"Project: Possible" is a fairly new initiative for OIPNG. We will speak in more detail about it soon. In short we have expanded the amount of goods we purchase for our trade store and made whole sale goods available for purchase for those who partner with us. This means we don't have to pay wages to provide items for sale in neighboring villages. It helps put these small businesses into the hands of local men and women who can run them as small family stores. Pictured below is Asunta, who many of you may remember from stories we told when speaking differently places. She was once a literacy student of mine. She came back to finish her schooling and completed her grade 8 with us at Ap Ma FODE. In addition to her own academic endeavors she started a literacy program for her own church and community in Painiten. Now, she is once again putting her learning to good use and has opened a small trade store with Project: Possible. She is pictured below working on her bookkeeping skills.
The clinic is seeing a steady stream of patients and thanks to the short term assistance of Jacklyn (a temp nurse) we have been able to keep up the quality of care we were accustomed to before Wona went on Maternity Leave. The clinic is also looking forward to welcoming Savanna Barth a short term assistant from the USA who will arrive later this month. She will be assisting in our clinic for the next couple of months.
Another fun event to look forward to, we have been given the opportunity to host a new missionary family, with Samaratin Aviation who is eager to learn more Melanesian Pidgin and get a better understanding of what life in a village is like.
As always Jesse has different things happening in every corner of the work. He recently spent several days working on installing lights and fans in the elementary school and will soon turn his attention to wrapping up some trim and cupboards that are missing from the expansion ward at the clinic. He has also been teaching some of my FODE students how to drive the tractor and mow the airstrip. The boys are both doing well in school. Judah and his guitar continue to be inseparable he practices three and often more hours a day. He will wrap-up grade 12 this May and Israel is midway through grade 1. Sundays have a different look for us this year as we have started an adult Sunday school at 1pm and a staff and student Bible study at 7:30pm. We hope you are off to a great start in 2024 and that the Lord blesses you with work that you can do to bring Him honor.
]]>In other news our FODE classroom will be officially opened on April 19th. Preparations are underway for the ribbon cutting and students are working hard to make the place look nice and last bits of trim are being made and installed to complete the project. We want to thank Native Vanilla for their assistance in this project!
]]>For the past two weeks I have been out in the village with the students as they have completed their assignments and taken their exams. Next month grades 7, 9 and 11 will also have their final exams. Students continue to study daily, preparing for the coming tests. Next week I will be writing a bit more about some very special students. I'll share about their struggles, their aspirations and the ways they have persisted in their studies.
]]>The end of 2020 proved to be a productive time for us in PNG. We have been living relatively unaffected by the madness which seems to have descended upon the outside world. Covid shut downs and set backs have been limited. We have seen restricted international travel and interrupted health services and had 2 weeks of school closure in most of rural PNG. We count ourselves very fortunate to have had so little change to our daily lives.
Ap Ma FODE School continues to hold classes. We have put out a quarterly newspaper with student contributions available on our Ap Ma FODE Facebook page. We also sponsored a volleyball team in the local Independence Day tournament. We backfilled ground and poured the concrete floor in part of the new classroom building. In October and November preparation for national tests and end of the year exams took up the remainder of our school year.
December brought the graduation of grade eight and ten students in Ap Ma FODE and five Jr. College graduates on the Matriculation Studies Program.
Samban Central Elementary School continued to operate all the days that were required and allowed because of various shut down orders. A new hand washing station was installed outside and students have also used it to learn how to wash and clean their school uniforms.
Jesse spent many days during dry season digging dirt and repairing roads and filling in low places that trap water and breed mosquitos. Working on the grey water drain for the clinic and staff buildings has also taken a lot of hours. Crews completed work on the new Birthing House and in December we celebrated its opening.
The work in the clinic has expanded daily with the addition of Dr. Lewis and recent addition of local Nursing Officer Susanne Weig. Patients are traveling days to reach us from all over the province where services, that were limited or non existent, have become worse with frequent scares and shut downs. Our struggle to identify and treat TB patients has met with much success. More than 70 patients have completed full treatment this year through our small clinic and many more are nearly finished. Sputum collection and testing has become a daily routine. Also much improved this year is our vaccine delivery. This year we were doubly blessed with two vaccine fridges! One is in our new birthing house so that babies can receive their first shots and medicines used in labor and delivery can be properly stored. The other fridge is in our outpatient area where we are able to vaccinate children who come on regular, open clinic days in addition to our well baby check up and vaccination day.
At home Judah began grade 9, Elijah began grade 12 and Naleh started her Sophomore year at Lubbock Christian College. Israel has learned to talk quite a bit and is always on the move. We (Jesse and Karie) seem to have very little free time these days but I finished one quilt and began a second this year as well as keeping up a small garden, and tending the pigs and chickens and Jesse and Judah have been constructing a go kart that is one part school and 9 parts fun. Volleyball and soccer are every afternoon events for the boys. Israel enjoys trying his best to keep up with the "big boys".
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The last two months have been crazy (in a good way) with phone calls and messages from the village. This is the first time we have tried to orchestrate our scholarship program from overseas. Schools run year round in PNG and start in late January or early February. This year we have 5 hopefully 6 students on scholarship with OIPNG. We originally intended the scholarship program to be a sponsorship from the US where members or groups could "adopt a student" and send them encourageing nots and assist with school fees. The schools are heavily subsidized but the travel to and from the village is always costly. This year we are supporting:
Bill Mukok- At PNG Education Institute/Degree program: Elementary Education. He has been a teacher in the Samban school for 3 years.
Hubert Yangum- At PNG Education Institute/Degree program: Elementary Education. He is married with 2 children and has been a teacher in the Samban school for 3 years.
Amina Maso- At Kar Kar Community College/Degree program: Community Health Worker. She is a grade 10 graduate and daughter of Maso Leko national translator.
Jeff Norman- At St. Gerards/Degree program: Community Health Worker. He married with 2 children and a grade 10 graduate.
Melodi Jugan-At Sogeri National Highschool/General Studies: She is interested in Journalism, writing etc. She was selected for national highschool by merit of her high test scores.
If you would like to help us support these students you can make a donation to OIPNG and include a short note expressing the ways you would like to assist these students. If you choose to identify one specific student we will send you a more detailed bio-sheet, picture, and contact information.
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Returning Students
New Students for 2012
Orphan Assistance
The OIPNG Scholarship program was designed to assist deserving students with school fees to enable them to complete their desired programs. The scholarship program is offered to students who have completed grade 8 and have a desire to continue, but do not have the resources. This program is limited to those students who have achieved high academic marks, who have received acceptance into a school or course of study, who have been baptized, confirmed, or will agree to attend a discipleship course. These students must have no history of violence or substance abuse. Applicants are screened carefully and only about 1 in 5 is selected. Our long-term goal with this program is to bring qualified professionals back to the local area to carry on the work of the church, school, clinic, and community development. Those accepted agree to come back to their local area and serve their communities for the length of time for which we supported them. After which they are under no obligation to stay. Our second graduate of the scholarship program has returned to the village and is now serving as nurse at our clinic! (Of course they still receive their pay, and are under no obligation to refund the scholarship money.)
Shopping PNG Style
A day of shopping in PNG can be quite an ordeal. There are no Wal-mart’s here, no Cosco’s, or K-mart and definitely no express lanes. Last month we went to Wewak (one of 10 largest cities in PNG) just to do some shopping for the next 3 months, (yes I know how that sounds). To start our day of shopping we get up early. Since we don’t have a car in Wewak we have to hitch rides with friends or catch the PMV (Public Motor Vehicles). But I will give you an idea of gas prices if we had a car there. We sell by the liter here but the cost per gallon is roughly K26 or $13. That is the town price, in the village it goes for K30-K35 a gallon $15-$17.50. After getting gas you may need to stop at the “chemist” pharmacy for toothpaste (K7.50 $3.75), soap (K2.20 $1.10) and shampoo (K15 $7.50). After that you would head to the grocery for some essentials: 1 dozen eggs (K12.00 $6.00), 1 liter of milk (K6.50 $3.25 or about $12 something a gallon), a box of cereal (K27 $13.50), a small block of cheese (K13.00 $6.50), a bag of PNG coffee (K13 $6.50), a pound of natural PNG sugar (K3.30 $1.15), 5 pound flour (K8.00 $4.00), a small whole chicken (K22 $11.00), and 2 pounds of ground beef (K26 $13). When you are through there, you have to find a ride home since you don’t want everything to melt and since you can’t leave anything in a car even a locked one. If you need some clothes for yourself or your kiddies, the best place to go is the second-hand shops. The poor quality of the goods distributed here in PNG make second-hand ware from the US and Australia a much better bargain. You can get a pair of name-brand jeans for men and women for K14 $7 or women’s shirts from K1 or ..50c. Kids clothing is in great demand, so you must be a diligent shopper if you have kids. I usually spend about 2 hours there every trip to town just to find the things we need. Now I haven’t been home in quite a while so I don’t really know how these prices compare with US prices right now but I thought you die-hard shoppers might be curious. Oh, and don’t forget, during this shopping trip, you are clutching your purse to your chest for fear of theft and watching for kids who work together in groups of 2-3 to distract and then grab your stuff. The street venders are always up in your face and you are dodging the red buai spit all over everything. Our car has been broken into 3 times in 3 years and once the window was smashed in a theft attempt. So if you are out shopping enjoy your weekend at the mall and I look forward to being there with you in May!
Prayer Meeting
I think many of you received a detailed outline of our January Prayer Meeting. I wanted to give you the points for February so that you could join with us in Prayer at our next Meeting on Thursday, March 1st.
Milling and Construction
Education
Church
Translation
Transportation
Medical
Pryor’s and home staff
The ways we are involved in ministry to the Ap Ma people are varied. One particular way has been through medical ministry. In November 2007, we re-established health care in Samban after a 15-year closure of the originally government-manned Aid Post. Under the care of our Community Health Worker, Mariana Posatia, thousands have visited this remote clinic to receive care or treatment. Currently our doors are open from 9-3 M-F and 8-10 on Saturday. All after-hour emergencies are brought to our house as the nurse lives 2 miles away. For her, that means a 45-minute walk to and from the clinic. Currently we have two students studying nursing who will return to Samban to continue this vital work and expand the service we are able to provide.
Working Together with Samaritan
OIPNG tries very hard to work together with government and non-government organizations to provide consistent service for the Ap Ma people. In our schools, this meant that we registered them with the national government so that now they receive government subsidies to provide for some of the students’ needs. We also registered our clinic with the national government which means that we receive part of our medicines for free. However, there is still a gap between what the government will supply and what the people need. Our partnership with Samaritan is helping to fill that gap. Samaritan Aviation is a NGO (non-government organization) that specializes in medical evacuation and supply. They assist the government in distribution of their supplies and also bring in their own supplies as well. They have a float plane here in Wewak, our provincial capital. With this plane, they are able to reach the large number of people (along the Sepik and Keram rivers) who have a hard time making a trip into town with their ill or injured patients. OIPNG has received their assistance both in transporting patients and goods. We are thankful for our partnership with them and their willingness to help the Ap Ma people.
Two Very Different Outcomes
Two women delivered healthy baby boys in Samban. The hours that followed their births were filled with tension. They failed to deliver the placenta. We arranged for both to be flown from our village to town to receive treatment in the same provincial hospital. Both arrived at 9:30 am. One lay in the ER until 3:30pm before receiving treatment. She died at 4:00 pm. The other received treatment at 10:00 am and was released 3 days later. There was only one difference in these two cases. When the second woman arrived in town we happened to be there to help her. We spoke out to the doctors and nurses on her behalf pleading for assistance while waiting in line. Hospitals here are very different than in the US. The backwards, shy nature of the village people puts them at an immediate disadvantage. Patient advocacy is needed to make sure they receive the treatment they need. Could you be an advocate for the people of Samban? Could you make their pleas known? OIPNG asks that you consider both advocacy through prayer and in person. We are seeking Christian men and women to help us in town. Advocacy is just one of the tasks a town team would need to do. If you are interested in joining OIPNG as a town team member, please email us at the address at the top.
Prayer Needs
· Pray for the children of recently deceased parents. There have been 6 babies born whose mothers have passed during or after their birth, and a father of 4 just passed away.
· Pray for the US government and the decisions they make that affect the world market and the dollar value abroad.
· Pray for those who are thinking about missions that they would come to know God’s will in their lives.
· Pray for a time of peace and productivity in the village as we have been worn down emotionally and financially by the constant stream of medical problems.
· Praise the Lord for his faithfulness and care.
· Pray for protection as the men continue construction on the Elementary classrooms.
· Pray for safety during the timber milling for the Elementary Classroom, Literacy Center, and Clinic.
]]>Construction Quarter
After two months of felling trees, milling timber, and construction, the new elementary classrooms are finally under roof. There is still a lot to be done; plank-siding and hardwood floors, new desks, and shelves must me made and installed. Weather has been a problem, but there finally came some days without rain, which permitted the select harvesting of 12 ironwood and 2 garamut hardwood trees. Hopefully, these 14 trees will provide enough timber to complete the classroom, (as seen on the right). The remaining timber needed for the Literacy Center addition and part of the new clinic is in process of being milled as well.
The community was heavily involved in this endeavor. The men divided themselves into 3 groups. One group went out to the jungle helping to roll logs and assist the crew of 4 on the sawmill. Another group cleaned the “baret” or tributary we use to float the timber back to the village. This consisted of cutting floating grass that was really thick, plus the large root mass that was underneath the water. Finally, there was a group that took charge of construction of the building. I (Jesse) was a member of the final group. Some days there would be a large number and others days there would be just a few.
The women were not to be outdone. They divided themselves as well, so that each group of men, was provided a noon meal. This is great if you don’t mind grubs, sweet potatoes, sago, and whatever else was on the menu. Of course grubs are my favorite, so I was right at home.
We are thankful for the involvement of each of the communities and as you can see, there’s quite a bit to show for everyone’s hard work.
A Cowboy When I Grow Up
Well being a cowboy is one thing I (Karie) never dreamed of, but it looks like that might be just what will happen. This fall I applied to the graduate school of OSU, that is Oklahoma for all you Indiana people, not Ohio. (Ha Ha) Most of you know that for the past four years I have been working on developing the curriculum and training the teachers of the local elementary schools. While I do have a 4-year degree in Christian Education, I have often felt unqualified to make tough decisions when writing lessons, especially in literacy and language arts. So I started researching graduate school programs in IN, TN, and OK trying to stay near family and friends. OSU seemed to be the best fit. I applied and have been accepted into the summer semester in 2012. So it seems the family will be residing in Stillwater, OK for our year of furlough. I will be trying to get the program done as efficiently as possible. Our kids will be in school, also. Jesse has already begun the job hunt. We look forward to spending lots of time with you OK folks and for those of you in IN, TN, NC, and NM and elsewhere, we promise to do our best to get out your way on every holiday and long weekend. We appreciate your prayers for this busy time of furlough.
Special Points of Prayer
Special points of interest:
Doubling Our Nursing Staff
A big thanks to all of you who have donated to our scholarship students over the past three years. In January our first scholarship student joined the teaching staff at the Samban Primary School. This December our second student, Alex Kamba, will be graduating with a two-year nursing degree from Raihu CHW Training School.
He plans to return to the village to work along side our nurse on staff, Mariana. This will help to alleviate some of the stress put upon Mariana, who up to this point has born the burden of every medical crisis, 24 hours a day - on call. While we are in the village, we usually take the night shift. It is generally known that if there is an emergency, they are to come call for us under our window and we will come and help them. But when we are in town, Mariana carries that load, as well as the normal office hours. Now with two staff members, one can maintain our office hours and the other can take the standby night shift and house calls.
Please continue to pray and support our other two scholarship students as they continue their education in hopes to one day join us in serving the Ap Ma people.
Jon Kanja– To begin his final year at Gadep Bible School, Pastoral training in January.
Jeff Norman– To begin his final year at Berina CHW training school in January.
The Exchange
For the past two months I have watched and listened as the women in our community get ready for a Christmas basket exchange. The local leaders heard of this program from another nearby village. It is almost like a secret Santa only with a PNG twist. You see the land of PNG is very diverse and the flora and fauna change even within 10-20 miles. Our area is known for rich black stone-less soil. We have great crops: cocoa, beetlenut, and sago all grow well. The area of Yar, about 15 miles away, has clay ground - much sought after for the pots it can make and a type of reed that can be woven into floor mats. The women of our village plan to buy store goods and exchange their goods for village goods that we can’t make in our area. Then at Easter the favor will be returned with our women bringing garden foods and woven bags in exchange for town goods. I usually help the women doing their town buying as it saves them time and money trying to get into town. Over and over the women said “Take this money and just get as much as you can for this.” Thinking toward Christmas and the gift given to us, I am so glad God doesn’t buy into modern economics. The perfect small investment, with high yielding returns at low risk, isn’t that what we are all looking for? But God in his wisdom invested His Son in this high risk world expecting a return of billions. We have been given this COD, his spilt blood, for our lives and while we grow and mature he is watching over his investment. Do we dare to follow in his footsteps this Christmas? Will we invest in something or someone that might be high risk? Will we share something that is precious to us; our time, our home, our family, and our faith?
Schedule of Events
Nov 28 – Dec 9 Creative Phonics Course
Karie, and 3 Samban Teacher attending
Dec 13 Travel back to Samban
Jan-April Milling and Construction
Jan Ap Ma Writers Weekend
Feb Illustrator's Workshop
April 17 Leave Samban for Madang
May 2-16 Travel to Thailand
May 16 Arrive in Chicago
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