A Vision For The Future!

Motivated, challenged and encouraged, three words that described those who attended the Literature Workshop held in the Highlands of Papua New Guinea May 21-23 2008. The workshop, "Raitim Toktok - Kamapim Disaipel" (Writing Speech - Making Disciples) was well attended with 27 people present. The group was made up of DS's, pastors, laymen and members of the Media and Publication Board of PNG. This workshop was a much needed shot in the arm for the Literature Ministry of PNG. It helped to refocus the ministry and helped to re-evaluate goals and priorities. It served to create new vision for how literature can be used in PNG to help reach the lost, build disciple and strengthen the church.

Each day was started with devotions lead by Ken Kapal, Director of Victory Books, Kathy Radcliffe, Missionary to PNG and Pastor Daniel Eka, Director of Radio Ministries. Each giving a challenge and setting the tone for the days events. The workshop was lead by Dr. Geneva Silvernail, Regional Literature Coordinator for the Asia Pacific Region. It was a blessing having Dr. Silvernail to facilitate this workshop. Throughout the 3 day event, there was much discussion on literature and its importance to the church and its growth. One participant, Tarp Goma, stated, "God's word is written so it must be read." Another participant, Pastor Rower, said, "When we read it (God's word), it helps get our culture in line with God's culture." To this end, is what the Literature Ministry of PNG is working towards. The workshop included times of discussion, group projects, writing assignments and the final session was spent laying down a strategy for the advancement of literature within PNG. The times of discussion dealt with topics like, translation, writing, copyright issues, evaluating current and new literature projects. Pastor Daniel Eka commented, "Before the Literature Workshop I had done some translation work. But the workshop helped me to see how to do translation work better." Kathy Radcliffe summarized it best when she said, "I was glad that they got down to making plans and focusing on the future. I was inspired by the enthusiasm of the participants."

A challenge given a vision seen, pray that God will bless the hard work that came about through this literature workshop. That literature will be a powerful tool used to build the Kingdom in Papua New Guinea.

Pictures on the right at top:

1) The participants of the Lit. Workshop

2) Dr. Geneva Silvernail, facilitator of the workshop, blessed and used by God!

Pictures on the left:

1) Ken Kapal, Director of Victory Books & Publications here in PNG.

2) Kathy Radcliffe Missionary in PNG

Article and Pictures by Jeff Myers

Need Help - Heart Help!!!!!

Patric Wilgal, Bekwin Kos, Freeda Greg, Nancy Mike, Clara Marang and Joan Charles. What do these kids have in common? They have all had surgery to correct heart defects here in PNG!! Each year an Australian group of heart surgeons through an organization called Operation Heart comes together in the capitol city of Pt. Morseby (POM) to perform surgery on children who were born with heart defects. The aforementioned children all had surgery in POM!!! These children had all been seen at Nazarene hospital and referred to a national pediatrician by the name of Dr. Tefuarani. He screened these children and deterimined that they had heart defects that could be corrected in POM by the Australian heart team.
We are now nearing the time for Operation Heart to come to PNG again. On the 19th and 2oth of this week Dr. Tefuarani was again in Mt. Hagen screening children with evidence of heart disease and making a list of those who are possible candidates for surgery. Nazarene hospital has referred 10 or so children. So far, we know of two children, Clara Marang and Kondo Walep, who have been directed to the next step of the screenig process and are expected to be in Lae, a port city on the North coast, on the 23rd of June. At that time, if they are put on the surgery list, they will need to fly directly to Pt. Moresby for surgery.

Most of the people in the area of Nazarene Hospital are very poor and so traveling to Lae by road and then to Pt. Moresby by plane seems like an impossibility. In most instances, these children have been cared for through Nazarene Hospital. As a further outreach of Nazarene Hospital, it is my hope that we can assist these families in their travel expenses. God has opened the doors in the past via individual donors and the assistance of Air Nuigini and Airlines PNG to provide free air travel for these families (the patient and one adult). This year I would like to bring before you, our family, this need and ask that you prayerfully consider giving a little something towards this life changing opportunity! If you would like to be a part please send any donation you may have to the General Church attention "Global Treasury Services" in Kansas City (6401 The Paseo, Kansas City, MO 64131). Checks can be made out to "Global Treasury Services" and should be marked for "Work of Susan Myers - PNG - Heart Help". I expect the cost per person traveling to be around K1000 or about $380.00. Due to time constraints and the need to book flights in advance, if the Lord is prompting you please notify me of the amount you are donating and send funds to KC by June 15th. If there would happen to be more money donated this year than we need to transport these children the money will be left in an account to be used in future years for kids with heart defects so that they too may have the opportunity for a long and healthy life!

Thanks so much!! We love these kids and are eager to see them grow up big and strong!
Dr. Susan

The little guy in the picture is Kondo Walep. He has been diagnosed with an atrial septal defect, which is a hole in the septum that divides the right and left atria of the heart.

Kudjip Search & Rescue Assists Stranded Rock Climber

It is now Sunday evening--Mother's day. Judy got a great Mother's Day gift, and I get to share it. The end of the story is that Sam is safe and unharmed, except for scrapes and bruises. Yesterday Sam went with missionary Scott Dooley and volunteer medical student Ben Kumor to explore a cave that Scott has been talking about doing for several years. Scott loves caves, and has done quite a bit of spelunking (the term for exploring caves). Sam and Scott have explored several caves in the area here, but this particular one has fascinated them. The problem is that the entrance to this one is a 150' vertical shaft, and they just didn't have the equipment to safely get into and out of it! On his last furlough, Scott acquired the equipment he needed, a longer climbing rope, and ascenders, devices that make it possible to climb up a rope. Ever since the Dooleys got back, they have been planning the day. They have been training in trees so that Sam could learn to rappel and ascend with the rope. So yesterday they drove to Konduk, then hiked the 2-plus hours to the cave, along with John Opa, a local friend. They rappelled into the cave without incident, looked around, annoyed thousands of bats, and began to climb back up the rope. But they experienced trouble with the ascending equipment, and ended up with Ben and Scott out, and Sam hanging on the rope part-way up, unable to either go up or down. Scott, Ben and John tried to pull Sam up, but the rope lay over several angles of rock which added so much friction that they could not move him more than a few inches. We got cell phone service in the Highlands almost a year ago, which turned out to be a tremendous blessing in this situation. Scott was able to phone us. I brought Jeff Myers and a group of young men from our college of nursing, and drove to Konduk. The young men ran to the cave, and along with some people from Konduk were able to pull Sam up. Although I tried to get there, I did not make it to the cave by the time they got him out, so I waited for him along the

trail. We got home about 10 pm, exhausted but thankful to God for His help, and for the wonderful, selfless people who got involved. Today we went ahead with a previously made plan, and drove into Mt. Hagen for church and a mother's day lunch at a restaurant. We know that many of you pray for us frequently, and we thank you all for those prayers. Happy Mother's Day to you all, mothers or not!

Andy, Judy, and Sam

It was a very adventurous experience. From Konduk to the cave took the 4 College of Nursing students and myself about 1 hour and 15 minutes. The boys were kind enough to not kill me going up the mountain because I'm sure without me they would have made it in a shorter time. We got to the cave entrance where all we could see of Samo (Uncle Jeff's name for Sam) was the rope that he was tied to. By the time we arrived to help pull him out Samo had been hanging around for 2 1/2 to 3 hours. It took six of us to pull him out while 2 more people worked the locking system so that as we pulled we didn't loose what we had gained. I would guess that it took us about 15 minutes to get Samo out. Although it was the first time, and hopefully the only time, our quickly gathered Search and Rescue Team worked like a well oiled machine!

Jeff

The top picture is what Samo saw while he was hanging around. The light at the top was where he needed to be to get out.
The next picture: all the white dots are bats eyes. The original picture is much better at seeing them, sorry.
Third picture down is members of the Kudjip Search & Rescue Team.
Fourth picture is Samo reassuring his Mama by Digicel (Thank the Lord for Digicel!) that he was out and OK! (Thank the Lord for that too!)
Final picture is me with my Digicel and headlamp after we had extracted Samo from the cave. (As always GO Browns!)

The above article was written by Andy Bennett

Photos by Sam Bennett & the other Rock Climbers

The latest on the Landslip

We have been asked if the Mudslide that took place a few weeks back has affected us. Yes this has definitely affected us! It cuts us off from the coast, which means no trucks cars or anything, which means no food, diesel and medical supplies. We had all done shopping with the thoughts that it might be months before this is fixed. There is a real possibility that it won’t be completely fixed even before we leave for furlough. This landslip is massive it broke off from a limestone section of the mountain and it took out everything in it’s path. Mike Chapman went to the sight with a National and he said that it took him about 25 minutes to walk across it. It took place just past Kundiawa on the way to Garoka. We are not driving anymore than we absolutely have to. Deisel is out in Hagen for the most part although I did hear rumor that they were able to get some diesel from the Southern Highlands. It has caused the PMV (PNG Taxi) fares to go up considerably so it is harder for our Nationals to get around. So you can remember us in prayer.

Now the latest on the Mudslide.

It has been several weeks since the Mudslide took place and things are getting back to normal. The spot in the road that was taken out is still not fixed and who knows how long that may take to complete. But pressure was applied by the Prime Minister to get a by pass road in and that has taken place. I heard that a 2 week time period was given to get the by pass road in because that was about all the diesel that was left to the Gold mines that are in the Highlands and who depend on the Highlands Highway, the same highway we depend on. The day the opened the by pass road was kind of a time of celebration along the highway. Here is an email that Mike Chapman sent to us when the by pass road was opened,

"If you have not heard the trucks going by like gang busters then you should know that the road was opened last night to all traffic and today I watched fuel trucks and all kinds of trucks going by the station for Hagen. Praise the Lord! Thanks all for your patience during this time."

I did notice the last time I was in town that Best Buy looked to be out of rice and bread flour, 2 important food items here in PNG. But with the raod opened enough to get trucks through things will be getting back to normal. Thanks for your prayers and please continue to pray that the main road will be fixed and opened again soon and that other slides that have or will take place will not be as devastating.

These pictures were taken by Mike Chapman just a couple of days after the Mudslide took place.