I got a new brother in Christ that night!

“God with us”!! What a blessed event and a continued promise! This is what I have experienced since my salvation – and particularly saw this in action during our recent time among the Orokolo.  One of the three Baptist churches of the Orokolo hosted a bung (a fellowship) in December, so we planned a trip that not only included the bung, but also a visit to the other two Baptist works in Ihu District. Here is the story of this trip – along with some of its blessings and challenges. I encourage you also to take a look at this story in pictures in the Photo Gallery of our website www.theunfinishedtask.com.

Our trip began on a Monday at midnight from Port Moresby when we loaded up in a PMV along with folks from Shalom Baptist Church who were attending this bung as a mission outreach. Riding in the back of a PMV is like sitting on a bench in the back of a pick-up. For part of this 7 ½ hour ride, I sat up front with the driver and had a good opportunity to witness to this Seventh Day Adventist named Kasi. He is very convinced he is a good man. Pray that some of the Scripture I was able to share will begin to tear down this religious stronghold.

We arrived in Kerema about 8 am and waited to be joined by missionary John Allen, flying in from the bush. We then took a 4 hour dinghy ride, 2 hours on Orokolo Bay, and two up river to the village of Huruta. What a wonderful welcome we were given!! Plenty came to the landing to carry all the cargo, and many were waiting at the edge of the village, singing and greeting us with flowers. We were escorted to a shady place to rest, and given kulau, coconut water, to refresh ourselves. That Tuesday night, the plan for the preaching/teaching sessions was explained. Wednesday through Friday mornings, there would be 4 sessions: a devotion, done by a national pastor; a teaching session where everyone would be present; a breakout session where men, women, youth, and children would be taught separately; a preaching session that all except children would attend. Each night, an outdoor evangelistic service would be held. This was the first time we heard that John, Trina, and I would be speaking every day! Saturday, a time for market preaching and visitation was planned – followed by a big feast! (The star attraction of this feast would be Liberty, a two year old pig, raised especially by the church for dinner!) Sunday would include the regular morning services of Sunday School and worship. God was truly with us, and the blessings of the week were numerous; let me share a few!

 Reconciliation!

One morning session, God led me to teach on forgiveness. This is a very foreign concept to PNG thinking. Reconciliation only comes with a “pay back”. At the end of this service, Pastor Maisa and others publically reconciled and gave each other forgiveness! What a sweet time of tears this was!

Trina realized after the first day of her teaching the ladies that she would need to use Pidgin only. This was quite a challenge! After the lesson to married women on “How to pray for your family”, three women came up individually to visit with her about something in the lesson that had challenged them, and desired Trina to pray with them.

On Saturday visitation, God allowed Jerry and I to be the delivery boys of God’s message of salvation to an Orokolo couple. What a wonderful blessing to see the Word of God work in hearts and have a part in this couple trusting Christ! [Read this story in detail on our website.]

In one of the morning sessions with the teen boys, Pastor Tau saw 5 young men receive Christ! The Shalom Baptist teen girls were teaching the children and saw 6 saved during the week! The nighttime evangelistic sessions, preached primarily by national pastors, were awesome. Sunday morning, John Allen preached on John 3 and God used him to draw the net! Many were counseled concerning salvation following this service. During the week, at least 17 made professions of faith!

 8 Baptized!!

This Sunday morning service was followed by some wonderful events. Pastor Maisa was commissioned by his sending church, Shalom Baptist, and all the preachers present laid hands on him. This was followed by something that surprised and blessed Trina and I. Pastor Tau asked us and John Allen to come forward. He explained to all how TTMK, represented by John Allen, was giving us as a gift to the Orokolo people. We would bring Bible teaching and training, strengthening the believers and helping with the start of new churches. They, however, had a responsibility to us also. It was their job to assist us and care for us in this work. How encouraging it was to see each church and pastor make this commitment, and to have them circle around us and publically pray for this future work! This sweet time was followed by a baptismal service. Pastor Maisa baptized 8 believers! Lots of singing and rejoicing accompanied this ordinance, which took place at a deep spot in the creek. Trina and I had thought that after this morning service, we would have a time of rest in the afternoon and evening, having time to pack and prepare for the rest of our trip among the Orokolo …

Kiki gets saved!

This was not to be the case! That morning the national pastors had gotten together and done some planning for us. We were to hike to Harevavo that afternoon and I would be preaching an evening evangelistic service! Well, in all honesty, it took a bit to get our minds enthusiastic about the process of packing and hiking – but it was a wonderful two hour walk, and Harevavo is truly one of the most beautiful villages, situated right on Orokolo Bay. God lead me to preach on the slain Lamb of Revelation 5 – and as Christ was lifted up, He drew Kiki to himself, and in Orokolo, Jerry led him to the Lord! I got a new brother in Christ that night!! Hallelujah! – God with us! 

The next day, Monday, was spent with Pastor Murphy and his family there in Harevavo. Everyone found my steri-pen for purifying drinking water fascinating, and I spent about an hour and a half making safe water for all the family! That evening I preached a message of encouragement to Shem Baptist Church.

Tuesday morning, I woke up horribly sick. I threw up out a bedroom window, and things went downhill from that! Jerry and Murphy wanted us to forget the planned visit to Pastor David and Bethesda Baptist Church (the third Baptist work among the Orokolo), but God would give me no peace to do this. On our survey trip in this area, we had neglected to visit Pastor David, and I just could not travel in the area again without seeing him and his church. We loaded up in a dinghy and headed to David’s village, Haruape. We were given a lovely welcome by David’s family. I spent most of this day sleeping or in the outhouse! [Oh! I forgot to mention that one of the ways each village had prepared for our visit was by building a new outhouse!]

That evening David had his church folks gather together and God gave me strength to practically crawl to a chair and introduce myself to these dear Christians. I shared my salvation testimony, in the event some lost were present, and my call to Papua New Guinea. I am SO glad we did not forego this visit due to my health. On Wednesday morning I woke up feeling much better! We started the day with a 45 minute walk to the land God has given us in Ihu Station. What a blessing it was to see this property again, and pray with Jerry and David on the piece of ground! We have requested a registered surveyor from the government; please pray this happens in an expedient fashion! (an un-PNG way)

We left that Wednesday morning by boat and headed to Kerema. That night in prayer meeting at Charity Baptist Church (the work of missionary John Gray), I shared a testimony of God being with us at the bung and my vision for our work among the Orokolo. It was a blessing to briefly review what God had done! I trust this account has been a blessing to all of you also!

Thank you for all your prayers and giving that makes this work possible! Keep in prayer the three Orokolo Baptist churches. These truly are the only gospel lights currently among this entire people group. We love you all and thank God that as He is “with us”, He is with you also!

Presenting the Person of Christ,

Wil & Trina Muldoon