Go to Goroka

As I was about to fly out of East New Britain for the PNG capital, I felt the next step on this 270 day adventure was “Go to Goroka!” (in PNG’s Eastern Highlands region).

I began looking at flights and was also wondering where I could stay. With no contacts there at all, I was left with His word of guidance alone (which is always good enough! 😉). The lodging option, which looked nice, was overly expensive. I was praying about that and I felt like the LORD said I was not to book anything and “Just go!”.

Tickets for the flight was a real miracle of the LORD (again!). I had taken the banana boat from New Ireland over to East New Britain and had cancelled the flight I was going to take originally. Amazingly the main national airline, with that cancellation, gave me a bonus voucher to put to another flight, so the flight I got was covered by that flight coupon—all but 57 “kina” ($13 or £10!!) 🙌

Some months ago I had a sense I needed to go to the New Tribes Mission HQ in the Highlands and do some exploration about the amazing 1980’s story of whole villages coming to Christ in West New Britain Province. (If you love Jesus and His heart for the world, you will weep with awe watching that 30 minute story and the sequel about how those villagers impacted other tribes). The missionaries founding that work were New Tribes Missionaries and that story was a significant catalyst for global orality missionary movement of which I have also been a part since 2003.

Through one thing and another, following divine prompts, a couple in NTM Goroka contacted me and offered me lodging “for the rest of the month”, and also offered to pick me up in the airport upon arrival (tomorrow).

I had investigated going to visit the Mouk people (those impacted by the NTM work in 1980s) myself. However, the nearest airport is a 45 minute drive from the capital of West New Britain province, and then, from there there are no roads and a trek through mountainous jungle (on my own on foot) would take a little longer than I had time available to me before my next trip! Perhaps, I can meet key people in Goroka who will help me with that research, and, maybe, there might be another plan that will appear while in town.

As well as researching the Mouk story some more, NTM in Goroka have been involved in Bible translation projects and I am keen to learn what they have been doing and excited for other things that no doubt the LORD has planned for me there.

One day at a time. Following Jesus continues for this next stage of the adventure.