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From Trevor:
November 30, 2006
Hi Jack,
The good news is that its none of the nasty
things. Just a bit of food poisoning on top a
chest infection. Am starting to feel a little
better this afternoon. Even starting to feel
like food again.
I sure could use your help in Vanimo,
no question. Let me see what I can find when I
go up there. I am sure the Lord will open the
way for His will to be done. I will be
surprised if we need to have you lying around
on the floor somewhere. I booked the tickets
for Lorretta and I today. Will cost more than
her return trip to Sydney!! But I want her to
see the place and have a feel for it.
Maybe the Lord has her needs in mind as well in
pointing us towards Vanimo. The elder up there
tells me that there are a few break ins around
town but basically it is safe to walk around
there. Simon was talking to Gayle who is an
Australian lady working with Dove Air –the
Catholic mission flying operation and she told
him that she feels safe going about town in
Vanimo on her own.
The other issue for her is heat. She has a very
poor tolerance to extremes of temperature as I
have mentioned. The fact that she is willing to
go see is great. I am sure if I can accommodate
her with air conditioning she would acclimatize
ok.
I am not sure how much cash I will have left
after the move. I would be happy to help out
with some of your expenses as able. The biggest
cash flow issue I will have that I know of is
buying in the first lot of fuel. Fortunately
one supplier will let me order in small
amounts. As I build up cash reserves I can
order more at a time to insulate us from supply
problems that always seem to crop up with
distributors here. Fuel is just over 1000 kina
a drum and typically I would use between one
and two drums per day. I don’t expect much
income now until we are under way at Vanimo.
Work has really dropped off around here. I have
only done 4 or 5 hours in the last fortnight.
But God is good and in control and has a path
way laid out for us to where we need to be and
where He needs us to tenderly care for His
forgotten children in the Sepik.
Roger sees no problem with me staying on a
“Volunteer / Aid worker” Visa with the move to
Vanimo. I have been liaising with the SPD
director of Mission Pr. Ray Coombe and have
developed a cordial relationship with him. As I
move away from the nest here and Rogers
oversight, I sense the need to make links with
others in the church organization so that there
are good channels of communications between us
and the church. The director of Adventist
Volunteer Services in our Division is Mel
Lemke. I went to college with Mel – quite a few
years ago now. The recently retired director
Pr. Eric White I know quite well and he is very
supportive of what we are trying to do. I don’t
think it should be a problem to get a Volunteer
/ Aid worker visa for yourself and Elana when
we decide to do that. A visitors visa in the
mean time would be no problem. If we have any
visa issues, we are right on the border. It is
inexpensive I believe to travel to Jayapura and
then re enter the country on another visitors
visa. The elder who has been so helpful is the
quarantine inspector at Vanimo. He seems to
know a lot about customs issues etc too. I am
sure he can introduce us to the immigration
people there and help us smooth the way if
there are any issues arising.
I want you to know I would be delighted to have
your company in Vanimo. If you can’t cook
better than me though, you will be in for
humble fare. I have a bread maker which I have
learned how to use. Home made bread is so much
nicer that the bought stuff here in Goroka
anyways. I don’t know what they put in it but
it doesn’t taste good. I will try by best to
find a source of fresh fruit and vegetables. I
understand there is some work right up into
Telefomin and around into the highlands in the
Sundaun area. I know the church members at
Tumolbil will be delighted. To give us veggies.
I will insist on paying something for them
though if I can get there on a regular basis. I
cant wait to take you in there. It is right on
the border. In fact you have to fly into
Indonesia to make the approach to land. The
people are some of the poorest I have ever know
but some of the most lovely at the same time.
The Baptists used to run the clinic there. When
nearly all the people became SDAs they felt
there was not much point them staying there so
they asked the SDA church to take it over. The
clinic has been an outstanding example of the
power of medical missionary work. There are a
lot of people who have walked for days from
deep inside Irian Jaya to be cared for at our
clinic. There is now at least one church
established over the border as a result. Pr.
Coombe has requested some suggestions regarding
where he can take a film crew to see cutting
edge missionary work in operation. I could not
think of a better place. When I get to visit
there, I will try and catch up on what has been
going on since I have had time to sit down with
the people there. It would be a great place for
us to build a simple resting place for when we
get tired of the heat and problems arising and
just want to come apart and rest awhile in the
cool mountain air. I have a special attachment
for these people as I do for the people at
Maimafu. That is near here and I already have a
house built there thinking I was going to stick
around here for a while. I am happy to follow
the Masters calling though but will take the
opportunity to get to Maimafu when it arises so
that they don’t get discouraged and think we
have forgotten them. You will love that place
if you love the grandeur of Gods creation.
I will pray as you are that God will work
things out for you to come on His time signal.
We may have more indication about that when I
have had time to explore our needs and the
resources available up there. I am really
excited that God is opening the way for us to
start up there in Vanimo. I am also encouraged
that I may not need to be doing this alone.
May God continue to bless and guide
Regards
Trevor
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