Volume 5; No.1 January 1982
Dear Brethren;
Greetings in the name of our Lord and Saviour Jesus!
MAIN HIGHWAY DISAPPEARS
From time to time we have shared with you the type of roads we have here and
which we have to drive on. This last month the main highway disappeared for
several days. It has been our habit to go up into Chimbu on Sunday morning to
worship with the various congregations we have there. There is only one road
and that was the one. The previous Saturday night I was awaken early in the
morning with a downpour and decided that we wouldn't be going into Chimbu that
morning. We were not anywhere near the landslide when it occurred but we could
have been. Here were the headlines:
LAND OF THE SPIRITS
From time to time we have had people ask us "why are you over there?"
The following excerpt from the local paper in regard to the mudslide which closed
the road.:
The people here are influenced very deeply in their daily lived by what they
regard as the "spirit" world. In our teaching and admonishing this
is not something to be taken lightly. If we pu-pu the idea that the "spirits"
are nothing then the people do not respect us anymore.
The "spirits" are very real brethren but the Lord has overcome. With
this in mind they we try to help the people to understand that they have nothing
to fear from the "spirits" but to trust in the Lord.
ALMOST WITHOUT A CAR
Early last month we traveled to Mount Hagen to visit with the brethren and to
pick up some printing supplies from a printing firm up there. We stayed at a
missionary hostel. This same place was where Rick Niland had a windshield removed
off of his car during the middle of the night. And a new Datsun truck had been
pinched only two weeks before we arrived. They advised that we park our car
at the hospital across the street even though they had just installed a security
light out front of the hostel. My problem was that I didn't think anyone would
be able to steal MY car. It had a steering wheel lock and all.
The first night it was ok! The second night the manager of the hostel hollered
me up at 12:30. The thieves had struck. They broke out the rear right window
(this woke the manager) opened the doors, twisted the steering wheel enough
to snap the steering lock (so much for my confidence) and had the wires off
the switch and hotwired. They had one wire misplaced or they would have gotten
away. The manager came out and scared they off just as the police drove up (the
thieves had run right by them but the police didn't stop).
We do have insurance on the car. We have $150. deductible. The cost of parts
to repair the damage: $149.00. So much for the (or any) extra monies we might
have.
As we begin this another year we want to thank you who have contributed financially
and prayerfully toward our labors this past year. We pray that you will continue
to pray for us and the brethren here in Papua New Guinea. We also pray that
the Lord will continue to bless your efforts for "Heaven's Sake" wherever
you are!
HOLIDAY BIBLE SCHOOL
With school out for summer break we held a Holiday Bible School for the children
who attend services. We averaged over 60 and used some of our national teachers.
It some ran smoother than our last V.B.S. where we had over 600.
Our teachers got into the spirit of the game (they had
to use Ben-Gay the next day. Happiness is coloring the hand-out papers
of the Bible story.
Happy New Year!
The Huffs