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