Ebel's Blogmail

Hello Folks

Greetings tonight from Kawito! Usually every week I spend Wednesday night here as I help out down in the South fly region of Western Province. It is always an early night so it was a good chance for me to get an email off to you about our Easter weekend at Bosavi.



We had spent time in Bosavi soon after arriving in PNG in order to help us solidify our Tok Pisin language training. Some friends in Australia have purchased a projector and generator for use in western province for showing the Jesus Film and this was our first opportunity to show the film, along with a few other films.

We invited Dr Mike Parsa and wife Jennifer and their two small children to join us. Early Saturday morning we and all our gear loaded up into the Airvan and flew the 50 minutes to Bosavi.



Bosavi was hosting an Easter Convention and had people from the surrounding villages attending, I think for the weekend there were about 10 services planned. We arrived and were graciously welcomed and soon got unpacked into the missionary home there. Dr Mike, his kids and ours quickly rushed off to the creek for a cool down while we sorted out arrangements for the weekend. The pastor showed up with the schedule of events and asked if Mike could preach the next session, in 15 minutes. Mike still dripping wet agreed and went to grab a change of clothes and his Bible.



This was followed in the afternoon by our first movie the “Jesus Film for Children” in Tok Pisin, which filled up the hall, at least half being adults. I am not sure but we probably could have shown anything and still packed out the place.



Later that evening Dr Mike introduced “The Passion” a Hollywood movie focused on Christ’s crucifixion which was followed by the “End of the Spear” a new retelling of the five missionaries killed in Ecuador back in the 50’s. It was interesting for me to watch and listen to the responses from the people around me, while sitting among the people, about 400 in the little hall, as we watched these films. These folks have no “movie etiquette” so there is a constant stream of reading out loud the captions (the Passion is in Aramaic) and translating both into Tok Pisin for some or tok ples (local language) for others not to mention the hissing, clicking and murmurings which all varied according to the good, bad, or shocking things that happened throughout the movies.



On Sunday night we showed the original “Jesus Film” which once again packed out the hall, only it started to rain half way through and we had to stop while we packed even those who had been watching from outside, now into the hall. Those that had rushed to sit in the front were now squished up against the screen looking almost straight up.



Listening to the reactions and noises as I tried to gauge the response. We were not there just to entertain, rather encourage and challenge.



The Passion surprised people as they for the first time realized what Christ really may have gone through on the Cross for us. It was not longer just some words in a book.



With the End of the Spear it was interesting to see how quickly the Bosavi people identified with the Waoidoni (spelt wrong) Indians who had lived in a culture of fear and violence. In this part of PNG headhunters and cannibals were common and the Bosavi people know of missionaries who were killed and eaten. Within a generation back the Bosavi people were hiding during the daylight due to fear of attacks and reprisals from neighboring villages only to come out at night to prepare food and move around. A major theme in the movie is forgiveness which is a hard one to fully embrace here in PNG where payback and compensation are an entrenched part of the culture. While we were there a debate was raging over a compensation demand in the community, I wonder what affect the film’s message might eventually have on the outcome of that claim.



Feedback I received before leaving Monday was that many had been prompted to speak with the local pastors and that others had rekindled their faith. I look forward to hearing more about the after effects of viewing the films. They will certainly be talking many hours for many days and weeks about all four films.



Monday morning was a chance for Dr Mike to conduct a clinic for those needing to see a Dr but due to the isolation never get an opportunity. He was able to realign a little girl’s arm which had multiple fractures from an accident 9 days ago. That alone was worth the trip.



I had the less exciting job of replacing the drive train on the self propelled mower; it has been out of action for about 6 months. In the end, after a lesson on checking and refilling the gear oil in the transfer case, I had to take a wheel home with me in order to repair a hole it in. Should be able to get it back out there in a few weeks.



It was time to go so we packed up the airplane and prepared to head home. I called up Rumginae to get a weather report only to find out they had a medivac for me. A man had cut himself badly in the leg with an axe and the health worker was having trouble getting the bleeding stopped. Remember Yehebi, the snake bit child (see his picture below) from a couple weeks ago; this was the same place, same 4 hour run to the nearest working radio. So with both families already loaded we took off for Mougulu a place where the families could stay put so that Mike & I could get as quickly to Yehebi as possible. 45 minutes later Mike & I arrived at Yehebi, to find that the health worker had that morning sewn up the cut as the bleeding had finally stopped (it was now Monday 2 pm he had the accident Saturday). The tendon had been severed so unable to do anything more for him there, we took him with us, picked up the 4 kids and 2 wives at Mougulu and headed home after a very good weekend.



The plan is for me to show the Jesus Film in other communities especially on these Wednesday nights when I overnight down here in the South Fly. Mike and I are planning to go and do more film/doctor ministry in other isolated communities up around Rumginae.



Thanks for praying!