Bana: The Adventure Begins

The adventure begins, 50 minute flight to Wewak

Jeff, Susan and Ethan had a very unique opportunity a few days ago.   We were privileged to go on a trip to Bana in the East Sepic province of Papua New Guinea.   We were 3 members of an 8 member team that went to this remote village.   Our members included a doctor, electrician, a high school student, 2 Melanesian Filed Office workers a director of Community Based Health Care and his helper and the director of Rural Health Ministries.    It was a great adventure and we spent time with some very precious people.   Throughout this week I will be posting pictures and and thoughts from those who went.   I hope you enjoy them and that they will bless your heart!

Gabriel Mahisu, Director of Rural Health Services

Doctors visit make impact in rural facility,  makes dream come true!

On the 19^th of September the Rural Medical team of Nazarene Health Ministries consist of missionaries Myers, Deuels, and the 3 nationals Gabriel, Mathew and Bapo visited Bana Clinic. The trip was purposely 

for the solar installation for immunization program, doctors clinical 

screening and treatment, 

Community Based Health Care training and discipleship class for pastors and laypeople.

Safely in Wewak, East Sepic Province

Involving doctors in a rural setting is a [is a first in the] history to Rural Health division of Nazarene Health Ministries. These missionaries left Kudjip hospital, 25 minutes drive to Kagamuga airport and board the plane 50 minutes flight to Wewak then drive another 5 hours into Bana where the facility is located. We were warmly welcomed by the community with their traditional dancing that interprets the changes and development into the area. They can now see the light shining through them. Four days in Bana is a breakthrough in the history of NHM in PNG.

During the week each and individual member of the team took on different task at the facility site. Dr. Susan was very busy all 4 days with patients coming in from three [3] government district all flooded into the facility to see the doctor. The three nurses Buckley, Charity, Micah and Rose screen and do treatment all day. There were 853 patients seen during the week. The week was very special for the community because over their entire lives they used to carry patients on stretchers and worked hours to seek medical help outside of their constituency and district. Now that things turned the other way round, people flooded in from outside with referral by stretchers and ambulance. The style of carrying patients on stretchers has stopped because of the establishment of the health facility.

Leg stretching break!

Tim Duel and Ethan Myers worked really hard getting the solar system installed and finally we were able to use the lights in the night service. The solar system installed is a tremendous help to power the vaccine fridge for the entire children who have not been immunized over the years.

Jeff Myers and Karla Deuel did a tremendous job in teaching all our pastors including lay people. Reports from participants were really encouraging because most of the teachings are practical for the church to move forward.

It can get tight in the back of a land cruiser!

Mathew and Bapo spent the week on CBHC awareness and training. It was a first contact made with all 8 ward councillors including their ward committees and many other community leaders came to the training. Mathew and Bapo were unable to complete
 the training and moved the training to late October this year because the time was too short and they only did part of the training. However all councillors had pledged their support of the program and would want to commit themselves in the training in October this year. They begged Mathew and Bapo to go there quickly because they do not want to miss out on the opportunity and really wanted to push for it into their communities.

The last 10 kilometers into Bana Villaage.

God is in control, we had sensed His love and compassion in this trip. For me as RHS director accompanying the team was very special, inspiring and seeing more challenges ahead of me. There are  challenges of infrastructure developments, equipments, staffing, and through geographical constraints. There people are there, this trip was not a waste at all, it was a fruitful trip, God has opened doors for the lost to see and receive Christ and for bigger things that is going to come about.

Thinking through all these there is a song that reminds me of that as special; “ There’s a river of live flowing out from me, makes the lame to walk and the blind to see, open prison doors, and  sets the captives free, there’s a river of live flowing out from me.”

Our compassion of reaching out to rural does make impact in all aspects of human life.

 More to come tomorrow!