‘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”
Tag Archives: David Johnston
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”
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”
23 Hope, disappointment and new hope, 1960
Our missionaries are doing a great job but, if their numbers were doubled, they would only be touching the fringe of this field. Rev Harry Bartlett, visitor to Highlands on behalf of MOM 1960 The cutting edge of the church’s advance is the witness and work of the island missionaries. Missionary Review March 1958 TheContinue reading “23 Hope, disappointment and new hope, 1960”
22. Slow progress, 1957-1959
1957-1959 District Report 1957. Seven years of work among one of the most isolated and primitive peoples in the world has not yet reached the stage when converts can be listed. In the persons of the missionaries, European and Pacific Island, the church is there. But it is there in order that an indigenous churchContinue reading “22. Slow progress, 1957-1959”
21. New contacts in the Lai Valley, 1957
1957 Two visitors came to the mission at Unjamap in 1954. They were curious about these strange white people. They saw many signs of change and new things on the mission site. New gardens, large foreign buildings built in ways that were different from the traditional Mendi style. There were strange animals, voices speaking inContinue reading “21. New contacts in the Lai Valley, 1957”
20. New Beginnings in Mendi 1956
It is peaceful around the Mission area now. In the remote areas the way of these people is to settle all disputes by fighting. When the Government steps in, it helps with problems and gradually these are solved without bloodshed. Gordon Young 1956 “This work of true consolidation in the area has been a hardContinue reading “20. New Beginnings in Mendi 1956”
18. Learning to speak the language, 1955
1955, Mendi ‘Beyond linguistics, beyond personality, we are sure that the Holy Spirit shares this task of language analysis, and teaches us. We acknowledge that it is by prayer and faith, our own and that of friends who uphold us, that we shall comprehend the things we seek to know. How else, than by HisContinue reading “18. Learning to speak the language, 1955”
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”
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.”
Margaret Reeson 