John Rees’ Bible School began yesterday and John is thrilled as a kid about it. It is very exciting. Margaret Higman, letter to parents May 1962 The men asked me, ‘Can we go and talk to our people about the things we have learned?’ John Rees, Missionary Review, August 1962 When John and Gwenda ReesContinue reading “33. The new Bible School, Mendi 1962”
Author Archives: margaretreeson
32. Trouble in Mendi Mission School 1962
Sometimes I feel we are getting somewhere, sometimes not. They can do excellent work if they want to do it, but sometimes their behaviour is very bad. Margaret Higman, letter to parents It started with complaints. Someone was stealing from the rooms of some of the mission workers at Tende. Sometimes it was money andContinue reading “32. Trouble in Mendi Mission School 1962”
31. Education in Mendi, 1962
I have had the feeling for a long time that we are spending too much time and energy on schoolwork and not enough on spiritual work and pastoral work. John Rees April 1961 The annual report of the Methodist Highlands District told one story about education. Perhaps it was true for education in Tari. InContinue reading “31. Education in Mendi, 1962”
30. The church begins to grow in 1962
The year has seen a remarkable increase in the number of our people coming forward to acknowledge Jesus Christ as their Lord and Saviour. This is due largely to the witness and personal evangelism of the converts themselves… sometimes we are perplexed by what may happen if the number increases very much faster. Highlands DistrictContinue reading “30. The church begins to grow in 1962”
29. Moving to Tende and other changes, 1962
Here at Mendi each person is trying to cope with more work than one can possibly do… This work which God has sent us to do has outgrown us. John Rees, July 1962 The year has seen a remarkable increase in the number of our people coming forward to acknowledge Jesus Christ as their LordContinue reading “29. Moving to Tende and other changes, 1962”
28. Roads and transport in Mendi, 1960
How did the first mission vehicles arrive in the Mendi area? Staff who arrived later may have complained about the roads, or about the condition of the local vehicles but thought it was normal to see cars or trucks on those roads. In the days when only light aircraft landed at Mendi, it was notContinue reading “28. Roads and transport in Mendi, 1960”
27. First baptisms, 1961
‘This was the day. It was the climax of months of preparation by many people and the fulfillment of years of work by others.’ Joyce Rosser, writing of the first baptisms at the Methodist Church in Tari, 1961. ‘The preaching has led to no hasty decisions of belief in God, but rather to a gradualContinue reading “27. First baptisms, 1961”
26. First signs of Christian conversion, 1960s
1960s ‘Little did we dream what was to happen’. Sister Edith James, Tari ‘In a service at Tari nineteen people have made a public confession of faith. A medical orderly at Mendi also accepted Christ’. Annual report 1960 There was nothing to warn them that something important was about to happen. In Tari, it wasContinue reading “26. First signs of Christian conversion, 1960s”
25. New work at Nipa, 1959-60
I am now left with the sobering thought that a great responsibility rests with me, the responsibility of beginning God’s work among these people. Rev Cliff Keightley 4 December 1959, Nipa We do not understand this talk. It is new to us. We want you with us. Some of us will die, and maybe youContinue reading “25. New work at Nipa, 1959-60”
24. Practical ministries of education and health, 1960
We did not understand the meaning of school, so many of the boys left and went back to the village, only a few of us continued. That doesn’t mean we knew the meaning of it either, but we wanted to stay with the mission because it was better than living in the village. Dabuma, 1970Continue reading “24. Practical ministries of education and health, 1960”
Margaret Reeson 