Back in Our Highland's Home

Jeff writes:

We took a lazy four days to get back to our home at the CLTC. The 500km trip can be made in around nine hours straight through, but we wanted to stop and enjoy some of our friends and the spectacular scenery along the way.

Early Sunday morning we left our good friends at Lae behind. Our journey took us up the Markham Valley. It has expansive grasslands, and in some respects it reminds us of California's central valley only greener. We passed coconut and cocoa groves, palm oil plantations, and this cattle ranch (pictured at the left).

Our destination was a village in the valley where I was scheduled to preach. We also got to meet with Agnes, whose husband Rabboni had left her. Rabboni was one of my most promising students. Unfortunately, after he graduated and returned to his village, he ran away with a divorced woman.

We came to encourage Agnes and to help her with some medical expenses for her son Wayne (pictured at the right.) He is battling complications from hydrocephalus. She is caring for her four children. Rabboni’s family helped him abduct their oldest son, who is now living with him. Agnes is fearful that they will also try to take the other children as well. Please pray for her that this tragic situation will be resolved by God’s good grace in His perfect time according to His righteous will.

Following a large feast we departed for another village where we were to spend the night. We met with a CLTC student there. Yawing (on the right in the photo) and his wife Helen are doing a one year internship in a village called Waratsieng. They welcomed us with even more good food. I preached again under the stars, and we spent the night with our Bubu (on the left in the photo), who is our college receptionist’s uncle. We enjoyed a refreshing bath in a cool creek and learned how to use a village liklik haus (outhouse) again. Their hospitality was unsurpassed, and they sent us off with lots of bananas, pineapples, a papaya and yams.

Our next stop was Ukarumpa, which is SIL’s headquarters in PNG. There I got my teeth cleaned, Sue’s laptop power supply repaired, and had an overheating problem with our car fixed. For our first time in over two months we felt cold. It was great!

Leaving Ukarumpa we made a short journey to Goroka where we spent Tuesday night. We ate in a Chinese restaurant which we enjoy. Again we lazed around to gain strength for the bumpy ride that awaited us the next day through Chimbu.

At about eight we left Goroka. Our little car had to climb the 2,478 meter (8,128 feet) Daulo pass. While were we nearing the top we caught up with a semi-tractor truck pulling a heavy load. Just as we were about to crest the last bit of road, the truck slowed and nearly stopped. I had to stop our car behind him, and when I tried to start again it would not go up the hill because it was so steep. Sue suggested I use four-wheel drive. I shifted into four-wheel low, and our little Suzuki began eating up the road again. We call it the “Beast” because it devours some of the most unforgiving roads in the world. PTL!

After a nice lunch in Kainantu, we arrived back at the CLTC. Many people greeted us warmly.

We were alarmed to hear, however, that it really had not rained here in seven weeks. There is no water left in the students' water tanks. Right now we are on break, and there are only a few students on campus. However, if this drought continues, we may have to postpone or cancel our third term. Please join us in praying for rain.

Thanks for all of your prayers. We arrived safely, and for the most part refreshed. Blessings to all of you.