Ubuo Housewarming

 All aboard for the trip from the airstrip
 to the village (R.Petterson)

Among all the ceremony of the Jesus Film dedication, one thing I very much enjoyed was having outside friends come to visit my village, meet my village friends and stay in my house. After months of living in my Ukarumpa house, I have not organised to have a housewarming, but my village house had a housewarming in my second week of occupation.

Coming from Kapuna were Robbie and Debbie, my mentors and friends as I work in the region. Aunty Barb, Segana and Nilza came too. As the hospital is my second home in Gulf Province and these are people who support me both prayerfully and practically, it was really good to have them here. They were able to renew their own local connections and to see the outcome of their help with getting toilets and water tanks installed in my house.

Coming from Ukarumpa were two couples from my Bible study group. My Bible study is my Ukarumpa family and now some of them have seen my place and met the people I spend my time with. My regional director came as the official representative from our organisation, but she too is a friend. One person came from the media department and spent all her time behind a camera (there will be a video produced eventually). As we used to have offices across the corridor from each other, we are good friends. We had a visitor who was only in PNG for two weeks, but managed to squeeze the dedication trip in and experience village life. Another woman who is part of a family that Robbie and Debbie are close to, came as their representative. As there was space on the plane, a father and son pair came to experience the village side of our work. This was not a man I knew well, but he represented all the people who work quietly in the background at Ukarumpa to keep things running. It was nice to share with him the field side of what the support of our office workers makes possible. I really appreciate the work these people do, even if I don’t understand most of it.

 Group photos of all the visitors (H.Schulz)

With all these people coming for the dedication and a sleep-over, my house was full! It spent a few days swallowing mountains of cargo that first I, and then the visitors, brought with us. The verandah kept receiving a pile of cargo that then got sorted into various places in the house.

Robbie and Debbie used their room. The wall has woven into it, ‘Uncle Robbie and Auntie Debbie’, so there is no denying it is theirs! The Kapuna visitors were in the room with ‘Kapuna Visitors’ woven into the wall. All of the women who flew down from Ukarumpa slept under one enormous mosquito net in my living area, and the men under a collection of nets on the verandah. I kept my room to myself, as a place of escape amidst the chaos.

Chaos it was, especially on Saturday morning as everyone was waking, changing, packing and eating. I gave the women my room as a change room and offered the storage room to the men as it was the only room left available. Debbie shared her coffee supply and made a saucepan of coffee for everyone. I have a plunger to make coffee for myself, but for a crowd the saucepan did a fine job.  I had brought muesli and milk powder for breakfast and Debbie had brought bread. Her bread proved the most popular and I ended up with an excess of muesli and a shortage of peanut butter. Thankfully I had some back-up supplies I could break into.

 Farewell wave from the village (H.Schulz)

When it was time to go, the cargo was sent ahead of us to the boat and it was time for farewells. A group photo was taken at the house and we walked to the wharf. More photos were taken at the wharf before everyone got onto the waiting boats and we finally waved them off. Robbie and Debbie stayed an extra night, but the house seemed very quiet after the noisy fun of a crowd.

I have a record of their visit though, in my visitors map. A while ago I found a world map at a fabric store. It still has the USSR marked on it, so it is not very politically current, but the geography has not changed. Well, except for where a piece of Siberia has been printed in the Pacific Ocean. I’ll sew a patch over that some day… after all this is a map from a fabric shop. Around the map I added a border of plain cloth and this is where my visitors signed. A string runs between their name and their place of origin, even if that is a trick question for some of my friends. Many of them have been here so long, or moved so often, that they had to choose a place for the string to end. I look forward to adding more strings when others visit, but the map is off to a good start, after such a big housewarming.

A corner of my visitor's map (H.Schulz)

More than the fun of having people to visit though, was the fact that they went away with a much better understanding of my life, friends and work in Ubuo village. They have slept in my house, eaten village food, walked between Goiravi and Ubuo, taken a boat ride on the river and met my friends. When I share stories, they now have not just a photo in their mind, but a place with real people, sights, sounds and smells.

Who will be my next visitor? :-D

Aba Robbie

 Being led forwards (A.Evers)

During the Jesus Film dedication there was a very special event that occurred. It was listed on the programme as ‘surprise event’ and I was the only outsider who knew in advance what was happening. The chiefs of the Kope tribe had decided to honour Robbie’s work with their tribe by making him a ‘chief and patriarch’ (their words). What an incredible honour! … and it was not one bestowed lightly.

On the day of the dedication we reached the point where the special event was to occur. Robbie had no idea what was coming as the chiefs gathered in front of the stage and a respected leader, Rev Gemo, stood at the microphone. I took Robbie’s camera from him, so that I could get a record for him to keep. Debbie (Robbie’s wife) already had the video camera rolling, as the chiefs looked impressive standing as a well dressed group, and ended up filming the whole event.

As Rev Gemo introduced what was going on, one of the chiefs came up on the stage to collect Robbie and to bring him down before them all. They sat him on a specially prepared mat, which gave a loud and surprising crack. Robbie jumped up, everyone laughed, and all was exactly as it should be as a dry piece of bamboo had been placed under it for exactly that purpose. It was a light-hearted start to an otherwise serious ceremony. As Robbie sat on his mat listening to the leader, you could see he was feeling emotional. Thirty years after he and Debbie first started working in this swampy corner of the world, not seeking any credit from anyone, but seeking to make a difference, here was a community choosing to give him their highest honour when he least expected it.

 A serious ceremony (A.Evers)

One by one the gathered chiefs presented Robbie with items of his office. A headdress from one of their heads, a shield, a bow and arrows, spears and shell necklaces. Rev Gemo spoke of the significance of the role, that it places on Robbie the responsibility to act in the best interests of the Kope people. He also spoke of the tribe giving Robbie land and that the title ‘chief’ is earned and cannot be passed down from father to son. Robbie had earned it.

 Symbols of office (H.Schulz)

The crowd watched with great interest as the man they have long called ‘Aba Robbie’ officially became an ‘Aba’. This name is also used for fathers, but when used outside the family, is a title of honour and respect. The ceremony was not long, but it will stay in my memory for a long time as a both solemn and joyous occasion.

The next morning the men gathered to discuss what land was to be given to Robbie. They decided on the block where my house is and some of the land around this. I now live on Robbie’s land and I’ve been commissioned to plant lots of fruit trees. Maybe one day there will be a translation or a literacy centre here, but we will see what develops.

Aba Robbie, chief and patriarch of the Kope tribe. Their first outside chief, their first white chief and a most humble and deserving chief.

Jesus Film: The Arrival

Part one of the Jesus Film Dedication celebrations (aka ‘the programme’) was the arrival and welcome of special guests. Five had arrived from Kapuna on Thursday, the other ten landed at Teredau airstrip the morning of the dedication. We had gone up in two boats to meet them and although we made good time the tide was well on its way out by the time we reached Mira Goiravi, the official welcoming destination.

Uphill mud slide! (D.Petterson)

The low water was a problem, as there was now a long stretch of mud to cross before we would reach a log walkway to dry land. All the guests were taking off shoes and rolling up trousers, getting ready to get muddy, but another solution was being hatched. We were all to get into one boat that the young men would then push across the mud to the landing point. None of us believed it was possible, but we followed instructions and loaded into one boat. Twenty five people were in one boat, waiting to see if it would work.

Well, Jesus walked on water and I’ve now been in a boat gliding across land. The boat may have been pushed by a team of strong young men, so it is not a miracle, but it was still a wondrous sight to behold. The mud acted as a lubricant and the boat glided along beautifully, with us clean and dry inside.

Arriving in Goiravi (R.Petterson)

I was given the role of being first off the boat and first along the path. It was a bit intimidating, stepping off to a traditionally dressed warrior dancing on the log in front of me, with a crowd watching from the bank. As I reached the bank, I led us all through an avenue of people who laid down banana leaves and palm branches for us to walk on. A wreath of flowers was hung around my neck and a crown of flowers put on my head. I shook hundreds of hands welcoming us.

As I followed the avenue, there was a group of women demonstrating fishing with nets and traps. Doing as I was told, I stepped into the barramundi trap, which was then raised from my feet to over my head with a great ‘Hurrah!’ I could hear the hurrahs continuing behind me as each guest had their turn in the trap.

Passing through one of the gateways I had opened
(R.Petterson)

Along the path there were several places where I had to open a gate of branches to clear the path for others. This clearing was an important symbol of my work, clearing the way to God’s word in Kope language, clearing the way for others to come behind me. Others though had prepared the way, as bridges had been built and the path repaired from when I had last walked along it some months before.

As we walked to Ubuo, we passed several stations where people were demonstrating traditional skills such as weaving or canoe carving, or were handed refreshments. A fresh young coconut to drink and a slice or pineapple to eat was exactly what I needed! There was singing and dancing, and a crowd accompanying us along the way. It was a joyful arrival and my slowest but most enjoyable journey between the two neighbouring villages.

Handcraft demonstration (D.Petterson)

At Ubuo we shook another hundred or so hands as we made our way onto the stage that had been built for the event. It was good to have a seat in the shade! The stage was also deep enough that we could relax a little, rather than feeling closely watched every moment.

The official welcome consisted of a series of presentations of songs and dances from the various villages in the Kope tribe. There were a few (mercifully short) speeches and then it was my turn to introduce all the guests. I chose to do this in Kope, and had written my script the day before so that it could be checked and corrected before I embarrassed myself.

Handshakes! (A.Evers)

As I introduced all my guests in language, the crowd grew in number. For each person I said their name, where they were from and what work they did in PNG. By the time I got to the last person on the list, the crowd was huge! They had come out of curiosity to know who the visitors were, but mostly to hear my attempt at Kope. There seemed to be no patches of giggles, so hopefully that means I got my language correct.

At last we were able to retreat from the crowds and the heat to my house for lunch and a rest. My house did an admirable job of hosting 16 people as everyone sat around drinking water, eating lunch and finding somewhere to lie down for a nap.

Studying before I gave introductions
in language (A.Evers)

 This ended the welcoming phase of the Jesus Film dedication celebrations. The dedication, ‘surprise event’, and film showing were yet to come.

Jesus Film Dedication Report

The DVD being joyfully dedicated (A.Evers)

The dedication of the Jesus Film in Kope language was a big day and a good day. I’ll be writing about several aspects of it over coming weeks, but first wanted to give a summary of the event.

The highlight for me was in the moments after the circuit minister prayed a dedication prayer and they showed the start of the movie, as a taste of the full thing which would be shown after dark. The thin crowd suddenly swelled as people emerged from shady spots around the fringes of the field to squeeze together in front of the tiny screen. The excitement and joy was beautiful.

Paramount chief, Tompkin (A.Evers)

Even better though was the quiet moment happening between two brothers on the stage behind the screen. They were in full sight of everyone, but few noticed as they were all looking at the screen. Older brother and paramount chief Tompkin, and younger brother and translator Samson stood with tears in their eyes giving each other a hug. They had no words for the emotions overwhelming them as they heard the film start in their language, but they had each other and they understood each other. It was a precious moment to be part of as an observer.

Once the sun was set and the feast was done, we showed the whole film to a large crowd. I’ve no idea how big the crowd was, as my skills at estimating are poor anyway, and dark skinned people in the dark camouflage well. The crowd was big, and the crowd was quiet as they watched attentively. Only the smallest children fell asleep, everyone over six remained transfixed. When the movie finished, they sat in silence for awhile. A pastor then prayed for everyone and they dispersed to their houses, still quite quietly. The silence spoke to me of people reflecting on what they had seen and heard, digesting what it meant for them.

The next day I heard the film being played in different houses and on phones around the village. I also heard that some people had stayed up late the night before to watch the whole thing again. We did a re-screening the next night, to another big crowd. In the coming weeks the film was shown in other villages in the language community.

It is hard to know what the impact of an event like this is, but I find encouragement in the parable of the sower (Luke 8:4-15). The sower scattered seed generously, some of it eventually bearing fruit and some of it not. Showing this film to a big crowd is a generous sowing of the seed which is God’s word. It will have taken root in many hearts, but we may not see the harvest for some time yet as the seed grows to maturity. In other hearts it will not get far, but we will continue to sow generously in the hope that eventually those hearts are fertile enough to receive. 

A crowd gathers (D.Petterson)

Dedication

Love hearts...just what every phone tower needs!

To complete the echoes of one New Ireland trip in the next, we finished our time on Djaul Island with a dedication to attend. Last year Catherine and I were VIP guests and singing in the choir at the dedication of a fuel pump. This year, we were part of the crowd for the dedication of a phone tower.

We’d been warned early in the Sunday School workshop that the tower dedication was planned. Slowly we became aware of the fact that everyone was planning on attending and if we ran the workshop at the same time, we’d have few people in attendance. We got the message and adjusted our workshop plans to end a day early.

Among the earlier arrivals, we did a lot
of waiting as we watched shade be
planted among the bench seats.

Eventually the big day of the dedication came. We watched as the ambulance, packed to overflowing, ferried people to the dedication site. The beat up ute and the two tractors with trailers were also hard at work, carting people and food to the hill top. Eventually it was our turn to get a ride in the ambulance. We climbed in ready to play at sardines, but the VIP treatment meant that we were not to be crowded. We rode along with space to spare as others walked.

Arriving at the hilltop we were greeted by a shiny new phone tower, an open space in the jungle that the workmen had created and a LOT of decorations. The fence around the tower was decorated. A walkway for the ceremonial arrival was decorated. The stage built just for the day was decorated. Another shelter built for the day was piled with food for the eventual feast. A toilet built for the day was a blessing.

We were given seats in the shade, watched over by our host parents and left to watch the spectacle. It was nice to be the side show, not the centre of attention for a change, although when your skin glows, you are never out of the spotlight! Kulau (green coconut) was brought for us to drink and pomelo (a type of citrus) was given to us to eat.

Shade being brought in from the jungle.

Our island friends were aware that we whiteskins burn easily. We got encouraged into the shade, we got smiles of approval when we put up umbrellas for shade and we had shade brought to us. Actually, everyone was collecting shade. They did this by heading into the jungle with their bush knife, cutting branches off trees and then standing them up in the dirt around their seating as an immediate and temporary forest.  

Once settled in we waited for the VIPs. For over an hour we were told their helicopter would be landing in ten minutes, a story we would not believe until we could actually hear the aircraft. When they did arrive, the extent of the decorations became evident, as they had taken over the landing space and the helicopter had to divert to the local school oval. We did some more waiting as the ambulance went to collect them and bring them to the hilltop and the rather large waiting crowd.

The welcome party for the official VIPs

Their welcome was grand. The speeches were long. The kids doing a dance were cute. The string band was unique. The thunderstorm was building.

The string band played on hand carved instruments of unique tuning. We’d heard some of these instruments in church and I was impressed at the sound. My favourite was the instrument carved to look like the electric bass of a rock star.

Just as the speeches reached an end, the dignitaries were returning to their helicopter and the feast was being readied for serving, the thunderstorm struck. We’d seen the clouds building up and felt the wind front hit. We were surprised when the helicopter still took off in the middle of it. Then the rain came…sideways. There was little shelter for anyone except by huddling together and being shielded by the next person.

The gathered crowd listening to the string band.

In the middle of the downpour the ambulance returned to collect us. We piled in, dripping and laughing. The policeman who has been escorting the VIPs was still inside and was also wet and smiling. As we drove back to our house and dry clothes, we got caught behind one of the tractors. There are four vehicles on the whole island and we had a traffic jam with two of them! The tractor had a loaded trailer of people, all hiding under banana leaf umbrellas that dripped more water on their neighbours than gave shelter to the people under them. I wish I had a photo, but bouncing in a car in the rain while taking a photo of a tractor sliding on a muddy road in the rain is beyond my camera’s ability.

So it was that we finished our work time on Djaul. We were overtired before the dedication and wet and silly by the end of it. As one of the ten days of the workshop was given up for the tower dedication, the joke was that we had been decimated. If being decimated means spending a day hanging out with new friends and ending it with laughter, then it is not such a bad thing.