Hello from the land of miracles,
We have been drinking from a spiritual firehouse. The people here are amazing. You read and hear in the news about how dangerous it is. We have not found that to be the case. We have been warmly received both by church members and people in the community. Everyone is so kind and helpful.
Each store has security both outside and inside. Theft is a huge problem. We have learned that only around 500,000 people in the country have meaningful employment. The others are subsistence farmers or sell items at roadside stands. The main roads here are very rough with huge potholes you must dodge while driving. There are no centerlines, stop signs or traffic lights. It is kind of an adventure each time you drive. If you get off the main roads, you experience huge ruts that are often filled with water. There are partial washouts and sometimes rivers or streams you need to drive through to get to outlying villages.
We had the opportunity to travel into some villages with the Stake President and others to visit some moms’ preschools that the church supports. The roads were terrible. I felt bad for the other missionary couple who were riding in our backseat. The vehicles here are almost all 4X4 trucks with snorkels or land cruisers with snorkels. The ruts and puddles of water can be deep enough to need to engine snorkel, so you don’t stall in the water.
Visiting with the children and volunteer teachers at the preschools was amazing. The kids sang welcome songs to us. They were so cute and had big smiles on their faces. They all want to touch the white people. They are very curious and sweet. The preschools and villages have no power or running water. The houses are mostly made of bamboo. The roofs are mostly thatched with the lucky ones having tin. The villagers must haul water from streams or rivers or ponds. Most do not have any transportation, so they carry it in whatever kind of containers they have.
It has been eye opening to see the faith and hope of the people here. Education and the hope the gospel can bring are what will allow them to improve their circumstances. We found out we live next door to the provincial governor. He introduced himself and provided us with his personal cell phone number, He said he loved us because we are here to help his people. He said he felt that God was the answer to the problems they are facing.
We have been having such a great experience at the learning center. It is amazing to see these return missionaries and other YSA youth step up to teach classes to the students. There is a great desire for knowledge here. Some of the students travel over an hour to attend classes.
We have been working to get the learning center organized. We conducted an inventory of the curriculum and training materials. It was put into the spread sheet so it will be easier to order new materials in the future. Our son Kaleb had to assist Kari from the USA yesterday to lock the internet down at the center so only the center’s computers could use the internet. People on the street and probably some of the YSA try to get on with their personal devices.
We have been working with the fulltime Elders in our area to teach them English. There are Elders from Tonga, Samoa, Fiji, Vanuatu, and PNG serving here. It has been a great experience to interact with them and learn together. We are also having a short devotional on Sunday evening with them. Their testimonies of Jesus Christ are so powerful.
The stake president in Madang is Nyman Hota. He is a convert to the church. He is such a humble leader. He asked us to help him train his leaders. He is going to take us to the various wards in the stake so we can meet the bishops and begin helping with training. The wards except for two are located up in the jungles. We have been told not to travel there alone. You always go with a group in case of vehicle problems or intertribal fighting where they may block the roads and charge money to pass or rob you on the spot.
We are so very humbled and grateful to be serving here. PNG is a land of miracles. We have been learning to eat different types of food and learning about the culture. It is a privilege to be able to serve the Lord here in PNG. We love them very much. The Lord needs more senior missionaries. He needs you badly. It is a sacrifice, but it is well worth it.
This past week we had a YSM young man come into the learning center with a very large cut on the underside of his foot. He has cut it on coral. He had been walking in his sandals after he cut it, and it was full of dirt. I had the opportunity to wash his foot, clean his wound and then apply antibiotic cream and a bandage. As I was doing this, I thought of the Savior washing the feet of his apostles. I began to weep and was grateful for the opportunity to serve this young man in this way. The elders in the room then joined me was we gave this young man a blessing. Three days later, which was Sunday, his foot was almost healed.
We love all of you,
Elder & Sister Trogdon
Author: Sister Trogdon
Missionary