November 1954 The General Secretary of Methodist Overseas Missions (MOM) in the 1950s was Rev Cecil Gribble. He was very interested and encouraging of the new mission work in the Southern Highlands and began to visit Mendi regularly from 1951. In 1954 he came from Sydney to visit the new work in Tari for theContinue reading “14. A Visitor to Tari: 1954”
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13. Laying foundations in Mendi: 1953
Mendi 1953 Bit by bit, the mission team in Mendi were getting to know the people, the language and the customs of the place. The nurse Joyce Walker, the teacher Elsie Wilson and the agriculturalist David Johnston each wrote of their impressions. They knew that the work would be slow and that they needed toContinue reading “13. Laying foundations in Mendi: 1953”
10. A New Beginning in Tari, 1953
Tari, 1953 Why did a new Methodist mission start in Tari in 1953? In some ways this is surprising. In 1953, the mission work in Mendi was still very new. The mission group had only been there for two years. They were a very small team, with two ministers, one agriculturalist, one teacher, one nurseContinue reading “10. A New Beginning in Tari, 1953”
12. The First Church Building in Mendi.
Mendi, 1953 The people at the new Mission in Mendi were very excited when the first church building was opened. Gordon Young wanted to build a church as soon as he arrived in Mendi, but they had to wait until they had houses to shelter their workers. The new building was opened on 27 SeptemberContinue reading “12. The First Church Building in Mendi.”
11. Tari Beginnings, 1953
Tari, 1953 Roland Barnes was very keen to start his new work in Tari. He and his wife Miriam were on furlough in their home State of Queensland at the end of 1952 when they found out that he was to start a new mission in Tari. The government officers said that Mrs Miriam BarnesContinue reading “11. Tari Beginnings, 1953”
09. Letter from David Johnston, 1952
Mendi, 1952 David Johnston and his wife Beryl arrived in Mendi late in 1951. The other missionaries in Mendi were people who had already been working in New Guinea for a number of years. David and Beryl Johnston came straight from New South Wales as a young married couple. David was an agriculturalist who workedContinue reading “09. Letter from David Johnston, 1952”
08. Early Plans at Unjamap, 1952
Mendi, 1952 In the first full year with the new staff in Mendi, the mission group had to stay in the area close to Unjamap because the government patrol officers thought that it was not safe yet to go further away. They were busy with new buildings for a small hospital. Rev Roland Barnes andContinue reading “08. Early Plans at Unjamap, 1952”
07. Elsie Wilson, Teacher in Mendi, 1952
Mendi, 1952 Miss Elsie Wilson came to Mendi as a teacher to work in the new little mission school. She arrived with Rev Roland Barnes and his wife Miriam, and Sister Joyce Walker in October 1951. Elsie Wilson was an experienced teacher. She went to New Britain to teach in the Methodist Mission school atContinue reading “07. Elsie Wilson, Teacher in Mendi, 1952”
06. Medical Ministry Begins with Joyce Walker, 1952
Mendi 1952 Sister Joyce Walker was an experienced nurse who had been working in New Britain. As soon as it was possible for Australian women to return to New Britain after the war years, Joyce Walker joined the first group of Methodist women to travel to Rabaul, arriving by ship in November 1946. Rabaul townContinue reading “06. Medical Ministry Begins with Joyce Walker, 1952”
05. Setepano Nabwakulea: a Teacher from Papuan Islands District, 1951
Mendi 1951-1953 ‘We are thankful for the strong missionary instincts of the Younger Churches and for the gift of these young workers from the Solomons, Papua and New Guinea.’ Missionary Review 1953 Setepano Nabwakulea was one of the first men from Papuan Islands District to go to work with the new mission in Mendi. HeContinue reading “05. Setepano Nabwakulea: a Teacher from Papuan Islands District, 1951”
Margaret Reeson 