The Mighty Sepik River rises in the magnificent mountains of the Telefomin district in Papua New Guinea. Fed by torrential tropical rains, it thunders its way westward down through a series of narrow valleys, pounding the boulders of a thousand sets of rapids as it surges its way towards the border and on briefly into Indonesia. Now the river slows and widens as it turns North East back into Papua New Guinea and through the expansive area of billabongs, large meandering river loops and picturesque lakes that make up the Sepik River Basin. It is here that many thousands of Papua New Guineans endeavor to survive the bite of malarial mosquitoes, the gnawing pangs of malnutrition and blight of tropical ulcers, tuberculosis, and a plethora of other diseases. The local people make their way to and from their isolated villages by canoe through the vast maze of water ways emanating from the Sepik and its many tributaries. Those that can afford the K6.00 odd per liter for outboard motor fuel travel a little easier than the majority of Sepik travelers who ‘pull’ their way along using long poles with an oar like structure at one end.

With very few roads and only a handful of scattered airstrips, the many hidden people groups of the Sepik basin present a real challenge to the mission of the church. How can the church reach out with hope to these people, in their distress and isolation? While the needs are not new, they are becoming more acute as time goes by. Many of the schools and clinics once run by the government are no longer operating due to lack of funding and the logistical difficulties encountered in supplying outstations. Thousands of the children who do survive their first few tenuous years, face the prospect of life without an education or medical assistance when sickness strikes. Many too have never heard of Jesus and His power to uplift, to heal and to save.

Having traveled in this area I have great admiration for the many missionaries who have braved the conditions in the Sepik to bring hope and healing to these people. Adventist Frontier Mission based at Andrews University in the U.S. has made an outstanding contribution through the ministry of John Kent, David Lackey and Jack Sample and their families. A number of our missionaries have traveled widely in the remote areas of the Sepik as medical missionaries, immunizing children, dispensing medicine and dressing festering wounds with loving Christ animated hands, pointing to Jesus as the only One who can bring lasting hope and meaning into peoples lives.

May River clinic is one place where there is hope. Established by the church to minister to people in this isolated area of the upper Sepik, this clinic is supported by the local Sepik Mission. It is here that I met Thomas Pole, a national nursing officer and graduate from Sopas Adventist Hospital. He has enthusiastically described for me how he prays with patients before treating them and points them to Jesus as their great healer. The local people believe that SDA medicine is stronger than that obtainable anywhere else, because they recover better, when they take it. The dedication of Thomas and his staff in giving the glory to God for success in their work is bearing a rich harvest for the Gospel.

The local church pastor reported to me that at Trupas one of the outlying villages visited by our clinic staff from May River several people became interested in the following the Lord as a result of medical attention given to them. Bible studies were conducted by the staff and lay missionaries. The interest in the gospel continued to grow. One night the village gathered together for a sing sing –a cultural dance in traditional costume. It was a Friday night. Those interested in the Advent message wondered what they should do. Should they join in the sing sing or not. During the Sabbath hours. As they were thinking and praying about it, a Being in shining white clothes appeared among them at the sing sing. The singing and the festivities abruptly stopped. All eyes were fixed in stunned silence upon this majestic figure whom they had never seen before. In awe they listened as the being in white announced that this was holy time belonging to the God of Heaven and that the festivities in progress were dishonoring to Him. The sing sing quickly broke up, and people went reverently to their homes, deep in thought. Those who were wrestling with their understanding of how to fittingly honor God during the time He has set aside to fellowship with sinful human beings now had no doubt in their minds about Gods will for them and His desire to have them in His kingdom. The pastor subsequently baptized 20 of these precious souls and there is now a ‘hand church’ established in Trupas.

Medical Missionary work pays. As medical services in PNG struggle to keep up with growing needs, there is an ever widening opportunity for medical missionary work. God’s special blessing attends our feeble human efforts in these remote areas. Please support this effective missionary endeavor. Be where the blessing is. Missionary aviation is an essential tool for supporting missionary work in these remote locations. Please pray for our missionary aviation program.

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