Western Province, Papua New Guinea

While it’s not everyone’s desire to go into one of the poorest regions in one of the poorest countries in the world, it has been a dream of mine.  Since I was about 10-years-old, I have wanted to be a foreign correspondent and writer.  I had no idea the form it would take.

Tomorrow I flight out to meet YWAM Townsville’s Medical Ship (the Pacific Link) in Port Moresby, PNG.  We will then be sailing into the Western Province to take medical care into remote areas. 

An idea of what this looks like?  We’ll take the ship up the Bamu River region.  Most of the villages and their names were completely unknown until this year.  The Western Province has one hospital…. One.  It is a very, very far canoe trip from this region.  Walking there would be next to impossible, if not deadly. 

80% of the children seen in this area were malnourished.  We had flour and rice to distribute.  Unfortunately, no one knew what to do with it or how to cook it…. The simple task of boiling a pot of water over an open fire is not possible due to not having pots to cook in. Normally, this procedure would be taught to help the villagers with waterborne illness. 

Most women in this area give birth at the river, in the mud.  Without so much as a sterile mat to lie on.

 I do not write these things to dishonor the people of this region.  They are beautiful with rich culture.  I write these things because much of the world hardly knows the plight of this region. 

I am excited to share in the development.  Our heart there is not to change anyone, but to make life richer for them.  With basic knowledge and tools, many of the disease and health risks can be prevented or reversed.  We want to see community development brought to impact generations for the better.

I get the joy of capturing this.  With my writing and photography skills, I get to tell the world more about the Western Province.  I get to make their stories known.  I get to give statistics a face and a name.

I am so blessed.  It is a dream come true.  This is what I was made for…. I cannot wait to get started! But, more than anything, this is the heart of God for this region. 

God, let me convey Your heart to the world, let me see them with Your eyes, and let me capture a glimpse of who You are.  

I'M GOING TO PNG!

Well, I am learning again and again how God works in His own time. Not mine.

I was pulled aside by a leader on Friday August 10 and asked to be a part of Outreach 6 on the Ship.  Outreach 6 is in 10 days (August 23^rd)!!! (It was all officially approved for me to go today.) 

I am so excited!  More so than I ever thought I would be about going on the Ship.  For some reason, the timing just feels perfect and right.  I have incredible peace about it and know this is an opportunity of a lifetime. 

I will get to be the media person, which means I will be spending every waking hour writing articles/stories and taking photos. Is this my dream job or what? I get to follow Doctors, nurses, health care workers, dentists, and ship crew around for 18 days documenting their and the villagers’ lives!

Now, it will be hard work and challenge all I know about life and the world.  The Western Province of PNG is literally one of the poorest areas in the entire world.  Unlike most impoverished places, such as Haiti, hardly any aid or workers get in.  YWAM’s Medical Ship (through incredible amounts of prayer) was released to go there just weeks ago. 

On top of the poverty, there were recent floods.  Many of the people in this region have been without food for months.  Our ship was given mass quantities of rice and flour to take into those remote areas.  We found out through PNG government officials that our Ship was Plan A to bring aid…. And there was no Plan B.

On the 23^rd, I will be flying up to Port Moresby, PNG and getting on the Ship.  Then, with our fresh batch of volunteers, we will sail (hopefully smooth) to the Western Province for 2.5 weeks. The ship will travel all along the coasts and up rivers to remote villages to set up clinics. 

The only thing I am missing at this point is the funds to get there, but I have every confidence God will provide every penny!  

I can't wait to send up my follow up newsletter to tell you all about it and God's incredible faithfulness.... it's gonna be good! 

If you'd like more information on what I'll be doing, please feel free to contact me!