Many of you have been faithfully praying for us as we have been considering partnering with a single lady and another family to work with the Uriay people in the village of Wabuku. THANK YOU for praying!!!!! March 23-25, we had the opportunity to visit Wabuku. Here’s a bit about our time there, and check out Facebook for more pictures.
Our team left the New Tribes base in Wewak and headed out to
the airport where we boarded the 10-seater NTM Kodiak plane. After an hour
flight over lots of jungle, we spotted the grass airstrip where we would be
landing, located in the village of Sinow (a different language group than
Wabuku). There used to be NTM missionaries in this location, but they have
since finished their work, and there is a church in Sinow that is functioning
well on its own.
Plane landings are always a big hit in these remote
locations, so there were lots of people to meet us at the airstrip. We unloaded
our gear and watched the plane take off (after some villagers had to chase a
dog off the airstrip). Then, with the help of some of the villagers, we headed
down to the river, about a half-mile walk away.
The Sinow people are experts at navigating the river, and
many of them use handmade dugout canoes with motors for long trips (the canoes
are actually really sturdy and have lots of room). One of the Sinow church
elders was our river captain for our trek up the river.
We hopped (very gently) in the massive dugout canoe (at
least 50 feet long and 3 feet wide) and took off, with only an hour of daylight
left for our two hour trip (which turned into three hours because it got dark).
I wish I could describe to you the feeling of arriving at
Wabuku for the first time. Seeing the flashlights piercing through the darkness
and hearing the welcoming shouts of the people. After years of praying,
preparing, and training, we finally were here… the place where we may spend a
good part of our lives. The place our kids will call home. It felt so surreal!
We spent some time greeting the people, but, since it was
pretty late already, we quickly made our way to the missionary house where we
all would be staying. It’s been sitting empty for a while, but it wasn’t nearly
as dirty as we were expecting. Most everything was still working, so we had
electricity, running water (cold), and a working stove. A lot of things in the
house were covered up or kept in totes, so we also had clean sheets and beds
for sleeping. HUGE, HUGE blessings!!!
The next morning, we got to meet with the small Wabuku
church. It was amazing hearing their hunger for someone to come and finish
teaching them through God’s Word, even though they have had so many
missionaries come and leave again. We thought they might be burnt out, but they
were eager for us to come, as long as we were committed to come and stay until
the work is complete.
It was a short trip, but already, we are in love with these
people and this precious church that is struggling to grow without much
guidance. God really used this trip to confirm in our hearts that this is where
He wants us to serve, and we are thrilled! Lord willing, we’ll be moving in to
Wabuku sometime at the beginning of 2017 to begin culture and language study.
Thank you SO much for praying us to this point and for
walking on this journey with us! You are a vital part to reaching the Uriay
people, and (hopefully in time) reaching many others through their outreach to
other people groups around them!
