Well it has been awhile since we posted to the blog. We have been overwhelmed with the shock of getting used to our lives back in the states. We had a wonderful service on April 1 and everyone is now getting adjusted to life in the U. S. In the days and weeks ahead, we hope to be posting some pictures and links to the trip. As time allows, we will continue to update you on the results of this trip.

Thanks for your prayers

Hey there Everyone!

I just wanted to let you know (as you may have already heard from them) that the Team is on there way home! It was not with out adventure as they seas were pretty rough on the way out of Bom! (High Seas) Anyway, I assume they made there flight since they rushed off to the airport! It was a Blessing to have them here!!!!! There was lots of work accomplished and lots of memories that were made! Thanks for those who had a part in making this happen!!! Thanks Jean for giving up Jim for the Last couple of weeks! Lori we missed you & I know it will be good to have Aaron back! Let us know when you have #3. Thanks again & we love and miss you guys!

With much Love, Butch for all!

Last Day on the Island

Well today was the final day on the island. Last night after my email, the guys went to the house boy. The house boy is a place in each village where the men go each evening to talk and some sleep in the house boy. We stayed until 11pm and some of us headed for home. Aaron, Chad, Jimmy, & Jared decided to spend the night in the house boy. They arrived home at 6:00 this morning. They have some great stories and even some video of the evening.

Today we finished a number of projects. I was able to get 2 coats of epoxy primer on the boat. Chuck was the exterminator guy and sprayed the houses for termites (a very real problem here). Chad relocated an overhang on a door. John & Jared finished some louver work. The ladies helped get Aaron’s house sealed up for the next few months. At about 12:30 we made our way to the village. The people had been preparing all day for our visit, since we were the honored guests. It was a traditional Moo Moo – which is a feast, a celebration, or a special meal (often at funerals). Aaron bought a pig and Butch bought a pig ($100 US) and we invited the whole village to join our celebration. We had pig, rice, yams, sweet potatoes, and Karo. The food was delicious and we all enjoyed ourselves. The people said that we eat too slow. Aaron explained to the people that we have come from America to help them. He explained that we have heard the “God talk” and that we desire for them to be able to hear it as well. That was why we came. The people applauded and were very happy to have us. It was a sobering experience for us all, but one that helps us see the need and the work in PNG.

Our plan is to load the boat at 5:00 am and be on the seas at 5:30 am. We would covet your prayers as the seas have been very rough the last 2 days. If the seas are the same tomorrow, we will wait until we have calm seas. We love our families and look forward to getting home, but we want to arrive safely – so we will not take any unnecessary risks. God has protected us each step of the way and we are grateful that we have ended this trip with no major health issues or injuries. The next time I will be able to contact anyone will be by phone late Friday morning US time. I will be calling Jean and she can update the prayer list and the blog to let you know when we safely arrive in Australia. Thanks for your prayers.

The 2007 Mission Team

Wednesday on the Island

It rained most of the day today. While that made many of the projects harder, we still got much accomplished today. I have been giving Aaron a hard time, since we have not had a sunny day since we arrived. The Islanders said last week was sunny all week. The rain does keep the bugs to a minimum, so that is a plus. Today Jimmy & I fiberglassed the boat. We were able to fiberglass all the sides and the seams. Aaron added a “doghouse” in the front of the boat to store life preserves, etc. we were also able to fiberglass that in place. Tomorrow we will prime the floor and hopefully paint the boat if the weather holds. Jimmy worked on computers for the afternoon. Jared & John have become the louver experts. In PNG your windows consist of louvers that open and close to let in air. Over time they rust, so John and Jared have been replacing them on the Luses home, the Kunzer’s home, and the office. Chad has become the 12 volt electrician for the group. He replaced lights and chokes for most of the day. John got the generator fixed at the Kunzer’s and Chuck has become the screen expert. He is patching and replacing screens on both homes. He doesn’t mind being on a ladder most of the day so no one is fighting him for the job.

Cheryl is working on the meals and the gals help whenever she needs a hand. Michelle & Gloria are playing “grandma” and enjoying the time with the kids. Today involved sewing, crafts, baking cookies, and games. Tomorrow is our last day of work. We are going to have a traditional “Moo Moo” which is a celebration feast. We had one with the 2004 team, but this one is being held with the whole village and involves roasting 2 pigs. One of the ladies remembers me from the 2004 team and is anxious to see me again.

Everyone n the team is doing well. We do miss our families and are looking forward to seeing everyone again. It will be very hard to leave on Friday. Some of the tribal people told Aaron the other day. “When you and Butch came, we thought Americans were small. Now that we have seen 3 groups come form the states, we realize they are not”. These are wonderful people who have a deep spiritual need. It is our prayer that God can continue to use the Kunzer’s and the Luse’s to reach them for Christ.

The 2007 Mission Team

Tuesday on the Island

Today got to see another set of projects progress one step farther. We were able to get the boat foamed and the new floor in place. Jared & John were able to replace the louvers in the Luses home and will start on the Kunzer’s tomorrow. We were able to set a new basketball post and backboard in place at the Kunzer’s. The ladies helped Tammy around the house and they got some time to play “Grandma” with the girls. We all went to visit some of the hamlets on the Island. Michelle & Gloria passed out candy to the children in the villages. Later we hit a beach ball around with a number of the children.

Here are 2 stories from the Island. Yesterday Chad had to fill a drain field with some stones. He collected them from a small pile by one of the trees in front of Aaron’s home. Later we found out that they were special stones that people haul from 2 miles away to use for cooking. So now we ask twice before moving anything. Today one of the villagers brought us some coconuts he had collected for the team. He placed them on a bench in front of the Luse’s home. Some of the Kunzer children were sitting on the bench when some of our ladies sat down next to them. One of the braces broke and the bench collapsed. Of course everyone was laughing and one of the men from the village showed the utmost respect by telling the ladies that the bench broke because the coconuts were heavy.

At the Luse home the temperature read 99.5 degrees Fahrenheit with a relative humidity of 87%. It was overcast and a fairly typical day on the Island. Everyone on the team is doing well. We are all very tired at the end of the day and no one has a problem getting to sleep. Each day sees a few more projects completed and all of our hearts a little softer. Thanks for your prayers.

~The 2007 Mission Team

Well today was the first full day on the island. I would like to report that the work done by the 2004 team is still in good shape. The cement is still hard, used the storm shutters today, and even the walls look the same as we left them in 2004 (absolutely amazing since we had no idea what we were doing). Even Todd’s welding project on the gate has held. (3 out of 4 hinges are still welded on – which as Todd will tell you is a God thing!)

The girls worked with Tammy to get the house back in order after being shut up for 3 weeks. Most of the time was spent dusting (volcanic ash accumulates over time) so yes – you even have to dust in PNG. Chuck, John and I worked on the boat and got everything cut and fit in place. Chad, Jared, & Jimmy worked on digging a gray water line for the Kunzer’s and another one for the Luse’s. They had so much fun digging (just kidding) they dug a hole for a new basketball goal.

The 2004 team set up a small foot washing drain that had plugged – so Jimmy and
Chad dug it out and realized we had placed a filter on it and it had clogged with sand over time. Jared was busy assembling the new basketball backboard and goal. Jimmy was talking to one of the children in the tribe and told him he was Aaron’s friend. The kid came to Aaron and asked if this was true. When Aaron asked what Jimmy said and he was told that Jimmy’s sister was Aaron’s wife. Aaron was able to straighten everything out.

The weather has been hot, humid and cloudy with a small sprinkle once in a while. Tonight we are spending time fellowshipping and singing. Everything is going well and we are pleased with the pace of the projects. The boat looks like we will be able to finish it without too many complications. Thanks for your prayers everything is going very well here.

The 2007 Mission Team

We arrived this afternoon at Bom. Chuck left early this morning with the Kunzer’s. They had a pretty rough ride, but made it safely to Bom. The rest of the team went to the morning service. They were many tearful good byes and it was very hard to leave. These people really appreciated the efforts of the team and the church to help assist them with this conference.

It was raining when we left Hoskins. When we got to Rabaul everything was cloudy, but no rain. Then a downpour started and we considered spending the day in Rabaul and leaving the next morning. Aaron and some of the guys went to Kokopo to see what the weather situation was. Jared, I and the ladies stayed at the airport with the remaining luggage. After about 30 minutes the rain stopped and the weather turned nice. The seas were not rough – so we started out. The ride was smooth almost the entire way (Jared even tried to sleep in the front of the boat (Aaron informed us that is usually what Avalon & Sierra do). It got a little choppy by the end of the trip, but nothing that concerned anyone. We all arrived safely and are settling in our new home. We start the projects tomorrow, but are planning on trying to get to bed early tonight. Thanks for your prayers and we will try to email when we can get a good connection again

Mission Trip Team 2007

Well today was the last day at the conference. It rained all morning and for at least part of the day. Today involved making about 200 cheese sandwiches for lunch and a supper which consisted of steak, potatoes, salad, and dessert. We finished the day with a skit time. It was the first service the entire team got to attend. By the time everything was said and done, the team served 1600 meals, to people from 9 countries representing 14 tribal people groups and the support staff on the base. We spent 3 hours each day for the last 4 days teaching children and teens and 2 hours each day providing games for the teens, kids, and adults. We have helped build, poured cement, worked in the store, done pedicures, babysat little children, done skits, even gone to town for supplies. We cooked all of the meals on 2 kitchen size stoves, 3 barbeque grills, and half of a 55 gallon drum. To say that we are exhausted would be an understatement. This team has worked together very well. Everyone has pitched in and we have worked together on just about every project. It was a very good feeling to finish serving the last meal of the conference. We started saying goodbyes today and it was very difficult. Tomorrow will be even harder. We have seen first hand the tremendous need for support and the unbelievable dedication of these people. We all will leave a small part of our hearts in this place. We appreciate your prayers for us as we begin the second part of our journey.

At 6:00 in the morning the Kunzers and Chuck will fly out to rabal. They will buy supplies and take a boat to the Island. The team will follow at 11:00 and take 2 boats to the Island. We are all praying for calm seas. I do not think we will be able to send any pictures from the Island. As soon as we have a good internet connection, we will email you from the tribe. We have had a good connection at the base so we have been able to read many of your emails. Unfortunately this is much more difficult when we get to the Island. We do appreciate your prayers and want to thank you for being such a large part of this ministry to the Island Missionaries. We cannot wait to see you and share our journey with you.

Mission Team 2007

Today was a big day at the conference. The morning started with a men’s breakfast, so we were up at 5:00. Some of the people at the base had grills, so we were able to round up some grills to cook outside. It makes some of the meals easier than cooking on the 2 stoves in the kitchen. John has become the grill guy. This was the night for the Ladies Night Out so that means that all of the guys have the children for the night. That also means that the guys on the team took care of the meal tonight. The menu was hot dogs (that looked more like sausage) and hamburgers (called mince here). John went out to start one of the grills at 4:00 pm and the temperature on the grill said 110 degrees before he lit the grill. It was also sitting in the shade of the tent. Yesterday saw about 3 inches of rain in the morning so today was very hot and humid. As I sit here tonight it is raining again and we are all sure we have more than 3 inches. That will make tomorrow hot and humid – but none of us have been dry for 4 days so I think we are getting used to it.

The team is doing well. Today we had to say goodbye to Claudia who has been helping take care of our laundry. She is a PNG natural and everyone has fallen in love with her. Jimmy has learned some rough Pigdin so he is trying to converse with her. One of the surprises has been the numerous languages on the base. I work with a couple from Northern Ireland and I am one of the few people on the team who can understand them. Any conversation here becomes an experience. It is ironic since the whole focus of New Tribes presenting the gospel in the language of the people. We all realize that the kingdom of God is a very large kingdom and does not only exist in the US. God is doing great things all over the world.

We have one more full day at the conference. On Sunday, we leave for Bom. The Kunzers will be heading out early on Sunday morning and we will be following them a few hours later. Everyone at the base continues to comment on the blessing that this has been, so it is encouraging to know that you can have an impact on people even though you are half a world away. Thanks for your prayers.

Today was our 2nd full day at the conference. Everyone is exhausted at this point. The comments for the people are amazing. We are all being stopped on a regular basis and thanked for coming. A lady stopped me again tonight and said it she has hardly been in her kitchen all week and it has been a great blessing to her. It rained for most of the morning and early afternoon and it was a welcome relief. The heat and humidity has been overwhelming so the rain and the nice breeze felt good.

The meals have become a team project. Everything here takes twice as long as it does in the states. Everyone is working together well and we are growing together as a team and as individuals. We have all realized that Sunday is going to be a very hard day when we have to say goodbye. We have watched God answer our prayers all week and watched as God has softened each of our hearts. It is amazing to see how God gives you strength when you think you cannot do another thing. Tomorrow is the day for a men’s breakfast and the ladies night out. Cheryl, Gloria, and Michelle will be going to encourage and help the ladies. Pray that this time would be and encouraging one for each of the ladies. Thanks for your prayers!

Mission Team 2007

Well today was our second day at the conference. Cheryl did a wonderful job as the cook and people seem to be thrilled at the privilege of not having to worry about the meals. Cooking meals has become a team project. Everyone seems to have a hand in each meal. We are being asked often about when we will be coming back. Right now – we find ourselves totally exhausted. Most of us cannot even remember each others names by the end of the day. Tonight while teaching the teens, I couldn’t even find Daniel in my bible. Fortunately – I had memorized the verse. Gloria and Michele worked this morning with the toddler and they were both exhausted by 10:00. Jimmy & Chad are working with the services. Jimmy is running the PowerPoint and taking care of sound and computer stuff, while Chad is leading the worship each morning. Chad and Japp have developed a unique friendship and enjoy working together on the music and the people seem to enjoy the services. Chuck & John seem to be the people everyone runs to when something needs taken care of. They have worked on pumps, built things and carried stuff all over the conference center. I have been teaching the 1st -5th grades and have been teaching the Senor High in the evening. Jared is helping with both groups and works with me during the senior high game time. We have both decided that 1:30 – 3:00 is a very hot time in PNG to play games on a soccer field with no shade. The teens seem to be enjoying it, so it is worth it. Everyone here drinks plenty of water and eats bananas to keep up your potassium levels. Today was the first time in 25 years that we called a banana time out so everyone could eat a banana before we continued the games. It was the base nurse who thought it would be a good idea and everyone enjoyed the bananas ( and the time out).

God is using this team in some very unusual ways. We have already realized it is going to be very hard to leave some of these people. Gloria would love to take Claudia home with her. She is a PNG national who has been working in the kitchen with the girls. We all realize how difficult it will be to leave some of these people. God has imprinted them on our hearts and we will never be the same. Thanks for your prayers.

The 2007 Mission Trip Team

Well today was our first full day in Hoskins. Arco who manages the supplies for the base in Hoskins asked me if he could use one of the team members to help him this morning. He was buying all of the supplies for the week and needed some strong backs. I asked him if he could use 2 people and told him we were here to serve them. He mentioned that he almost had tears in his eyes because he didn’t want to even ask. So Jimmy, Jared, Arco, his wife, and Annette went to town to get supplies. It took them almost 4 hours to buy the needed supplies. Needless to say Jimmy & Jared had plenty of stories (Arco, his wife and Annette speak Dutch) so they learned a lot in 4 hours about different cultures and PNG. Cheryl got adjusted to the way everything is cooked in PNG. Hamburger is mince; Peppers are not called Peppers, etc. Cheryl says even with 30 years f cooking experience she feels like she is starting all over again. She has one of the natives helping her – so she is trying to teach Cheryl some Pigdin.

Gloria and Michele helped get some things set up at a school and we all helped get things set up for the conference. Chuck is helping Charles with some plumbing projects and someone stopped by tonight to ask him to work on another pump tomorrow. John got to help prepare and pour a cement slab today – much different than ordering it from the cement truck in the US. When not in meetings I got to help Chris (a native) put up a tongue and groove ceiling in one of the new rooms they are preparing for one of the missionary families. I taught him an English phrase “not good” whenever I bent a nail in the tongue. When John stole my hammer he told me they call that person a “steele-mann”.

Tonight was a potluck for the families at the conference. Each of the team members went to a different house (with about 4 other families) – we brought enough chocolate for everyone at the conference – so we were a big hit! Tonight was the first night for the conference and everyone was together for the first meeting. It was a tremendous opportunity to hear everyone sing for the first time. Chad had spent most of the day working with Jaap and some other people on the music and they all did a great job. Tomorrow is our first day of ministering for the conference. Everyone is pretty tired, but we are seeing the value of the things we are doing. These people have a very difficult time even asking for help, because they are not used to having help available. It has been a great opportunity to show them that we love them and care abot the work God has called them to do in PNG. Keep us all in your prayers.

The 2007 Mission Team

PS – They have located Michelle’s luggage. It is in Bom and should be here by tomorrow night!

We have arrived. We got into Hoskins yesterday after 41 hours of traveling almost 11,000 miles. Everything went smoothly – we are only missing one piece of luggage – Michelle’s suitcase is somewhere – but they think they will be able to find it. We met with the conference committee last night and it was a great meeting. We got to put names and faces together for the first time. These are a wonderful group of people. As I write it is 6:30 on Tuesday morning and everyone is having breakfast. Everyone got a great night’s sleep. The first night is usually the roughest and everyone slept really well. After breakfast we are getting busy helping them get set up for the conference. It looks like we will be able to update each day we are at the conference, so we will keep you current with the how the conference is going.

We have watched the hand of God in each step of this trip. We saw God take care of each the flights and we made every single flight without any problems. Everyone here says hi and we do covet your prayers.

Jared wants his mom to know he’s Okay and I did see him do some homework on the plane. Cheryl is doing fine and yes she still loves you. John & Michelle want everyone to know they made it, but her luggage didn’t. They are doing fine. Chuck & Gloria smell like pepper since a container exploded in their suitcase, but they are doing well. The committee gives Chad the sympathy vote since he left his wife and son on their birthday. Jimmy is doing fine, he just wants larger earplugs. We will update you tomorrow.

From Hoskins,

The group

This will be our last post until we get to PNG. Everyone is packed, packages have arrived from all over the country and we have everything loaded. Each person is carrying 2 bags that weigh just under 50lbs. Each person is carrying about 65 lbs of supplies, gifts and material for the Conference. We will all be arriving at the Omaha Airport at noon tomorrow to leave for a 3:15 flight. Last night I skyped (using a computer microphone over the Internet) Aaron and we talked for about 20 minutes. The conference people are excited and we are looking forward to a great trip.

We have received calls and emails from people all over the country praying for this trip. It is very encouraging to see how God's people are working together to make this trip happen. We want everyone to know that the team and I are not going representing ourselves, or even our church. We are going as representatives of US Churches and letting these missionaries know that we value and support the work that they are doing.

The next time you hear from us will be in PNG. Monday morning US time. Thanks for your prayers.

2007 Mission Trip Prayer Sheet

Saturday, March 17 – Today we leave Omaha and spend the day flying to Dallas and Los Angeles. Remember our families as they make the adjustment to our leaving.

Sunday, March 18 – Today we spend all day flying to Australia, Port Moresby and arrive in Hoskins. We will have spent almost 25 hours in the air and 20 hours in airports in order to get to Hoskins. It is already Monday in PNG.
Monday, March 19 – People will be arriving at the conference today. Tonight will be a potluck fellowship with everyone at the conference. This will be the first time everyone is together.
Tuesday, March 20 – This will be our first full day at the conference. Today will be the day to remember Cheryl, Gloria, and Michelle in your prayers. They will be getting used to cooking for the large group.
Wednesday, March 21 – This is our second full day. PJ is preaching 2 times each day. Jimmy is working on the computers on the base and will be doing a seminar for the missionaries. Jared will be working with the entire sports program for children, teens, and families.
Thursday, March 22 –We are cooking a breakfast for all the men this morning. The ladies will have an evening out tonight. Pray that this is an encouraging time for everyone.
Friday, March 23 – Today is the last day of the conference. Chuck and John have to finish up all the projects they have been helping with on the base. The team will be packing tonight and leaving in the morning. This will be a hard day to say goodbye.

Saturday, March 24 – We are leaving Hoskins for a short plane ride to Rabaul. We have the team, the Kunzers and Aaron traveling together. At Rabaul, we will be taking 3 boats overseas to Bom. Pray for calm seas, good weather, and safe travel for all 16 of us.
Sunday, March 25 – This is our first full day on the Island. We will be assigning projects today. The main goal is to start preparing the boat for fiberglass.
Monday, March 26 – Today we are finishing the preparation of the boat. Other team members are replacing rotting beams and doing repairs on 3 houses.
Tuesday, March 27 – Today we are hoping to install and fiberglass the floor in place. The ladies will be helping Aaron get his house ready to seal up while they are gone.
Wednesday, March 28 – This is our last day on the Island. We need to get all projects finished and pack things up to return home. It will be a very hard time on everybody, because the goodbyes are very difficult.
Thursday, March 29 – We are leaving at about 4am to get on a boat to go back to Rabaul. We need calm seas and good weather. We then spend the rest of the day flying to Sydney, Australia.
Friday, March 30 – We have spent our first night with plenty of hot water and are finally dry for the first time in 2 weeks. This is where we lose a day.
Saturday, March 31 – We still have a long day on the plane ahead of us. We are leaving Australia at 9:45 am this morning, travel 13 ½ hours and arrive in LA at 5:05 am. Then we fly to Chicago and finally land in Omaha at 6:10 pm this evening.

2007 Team members
Jim & Jimmy Thomas, John & Michelle Bainbridge, Chuck & Gloria Jackson,
Cheryl Jarvis, Jared Schramm, Chad Jordan (Morningside Bible).

Bom Missionaries
Aaron & Lori Luse = Avalon (6), Sierra (4), and ?
Butch & Tammy Kunzer = Ellen (13), Hannah Grace (11), Rebekah (8), Ansley (5)

Dedication Service




Sunday March 11th was the dedication for the trip. The 2004 Team lead in prayer praying for the 2007 team. It was a passing of the torch kind of thing.

Here's the Team
Some in PNG have been wanting to see the team.

Back Row = John & Michelle Bainbridge / Chuck & Gloria Jackson / PJ / Cheryl Jarvis
Front Row = Jared Schramm / Chad Jordan / Jimmy Thomas

Just got an email from Aaron on some specifics.

Meals - We have ordered your breakfast supplies and it will be ready for you when you get there.

Teens - Here is probably why the kids want to be separated. The distinction between Jr High and Sn High is somewhat significant in the States, but even more so here. The Jr High are usually living at home and doing all the games and activities with the elementary kids. The Sr High is usually going to the boarding school, having to make a lot of grown up decisions and hanging out with their peers and adults. However, I am for combining them where we can and think the activities would probably be better with more kids. I’ll be ready to run some things by you on Monday when you get here.

Boat project - I bought the last of the fiberglass resin (it is chopped strand) in Kokopo. It was 30 meters by a meter wide. If you think we will need any more than that I can see if they can get it in.

Motel in Au - I know that you have to leave the airport (clear customs, collect our luggage, leave the terminal), but I don’t know if we can’t go to the departure terminal early. We could try to leave the arrival terminal and go up to the departure terminal. I don’t think it would be closed though it is pretty dead real early in the morning. If that doesn’t work and we don’t have reservations, we could be in a pinch. There are lots of hotels though, but it just may mean taking more time and not going as smooth. We could always try to find a 24hr McDonalds. Either way I am fine, I am more considered about the team after all their travel and a hard week 2 weeks of work. Hoskins did just get VSat up and going so reservations online would not be a problem.

Bedding - I am checking on the mattresses and will let you know. Hoskins will be less of a threat since the houses are sealed a little better and they do spray for mosquitoes, but nets are available and not a bad idea.

Trailer - I still have the welding sticks from the last time you all came. I can check around for a welder. We are open to having it fixed, but I think the wheels would also need replaced if we did it. The big problem is that we can’t back the trailer down into the water far enough to put the boat on it without getting the truck in the water and we don’t want to put the truck to close to the water because of all the problems we are having with it. So even with the trailer fixed we will have some tricks to get it being used.

Soldering pen - A small pen for soldering house wire and small connections. Right now I can use a candle, but it is not very convenient.

New Tribes Mission - PNG History

Today there are over 850 missionaries with NTM-PNG working in 52 tribes. It all began back in 1950 when Chuck Driver was used of the Lord to open Papua New Guinea for the work of New Tribes Mission.

After preliminary surveys, Chuck and his family settled on the edge of the Hamtai tribe in the Watut valley of Morobe Province. At that time, many areas were designated as uncontrolled by the Australian government and women were not allowed in the interior. The Watut was the first Field Headquarters where for many years new missionaries came before moving into another work.

From the Hamtai, the work spread into the Eastern Highlands Province, beginning at Yagaria. Later, Yagaria became the Field Headquarters and an MK school was established there. Additional works began in a number of tribes over the course of the years. In 1970, Field Headquarters and the MK school moved again, this time to Numonohi (now called Lapilo) among the Benabena people where it remains today.

Works were subsequently begun in the Sepik Province along the mosquito-infested rivers where people were much more isolated. Many had not seen white men before and had little or no contact with missions. Maprik was the orientation center for all missionaries working in the Sepik Region and was the Sepik region’s headquarters. For a time Maprik was known as "tent city" until permanent dwellings were built. At the end of 2002 the Maprik base closed. Sepik Headquarters is now located in Wewak.

In July 1980 work began on the island of New Britain. Property in Hoskins, on the north coast, was obtained as a headquarters and the first tribe to be entered was the Lamogai. Works first began opening in West New Britain Province and then extended into East New Britain. A work has now begun on the island of New Ireland. A second MK school was started at Hoskins to meet the needs of the MKs from the Islands Region.

After surveys were done in the Madang Province in 1997 and 1998, a new work was begun on Manam Island in late 1999. In Jan. 2001 a land lease agreement was made for the location of a center to support missionary’s approx. 14 kilometers up the North Coast road from the town of Madang. In 2002 missionaries located in the Finisterre and Sarawaget mountain ranges.

The TAC (NTMA) program began in 1976 with the arrival of a Cessna 185 and Jim Cleveland as pilot, mechanic, and administrator, serving the Highlands and Sepik tribes. The fleet has now grown to include five Cessna 206’s, a twin engine Navajo Chieftain, two Beechcraft C-90’s and a Jet Ranger helicopter. The hangar at Goroka is headquarters for the NTMA program field-wide, with a hangar at Hoskins and at Wewak to service the regional planes.

The Fellowship of National Bible Churches (FNBC) was formed in 1980. Its purpose is to legally register the churches planted by NTM with the government so that any land or buildings might be transferred to FNBC, should NTM leave the area. The FNBC organizes annual conferences where hundreds of believers (mostly from tribes in the Highlands) gather for teaching and fellowship. Elders' workshops are conducted for those in leadership positions to help in specific areas concerning the government of a local church.

NEW TRIBES FIELD ADMINISTRATION

The field of Papua New Guinea is divided into five regions. Each has a Regional Committee responsible to oversee the tribal works and the support work directly related to that region.

The Sepik Region has its headquarters at Wewak in the East Sepik Province.

The Islands Region has its headquarters at Hoskins in the West New Britain Province.

The Highlands Region has its headquarters at Sobega in the Eastern Highlands Province.

The Madang Region has its headquarters at Madang located approximately 14 km up the North Coast Road from Madang Town in Madang Province.

The Lapilo Region (formerly called Numonohi) is located on 33 acres just 13 km (7 miles) from Goroka in the Eastern Highlands Province. All missionaries who live and work at Lapilo (over seventy families) are involved in support ministries that affect the field as a whole. The Field Headquarters offices are located at Lapilo. Close by Lapilo is the Interface (ITF) Campus, which hosts a College Level Missions Course.

The Highlands Region, Lapilo Region and Interface share the same address, since both are located near Goroka and use the same Post Office Box. Mail for the Highlands Region is distributed from the Mail Room at Lapilo, where it is either picked up by personnel from nearby locations within the region or delivered by New Tribes Mission Aviation (NTMA) to more remote villages.

PNG - THE FACTS

Name:
In the 1500’s, Portuguese explorers named the island “Ilhas dos Papuas”, which means Island of the Fuzzy Hairs. Dutch explorers called it New Guinea because the people reminded them of those in Guinea, West Africa.

Toward the end of the last century, the country was divided among the Dutch, British and Germans. The western half became Dutch New Guinea, the northeastern quarter German New Guinea and the southeastern quarter British New Guinea.

During World War I, Australia captured German New Guinea, which was later assigned to Australia as a League of Nations Trust Territory. Australia governed both German and British New Guinea as separate colonies, namely: Papua and the Territory of New Guinea. When the nation gained independence in 1975, the name was changed to Papua New Guinea. Dutch New Guinea remained under Dutch rule until 1962 when Indonesia took over and called it Irian Jaya.

Geography

Papua New Guinea comprises the eastern half of the island of New Guinea (the second largest island in the world) along with a collection of smaller islands to the north and east: Manus, New Ireland, New Britain, and the North Solomons. The central spine of PNG is a high range of mountains with peaks over 4000 meters or 13,000 feet high. No road has been built across the country, so travel from north to south is only by air, foot or ship. In places, these mountains descend to the sea in diminishing foothills while in other regions broad expanses of mangrove swamps fringe the coast. The western region is an endless expanse of flat grassland, sparsely populated and teeming with wildlife.

The Fly and Sepik Rivers are the largest in the country. The Sepik flows north and empties into the Bismark Sea while the Fly flows south, emptying into the Gulf of Papua.

Because PNG lies in the Pacific volcano belt, tremors are felt regularly. However, active volcanoes are confined to the islands; the most recent eruption was in 1995 on an island off the coast of New Britain. It completely destroyed the city of Rabaul, the capital of East New Britain province.

Reefs around much of the mainland coast and the islands make it a scuba diver's paradise.

Population

The Highlands alone account for 38% of the country's population of 5.5 million people. The availability of the nourishing sweet potato, which grows well in cold and poor soil, allowed the colonization of higher regions, domestication of pigs and the resultant increase in population. Sweet potato remains the staple food for the Highlands Region.

The people fall into four main categories - Papuans (from the south), Highlanders, New Guineans (from the north) and Islanders. Their physical appearance ranges from the very black Solomon Islanders, probably the most black-skinned people in the world, to the lighter-skinned Polynesian people in the south. Highland men are often short, stocky and bearded.

The expatriate population was around 50,000 at its peak in 1971 and may now be down around 20,000. The majority are Australians but there are also Germans, British, Americans, Chinese, Koreans, Malaysians, Indonesians and Filipinos. It has been said that if you come to PNG you’re either a missionary or a mercenary. Many of the expatriate workers are on short-term lucrative contracts with international companies. However, some long-term resident Australian and Chinese were eligible for citizenship at independence. This was granted on the condition that they renounce their original citizenship. Many did, and some now hold high positions in the government. Some are even members of parliament.

Climate

Officially there is a wet and a dry season. Many years ago these seasons were quite distinct; however it would now be accurate to call them the wetter and drier seasons. These wet and dry seasons vary around the country, so it is possible to travel from the Highlands during dry season and arrive in Lae on the east coast in wet season. Rainfall is generally heavy, ranging from 40" per year in Port Moresby to 240" in West New Britain. Temperatures on the coasts are usually a hot and humid 95oF or 36oC. The Highlands has little humidity and daily temperatures around 80oF or 26oC while at night it can get down to 50oF or 10oC.

Government

The National Parliament resides in Port Moresby. Its members are democratically elected for a four-year term of office. There is no limit to the number of candidates for any given electorate, which can mean that the elected representative has less than 10% of the votes of his constituency. This has led to an unstable government that has changed many times in the short history of the nation's independence. The political parties are not so much distinguished by their policies or ideology but rather by the personality of their leaders. Many of the members of parliament are not affiliated to any party, so fragile coalitions are prevalent with parties seeking to win the votes of the independents to survive. Even parliament members may change parties at a moment's notice.

Economy

About 85% of the population are subsistence farmers and do very well. There is no problem with starvation as with some other countries. The remaining minorities are involved in government services, mining, plantations and service industries. There is virtually no manufacturing industry, so almost all manufactured goods and many basic foodstuffs are imported. PNG’s natural resources are gold, silver, nickel, copper, oil, forestry and fishing. Coffee, cocoa and copra, too, play a large part in the nation's economy. The relative size of the population and the natural wealth means that PNG has tremendous economic potential and in terms of the Pacific's island states is a giant.

Languages

It is now believed that there are over 800 distinct languages in PNG. The search for a language to overcome this mutual incomprehension has brought about the trade language Melanesian Pidgin. Primarily derived from English, Pidgin also uses words from many languages. It came into being during the German New Guinea days and began in and around Rabaul. It is simplistic and can be frustrating at times because of its limited vocabulary. English is the official language of PNG used in government, business and schools, but used little outside the cities.

Currency

The unit of currency is the Kina (key-nah), which is divided into 100 Toea (pronounced toyah). Both are the names of traditional shell money.

Time

PNG is 10 hours ahead of Greenwich Mean Time, the same as Australian Eastern Standard Time, or 15 hours ahead of US Eastern Standard Time. This changes to 9 and 14 hours respectively when clocks are adjusted for daylight saving time (PNG does not change). Because the country lies just 5o south of the equator, there is very little year-round variance in the length of the days. The sun rises around 6:00 AM and sets around 6:30 PM. However, the people of PNG are not the avid clock-watchers found in Western cultures. “PNG time” is notoriously flexible--the people are event-orientated, not time-orientated. Although it frustrates Westerners, it is a fact of life here.

Press Release
February 22, 2007

Church Group Spends 2 weeks in Papua New Guinea
working with New Tribes Missions

You are going where?

On March 17, nine people representing Holly Springs Bible Fellowship will board a plane in Omaha, Nebraska to travel to Papua New Guinea. In a two-week span, we will fly over 22,000 miles and spent 8 hours traveling by boat to our locations. The team will have a twofold purpose. One week will be spent in Hoskins, PNG at New Tribes Mission headquarters. The second week will be spent with the Patpatar people in Bom (rhymes with “home”.)
Each year New Tribes hosts an annual Island Region conference for all of their island missionaries. Approximately 160 people will be attending the 2007 conference. This is the only time many of these missionaries will meet outside of their tribes for the entire year. In previous conferences, the missionaries took care of all the logistics (cooking, watching children, activities, etc.) for the conference. After working in the bush for an entire year, they went to the conference and worked again serving each other.
After talking to one of the missionaries, some people were wondering if there was a way to minister to these people and allow the conference to be a time of refreshment, relaxation, and encouragement. Pastor Jim Thomas at Holly Springs Bible started contacting with the 2007 Conference Committee in October of last year. For the first time in the history of the conference, a team from the states will be taking care of the daily routines involved in running the conference. This year we will be pioneering a new approach to the conference. A team of 9 people will be taking care of the logistics and programs for the missionaries. We will be servicing their computers and networking the conference center. We will also be cooking 2 meals a day for the entire conference. In the past, the people were responsible to feed themselves in each others’ homes. Our service will provide these missionaries an opportunity to encourage one another and get a break from the difficult, harsh, tribal environment they experience every day.
After the conference the team will fly to Rabaul and take a 4 hour trip across the ocean in a 23 foot banana boat to a hamlet called Bom on New Ireland Island. For 5 days we will assist 2 missionary families, Aaron & Lori Luse (Sioux City) and Butch & Tammy Kunzer (Atlanta, Georgia). While on the island, we will do repairs on their homes, and take care of projects they do not have the time or expertise to finish. The largest project will be preparing a new boat for the missionaries. A new floor, transom, and console will be fiberglassed into place. This project will be completed within 4 days in 100 degree weather with 90-95% humidity.
Holly Springs Bible has been to Bom before. In 2004 a group of 7 people spent nine days on the island of New Ireland with the Luses and the Kunzers. Some of the projects included cement work (ferro type cement), plumbing, electrical, building, servicing of vehicles, running water lines, establishing a wireless computer network, and installation of a satellite phone for emergency contact to the outside world.
The 2007 team includes Pastor Jim Thomas (Climbing Hill) , Jimmy Thomas (“JT” – a recent Woodbury Central graduate), John & Michelle Bainbridge (Smithland), Chuck & Gloria Jackson (Oto), Chad Jordan (from Morningside Bible in Sioux City), Cheryl Jarvis (Hornick), and Jared Schramm (Woodbury Central Junior). Each team member has specific roles on the trip while at the conference. Cheryl will be in charge of cooking and Michelle & Gloria will assist her. Jimmy will work on computer repair and maintenance. Jared will be working on the sports activities at the conference and Chad will be working with the music for the conference. Pastor Jim will be teaching the children, as well as the senior high students. John and Chuck will be assisting with the maintenance part of the Mission base.
This trip has been financed by generous friends and the church family at Holly Springs. The entire church is a part of this trip and these 9 people are simply going as representatives of the church. We have also had a number of people assist us in keeping costs down by giving us reduced prices or supplying items to take with us. Terra Chemical is sending 5 laptops which they no longer need. Shoe Carnival (Sioux City) is providing special shoes for the team and missionary families. McDonald’s has provided some toys to take over and give to the missionary children. Specialty Tee’s (Sioux City) has designed a unique team shirt for our entire team. The response from individuals and the community has been overwhelming.
The church will have a special dedication service on March 11th and a testimony service on April 1st. The group returns to Omaha on March 31st. All of these people and their families are making an incredible sacrifice to go. The church has made a tremendous commitment to this conference and our missionaries. Pastor Jim feels like we are the real recipients of blessings. “This has been a great project for our church, and we are looking forward to see how God can use a group of people from Iowa on an island in the Pacific.”
The church currently has a blog which provides very detailed information about this trip. The team also hopes to post daily updates while in Hoskins if the internet connection is working. You can read all the details at http://pngmissionstrip.blogspot.com/

2004 Team at a Traditional Moo Moo

Trip Overview (beginning to end)
Here is what the trip will look like if everything goes as planned

Monday, March 5 - Malaria Monday – Take your Malaria medication Let me know if you have any side affects.
The standard recommendation for anti-malarials by the CDC in Atlanta for travelers coming to PNG is Mefloquine Lariam) 250 mg weekly. This should be started 2 weeks prior to exposure and continued for 4 weeks after exposure. Someone who is taking a medication in the class “Beta Blockers” cannot take Mefloquine. Beta Blockers are used most often for treatment of hypertension or coronary artery disease. Be sure to check with your doctor, as some medicines may be restricted in certain medical conditions.

Monday, March 12- Malaria Monday – Don’t forget.

Wednesday, March 14 – 7pm – Meet at church and pack totes for conference and trip. Also get preliminary weight of our suitcases and carry on bags. Labels assigned and customs sheets filled out for each tote, luggage and carry on assigned to you.
On your international flights you will be given immigration and customs forms to fill out before landing. They will ask for your name, date of birth, passport number, expiry date etc. It is a wise idea to write this information on a card that fits in your wallet, especially for families. That way you will not have to go through all the passports to find numbers and expiry dates or figure out birth dates when you are tired. We should have one of these filled out for you.

Friday, March 16 – 7 pm - You need to have everything packed at ready. I will be contacting the airlines Friday morning and making sure everything is on schedule. If the schedule should have to change – we need to be flexible enough to adjust accordingly. All last minute stuff should be done on Thursday night. Our last trip got moved up at the last minute – so we want to be ready for the same thing.

Saturday, March 17 – Our flight leaves at 3:15pm. We would like everyone to be in Omaha by noon. That means at noon we would like to be checking every tote and luggage. Yes – I realize that means we will be waiting almost 3 hours (2 ours is recommending or International Flights)– but it is Saturday and if we miss this flight – it makes us miss every flight. You need to plan for everything – I will be leaving Hornick at 9:00 and be with my family in Omaha before the trip. We will all have cell phone numbers. If you are on the road any later than 10 am– you are pushing it! Understand if you are late – I will have to make a call based on the whole group and the missionaries we will be serving. I do not want to leave anyone – but I will do what is best for the whole trip – this is not about you!
Saturday, March 17 – After leaving Omaha – we arrive in Dallas, Texas. We have 50 minutes between flights. We will get off the plane and go immediately to the next gate. When we disembark – we meet as a group outside the gate and then head to the next gate. Go to the Restroom on the plane or after we arrive at the departure gate. You can ask the previous team – I move quickly if flights are close. In the past we have actually had some people run to the next gate so they can hold the plane for us. We won’t leave you – but you need to make sure everyone knows where you are.
Saturday, March 17 – After arriving in LA – we will leave the domestic terminal and head to the international terminal. We have almost 3 ½ hours between flights, but we will get into the international terminal before we grab something to eat. The problem with LAX is the pan handlers. Just stay together as a group and don’t spend time talking to others. Unfortunately – you will have to be somewhat rude if approached and keep moving. Just don’t make eye contact and keep walking and they will not bother you.
Saturday, March 17 – we get on the plane at 11:55 pm. This is where you will want to start getting some sleep. Even if you cannot sleep on the plane – close your eyes and relax. You will be informed of exercises they suggest – do them. Get up and walk around – go to the restroom – or just stand up for a little while. Their will be plenty to do – you will be able to listen to music, watch movies, or read a book. Be careful of caffeine and drink plenty of water while on this flight. Just so you are not concerned – this plane may stop in Aukland, New Zealand. Everyone will get off the plane and they will clean it, reload fuel and food. Some new people may get on, and some may get off at Aukland. The airport is nice and it is an opportunity to buy some small souvenirs. This may be the only stop here – so this would be the only chance. Remember – whatever you buy – you will have to carry throughout the trip – so be careful – you have a lot of trip in front of you! After about an hour – we will get back on the plane and go to Australia. When we land it will be Monday morning at 6:45 am

Monday, March 19 – we have about 3 hours in the airport in Brisbane. You will find this a very nice airport. This will also be the only time you are in this airport. We will relax and enjoy some down time while waiting for our next flight. I suggest anytime you are in an airport – you walk. You will have plenty of sitting time in the planes. Sometimes, we will find an area out of the way and lay on the floor with our legs on the seats. This gets your legs elevated (helps swelling and circulation). It is not about looking good – just getting there as comfortably as possible.
Monday, March 19 – at 10 am we get on a plane to Port Moresby. We arrive at about 1 pm. When we arrive in Port Moresby we will get off the plane and take care of 2 things. We will get our Visas. There will be 2 lines – one for people with Visas and one for people without. We will get into the line without Visas. In this line, I will tell them we have Visa’s and are with New Tribes Missions. They will collect our Passports and place a Visa inside of them. We will also get our luggage at this time. We will enter an area for customs and will be asked some questions about what we are bringing into the country. Your sheet will tell you everything packed in your tote and suitcase. After this we will leave the international building and walk over to the domestic terminal. At this time it looks like an official from new tribes will meet us. Our luggage will then be checked into a domestic flight to Hoskins.
Monday, March 19 – We will leave at 2:55 and fly to Hoskins on a short 1 hour flight. When we arrive at Hoskins – Aaron & Butch should be there to meet us – they will have supper ready for us that evening and we will get settled. Typically the sun sets in PNG about 6:30 pm and rises at 6 am. This is where you will start to get confused on times. Do not be surprised to find yourself wide awake at 1 am in the morning – that is about 9 am Iowa time a day earlier. You will adjust – but the first few days are goofy.

Tuesday, March 20 – The missionaries will start arriving at about 1pm on Tuesday. We will help them get stuff set up for the conference. Everyone will get familiar with the facility and we will get a better idea of some of the jobs we will be doing. Here is a basic breakdown at this point
2 meals – Lunch and Supper –

• Cheryl helping will be assisting – Joy (?) Gloria & Michelle wioll also assist during crunch times. On Friday morning – we will cook a men’s breakfast / Friday night – Ladies night out Lunch is scheduled for noon / dinner at 5pm
• Music – Chad will be working with Jaap (Involve morning & evening)
• Sports – Jared – 3:30 – 5:00 Wed-Sat working with Aaron, Henk Shannon Kesinger for the family water games. Shannon can set up his slide.
• Elementary – PJ will be teaching through a series on Moses in the Morning / Junior High – 7:30 – 8:30 – Aaron will be teaching Jr High students / Senior High Students – 7:30 -8:30 – PJ will be teaching Sr High Students
• Maintenance - Chuck & John – There will be a number of maintenance issues that you can assist with throughout the conference.
• Computers – Jimmy & I will be teaching a workshop one afternoon. Jimmy will also be assisting people with computers. If they decide network facility – John and Chuck will run cable.

*While at the conference – we want to serve – also want to participate. Get involved with people and activities; be willing to be away if needed.

Sunday, March 25 – We are scheduled to leave Hoskins at 11:05 am. We will fly to Rabaul with Aaron & the Kunzers – short flight. At Rabaul we will go to the market and purchase some food supplies (great experience – I will but cokes!) we will then get on 3 boats and head to Bom. You will need to make sure that you have garbage bags to place your suitcases in. We should only have 2 or 3 totes plus our luggage. If the seas are rough – another missionary organization has a guest house where we can spend the night. We could then leave on Monday morning.
Sunday, March 25 – We should arrive at Bom about sunset and will get situated. Cheryl will be at the Kunzers and the rest of us will stay with Aaron. The Jackson’s and the Bainbridge’s will have their own room. The rest of us will camp on the floor and couches. Guys – if we have time – we will head to the creek for a quick evening bath. You wear your shorts; take a towel, and a bar of soap. Girls can use the showers in the houses. We will start work by Sunrise on Monday morning.

Monday, March 26 – The gals will be working on helping get meals ready and spending time with Tammy and the girls. If we need your help on projects, we will ask – but any “down” time is to be spent with the Kunzers. They need this fellowship and we want them to feel very special during this time. Guys – our main focus is the boat. At times we will need all hands – other tines it will only be a few of us. I have a manual on basic fiberglass principles and a 7 minute video – we will all watch so we know what to expect. There are numerous other small projects – which are not small to them. What they ask you to do may seem insignificant – but there is no insignificant project to them. Everything you do is one more thing off their schedule so they can spend time in the tribe!
Aaron and Butch will schedule some things for us while we are on the island. You have to make the call whether you want to participate. Remember – if you push it too hard – we loose you for the whole week – so don’t be afraid to stay back. You will be safe in the house and if you need to crash or heal – this is the time to do it with minimal impact to our mission. Many of the guys opted out of certain activities – so they could work the next day.
In the evenings – we will try to snorkel on a few of the days. After snorkeling – the guys will head to the creek and the gals to the showers. We will then assemble for supper and fellowship after we eat. Please understand that fellowship is very dear to these people. They want normal – therefore you will laugh, joke, cry, play games, anything they want – we want it to be like family. Love those kids and give them plenty of hugs – this is the only time they will get it!

Thursday, March 30 – This is our last night on the island. We will probably be getting the boat read and help Aaron get his house locked up for the next few months. We will be leaving early about 4 or 5am on Friday morning.

Friday March 30 – we will get on the boat and travel to Rabal. If the weather is nice – we may stop for about 15 minutes to snorkel over a couple of tanks that were sunk in WWII. Upon arriving in Rabal – we will get into a van and go to the airport with Aaron. We leave Rabal at 10:20 am. go to Port Moresby then to Sydney, Australia. We arrive in Sydney at 8:25 pm. We will gather our luggage and then go to a motel for the night.

Saturday March 31 – We will leave the motel and fly out of Sydney at 9:45 am. Aaron will leave earlier than us on a different flight. We arrive in LAX at 6:05 am and Aaron arrives about the same time. This is the best time to sleep and try to get as much rest as possible. Your body will start to catch up with you at this point. You have run off of adrenaline for almost 2 weeks and your body decides to rebel. Everyone will start to get a little on edge – so understand – it will have been a great 2 weeks – but we have also seen enough of each other by now. Upon arrive in LAX – we will have to go through customs. We will be asked a number of questions about where we have been and what we have done – just be polite – it is usually a long line.
Saturday March 31 – Aaron will now head out on a flight to Denver, then Kansas City. We leave on an 8:55 flight to Chicago. The online deal has your flight stuff wrong – Our tickets take us to Chicago – then Omaha. We arrive Chicago at 2:50 pm and have a 2 hour layover. At 4:40 we leave Chicago and get in Omaha at 6:10 pm.

Sunday April 1 – This is Palm Sunday so people in the US are thinking about Easter. We are going to have a service in the morning and talk about the trip. If all goes well- I will have a slide show ready – if not – I will have some pics. Most of it depends on how much jimmy & I can get done ahead of time.


Monday April 2 – Malaria Monday
Monday April 9 – Malaria Monday
Monday April 16 – Malaria Monday
Monday April 23 – Malaria Monday

Some reminders

• You will find yourself pretty tired the first week after the trip. Many people will want to talk to you about the trip – try to keep evenings free to sleep and get your body adjusted to the time. DO NOT push yourself the first week back – give yourself time to get adjusted.

• We will have a de-briefing meeting after the trip. The cultural adjustment is something we need to talk about and it will impact you! You may bring your family with you to that meeting

• Any pictures you have developed from film – ask for a digital CD – I will pay for it and use it to give everyone a copy of everyone’s pics. That way we all have pictures that we are all in.

PNG Language Phrases

Useful Pidgin Phrases:
Pidgin is a simple language that was developed so that the 800+ tribes of PNG could communicate with one another. Most Patpatar people will have a good understanding of Pidgin, and with a little practice you’ll find yourself able to use some of it too. (A lot of it has English similaries.) Here are a few phrases to get you started. There’s the phrase in Pidgin, a pronunciation guide, then the English translation:

Mi no save. (Mee no SAH-vay) I don’t know
Em wanem? (Em WAH-nem) What is it?
Nem bilong mi i… (Nem bi-LONG mee ee) My name is…
Yu mekim wanem? (Yoo MEH-kim WAH-nem) What are you doing?
Moning (MOH-ning) Good morning (sunrise to noon)
Apinun (AH-pee-noon) Good afternoon (noon to sunset)
Gut nait (Goot Night) Good evening (sunset to sunrise)
Tenkyu (TANK-yoo) Thank you
Bel bilong mi in no strong tumas – My stomach isn’t too strong
Em haumas – How much is this?
Wanem numba tu prais bilong yu – What is your second price?
Sori, mi no save tok Pisin – Sorry, I don’t understand Pigin
Mi bin stap long amerika – I am from America
Yu makim wanem – What are you doing?

Pronunciation Guide
a = a as in awesome
e = e as in elephant (except in “we” and “save” – then e= ei as in weigh)
i = ee as in see
o = o as in no
u = oo as in noon

Useful Patpatar Phrases:

Malan (Mah lawn)- Good morning (sunrise to 11:00)
Kasikes (Kas a kiss) Good Day
Matalahein (Maw tada hee in)Good afternoon (2:00 - sunset)
Abung (A Boone) Good Night (sunset to sunrise)
TaHoot (TA Hoot) Thank you
Beli (Bee lie) – very good

Interacting with Each Other

The Patpatar people are extremely perceptive. They will be observing you every second of the day. They will know if you’re getting along. If someone is annoyed at another person, they will know it. They are masters of human relationships! While that is a bit unnerving, it is good to know so that we can always be trying to be a good example of brotherly love to one another at all times. They way we interact as a team, work together, and eat together can speak volumes to them, whether good or bad. You are one of the first models of the way the body of Christ is to love one another – don’t blow it!

On another note, please be very careful with how men and women interact on the team – even husbands and wives. Unfortunately, no physical contact (even between spouses) is acceptable. Non-husbands and wives also need to be careful with how much they talk together one on one. Don’t be paranoid, just know that perfectly innocent things to us can very much send the wrong signal to our Patpatar friends.

Living Conditions:
Just remember this is not the United States. You will need to be flexible and look at this as an adventure. You will be back in the United States in your own home and your won bed in a few short weeks. You will find te time will fly by.
If we get the chance to eat with the tribal people, the food will be different - (rice and sweet potato, sweet potato and rice, plain rice, plain sweet potato….). The weather will be hot, humidity will be high, and you will rarely be dry for any length of time. Just try to remember that you can do anything for a couple of weeks. 

Let it give you a little perspective into the “simple and easy” life of the PNG people. This is what they live with day in and day out, even without luxuries like rice, or running water. The next time someone back home says “They must have such a simple, care-free life”, you’ll just smile and know how foolish that statement is.

Dress:
Ladies dress very conservatively in PNG culture. The guys can get away with pretty much anything they want! For ladies, we would ask that you all wear loose-fitting shirts with short sleeves (or tank tops) and long, loose-fitting skirts. Remember that for the hot climate, light weight is good. Also keep in mind that you’re a work team, so whatever you wear will pretty much be trashed by the time you’re done. We’d also recommend only bringing 3-4 changes of clothes. Not only will that be easier for packing (we’ll have some type of way to launder clothes there), but it will blend better into PNG culture where they can only afford 1 or 2 changes of clothes.

Basic Health:
Your best friends in PNG will be sunscreen, bug spray, water, band-aids, antibiotic ointment, soap and hand sanitizer. Make sure you each have enough of all those items and a good-sized water bottle with a lid. (We’ll have a more extensive medical kit on hand if anything else is needed.)

Money in Differing Countries
$100 should be plenty for souvenirs – Aaron has some we can purchase from him

$1 (USD) US Dollar = $3.02 (PGK) Kina (PNG currency)
$1 (USD) US Dollar = $1.30 (AUD) Australian Dollar
*currency exchange rates as of 1/2007

Interacting with the Patpatar

• Please do not give anything to the Patpatar people. If they ask you for something (and you’re able to understand what they want), please direct them to us, the missionaries. We don’t want to create a “welfare state” by handing out stuff all the time. We missionaries will have more insight into weighing when to give things out. If you want to leave something behind for the Patpatar people, leave it with us and we will decide how/when it gets given.

• Please be careful when interacting with Patpatar people of the opposite sex. Men and women generally interact very little. Women must be careful making eye contact with men, and even something like giving a firm handshake or conversing with a man alone can be seen as inappropriate. If a man offers to shake your hand, shake it very lightly. The same applies for men interacting with Patpatar women. It is okay to be friendly, but friendly in US culture can easily be misinterpreted in PNG culture when interacting with the opposite sex. If a Patpatar person of the opposite sex is being “friendly” with you (talking to you lots, sitting close, making a lot of eye contact), just be aloof. It’s better to seem rude than to encourage their behavior.

• Please feel free to be friendly and affectionate with Patpatar people of the same sex. Here it is quite typical for 2 men to hold hands! Don’t be alarmed – you’ve made a good friend if a guy tries to hold your hand! Smile, laugh, try to communicate, love their children, and just be friendly! Bring pictures of your family back home – they’ll love looking at them. Use the Pidgin phrases we’re including below to try interacting with them. If they offer you food, it’s okay to eat it. (You don’t have to eat it all, just try a bit and then pass the rest off to the crowd of kids hanging around. They’ll be happy that you tried their food, and you’ll be seen as generous for eating some and then sharing the rest.) If you are offered a non-food item as a gift, you could try offering to buy it. (A “free gift” is their way of coming and asking you for a favor later since you’re now indebted to them.) Or you can just plead ignorance and refuse the gift. “I don’t know” will be your best and most frequently used phrase! Remember above all that these are our future brothers and sisters in Christ. Just love them.

• Please do not say that you have come from our church to help us. Church is a very messy word here in PNG that communicates very different things than a body of believers. Just say that you are friends of ours from America. This will save us missionaries a lot of trouble.

• We have told the Patpatar that this is the work we’re coming to do: We are coming to learn their language, translate the Bible into their language, teach them the Bible in their language, and teach them to read and write in their language. While there will be other facets to our ministry over the years, this is what we tell them to avoid any possible confusion. (For instance, we are not coming to run a hospital or a school but this does not mean we won’t help them in that way at some point.) Please don’t inadvertently commit us to some other type of work! 