Challenging Travel

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The roads in the Highlands of Papua New Guinea are rough - like river beds. The state of the roads, however is not the only problem.

One day I was scheduled to travel from my house in Kagua through Yalibu to a remote village. As I loaded the truck a village councillor came and advised me that tribesmen from Yalibu had set up a road block. They were waiting for someone from Kagua to drive up to the road block. The warriors were waiting to kill someone as payback for a death caused by a Kaguan driver.

As a missionary I had taught that people should not be afraid so I decided to drive up to the road block to practice what I preached.

As we approached the road block of big rocks strewn across the road I judged that my landcruiser would clear them.

I reved the engine and roared over the boulders. As I looked in the rear vision mirror I saw warriors emerge from the bush into my dust.

I continued out to the remote village and stayed there holding teaching seminars over the next 3 days. Then it was time to go back.

As we got closer to Yalibu the 2 national church leaders were fearful. I stopped and we prayed that the rocks would be removed. We took off again and turned the corner towards where the rock road block had been. The rocks had been removed . . . . . but the warriors had put tree trunks up instead.

The national church leaders asked me to turn back. I refused and drove up to the road block. The bushes erupted and armed warriors surrounded the truck and began banging on the sides. I wound the window down and asked the men to remove the barrier.

The apparent leader picked up his axe and advanced toward me. He came up to the truck - I could smell his sweat and see it trickling down the mud on his face as he raised his axe.

Suddenly he stopped. He looked at me and said (in Melanesian Pidgin), "I know you. You are the missionary from Kagua." He turned around to the other armed men and told them to remove the barrier to let me through.

The tree was moved and we travelled home safely.

The experience solidified my faith.

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