Saturday, May 3, 2014 - posted by Steph Flewelling

The past few days have been filled with busy activity.  With Bill’s help on the ground and in the truck, the linemen have set 11 more poles and 4 anchors.  Often they were chased off the job by an early afternoon thunderstorm.  (This past week it feels like our power has been off more than on.)  When you look around the southern highlands of the hospital campus or “Snob Hill” as the residents affectionately call it, you can see the newly framed poles standing tall and empty, waiting for the next installment of conductors and another team to arrive, hopefully in January, 2015.

After the hard work of the day is finished and we’ve had showers (or not, depending on whether we have electricity), we have enjoyed wonderful creative meals provided by the ladies.  Several times each week at supper time, we’ve enjoyed getting to know a mission family or single person.  These were rich times of sharing stories of faith as well as heartaches, difficulties and triumphs from all sides of our table.  As we look at the people sitting next to or across from us and hear the stories, we’re reminded that God uses ordinary people for extraordinary things.  He invests himself in all his wild creativity and strength into every yielded place and amazing things happen.  Many people groups are being reached by a “movie” ministry into the bush.  Nationals who accepted Christ are being discipled in their journey, molded into future leaders and pastors.  A couple years ago there were over 700 national pastors gathered in Moresby.  Instead of driving down, Jonathan and his team (remember them from previous posts?) hiked over to Lae and then down to Moresby so they could minister to people groups along the way.  So far without exception, we’ve heard how yieldedness and personal sacrifice opens the door for God to reach into people’s hearts with his message of love, hope, and joy.

Thursday night before dark, Earl drove our team deep into the bush to meet and fellowship with the Kunga people who live upstream from the new Hydro.  One of their young men Michael, who had worked on the power house project and worked with Cleon & Tim earlier this week, had invited us to his church.  Jani and a couple others from his tribe led us up above their village to a high narrow place by the river where their grandfather would sit.  It’s possible to cross the river at this place from one region of the country to the other.  Their grandfather would ask for tribute or a gift before allowing passage into his land.  If a gift was given, passage was granted.  If a gift was not given, and someone tried to pass, grandfather would “hack” them and their body would fall into the river at this place. 


River Crossing

Many had fallen there and given a reputation to this land.  Since missionaries brought the Jesus story to this people a couple years ago, many have given their life to Christ.  These people now long to dedicate their land to God. 

Future Training Center






They showed us the two places they’ve cleared, hoping to build a prayer center near the training center they’ve already built.  On this high place above the river, after Michael shared the history and their hopes to dedicate this land to Jesus Christ, we prayed together for God’s rich blessing. 


Body of Christ

Then we hiked down to the village as the sun ducked down behind the mountains.  We were welcomed with songs and showers of flower petals, shaking hands and hugs all around.  Leis (necklaces of flowers) were hung on our necks and we ducked to enter their beautiful church.

Cleon & His New Friend

The primitive little church looked like a small pole barn with blue tarp open sides and a secure roof.  Splashes of color, poinsettias and other bright flowers were hung from the eaves over the only seats which were 2 x 6 boards fastened between poles along the sides.  A huge mound of flowers made up the “pulpit” at the front.  Blue tarp draped over the rafters and covered with thatch provided a substantial roof, offering good shelter against the ever present rains here. 

Pulpit in the Kunga Church

Two small vertical fluorescent bulbs, one at the back and one in the front chased shadows into the corners and eaves.  After we were seated along the sides, the children came in to sit up front on the ground.  Families gathered in behind them.  Michael led songs strumming on his guitar and we felt the Spirit of Christ there in the dim light as they sang at the top of their lungs to the God of gods and his son, Jesus Christ.  It was a holy place, full of joy and peace.  These people who have so little, then lavished us with several huge pans and bags of fresh fruits and all kinds of vegetables from their gardens.

Home in Kunga Village

Kane River