After 2 long weeks of working out schedules between new Tribes, our Missionaries and the airlines, we finally have our tickets confirmed. This will allow Aaron to travel back with us. His Visa expires and he has to be out of the country by March 31st. Here is our itinerary. We are still working on the Hoskins to Bom portion of the trip.

Saturday March 17

• Leave Omaha 3:15 pm arrive Dallas 5:10 pm
• Leave Dallas 6:00 pm arrive Los Angeles 7:20 pm
• Leave Las Angeles 11:55 pm arrive Brisbane AU 6:45 am

Monday March 19

• Leave Brisbane 10:00 am arrive Port Moresby, PNG 1:00 pm
• Leave Port Moresby 2:55 pm arrive Hoskins 4:00pm

Friday March 30

• Leave Rabaul 10:20 am arrive Port Moresby 11:40 am
• Leave Port Moresby 3:10 pm arrive Sydney, AU 8:25 pm

Saturday March 30

• Leave Sydney 9:45 am arrive Los Angeles 6:05 am
• Leave Los Angeles 8:55 am arrive Chicago 2:50 pm
• Leave Chicago 4:40 pm arrive Omaha 6:10 PM

We are getting closer on the airline tickets. It looks like the total will come in at about $2750 - $3000 per person. That is only about $250-$500 more than we paid in 2004 and we have an extra flight because of the conference. It also looks like our route will go through Australia using Quantas. For those of you who have flown internationally - Quantas is one of the best carriers on International flights. Hopefully we will get this set in concrete next week. I have all the information I need from the team. We are waiting to hear from Aaron Luse who may be returning to the states with us for the birth of their new baby. (Lori will already be in the states).

Airline Flights - the next step is acquiring airline tickets. We are working with Raptim, they specialize in missionary trips and have come up with some incredible rates. They are a great company to work with. Currently - we are scheduled to go through Toyoko, but we have to leave earlier than expected. They are working on alternate routes and we should have a better idea by this weekend. We will then confirm the flights with the New Tribes and the Luses & Kunzers. Once we purchase the tickets - we will be able to focus on conference since most of the paperwork will be completed. We will keep you posted!

Great News - Work Visa issue is resolved. Just got this letter from George Tinker - Keep him and his family in your prayers.

Pastor Jim,
Thanks much for your nice email. It is good to hear directly from you, and to get your good explanation of the situation. That really helps.
I also rejoice that as of yesterday we are now able to contact our Gov't Reps in Moresby both by email and by phone (neither had been working for a while).
So I was able to speak with Steve Westcott yesterday just to get clear on our strategy. It turns out that we indeed cannot use the previous type of Short Term Workers Visa for you folks - and this actually is Good News in the sense that the Immigration head came up with a new and better way lately.
Due to our current situation here with our work permit renewal we have to abandon the other way until further notice, and go with a new way which is actually far easier and faster, and does NOT require you to send your passports away. All we need is a small amount of information from you, and we can charge Luse's account here for the costs, and you don't have to send your passport anywhere. The Gov Rep will write a letter for you to the Immigration Officer at the airport and submit it a day or two before you arrive and get your visas organized. It is all done there at the airport and not at Immigration Dept in town, which simplifies things incredibly. So you get in the line for Arriving Without a Visa and tell the officer that NTM has made arrangements for you, and they take it from there and stamp the entry permit into your passports and give you the previously arranged receipt, etc. It has been working well so far. But anyone helping needs this new type of visa, which is the same price as a Visitor visa anyway (and far cheaper than a Business visa). So yes, even the 17 yr old lad will need an EVP (Easy Visa Permit).
We will need your flight details as best you know them too, esp your date of arrival and departure (this EVP is good for up to 60 days) so we know when we need to submit the letter to Airport Immigration, etc.

Until I can send the next email,
George Tinker

Praise & Prayer

We now have every one's Passport. This is big answer to prayer. Every Passport came in about 2-4 weeks earlier than expected.

The next big request is for the work visa issue. We are still waiting to hear from New Tribes regarding the requirements for the Work Visa's. We cannot proceed any further in the planning of the trip until we have this information. Please keep this matter in your prayers.

Where in the World is PNG?

Many people are wanting to know more about PNG. The World Factbook tells you everything you wanted to know. The link is World Fact Book.

Click on any of the maps to enlarge and open in a new window.

Papua New Guinea is located north of Australia

The following map - gives you an idea of PNG. (Click on it to enlarge)

This is the main Island. The main airport is located at Port Moresby. You will notice an large island next to PNG - This is New Britain.




In the middle of the island is the New Tribes Base at Hoskins. This is only accessible by plane. This is where we will spend the first week of our trip. At the end of the week - we will fly to the northern tip of New Britain to a town called Rabal. We will then travel to the next Island - called New Ireland. (see below)

This is the island where the Luses & Kunzer's minister to the Patpatar people. (Click on the map to enlarge) We will get to this island by boat or by plane. It is undetermined at this point. If we fly - we travel to the tip of New Ireland to a town called Namatania. It is then a very long and rough drive to Bom where the Kunzer's and Luse's minister.

This week I sen Jan an email with some questions regarding the conference. His replies are below.

Jan,

1. What are the actual dates and starting times of the conference? What will allow us and enough time to get set up for the conference and enough time to catch the plane to Rabaul?

• The actual conference will start on Wednesday morning 21 March 07 – until – Saturday evening 24 march 07. 4 full days, the first being a kind of Church Planting workshop type of a conference and the last 3 days encouragement, refreshment, relaxing, up building, fellowship, …. When you arrive here and you want to go full blast in the work you might want to take a few days to acclimate. There are set up things to do, moving things to prepare for the bush missionaries coming, prepare for children meetings, end so on. You have been here and i think you might remember how long it takes to settle and to acclimate. Then, if you could plan at least the day before conference as a full working day to get things ready.

2. I assume we have to fly into Hoskins since there is not way to travel by land from Rabaul to Hoskins? correct?

• Correct. Book all the way into Hoskins and then from Hoskins into Rabaul and or Namatanai. You will have to check with the Luses and the Kunzers about the details thee. If you are going by boat from Rabaul to Bom or if you fly into Namatanai. The way back you can book from Rabaul to Port Moresby. You can skip Hoskins there.

3. For our information - do you know how many missionary families and support staff will be attending the conference? I would like the number of missionary families and also the total number attending (a guess would even help based on last years conference). Many of the people are raising their support for this trip and this will help us explain to people what we will be doing and how many people will be involved.

• We will have to do the statistics yet this year. Last year we had 149 souls altogether here on center. 73 adults, 23 youth, 27 elementary and 26 children. This year numbers will be up and might be with even 20, depending who is not coming out and what will happen in the mean time.

Together in reaching the tribes with the Good News of our Lord Jesus Christ,

jan

Just got this from the Kunzer's

Hi there everyone!

We hope this finds you all doing well. We haven’t sent an e mail to all of you in a very long time and we do apologize.

Back in April, Tammy’s mom became very ill. She had been ill for quite a while but her health was getting worse. We sought the Lord and He provided the money for the girls and Tammy to get home. Tammy and the girls were able to be in the states for several weeks and had some precious time with her mom and made many wonderful memories. Tammy’s mom isn’t saved and Tammy and the girls had great opportunities to share the Lord with her. She didn’t receive Christ when they were there but we know that God planted seeds. Please pray for Tammy’s mom, Jean. Her health is still poor. She will not get better. We just pray and wait.

Butch stayed in the tribe and did language and culture study. It was a good time for him but he said it was just too quiet and he missed us as well.

Tammy and the girls got back from the States in July. It was so good to see Butch again. We had never been apart for that long. We immediately got to work on our house (cleaning and organizing) and our partner’s house as it had been closed up for a year and were due to get back soon. Aaron and Lori returned from their furlough in August. It is good to have them back. We have been busy getting back into home schooling (we have four in school this year), language study, and culture study.

Now we are gearing up to start our literacy program with the Patpatar people. We have lots to do. We will be getting together with the leaders of the tribe and will figure out where to hold the classes, who will attend our first class, and we will be getting all of our materials together. It is exciting to be moving into another phase of our work out here. The people seem to be excited about the upcoming classes as well.

Also, Butch has had another language evaluation. It was good to see what things he needed to work on and have some direction in his language study.

We would appreciate your prayers. Here are some things to pray about:

• - success of the upcoming literacy program
• - that we would continue building relationships with the people out here
• - our health to remain strong
• - home schooling; that we would learn all that God wants us to and have teachable hearts
• - language study; that we would learn quickly
• - safety in traveling on the sea and the roads here
• - Butch’s language evaluation on October 11th

Thank you all for your prayers and support. We couldn’t do this work without you.

In Christ,

The Kunzers
Papua New Guinea

This is a note from the Island Chairman at PNG at Hoskins

I am Jan Wols, My wife Annette and I are working here in Hoskins and for the last few months i have been in the position of acting chairman of the Island Region. Thank you for writing to me.

We are much exited about your ideas and plans to serve our missionaries here at Hoskins Center and the Patpatar team out in the bush. We heard about the plans from Aaron and Lori and we did talk about it. We all came to the same conclusion: We really see how this would be refreshing to our missionaries serving at the front lines, at the sub centers and at the support center. We would love this to take place and we trust that we will be able to work through what it takes to see it happen.

It is so good to have churches like you who are ready to come and serve us for the glory of our Lord and the building up of His servants. We appreciate it very very much.

Again i want to say that we appreciate you very much. I want to make sure we communicate that with you because we do not want you to be discouraged with some of the hurdles we are looking at.

Please write me soon,

Together in reaching the tribes with the Good News of our Lord Jesus Christ,

jan

Prayer Request for Passports
Passport Status - This is the pressing need for the trip at this time (I will update this as we recieve the passports.

• J Thomas - Renewal in Process
• J Thomas III - New in Process
• C Jackson - Renewal in Process
• G Jackson - Renewal in Process
• C Jarvis - New in Process
  
  
• J Bainbridge - Current
• M Bainbridge - Current
• J Schram - Current
• C Jordan - Current
• G Nichols - Current
  
  

PJ
The last two weeks of March are great. Conference from the 21-25. Then to the tribe for a few days afterward if that works out for the team. The leadership team has already booked a speaker for the conference (Mark Zook, the missionary in the tribe from the video Ee-tau!). I emailed George Tinker (the field secretary) and asked him to send you stuff on the visas. You can call Jan Wols (acting chairman of the islands, originally from the Netherlands)

I am working on getting a schedule that I will be able to send you. Also, before long you will be in contact with the conference committee. That is the group that will be assembled to coordinate the conference and try to get all the jobs filled by all the missionaries. The change this year will be that they will be coordinating with the team to see what they can do and bring to the table and not have to go to the missionaries.

I will keep you posted,

Aaron

In September we sent Aaron a list of questions about the conference. Below are some of the repsonses.

How many adults, teens, children and toddlers will be at the conference?

• @60 adults
• @20 teens
• @45 children & toddlers
  

What groups do you want the kids divided into?

• Teens are usually all together,
  
• 3rd-6th grade
• 4yr-2nd, 2-3s, babies

What maintenance jobs do you have for us at Hoskins? New dorm building, enclose the tennis court (into a gym)

What equipment can we fix or tune up? Be specific. They just got a satellite link into the base for internet, emails, and phone calls, I don't know if they want that to be Ethernet throughout the base or not

What are the activities and times for past events? Not including the kids program - sports-volleyball (usually a few times), ultimate Frisbee, soccer, basketball, football (usually once) - during afternoon except basketball at night. Skit night, Pizza night, Singspiration with ice cream night.

What musical equipment and instruments will be available? Couple of speakers and an amp. Keyboard, Mics, whoevers guitar and bass guitar is around.

What is your wish list for things to happen at the event? I think a couples or adults’ only evening would be nice - whether it was a meal or a coffee house setting or something. I think a simple lunch provided for everybody after class would be great, but may be asking too much.

What is the schedule for a typical day?

• 8am-12 adults in conference hall with speaker sessions, music, testimonies, coffee breaks; kids in their program.
  
• Noon everybody on their own.
  
• Afternoon - sports and class electives, Evening event

What are past activities for youth? Games - ice breakers, capture the flag, board games, sports; lessons; a trip to the beach

How many days will we serve in Hoskins? March 21-25 The 21st usually is a church planting conference and people are still arriving. That evening is the welcome and kick off, but sports usually take place that day. The 25th is usually more of a church setting with a message and or testimonies and with both adults and kids with conference officially over at noon.

How many days will we be in Bom? Depending on routing about 3-4 days

What can we do for you in Bom? Boat, ramp, house maintenance, possible school/teaching/church building

What fun activities will we be involved in? going to the village, sleeping in the house boy, snorkeling, jungle hike, bat cave, malaria

Volcano erupts on PNG Island

October 8, 2006
Huge clouds of ash billow from Mt Tavurvur after it erupted yesterday, sending locals fleeing.

Huge clouds of ash billow from Mt Tavurvur after it erupted yesterday, sending locals fleeing.

A volcanic eruption on the Papua New Guinea island of New Britain yesterday caused panicked residents to flee homes and sent ash plumes 18 kilometres into the air.

Mount Tavurvur on the outskirts of the former provincial capital Rabaul erupted around 8.45 am local time with a blast which shattered windows up to 12 kilometres from the caldera.

"It was quite scary, but it's quiter now and has quietened considerably through the day," Rabaul Volcanological Observatory chief surveyor Steve Saunders told Reuters.

In 1994, a large eruption on Mt Tavurvur and the nearby Vulcan peak destroyed much of Rabaul, covering the airport and much of the town with ash, and forcing the construction of a new capital, Kokopo, 20 kilometres away.

PNG's Mining Department said in a volcano bulletin that ash was falling on Kokopo, causing power and phone cuts.

Saunders said magma had been welling up inside the 688 metre (2,200 foot) peak since 2005 and contained large amounts of gas, which accounted for the explosive force of the eruption.

"Today looks like the activity it has been building up to, so it should fall off now," he said.

Saunders said vulcanologists expected the peak to quieten quickly, but the volcano was still surrounded by gas and dust, making it hard to assess damage amid rumours lava had flowed from a previously unknown vent. There were no reports of death or injuries.

Rabaul Chamber of Commerce President and hotelier Bruce Alexander told Australian Associated Press that around 2000 people - or 90 percent of the local population - had fled the town as Mt Tavurvur erupted.

All flights into Tokua airport across the harbour from Rabaul had been cancelled due to ash falls.

Papua New Guinea lies on the Pacific Ocean "ring of fire", and earthquakes and volcanic eruptions are common.

REUTERS


The Luse's & Kunzers serve on New Ireland Province in the middle of this island.

PASSPORT INFORMATION

You can fill out the form online at the links listed below and take them to the passport office.

• You will need an official birth certificate
• You will need 2 passport photos (these can be taken while you wait at - Walgreen's - $8 / Harold's $11 / Passport Office $15)

The Passport office is located at the downtown Sioux City Post Office - It closes at 2:45 each day
When you fill out the form - we are looking at leaving on March 18, 2007 for 2 weeks to PNG

• Cost for an original Passport is $97 (Passport Processing - $55, Application - $30, Security Fee $12)
• Expedited processing is $60 extra - but we do not advise that at this time
• You will need to make out 2 separate checks to pay for the Application
  

Here is the link for general passport information.
http://travel.state.gov/passport/get/first/first_830.html

Here is the specific link to fill out application online and apply. (Click either link to fill out online or print a blank) If you click on the blank form link - you can fill it out on your computer and print it out as well.)
http://travel.state.gov/passport/forms/ds11/ds11_842.html

INTRODUCTION

I have started this Blog to keep everyone informed of the Missions Trip to Papua New Guinea. First a little background. This trip was originally organized by Morningside Bible Church. They were intending on taking this trip to help their missionaries (Aaron & Lori Luse - www.tribalmissions.com). They were also going to assist in the Island Mission Conference which New Tribes Missions hosts each year.

Holly Springs Bible Fellowship was also going to be involved on a limited basis. Both churches have visited the islands of PNG to help New Tribes Missionaries. We just got news that Aaron & Lori are expecting - so they will probably not be able to attend the Island Conference. At a Board meeting last week - Holly Springs Bible decided to make this a major effort in our missions program for 2007.

Once a year New Tribes missions invites all their island missionaries to the New Tribes base in Hoskins, PNG. This conference involves about 40 missionary families. This is the only time many of these missionaries get away from the tribe for an opportunity to refresh and recharge. It is their only break for a year. In the past - they have divided up responsibilities for the conference which means they cook, babysit, plan activities and run the conference.

This year we are going to take a group of people to host the conference for them. We will prepare the meals, provide a camp type program for the children and teens and minister to them for the entire week. This Blog will provide you a history of the progress and some much needed information for future trips.