A MAF Christmas Story, Papua New Guinea 1970
Jim and Ruth Charlesworth served with MAF from the highland base at Wamena in Papua. Jim recently sent through this recount of a memorable Christmas time encounter in 1970.
The highland base at Wamena in Papua was a beautiful place and located in the Baliem Valley. Our home was on the outskirts of the town. We had no running water or electricity supply but the fruit and vegetable supply was abundant. From Wamena, we served the mission groups in the lowlands to the south, delivering needed goods and transporting people. Christmas was an especially precious time as we returned school children to their families for the commencement of their long holidays.
Jawsikor was MAF’s base on the south coast from which a float plane was operated. A few mission stations had airstrips that were only suitable for single engined Cessnas. Usually, we flew to Jawsikor in the early morning and completed shuttle flights before returning home in the afternoon before our path was blocked by clouds in the South Gap.
In 1970, the Christmas King Tides peaked and completely flooded Jawsikor in the morning so that I could not land until late in the day after the tropical sun had dried the surface. Then it was far too late to safely return home in Wamena. Neither could I remain at Jawsikor because the aircraft wheels and brakes would be under water by morning.
Therefore, I willingly received an invitation to spend the night at Kamur, a nearby airstrip where Don and Carol Richardson were pioneering to share the gospel amongst the Sawi people. After dinner, we sat talking about their work. They were very enthusiastic people. Even after dark, the atmosphere was still steamy. Insects scorched themselves as they flew into the burning hot glass of the Petromax lantern. The jungle sounded alive.
The Sawi people lived in constant fear of reprisals from their neighbouring tribes. Payback after payback occurred as a consequence of deaths in battle. Wounded warriors would come to Carol, a nurse, for medical treatment. In frustration, Don called the tribal leaders together, he said, “What is the purpose of our staying here? It will just be a short time before you completely kill each other off.” They responded by assuring them of the very need for the Richardsons to remain with them because of the babies and mothers who had been saved during child birth and of other intrinsic benefits.
Don retorted by asking them if they ever resolved conflicts that ended the insidious paybacks. They responded by telling how a recently born son would be offered to the opposing tribe and if that son was received; peace would prevail while that son lived. Such a son was referred to as a “Peace Child.”
Don explained how Jesus was given to us and was indeed the “Peace Child” that God offered that peace might prevail should we receive him.
May you, too, enjoy the peace that God offers at this Christmas time.
“For to us a child is born, to us a son is given.” Isaiah 9 v6