Joe Evans Supporting Missionaries in Papua New Guinea Land of Changes
One thing they tell you about Papua New Guinea is that it is the “Land of the Unexpected”. Things change here quite a bit, and often quite quickly. In fact, just recently I had a few things happen…
It all started on a Tuesday. My plan was to fix an annoying belt squeal on our only vehicle with working air conditioning- a job that requires the removal of a good bit of the vehicle’s interior bodywork. I found the loose belt, and was in the final stages of putting the van back together when I received a phone call. There was a family from the NTM Sepik region who needed to be picked up from the airport.
There was a problem there at their airport- vandals had wrecked a bit of equipment. Thus, small Cessnas could fly in and out, but jets could not, which meant that these folks could not get to Port Moresby to catch their international flight. So, our mission pilot flew them to our airport so they could catch a commercial flight from our airport early the next morning. Of course, as I picked up our visitors, the pilot had a request.
The Sepik region, sadly, does have a rather pathetic selection of veggies available in their local markets. Basics like carrots, lettuce, and green peppers often have to be flown in. So, as our pilot was due back the next day to return an airport inspector, would I be able to buy veggies for our missionaries there?
So, I had a rather interesting Wednesday. First off, I had to be at the airport by 5:30am to drop off our Sepik folks for the first leg of their trip back to the USA. That was followed up by a few hours in our local market tracking down a rather large list of basic veggies. Praise the Lord I was able to find everything on the list.
And that’s just a minor way things tend to change here. Please keep us in your prayers as we work to support the work of Church planting here in PNG.
My current ministry- Tribal Supply for the Madang Region.
It’s been a few months since I began a new ministry in the Tribal Supply Department. And what an enjoyable few months it has been.
Basically, the Tribal Supply department buys things for the missionaries out in the bush. Because, sadly, Wal-Mart has yet to build stores high in the mountains and jungles of Papua New Guinea… or anywhere in Papua New Guinea, as far as that goes. So, the folks in the bush send out their lists of supplies they need, and I go and buy them.
Of course, part of the fun is that we don’t have a handy Wal-Mart. So, I will pretty much have to visit every store in town… twice… to get almost everything on the list. Then I bring it all here, pack it all up, weigh it all up, and get it ready to go on whatever airplane will be taking it to its final destination.
Because most of the tribal locations in the Madang Region are high in the mountains, we usually have to load the airplane right at the crack of dawn. That also means that a good part of my ministry is to act as chauffeur for anyone arriving at the local airport.
Finally, I’d like to post a link to one of the families I’ve been working for- Gary and Esther Smith.
North Coast Chopper Shuttle Checklist (and results)
Checklist for North Coast helicopter shuttles:
1) Lots of rain…Check
2) Avoid pigs… Check
3) Fuel pump and hose… Check
4) Passengers and cargo… Check
5) Provisions for 3 hour trip each way… Check
6) Cell phone… Check
7) Drive three hours while avoiding potholes and landslides… Check
Helicopter… Not here.
9) Call hanger- helicopter is at the hanger broken down.
10) Drive home, unload, try again tomorrow… Check
Please pray the helicopter gets fixed, the weather clears up, and we can get this load of stuff and missionaries where they need to be.
Thanks again, Joe
Helicopter Shuttles (with 0% pig deaths)
Some of you may remember the story of my trip up the coast this summer to load supplies onto a helicopter for one of our tribal teams. Here’s a link to the story.
. It was quite an interesting trip, especially for the poor pig.
Earlier this week I was asked to meet the helicopter at the same place- about 3 hours up the coast. This time we would be sending in four 55 gallon drums of Jet A-1 fuel for future helicopter trips along with bottles of natural gas, plywood, mail, and a few supplies for the literacy program. So, we loaded up the truck with the supplies and left at 5 am. This time we were able to avoid wandering livestock, praise the Lord.
We arrived with time to spare, and were able to obtain permission to use the local school’s soccer field as a chopper pad- thus we didn’t need to get out the bush knives to cut out a landing pad. The weather was pretty nice- a bit of overcast to keep things cool, but no rain. The chopper arrived and we began the process of loading up. So far, so good- but a bit of a problem soon arose.
Sadly, when we went to refuel the chopper, it seems that when they loaded the pump they forgot the hose. So, the pilot and I had to run to the closest town to find something, anything that could be used. We found a small hose that would kind of fit on the inside of the pump. It was not the best of fits, and would spray fuel all over me as I had to hold the hose to keep it from popping out of the pump, which makes me glad Jet-A kerosene isn’t instantly flammable. We did that twice- load up the chopper, refuel it in a messy fashion, and wave it goodbye. After the second time we returned the hose to it’s rightful owner and headed home. On the way back we stopped by yet another school used for shuttles to a different tribal work (the Pal tribe this time) to pick up a few empty fuel drums from the chopper shuttles a few weeks ago.
Other than the hose, it was a good trip up the road. And, most importantly, no pigs were run over.
Note: Click the link for more photos.
Bush Type Motorcycle Repair
It’s amazing what one has to do to keep things running when the nearest parts shop is halfway around the world. Just the other week I needed to quickly check our generator… and backed my motorbike right into a pole. Did you know that the taillight on a 1979 Suzuki can be fragile? Yeah, shattered like an egg.
So, my bike is now missing a brake light, and thus is not street legal or safe on the roads. After a bit of searching I found an online motorcycle shop with the part, but it will take a while for it to get here. But what to do until then…
Time for a bit of bush mechanic work. I found a PVC flange, a tail light lens, and an empty metal peanut can. It’s simple- shape the PVC to fit and wire it on. Next, with the aid of tin snips and a drill, turn the peanut can into a reflector. Then, take the reflector and attach with a trio of wood screws. Finish by sealing the whole thing with clear packing tape and red electrical tape. I would have used duct tape, but that was unavailable.
And the fix works! Not the best looking thing, but it allowed me to finally take a trip to town on the machine. And next time I need to do a quick trip to check the generator, I’ll use the Center’s 4 wheeler.
Home again in New Guinea
After a long and dull journey of about 36+ hours, I have begun the process of getting settled into both my new (old) home and ministry in Papua New Guinea. Thanks for all of your prayers regarding a safe trip- I even was blessed by having my luggage arrive intact and on time.
So, the plan for this week is to get settled. I still need to get my driver’s licences, a few minor household items, food, and a few other things before I get to work. Like an umbrella- it’s raining pretty good today.
And starting next week, I’ll be cleaning the garage up and out, checking out the regional vehicles, and generally getting back to work. Please keep me in your prayers.
Merry Christmas
Merry Christmas everyone!
Hope all of you are having a great Christmas season. Just a few more days before I head out to PNG. It’s kind of a fun time of year to be moving halfway around the world, what with Christmas being here and all. But it’s a great opportunity to see friends and family before I head overseas for the next two years.
While we’re at it, it’s time to start packing and stuff… almost. I usually hold off till just a few days before departure- especially with weight limits being so important. Hopefully there won’t be a large backlog of weather delayed flights. It’s a long enough trip as it is. Please pray for a safe series of flights, good weather, and that my luggage would arrive the same time as I do.
Finally, thanks once again for your prayers, and hope you all have a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.
The Packing Begins…
And with a few short weeks before I finish up my Sanford based ministry, I have already begun putting items into boxes. Some items have already begun the long process of heading overseas to PNG on their own, while others will wait out the next couple of years in storage. However, I’ve still got a long way to go before I’m ready to head out. Please pray that the Lord would give me wisdom in knowing what exactly to take, toss, or store.
Also, as I prepare to leave, my faithful laptop is in the shop for a bit of a checkup and tune-up. It’s got to last me at least 2 more years- which should be no problem… Lord willing.
Finally, as things wind down here in Sanford, it looks like life is going to get more interesting over in Leesburg. I’m now temporarily teaching a singles Bible Fellowship class on Sunday, I’m supposed to be playing bass guitar for the Church Christmas program, plus Thanksgiving and Christmas with the family, etc and all that. Please pray that the Lord will use me in all that is coming up, and that I’ll have an enjoyable time with friends and family alike.
Thanks again for all your prayers, Joe
Prayer request for 10/29/09
This week’s prayer request:
1) Pray for me as I begin to phase out of my ministry at the NTM US home office garage. Please pray for my replacement, Jerry, as he takes over.
2) Prayer as I wrap up my role in other ministries at my home church by the end of the year. I’m going to miss playing with the Fusion praise band.
3) That I could find a good motorcycle to buy in New Guinea.
4) Wisdom in packing, selling, buying and all of the other little details involved with moving overseas.
5) For the Lord’s provision for the funds needed in setting up in my new apartment in PNG. Such as buying appliances, furniture, food, and other similar items.
6) Praise the Lord my tickets have already been paid for.
7) Praise the Lord I’ve been able to find a buyer for my car.
8) For a wonderful Christmas season with friends and family.
Thanks once again for your prayers. God bless you all, Joe
A few frequently asked questions
Greetings everyone. It’s just a few short months before I return to minister in Papua New Guinea. Many people have asked about my upcoming trip. So I’d like to take this opportunity to answer a few of the more common questions.
1) So where are you going? I’ll be heading back to Papua New Guinea, a large island in the South Pacific- just North of Australia. My place of service will be in the Madang Region. For those who were wondering it takes about 36 hours to travel there through Los Angeles and Brisbane, Australia.
2) When are you going and for how long? I’m planning on leaving early January of 2010. My plan is to stay for a two year term, then return to the USA for a 6 month furlough. I’d like to continue working in PNG for as long as I can, or until the Lord plans otherwise.
3) What will you be doing there? I’ll be working in a support role- doing whatever I can to assist the tribal missionaries in their job of church planting. Which means fixing vehicles, building houses, buying supplies, driving folks to town, loading helicopters, or whatever else is needed to allow them to focus on getting the Gospel out.
4) Where will you be living? It looks like I’ll be moving back into my old duplex apartment at the Madang center- with most of my old furniture even- stuff I built many years ago.
5) What are the living conditions like? Do you have power and water? We do actually have things like town power and running water, but not quite like in the USA. The town power tends to be a bit… erratic (we average about one blackout a day), but we do have a backup generator. The center also has a well and water tank, so there’s lots of running water. However, my apartment lacks air conditioning, so I’ll have to get used to the heat again.
6) So, what’s the climate like? PNG is very close to the equator, and the weather stays pretty constant: hot and humid, especially on the coast. One can usually expect rain every evening, and some locations average about an inch of rain every day. However, if one travels to the Highlands which tend to be about 1 mile above sea level, then it is nice and cool.
7) How does one get around? PNG is a very mountainous country, with very few good roads (all the rain tends to wash them out). So, most long distance travel is done via airplane, either through a missionary flight service, or by the national air line. For trips to town one can rent a mission vehicle. Personally, I’m looking to buy a motorcycle- it’s a lot cheaper and easier way to travel.
8 ) What are the people like? The citizens of PNG are pretty neat bunch. The culture is very different from that in the USA- so much so I’d need to write up a whole letter just to explain it. However, the country is very open to missions and missionaries, and the folks tend to be pretty open and friendly.
9) How can we help? First, please keep me in your prayers. Second, you can help out financially- I’m not paid any kind of salary other than the generous gifts of others. If you would like to assist financially, just click on the link above marked “give”.
God bless you all and thanks once again, Joe
