SEPTEMBER 1975

 

NEW GUINEA REPORT

 

GREETINGS FROM THE 151ST INDEPENDENT NATION IN THE WORLD. PAPUA, NEW GUINEA AS OF SEPT 16TH IS INDEPENDENT. LAST WEEK THEY PRESENTED THEIR NEW BUDGET CALLING FOR A 12% INCREASE IN INCOME TAX (ESPECIALLY US)AND A 45% TAX INCREASE ON ELECTRICAL APPLIANCES, FILM, PHOTOGRAPHIC EQUIPMENT, COSMETICS, BUILDING SUPPLIES, DRY GOODS, ETC. ALONG WITH THIS RAISING OF TAXES, SCHOOL FEES FOR "NONE NATIVE" CHILDREN ARE NOW K400 A YEAR.-TERASA WAS SCHEDULED TO BEGIN SCHOOL HERE NEXT YEAR (SHE IS IN PRE-SCHOOL NOW), BUT WITH THE FINANCIAL REQUIREMENTS AND HER YOUNG AGE, I DOUBT IF WE PUT HER IN THE FIRST GRADE.

 

SEPT. 14TH SAW THE ADDITION OF TWO MORE SOULS INTO THE KINGDOM AT BIMA PIAU (REFER BACK TO LAST MONTH'S NEWSLETTER FOR THE HISTORY CONGREGATION). WE HAD 112 PRESENT FOR WORSHIP, 24 WERE CHRISTIANS. WE BAPTIZED TWO WOMEN THAT MORNING AT A RIVER ABOUT 1 1/2 MILES FROM THE VILLAGE. IT TOOK ME 1 1/2 HOURS WALK DOWN A RIDGE LINE TO THE RIVER AND WALK THE RIDGE LINE BACKUP. KATHY STAYED UP WITH THE CAR BECAUSE THE WALK WAS TOO STRENUOUS FOR HER AND THE KIDS. THIS VILLAGE PLED WITH US TO SIT DOWN WITH THEM (LIVE WITH THEM) AND TEACH THEM SOME OF THE BIBLE EVERY EVENING. OH, TO ONLY BE ABLE TO DO SO NOW.

 

THE WORK HERE IN GOROKA CONTINUES TO BE STRENGTHENED. MY TUESDAY NIGHT CLASS WITH THE TECHNICAL SCHOOL BOYS IS NOW GOING THROUGH THE SERMON ON THE MOUNT.

 

IN A COUNTRY LIKE PAPUA NEW GUINEA, WHENEVER A DISEASE HITS THE PEOPLE, IT USUALLY KILLS SCORES BEFORE TT RUNS IT'S COURSE. THIS LAST MONTH HAS SEEN FLU HIT OUR PEOPLE HERE WITH FIERCE CONSEQUENCES. AT LAST COUNT OVER 60 PEOPLE HAVE DIED AS A RESULT OF THIS FLU EPIDEMIC. THIS COUNT DOES NOT INCLUDE THE HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE WHO HAVE DIED OUT IN THE BUSH AND THE GOVERNMENT HAS NO COUNT OF. ALL THOSE WHO HAVE DIED, DIED OUTSIDE OF CHRIST.

 

PAPUA NEW GUINEA IS POPULATED BY 2 1/2 MILLION SOULS WHO HEED TO HEAR THE GOSPEL OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST IN ORDER TO BE SAVED. PAUL WROTE SO IN ROMANS 16:16 WHEN HE WROTE, "FOR IT(THE GOSPEL) IS THE POWER OF EOD UNTO SALVATION. THERE ARE STILL OVER 650 LANGUAGES HERE IN WHICH WE HAVE NEITHER TIME OR THE FINANCES TO GO AND PREACH TO. THERE lS NOT ONLY A NEED HERE FOR ADDITIONAL FINANCIAL HELP BUT WE ARE IN DESPERATE NEED OF WORKER5 TO COME HERE AND REAP THE "GOLDEN GRAIN." "OH," YOU SAY, "BUT I CAN'T DO ANYTHING THERE." I SAY UNTO YOU, CAN YOU TEACH A BIBLE CLASS? CAN YOU TEACH SOMEONE TO READ AND WRITE? ARE YOU A QUALIFIED SCHOOL TEACHER DESIRING TO HELP THE LORD SOMEWHERE? CAN YOU PUT A BANDAID ON A SORE? THEN YOU QUALIFY.

 

THERE ARE HERE AT PRESENT ONLY 10 MISSIONARY FAMILIES REPRESENTING THE LORD'S CHURCH. OF THESE SIX, HAVE CHILDREN WHO ARE SCHOOL AGE NOW (TEN CHILDREN AT $400 EACH). WHEN THESE CHILDREN REACH HIGH SCHOOL AGE THERE ARE THREE ALTERNATIVES FOR THE PARENTS TO CONSIDER FOR THEIR CHILDREN'S EDUCATION: (1) RETURN TO THE STATES TO BE WITH THEIR CHILDREN AS THEY COMPLETE THEIR EDUCATION, (2)ENROLL IN CORRESPONDENCE COURSES FROM THE STATES (NO SCHOOL MATES, NO TEACHER TO ASK PERSONAL QUESTIONS OF) (3) SEND THEIR CHILDREN BACK TO BOARDING SCHOOL IN AMERICA. SURELY THERE ARE TEACHERS OUT THERE EITHER RETIRED (FROM SCHOOL SYSTEM, NOT THE LORD'S SERVICE) OR JUST TIRED OF THE DAY BY DAY ROUTINE WHO WOULD BE WILLING TO COME HERE AND TEACH OUR CHILDREN SO THE FAMILIES NOW HERE CAN STAY (THREE OF THE FAMILIES NOW HERE PLAN TO RETURN WITHIN THE NEXT THREE YEARS BECAUSE OF THEIR CHILDREN'S EDUCATION).

 

THE FIELD IS INDEED WHITE UNTO HARVEST AND WE CONTINUE TO PRAY FOR ADDITIONAL LABORERS FOR THIS RICH HARVEST OF SOULS.

 

WE HAVE RECEIVED LETTERS (AND SOME FINANCIAL HELP) FROM SEVERAL OF YOU, AND APPRECIATE YOUR COMITTMENT AND THE TIME YOU TOOK TO WRITE. WE TRY TO ANSWER YOUR LETTERS 8UT SOMETIMES WE GET BEHIND AND YOU MIGHT THINK WE HAVE FORGOTTEN. WE HAVEN'T!

 

LAST MONDAY AS WE WERE RETURNING FROM ANDY SCOTT'S "BUSH" HOUSE IN WATABUNG (AFTER SPENDING SUNDAY PREACHING AT BIMA PIAU, DUMUN AND KUMOGOKO) WE LOST THE BRAKES ON OUR LITTLE CAR JUST AFTER CROSSING DAULO PASS. THE PASS IS 8170 FT AND IT DROPS TO 5000' IN LITTLE OVER TWO MILES. IT HAIRPINS, LONG SLOPES AND SHARP DROPS ALL THE WAY DOWN. THE LORD TRULY LOOKED AFTER US AS THE SLOPES ARE LITTERED WITH SCORES OF CARS AND TRUCKS LESS FORTUNATE. THE ROUGH ROAD HAD WORN ONE OF THE REAR BRAKES LINES IN TWO. AT PRESENT WE ARE STILL AT A LOSS WITH NO FOUR WHEEL DRIVE VEHICLE. THE RAINY SEASON IS DUE TO START THIS MONTH AND THIS WILL MEAN WE WILL NOT BE ABLE TO GET INTO OUR BRETHREN WHEN I AM DUE TO PREACH IN SINA SINA. WE HAVE SOME FUNDS BUT LACK ABOUT $3000. ($2100 HERE). CAN YOU HELP- WILL YOU HELP?

 

UNTIL NEXT MONTH - "MIPELA LUKIM YU BIHAIN" (WE WILL SEE YOU LATER.)

 

YOURS IN CHRIST

THE TOBEY HUFF FAMILY