July 12, 1975

 

Dear Brethren;

 

Sunday June 1st started off in the right way. One of the young men from Yuana (one of John's villages) was waiting at my gate. He had been attending services for some time. Be wanted to become a Christian. So, we went to Yuana and before services Jon Nose was baptized for the remission of his sins (Acts 2:38). God truly ia tho one who gives the increase!

 

The following Monday June 2nd we loaded up John's landrover and with Andy Scott we headed for Madang. Madang is a seaport town located on the northern coast of Papua. The Joe Reynolds family has been working there for 9 months by themselves so we decided to give them a boost in the arm.

 

The road over was something else. Being the only road to Madang we had no chose. It took us 7 hours to cover the 190 miles. We crossed (forded) 26 rivers, opened three cattle gates, got stuck on¢e (going over 10 inches of new top soil which had not been packed down) and slid off the road into a ditch once. We were the only vehicle able to negotiate the road that Monday. Madang received 5 inches of rain while we were driving there. The week turned out delightful and we left the Reynolds in high spirits. We were able to see the work Joe is doing with the church there. We returned to Goroka on Frlday.

 

June 7 turned out to be Christmas for us. All the boxes we mailed in Feb. arrived. Hurrah for the mail service the kids finally got their tricycles.

 

Joe and Rosa Belle Cannon spent the night with us on the 15th. They were returned to Lae after preaching at Kumogoko.

The start of dry season here always brings about a various number of intestinal viruses and we have tried them all this month. Let me assure you, you don't want them. To help we have run out of Pepto Bismol and we can't buy it here.

 

The 21st saw us drive up to Kundiawa (44 miles-2 hours). Andy Scott had put his car up for auction and we thought he might need a ride back. As it was he sold his car and bought a Toyota Land Cruiser. Since it was our week to preach at Bil and Kumogoko we went to Bil and spent the night. In Kundiawa while eating a sack lunch by the Water Chimbu we watched a whole clan coming off a mountain peak with their bows and spears. At the time we thought they might be going to a Sing-Sing but we found out later from the radio that they were part of a fight involving some 400 warriors. The whole fight started over a dispute involving a can of beer. The end result (up to now) have been 1 killed, 20 wounded, over 200 arrested and one police car with and arrow an arrow in it.

 

The brethren at Bil are planning on building a church building later this year. Another village Bima Piau has built us a building and they have invited us to settle in their village to preach and teach. Opportunities abound, workers are in short supply.

Thursday the 26th we decided to drive to Mu in the SinaSina and get some New Testaments in the Sina Sina language from the News Tribes Mission.

 

They have just been translated and this is tho language spoken by the villagers in Bel and Kumogoko where we hope to work full time when the John Wallace family returns. We are trying to get the necessary language primers so we can learn the Sina Sina language.

 

Since we haven't had much rain the roads are hard so we decided to drive our Subaru up to Mu and save the tires on John's Land Rover. After crossing Dalo Pass (8100 ft) we blew the head gaskets in the car (temp. gauge lied). We finally caught a ride back to Goroka (30 miles) about 1:30pm. We then loaded up the Rover (not used to save tires?) and want back to pull the little car back in. We first went in to the New Tribes mission (about 30 miles on us the Highland's Highway) and got 20 New Testaments before we hooked up the car in tow. It took us 3 1/2 hours to cover the 30 mile back to Goroka. The road is a continual roller coaster rising from 4000' to 9000' in five miles, falling back to 7000' and then back to 8100 feet before dropping to 5000' (Goroka) in about 2 miles. Fun isn't the word! The Lord really looked after us this night.

 

The country of Papua New Guinea has finally set a date for Independence, Sept 16th 1975. One day before my birthday (if they had only asked). Pray for the leaders here that they might have wIsdom.

 

While out at Yuana today we bought a baby cuscus (possum) for 20¢. The villagers had shot and eaten the mother. The kids are having to feed it with an eyedropper.

 

The temperature here has really been low the last few days dipping down to 55 at night, that is even cold to us. We wear clothes, think how chilly this is to people who wear nothing but a small piece of material around their waist.

 

We continue to learn the language and the people daily. The Curtis Harrison family are leaving July 20th for 6 month furlough. This leaves us alone in Goroka except when Andy Scott comes in from Watabung once a week. We are still in need of funds for a four wheel drive vehicle, for Bibles and other Bible materials if anyone can help. We appreciate the few letters we have received and look forward to more.

 

Please remember us in your prayers, as well as the Christians here as they continue to grow in the Lord.

 

Yours in Christ

 

the Huffs