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”
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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”
17. Drama and death among the people of Mendi, 1955
The people of Mendi were busy with their own lives, their own ideas, traditions and beliefs. They saw that the foreign Methodist mission people, and the Government patrol officers, were living in their valley and making some changes, but most of the Mendi people were more interested in their own activities. The mission staff atContinue reading “17. Drama and death among the people of Mendi, 1955”
16. Visitors from a wider world, 1955
Workers from New Zealand, Germany and Tonga join the mission team In 1955, the mission team spoke at least six different languages in their homes and tried to learn the languages of the local people as well. They were all a very long way from their homes. For many centuries, perhaps for thousands of years,Continue reading “16. Visitors from a wider world, 1955”
15. Life in Mendi, 1954
People who liked to fight By 1954, it was clear that there were many challenges for both the Australian government administration and for missions working in the Southern Highlands. Tribal fighting was one of many problems. When some people asked why missions were there at all, the MOM General Secretary Cecil Gribble replied. “But behindContinue reading “15. Life in Mendi, 1954”
14. A Visitor to Tari: 1954
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”
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.”
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”
Margaret Reeson 