alissa decided they needed a garden for the home sight too. So she has weeded an area and begun planting.
To complete the whole scene both girls begged for a swing. “Please daddy, please, please, daddy”, they both chorused. So with bush knife in hand John and Tokingo began cutting away brush and trimming a big tree for the swing. Everyone has taken a turn swinging out over the cliff, even me but when it was my turn I closed my eyes and screamed. But now that my turn is over and my feet are on solid ground, I feel much, much better.
John recently returned from a trip to Ama where he spent a week. Yes, us girls at home really missed him a lot and couldn’t wait until his return. He left expecting to paddle two days to Ama by himself, but when church members saw him leaving down the river they sent a man along to help him. You see, it is virtually impossible to leave the village without being noticed. Besides taking the wrong short cut, falling in the water and losing his paddle (which the Lord helped him find) John made it to Ama without any other mishaps.
John Met with the small group of church members and ended up doing Friday night fellowship, Sabbath school, preaching, and AY(Adventist Youth) Sabbath afternoon. John found five government buildings next to the airstrip and we have been given permission to renovate and use them for teacher homes, a temporary home for us, a clinic and eventually a community run trade store. John also was given land for the layman training center that is in the planning stage right now.
Upon his return to May River he came down with Malaria again along with Alissa. High temperatures, cold and hot chills and headaches have been the signs that they experienced. I continually thank the Lord for goodness and watch care over His children. John also had two bad cuts one on his hand and the other on his leg that became infected because of the dirty water and swamps he had to cross when in Ama. The hand healed quicker, but the leg became infected and turned into an ulcer that was hard to heal. We used charcoal poultices and later antibiotics to fight the infection and reduce the painful swelling on his leg. We continued to pray that the Lord would completely heal the ulcer. Today John is up and around with the cut completely healed, Praise the Lord!
Because of these medical issues and the simple treatments that we give to the local villagers, we go through first aid supplies quickly. Some of you have emailed us and wanted to know if there is anything that we could use. First aid supplies are always needed and would be greatly appreciated. For those of you who would like to help out in this way, I will give a short list below.
Band-aids (Tiny, small, medium and large)
Steri Strips
Butterfly band aids
Sterile gauze Pads (2x2, 3x3, 4x4)
Gauze bandage rolls (1”, 2”, & 3”)
Ace bandages (2” & 3” wide)
Medical Tape (Adhesive)
Q-tips
Cotton balls
Alcohol swabs
Charcoal Tablets
Tylenol
After returning from Ama, John visited the village of Imombi again. Many years ago AFM helped the Sepik Mission begin a school here but recently it closed due to the lack of teachers willing to work in this remote location. Up and down the river so many children do not have the capability to learn because they lack in good Christian teachers to teach them. In the government schools we have heard over and over that teachers, villages or school boards get into fights because of misunderstandings or the teacher getting drunk. The school closes down and the children, once again, are left without education. To solve this problem we would like to open mission schools with good Christian teachers. In the beginning these teachers will have to come from other parts of Papua New Guinea, but eventually as the people themselves are educated they must become the teachers, nurses and pastors who will serve in their own communities. (Please pray for Christian teachers for Imombi).
The Lord has already provided two teachers from our church in May River. These two men only have schooling up to 10th grade, but the Sepik mission will sponsor them for the next 4 years, 6 weeks each year for training so they can become elementary teachers, but in the mean time they can begin teaching. Just the other day another couple came to John and both have been teaching for many years and they are good Christian people. We need to continue to pray that the Lord will provide three more Christian teachers so the children in Imombi will be able to learn. AFM is in the process of planning a student missionary program with the Papua New Guinea Union Mission, which will bring Seventh-day Adventist elementary education students from other parts of Papua New Guinea to work in the churches and schools up and down the river. During the week they will teach the children and then Wednesdays, Fridays and Sabbath they will lead out in worship. (Please pray that God will give us wisdom as we make these plans and open the way for this program).
John put his most trusted helper, Elder Mika, in charge of clearing the small trees and grass that had grown up on the airstrip that John Kent and Dave Lackey cleared many years ago at Imombi. When John went back he was overjoyed to find the ground cleared and well on its way to drying and hardening. We are praying for dry weather so the ground can harden completely, a plane can land and the airstrip can be opened. Roger Millist, who fly’s with Adventist Aviation, is planning to fly into Imombi on October 14 to check the airstrip out and get the proper paperwork written up so it can be opened. The village people are looking forward to the opening of the airstrip with great excitement. (Please pray with us that the airstrip will be opened and the school started in January). There will be close to 200 students and six teachers.
Recently I looked out my window and noticed another group of people walking toward our mission home. Now this is not unusual because people are always coming to visit. But as we found out later this group was different. This family walked two days through the bush, swamps and mosquito’s to meet our family and ask for help in finding a teacher for their children in the village of Sari. Although this river has seven villages none of them have ever had a school. John and some of the other members in the church travel and visit these villages to keep them encouraged in Jesus. For now though, John promised he would look into pricing beginner’s books to learn Tok Pisin for their children. The man who requested the books was taught Tok Pisin by another missionary family and would like to teach the 19 children who are ready to learn in his village. As the family continued to talk, John casually walked over to me and asked if we could have company for supper. Since moving to PNG I have found out that John loves to have people over. So once again I quickly went into the house and began to prepare a meal for 12 people. We have been told that our family is different from other missionaries because we invite the natives to eat with us in our home at our table.
Once again we will be saying good-by to John while he makes a two week trip to Wewak for more supplies for our family and mission. This time the girls and I will be staying home here to keep the home fires burning. Well, not literally because the sun does a great job heating up the earth and our home, but we will stay around to watch our things and I hope to plant some more vegetables.
While in town John will walk from store to store purchasing all the food and other supplies that we will need for the next three months. Then he will borrow the mission truck and return to the stores to pick it all up. He will also meet with the Sepik Mission’s Education director, personal Ministries director, Secretary and President up date them on what is going on and make plans for the future. Building these relationships is essential to our work. After this John will be taking a plane to Ama with materials to build a drying rack for the lumber that he will cut using the local government saw mill. He also will be landing at the airstrip in Imombi as I discussed earlier.
We want to thank every one of you who has made our work possible. You’re sacrificial giving and prayers has already placed Bibles and song books in the hands of believers, opened up runways for mission planes and laid the ground work for Christian Education. If you know of someone who would like to join us in spreading the gospel to the people here, please share our email address with them and have them contact us. God has blessed us greatly and we look forward to His future blessings.
Pam
His Footsteps
Awakened
by the cries of a child, I glanced through the cracks in the hut and
realized that the sun was beginning to rise. Mothers would soon be
starting their fires and cooking sago, bananas and greens for the
morning meal.
After a few minutes, I climbed out of my screen tent and stepped out the door of the hut onto a small covered porch. A few men sat eating around a fire that smoldered on a large clay plate in the floor. On the ground below, mothers and children squatted around a fire content to eat what little was left.
That day we examined many patients. Two bone-thin ladies had symptoms of malaria and pneumonia or possibly tuberculosis. A pair of year-old twins showed signs of malaria. A woman complained of recurring seizures. Everywhere we went, little naked children ran around with distended stomachs, a sign of malnutrition.
This was our first trip to Ama, and we were not prepared to treat patients. But finding such great need there, we felt we must do what we could with our small supply of personal medication.
Many people long to travel to Nazareth, Capernaum, Bethany or Jerusalem in order to walk in the steps of Jesus. But, “We shall find His footprints beside the sickbed, in the hovels of poverty, in the crowded alleys of the great city and in every place where there are human hearts in need of consolation” (The Desire of Ages, p. 640). —John Lello
After a few minutes, I climbed out of my screen tent and stepped out the door of the hut onto a small covered porch. A few men sat eating around a fire that smoldered on a large clay plate in the floor. On the ground below, mothers and children squatted around a fire content to eat what little was left.
That day we examined many patients. Two bone-thin ladies had symptoms of malaria and pneumonia or possibly tuberculosis. A pair of year-old twins showed signs of malaria. A woman complained of recurring seizures. Everywhere we went, little naked children ran around with distended stomachs, a sign of malnutrition.
This was our first trip to Ama, and we were not prepared to treat patients. But finding such great need there, we felt we must do what we could with our small supply of personal medication.
Many people long to travel to Nazareth, Capernaum, Bethany or Jerusalem in order to walk in the steps of Jesus. But, “We shall find His footprints beside the sickbed, in the hovels of poverty, in the crowded alleys of the great city and in every place where there are human hearts in need of consolation” (The Desire of Ages, p. 640). —John Lello
Sunday, August 19, 2012
Newsletter: August 19, 2012
Hello again to our wonderful family and friends that are praying for us and our mission.
Sorry it has taken quite a while before writing again, but it isn’t because I am tired, it isn’t because the garden is taking all of my time, it isn’t because the bees are swarming around the house so I cannot get in, and it isn’t because I’m watching John rebuild the downstairs shower. Than what could it be that is taking all of your time, you might ask? Good question family and friends. It isn’t any of the above but the power inverter that has blown and shut down the system of communication. This is the real reason for my lack of writing. A kind village man has loaned us an AC automatic voltage regulator plugged into a generator and this is how we can charge up the computer and the satellite phone.
Since the previous letter we did finally leave Wewak after spending one month there. We were all ready to get on the PMV and travel to the river. One of the church members owns a PMV and we loaded our things on his truck and road in the front with him. After once again riding through the night with the birds, I might say, we arrived at the river safely. Elder Mika who is our boat pilot met us there and we loaded all of our supplies in the 40 foot canoe.
Close to an hour down the river the motor which was rebuilt began giving us problems again. We eventually found a little clay beach to pull next too while John and Elder Mika looked at the motor. They quickly decided it wasn’t wise to push the motor any further and we waited for another boat to pull us to ambunti where mechanics were located. The girls were so excited and begged to swim in the river. I had them change and for the next hour they had fun splashing and jumping in the cool water. I thought maybe the bird’s Ruth and Boaz wanted to play too. So I opened the cage door and out they came in a hurry. Getting in the water was a new experience for them but they soon learned to like it. Ruth was the first one that after walking out where it was too deep began swimming. We cheered her on. Boaz on the other hand stood in the shallow part but would roll over and over in the water. Animals and children alike had so much fun. But all fun eventually comes to an end. With the help of another motor we scooted off to the village of Ambunti and stayed there 5 days until the motor was fixed the second time.
Since we were in the village over the weekend we had the opportunity to visit a small church up in the mountains. Early Sabbath morning Elder Paul met us at the pathfinder boat where we were staying to lead us to the mountain church. Down the path, passed the airport and up the steep mountain we walked. Up, up and even higher we walked but the scenery behind was just beautiful. We could look over the river and swamps to other mountains beyond. After church we went to Elder Paul’s home where he fed us fruit, juice and crackers.
The following Tuesday morning we were up packed and ready to leave after the motor was tested for hopefully the last time. The rum, rum, of the motor was like music to our ears. It was great to be zooming across the water once again to May River station, our home. With our hats on for shade we could still feel the heat from the sun shining down upon us. This is the time we wish for some rain even though it makes a mess in the boat. As I sat listening, something wasn’t right again. I looked at John and he didn’t say anything. I knew he was tired of this whole thing with rented motors and the expense it took to keep fixing it. We all just wanted to get home. After making a few phone calls, John and Elder Mika worked on the engine a few more times and then we were once again on our way. We just kept praying that if it was the Lord’s will He would keep the motor running all the way to May River and to the owner in good running condition.
The sun was beginning to go down and darkness was creeping in all around us. The coolness felt wonderful after sitting in the hot sun all day. Since the moon was so bright we decided to keep going as long as we could see. As the clouds began rolling in and we could see lightening in the distance we decided it was best to pull over and spend the night. We found a nice little bush house (shelter with no walls) off the river and we set up our bug tents and all nine of us slept for the night. That is most of us slept through the night. With heavy rain and thunder and me worrying about the birds in the boat I didn’t get much sleep but I knew that the next day we would be arriving in May River and I had a nice bed waiting for me.
6am in the morning we left the little bush house and around 6 hours later we pulled into May River. I couldn’t wait to walk up the path to our home. After being away for a month I just knew that my garden would be producing vegetables to put on our table. The corn should be ready along with cucumbers and beans. Climbing out of the boat I looked up into the face of Boo Boo, the girls adopted grandma and one of the nurses at the clinic. She came close to me and whispered. “Pam”, she said. “Someone came into your garden last night and stole your corn, cucumbers and dug up some of your sweet potatoes”. As tired as I was, I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. Maybe I heard wrong and she meant something else. But she repeated herself and then began speaking to all the boys standing around about how it was wrong to steal other peoples things, especially the missionary families.
A man in the crowd came hurrying up to Boo boo and grabbed her around the neck and pushed her down. I was scared for her and John had already gone up to the house with some supplies. I stayed by our supplies until they all were taken up to the house. With tears ready to spill out, I slowly made my way up to our house. The last place I wanted to go now was the garden but John went to have a look. All the corn was picked, sweet potato plants were dug around and roots pulled up, even though potatoes were not ready yet. Most of the cucumbers were gone and most of the peanut plants were pulled up. Boo Boo kept telling me to stay away from the garden and not plant anything more until we move to Ama.. They do not steal your things, she said. Which we have heard is very true from the people who live there. I have been sharing my seeds with Ama people when they come visit us because they have a hard time getting anything because they are so far away. I decided that God knows what happened in my garden and who the people were and that I need to pray for them.
We are now back getting settled and John has supplied a few villages with tools to fix churches, schools and airstrips with. We have also supplied them with a few Sabbath school supplies but there isn’t much of that here. Any old memory verse cards, picture rolls, quarterlies from all the divisions would be helpful. The conference here follows Grace Link. I have been attending the primary division and helping out with that. This Sabbath the leader did not show up because he couldn’t make it back from Ama where he was visiting. I led out and it turned out quite well. I have the children learning there memory verse each week by writing it on a piece of paper in Tok Pisin for them. This week 15 out of 22 children knew there memory verse. I would like to start a chart for them and at the end of the quarter they can earn points towards something special. It is so hard here though because I have no supplies. Everything I brought for this purpose is sitting in the crate which we will not get until next year. We might just have the crate sent straight to Ama by plane, we are not sure yet.
We have been praying for the people here in Papua New Guinea. We desperately need missionaries from their own people. Students that are graduating with a teaching degree are really needed. When visiting the Sepik Mission we found out that not all teachers that are chosen are Seventh-day Adventist. The Mission chooses anyone they can get or they wouldn’t have that many teachers at all. These teachers drink and smoke. We have one school that we are trying to open for this next year close to May River and we need 6 teachers for it. Please pray that the Lord will touch teacher’s hearts so they will come and serve the river people.
Also I would like you to keep my dad in your prayers. He is not doing well and a few weeks ago they didn’t think he would make it. He sleeps a lot and needs almost everything done for him. Hospice is working with him now which is really good. We have Francis, her husband and son who are helping take care of daddy. I called daddy today and he was so tired but heard everything I said. It is really hard being so far away and not being able to be with him and encourage him.
Well, I must go for now, but stay tuned and more news will be shared with you later. God bless you.
Pam
Sorry it has taken quite a while before writing again, but it isn’t because I am tired, it isn’t because the garden is taking all of my time, it isn’t because the bees are swarming around the house so I cannot get in, and it isn’t because I’m watching John rebuild the downstairs shower. Than what could it be that is taking all of your time, you might ask? Good question family and friends. It isn’t any of the above but the power inverter that has blown and shut down the system of communication. This is the real reason for my lack of writing. A kind village man has loaned us an AC automatic voltage regulator plugged into a generator and this is how we can charge up the computer and the satellite phone.
Since the previous letter we did finally leave Wewak after spending one month there. We were all ready to get on the PMV and travel to the river. One of the church members owns a PMV and we loaded our things on his truck and road in the front with him. After once again riding through the night with the birds, I might say, we arrived at the river safely. Elder Mika who is our boat pilot met us there and we loaded all of our supplies in the 40 foot canoe.
Close to an hour down the river the motor which was rebuilt began giving us problems again. We eventually found a little clay beach to pull next too while John and Elder Mika looked at the motor. They quickly decided it wasn’t wise to push the motor any further and we waited for another boat to pull us to ambunti where mechanics were located. The girls were so excited and begged to swim in the river. I had them change and for the next hour they had fun splashing and jumping in the cool water. I thought maybe the bird’s Ruth and Boaz wanted to play too. So I opened the cage door and out they came in a hurry. Getting in the water was a new experience for them but they soon learned to like it. Ruth was the first one that after walking out where it was too deep began swimming. We cheered her on. Boaz on the other hand stood in the shallow part but would roll over and over in the water. Animals and children alike had so much fun. But all fun eventually comes to an end. With the help of another motor we scooted off to the village of Ambunti and stayed there 5 days until the motor was fixed the second time.
Since we were in the village over the weekend we had the opportunity to visit a small church up in the mountains. Early Sabbath morning Elder Paul met us at the pathfinder boat where we were staying to lead us to the mountain church. Down the path, passed the airport and up the steep mountain we walked. Up, up and even higher we walked but the scenery behind was just beautiful. We could look over the river and swamps to other mountains beyond. After church we went to Elder Paul’s home where he fed us fruit, juice and crackers.
The following Tuesday morning we were up packed and ready to leave after the motor was tested for hopefully the last time. The rum, rum, of the motor was like music to our ears. It was great to be zooming across the water once again to May River station, our home. With our hats on for shade we could still feel the heat from the sun shining down upon us. This is the time we wish for some rain even though it makes a mess in the boat. As I sat listening, something wasn’t right again. I looked at John and he didn’t say anything. I knew he was tired of this whole thing with rented motors and the expense it took to keep fixing it. We all just wanted to get home. After making a few phone calls, John and Elder Mika worked on the engine a few more times and then we were once again on our way. We just kept praying that if it was the Lord’s will He would keep the motor running all the way to May River and to the owner in good running condition.
The sun was beginning to go down and darkness was creeping in all around us. The coolness felt wonderful after sitting in the hot sun all day. Since the moon was so bright we decided to keep going as long as we could see. As the clouds began rolling in and we could see lightening in the distance we decided it was best to pull over and spend the night. We found a nice little bush house (shelter with no walls) off the river and we set up our bug tents and all nine of us slept for the night. That is most of us slept through the night. With heavy rain and thunder and me worrying about the birds in the boat I didn’t get much sleep but I knew that the next day we would be arriving in May River and I had a nice bed waiting for me.
6am in the morning we left the little bush house and around 6 hours later we pulled into May River. I couldn’t wait to walk up the path to our home. After being away for a month I just knew that my garden would be producing vegetables to put on our table. The corn should be ready along with cucumbers and beans. Climbing out of the boat I looked up into the face of Boo Boo, the girls adopted grandma and one of the nurses at the clinic. She came close to me and whispered. “Pam”, she said. “Someone came into your garden last night and stole your corn, cucumbers and dug up some of your sweet potatoes”. As tired as I was, I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. Maybe I heard wrong and she meant something else. But she repeated herself and then began speaking to all the boys standing around about how it was wrong to steal other peoples things, especially the missionary families.
A man in the crowd came hurrying up to Boo boo and grabbed her around the neck and pushed her down. I was scared for her and John had already gone up to the house with some supplies. I stayed by our supplies until they all were taken up to the house. With tears ready to spill out, I slowly made my way up to our house. The last place I wanted to go now was the garden but John went to have a look. All the corn was picked, sweet potato plants were dug around and roots pulled up, even though potatoes were not ready yet. Most of the cucumbers were gone and most of the peanut plants were pulled up. Boo Boo kept telling me to stay away from the garden and not plant anything more until we move to Ama.. They do not steal your things, she said. Which we have heard is very true from the people who live there. I have been sharing my seeds with Ama people when they come visit us because they have a hard time getting anything because they are so far away. I decided that God knows what happened in my garden and who the people were and that I need to pray for them.
We are now back getting settled and John has supplied a few villages with tools to fix churches, schools and airstrips with. We have also supplied them with a few Sabbath school supplies but there isn’t much of that here. Any old memory verse cards, picture rolls, quarterlies from all the divisions would be helpful. The conference here follows Grace Link. I have been attending the primary division and helping out with that. This Sabbath the leader did not show up because he couldn’t make it back from Ama where he was visiting. I led out and it turned out quite well. I have the children learning there memory verse each week by writing it on a piece of paper in Tok Pisin for them. This week 15 out of 22 children knew there memory verse. I would like to start a chart for them and at the end of the quarter they can earn points towards something special. It is so hard here though because I have no supplies. Everything I brought for this purpose is sitting in the crate which we will not get until next year. We might just have the crate sent straight to Ama by plane, we are not sure yet.
We have been praying for the people here in Papua New Guinea. We desperately need missionaries from their own people. Students that are graduating with a teaching degree are really needed. When visiting the Sepik Mission we found out that not all teachers that are chosen are Seventh-day Adventist. The Mission chooses anyone they can get or they wouldn’t have that many teachers at all. These teachers drink and smoke. We have one school that we are trying to open for this next year close to May River and we need 6 teachers for it. Please pray that the Lord will touch teacher’s hearts so they will come and serve the river people.
Also I would like you to keep my dad in your prayers. He is not doing well and a few weeks ago they didn’t think he would make it. He sleeps a lot and needs almost everything done for him. Hospice is working with him now which is really good. We have Francis, her husband and son who are helping take care of daddy. I called daddy today and he was so tired but heard everything I said. It is really hard being so far away and not being able to be with him and encourage him.
Well, I must go for now, but stay tuned and more news will be shared with you later. God bless you.
Pam
Wednesday, August 1, 2012
Field Notes: Prayer Group
"Pam, you must come to the ladies' prayer group,” called a friendly
voice. I looked out the door of our home and saw a short older woman
smiling at me. Rosalyn, a nurse at the May River Health Clinic, has
already become Boo Boo—the Tok Pisin word for grandma—to our girls and
Mama to me. I agreed to attend but felt a little apprehensive. It was
our first week in May River, and I didn’t speak much Tok Pisin, but
since Mama spoke some English, I felt reassured.
As we walked down the dirt path toward the church, Mama explained that she had just recently started the prayer group, and not many women were coming yet. My apprehension turned to excitement as I thought of joining other women in prayer and praise.
As the first woman shyly began sharing her testimony, I knew my faith would be strengthened. “This past Friday,” she began, I was hurrying to finish my Sabbath meal preparations and quickly wash in the river before vespers. I wanted everything to be ready to welcome the Sabbath hours. Everything was going smoothly, but as I hurried to the river to bathe, my husband and his friends arrived. When they get together, they like to play music and drink, so I cried out to the Lord and pleaded for His help. ‘Please don’t let the generator work, Lord,’ I prayed. I kept praying silently as my husband pulled the starter cord. Nothing happened. Again and again, he pulled the cord, but the generator would not start. Finally, in disgust, my husband and his friends left the house, and I praised the Lord for hearing my prayer.”
God does hear and answer our prayers. Please pray that the Lord will show our family how to witness daily to His love in this very new and different place. —Pam Lello
As we walked down the dirt path toward the church, Mama explained that she had just recently started the prayer group, and not many women were coming yet. My apprehension turned to excitement as I thought of joining other women in prayer and praise.
As the first woman shyly began sharing her testimony, I knew my faith would be strengthened. “This past Friday,” she began, I was hurrying to finish my Sabbath meal preparations and quickly wash in the river before vespers. I wanted everything to be ready to welcome the Sabbath hours. Everything was going smoothly, but as I hurried to the river to bathe, my husband and his friends arrived. When they get together, they like to play music and drink, so I cried out to the Lord and pleaded for His help. ‘Please don’t let the generator work, Lord,’ I prayed. I kept praying silently as my husband pulled the starter cord. Nothing happened. Again and again, he pulled the cord, but the generator would not start. Finally, in disgust, my husband and his friends left the house, and I praised the Lord for hearing my prayer.”
God does hear and answer our prayers. Please pray that the Lord will show our family how to witness daily to His love in this very new and different place. —Pam Lello
Sunday, July 1, 2012
Newsletter: July 2012
Dear Family and friends, July 2012
Come and join me once again as I share more adventures in our family. What has it been like in the past few weeks? Did I say weeks? Wow! How time flies when we are having fun. Even though there is a lot of work involved when living and working in a remote area, we still find time to have fun.
We were sitting in church one afternoon attending the AY (Adventist Youth) program. Our eyes were focused on the speaker up front when I saw John swatting at his back. Knowing John very well, this was definitely strange behavior especially in church. All of a sudden out of the corner of my eye I saw an object flying through the air landing across the church at Boo Boo’s feet. She looks down in amazement to see a big lizard lying at her feet stunned from the blow. In the mean time the girls sitting next to John began to giggle. Sternly he looks in their direction and motions for them to pay attention, especially since the speaker was quoting the text about training up a child. Yes, we do have the most unusual visitors in our church whether they are bugs, birds or lizards passing through. Walking up the hill later we realized the lizard had slipped from the rafters of the church and fell on John’s head. The Lord spared me from the falling lizard because I know sitting quietly would have been hard. I don’t believe there is a text about training up a wife though.
The days that followed were busy ones as we prepared to leave for Wewak to pick up more supplies. We all were looking forward to this day more than anyone could imagine. Getting to town and eating more than just rice. Even though Tokengo and Boo Boo ate with us we shared what we had with each other. We were very thankful when a few church members shared vegetables from their gardens. The day was approaching when we would depart but then plans had changed. The saying, “hurry up and wait” is so real here. I decided to go about my regular schedule until the day before leaving and then I would pack. It was time for elections and voting was in progress which meant each village had a specific time to vote. While we waited for the voting in May River, we enjoyed watching the helicopters come and go carrying those in charge of the whole process. But then the Lord had it all worked out for our safety because fighting had broken out between candidates and a person was killed on the road we would be traveling on. Finally the day came when we could leave.
During the early hours of the morning we followed our torches down the hill to the river where we would be riding a motor canoe to Wewak. The clouds were opening to beautiful colors that spread across the horizon. The girls were relieved to know that the bird cage fit perfectly in the canoe with us. As a good grandmother can be, ha! Ha! I dug a bunch of worms for them to eat on the way to go with the ripe bananas I had. Ruth and Boaz as their called were singing out there concerns for the ride to town. Even though it was a very long trip I let them out a few times to stretch their legs and sleep on our laps, they did quite well.
Listening to the sound of the motor we had rented along with the boat, I could tell it wasn’t working properly. Sure enough, the motor quit working and the clinic boat pulled us the rest of the way. The girls had fun moving from one boat to the other where they could sit with Boo Boo. A little while later as we moved toward the river bank a big fish (bowl-cutter) decided to join us for the rest of the trip. Ok, so I screamed when it jumped inside the boat. On the other hand, Boo Boo was clapping her hands with glee that she would be eating a fish for supper. She is a really neat lady and a wonderful adopted grandma for the girls. She has taught us a lot about PNG culture.
When we arrived in Ambunti for the night our stomachs were growling but we didn’t have any food and the market was already closed. I really need to stop my worrying about things because God always comes through with a plan. There were four people staying at the clinic in Ambunti who were traveling to different villages working for the health of children. They sent word that we could eat supper with them. Boo Boo did cook her fish, but we had rice cooked in Coconut cream, sweet potatoes and greens. What a blessing from God to have food that tasted so good. He is worthy to be praised.
Finally we made it to Wewak after catching a PMV(truck) which seemed to hit all the pot holes on the road. What a wonderful sight to see the Sepik Mission and the transit where we would stay. Instead of a break though, I ended up cooking for 11 men the first week and then 7 or 8 the second week. I tell you, these guys can eat and eat and eat. What a treat to visit the market though for fresh fruits and vegetables. After a week in town I noticed Abby wasn’t eating that well and she complained about having a headache. During the night she woke up with hot skin and a high temperature. We figured it was malaria and gave her medicine but she threw it up.
The next morning her temp was climbing to 102 and the mission took us to the clinic. A quick malaria test was given which was negative, so they treated her for an upper respiratory infection and gave her a shot of Penicillin. During the day I was sponging her head and giving her cool showers and baths, but still her temp went up to 104.7. We were really concerned. The mission truck ended up taking us to the hospital and they rechecked her for malaria and it was positive. With tears and apprehension Abby received two more shots and suppositories for bringing the temp down. Her appetite had basically left her and she was tired and weak. But after another shot the next day and tablets to finish the course of recovery, Abby has bounced back and is eating normally and playing again. Praise the Lord!
To Alissa’s relief Abby is able to help with taking care of the birds again. While they watch Ruth and Boaz run around, people have fun asking questions and petting them. I cut up ripe bananas, papaya’s and even some rice for them to eat. They have found there favorite weed to eat along with some worms the kids dug up out of the flower beds too. They are growing so fast and still are very cute to watch.
As we walk through town purchasing supplies we always bump into people who have questions and want to know what we are doing here. They really like the girl’s clothes, and the way the girls carry the bilum on their head and speaking pigeon, this to them makes a real PNG girl.
Well, another day has passed and we all had the opportunity to reach out to others for Jesus. We have had the chance to receive the blessing of sharing, caring and listening. How did your day go? May God continue to bless you all as you work in the mission field where you live.
Pam
Come and join me once again as I share more adventures in our family. What has it been like in the past few weeks? Did I say weeks? Wow! How time flies when we are having fun. Even though there is a lot of work involved when living and working in a remote area, we still find time to have fun.
We were sitting in church one afternoon attending the AY (Adventist Youth) program. Our eyes were focused on the speaker up front when I saw John swatting at his back. Knowing John very well, this was definitely strange behavior especially in church. All of a sudden out of the corner of my eye I saw an object flying through the air landing across the church at Boo Boo’s feet. She looks down in amazement to see a big lizard lying at her feet stunned from the blow. In the mean time the girls sitting next to John began to giggle. Sternly he looks in their direction and motions for them to pay attention, especially since the speaker was quoting the text about training up a child. Yes, we do have the most unusual visitors in our church whether they are bugs, birds or lizards passing through. Walking up the hill later we realized the lizard had slipped from the rafters of the church and fell on John’s head. The Lord spared me from the falling lizard because I know sitting quietly would have been hard. I don’t believe there is a text about training up a wife though.
The days that followed were busy ones as we prepared to leave for Wewak to pick up more supplies. We all were looking forward to this day more than anyone could imagine. Getting to town and eating more than just rice. Even though Tokengo and Boo Boo ate with us we shared what we had with each other. We were very thankful when a few church members shared vegetables from their gardens. The day was approaching when we would depart but then plans had changed. The saying, “hurry up and wait” is so real here. I decided to go about my regular schedule until the day before leaving and then I would pack. It was time for elections and voting was in progress which meant each village had a specific time to vote. While we waited for the voting in May River, we enjoyed watching the helicopters come and go carrying those in charge of the whole process. But then the Lord had it all worked out for our safety because fighting had broken out between candidates and a person was killed on the road we would be traveling on. Finally the day came when we could leave.
During the early hours of the morning we followed our torches down the hill to the river where we would be riding a motor canoe to Wewak. The clouds were opening to beautiful colors that spread across the horizon. The girls were relieved to know that the bird cage fit perfectly in the canoe with us. As a good grandmother can be, ha! Ha! I dug a bunch of worms for them to eat on the way to go with the ripe bananas I had. Ruth and Boaz as their called were singing out there concerns for the ride to town. Even though it was a very long trip I let them out a few times to stretch their legs and sleep on our laps, they did quite well.
Listening to the sound of the motor we had rented along with the boat, I could tell it wasn’t working properly. Sure enough, the motor quit working and the clinic boat pulled us the rest of the way. The girls had fun moving from one boat to the other where they could sit with Boo Boo. A little while later as we moved toward the river bank a big fish (bowl-cutter) decided to join us for the rest of the trip. Ok, so I screamed when it jumped inside the boat. On the other hand, Boo Boo was clapping her hands with glee that she would be eating a fish for supper. She is a really neat lady and a wonderful adopted grandma for the girls. She has taught us a lot about PNG culture.
When we arrived in Ambunti for the night our stomachs were growling but we didn’t have any food and the market was already closed. I really need to stop my worrying about things because God always comes through with a plan. There were four people staying at the clinic in Ambunti who were traveling to different villages working for the health of children. They sent word that we could eat supper with them. Boo Boo did cook her fish, but we had rice cooked in Coconut cream, sweet potatoes and greens. What a blessing from God to have food that tasted so good. He is worthy to be praised.
Finally we made it to Wewak after catching a PMV(truck) which seemed to hit all the pot holes on the road. What a wonderful sight to see the Sepik Mission and the transit where we would stay. Instead of a break though, I ended up cooking for 11 men the first week and then 7 or 8 the second week. I tell you, these guys can eat and eat and eat. What a treat to visit the market though for fresh fruits and vegetables. After a week in town I noticed Abby wasn’t eating that well and she complained about having a headache. During the night she woke up with hot skin and a high temperature. We figured it was malaria and gave her medicine but she threw it up.
The next morning her temp was climbing to 102 and the mission took us to the clinic. A quick malaria test was given which was negative, so they treated her for an upper respiratory infection and gave her a shot of Penicillin. During the day I was sponging her head and giving her cool showers and baths, but still her temp went up to 104.7. We were really concerned. The mission truck ended up taking us to the hospital and they rechecked her for malaria and it was positive. With tears and apprehension Abby received two more shots and suppositories for bringing the temp down. Her appetite had basically left her and she was tired and weak. But after another shot the next day and tablets to finish the course of recovery, Abby has bounced back and is eating normally and playing again. Praise the Lord!
To Alissa’s relief Abby is able to help with taking care of the birds again. While they watch Ruth and Boaz run around, people have fun asking questions and petting them. I cut up ripe bananas, papaya’s and even some rice for them to eat. They have found there favorite weed to eat along with some worms the kids dug up out of the flower beds too. They are growing so fast and still are very cute to watch.
As we walk through town purchasing supplies we always bump into people who have questions and want to know what we are doing here. They really like the girl’s clothes, and the way the girls carry the bilum on their head and speaking pigeon, this to them makes a real PNG girl.
Well, another day has passed and we all had the opportunity to reach out to others for Jesus. We have had the chance to receive the blessing of sharing, caring and listening. How did your day go? May God continue to bless you all as you work in the mission field where you live.
Pam
All I Need to Know
Jarred awake, I reached out in the darkness to steady myself and grabbed
the great pile of boxes and bags that jostled and swayed. Road dust
stung my eyes, and its taste filled my mouth. A woman seated next to me
leaned against my shoulder as she slept. A young boy rested his head
against a box and my knee. Pam slumped against my other shoulder, her
legs pushed uncomfortably between her seat and the pile of luggage. Our
girls slept next to her.
Sleepily, I recalled how, earlier that night, our driver and his helper had piled everyone’s baggage between the two benches that lined the sides of the small flat-bed truck and lashed what remained to the tarp covered frame that sheltered the back. After prayers, handshakes and hugs from the staff of the Sepik Mission, our truck lumbered away into the darkness, stopping occasionally to pick up more passengers
and luggage.
As we climbed into the coastal hills, the lights of Wewak and its harbor flickered in the darkness below and then disappeared in the dense jungle foliage. Beyond these hills lay the vast plain of the Sepik with its winding channels and wetlands stretching westward.
Tomorrow we would begin our voyage up the Sepik through torrential rain and blistering sun. As darkness fell, our motor would break down and allow us to drift dangerously close to submerged logs in the strong current before our companion boat rescued us. Then, with the two boats lashed together, we would limp slowly into May River about 26 hours after leaving Wewak.
But as we bumped along in the back of the truck I knew none of this. All I knew was that the God who had faithfully cared for my family this far would continue to watch over us on the river, and that’s all I really needed to know. Come to think of it, that’s all any of us really need to know. —John Lello
Sleepily, I recalled how, earlier that night, our driver and his helper had piled everyone’s baggage between the two benches that lined the sides of the small flat-bed truck and lashed what remained to the tarp covered frame that sheltered the back. After prayers, handshakes and hugs from the staff of the Sepik Mission, our truck lumbered away into the darkness, stopping occasionally to pick up more passengers
and luggage.
As we climbed into the coastal hills, the lights of Wewak and its harbor flickered in the darkness below and then disappeared in the dense jungle foliage. Beyond these hills lay the vast plain of the Sepik with its winding channels and wetlands stretching westward.
Tomorrow we would begin our voyage up the Sepik through torrential rain and blistering sun. As darkness fell, our motor would break down and allow us to drift dangerously close to submerged logs in the strong current before our companion boat rescued us. Then, with the two boats lashed together, we would limp slowly into May River about 26 hours after leaving Wewak.
But as we bumped along in the back of the truck I knew none of this. All I knew was that the God who had faithfully cared for my family this far would continue to watch over us on the river, and that’s all I really needed to know. Come to think of it, that’s all any of us really need to know. —John Lello
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