Numonohi Christian Academy Writing Contest

Grades 10-12 entries

I have lived in Papua New Guinea for twelve of my 16 years. All but three of these years, I have spent in Pukapuki, a small tribe in the Sepik region. This tribe is part of a language group called the Sanyo. There are about fifteen hundred people in this group, although most of the people live on a different river system. Pukapuki is on a river about half way up the Sepik River. The April River is a very nice river. It is fairly slow most of the time. There are many sand bars to go swimming on. Even though the water is pretty dirty, it is still good to swim and fish in. There are lots of fish in all the rivers of Papua New Guinea. The main kind of fish we catch in Pukapuki is a kind of vegetarian piranha. My father has worked in Pukapuki translating the Bible and discipling the church. He has got twenty chapters of Genesis translated as well as a few books in the New Testament.

Living in Papua New Guinea has greatly influenced my life. Papua New Guinea is pretty much all that I know. My family moved here from Canada when I was three years old. I have been back to Canada twice, third grade and sixth grade. I really do not know much about the western world. My time here at Numonohi Christian Academy has changed that though.

When I first came here to Numonohi at the beginning of my ninth grade year it was not what I thought it was going to be. When I went to 6th grade in Canada, I was not really accepted. That experience greatly affected my thinking of big schools, but my time here has changed that. Even though I have lived here almost 2 years, it still amazes me how everyone from grades 7-12, and even in the elementary school, care so much for each other. I believe that it is really unique for a large school to act so much like a family and that is what this school has been to me, a family, from the principal, to the quietest student.

There are many teachers that have come from different countries and cultures of the world. All have come for a common purpose, to teach in Numonohi Christian Academy. Without these teachers it would be very difficult for missionaries to stay in their tribes planting churches and translating. I am very thankful to these teachers who leave all that they own and know to come and teach out here in the middle of nowhere.

PNG and especially Numonohi Christian Academy have really changed my life. I feel that this change has been for the better.

Having grown up in Papua New Guinea I have spent fifteen years being a missionary child, and I have spent twelve of those years in Papua New Guinea. I grew up in a little tribe in the Islands region called Gergering. I remember running around in just my underwear and eating grubs or big caterpillars with my friends. However, I also remember being very frightened of the old ladies, the big pigs, and the dogs.

I would not trade my life here for anything. I am very happy God decided to allow me the privilege of growing up here. Yes, it has been very difficult not having a real home, or house that I could really call my own. Leaving friends behind and always having to make new ones, only to leave those behind was one of the hardest things. However, it has really helped me to realize that Jesus is my home, and He will be my friend wherever I am. It also has helped me to grow closer to my family. My family and our partners were the only English-speaking people around so, naturally, I spent quite a bit of time doing things with my siblings, making memories.

Not everyone gets to be on the front lines witnessing the action take place. Observing people, who before had no way of hearing the gospel, and late coming to know Him as their personal Savior is just the most exciting scene on this planet. Then when they learn to read I hear them read the Bible in their own language with the light of understanding and hope in their eyes sends goose bumps all over me. Everything changes. They are all different, and it is thrilling! Now, sometimes I do not think I fully understood everything that was going on, but I do know that is has affected me in a positive way.

Freedom, freedom to be able to romp about as an innocent child and see, smell, and taste things that only a miniscule number of people on this planet can even comprehend was my privilege. I had the honor of being in that small number. In all my growing up years I have esteemed God's creation, and I adored just looking at it and seeing His majesty everywhere in it. However, I did not even realize that what I got to enjoy was very extraordinary. I was very blessed. I had everything I needed: God, a family who loves me very much, partners who also cared a great deal for me, and a whole tribe of people who looked out after me. Perhaps some who "cannot possibly live" with out a store, for instance, would turn up their nose at my lack of worldly possessions, however, one, I was a child and I did not know any better, and two, that was the world to me. Even now I look back and I am exultant that I had the pleasure of being allowed to do all those things. Even though I did not have everything right at my fingertips, it has taught me to be content with what I have. It has helped me to realize how much you do not really need here and now.

The Pacific Ocean meets the land in a flurry of aquatic colors. The coast rises into majestic mountains as if straining to reach the heavens. The dense brush and jungle covering the land rustle as herds of wild pigs run from the hunters. A gigantic bird spider weaves its intricate design among the trees, while across the valley, the exotic Bird of Paradise flutters its vibrant feathers. It is a primitive land, much of it untouched by the modern world. High up in the mountains of the Eastern Highlands Province of Papua New Guinea lays a small huddle of glaring tin rooftops. From the houses drift the sounds of people hard at work mingled with good-natured laughter. It is good to be home. I look back on the previous year that I spent in my passport country for furlough and think about what makes me different.

The place I call home is a small missionary support center: a tight community of friends, neighbors, and brothers and sisters in Christ all here for a common goal - to lead the tribal people to Jesus. In such a small community, responsibility is a big part of life. Even the younger members have their own tasks to fulfill. The youth contribute to the flow of our society almost as much as the adults do. Over the last twelve years of living here, I have found my own place in the work of the community. When I leave, there will be a gap left behind, just as if one of our true missionaries were to leave. I am a necessary member of our society, and I am responsible for being an ambassador for Christ, as well as a part of the body.

The fact that I have grown up in a small mission school with Christian teachers has affected my life in an amazing way. These missionary teachers care about not only the education of their students, but also their personal lives. They are always willing to help the students through their struggles. These educators are a great inspiration to me, because they are so devoted to their ministry that they raise their own support and leave their home and family simply to teach me. Every day I can look forward to school because of the joy and encouragement I find there among my teachers and my fellow students. The prayer requests and praises in Bible class are real life examples of God's provision in the tribes and lives of the missionaries. I have been positively influenced by their examples. I believe that being surrounded by spiritual mentors in this way has caused me to become more spiritually mature than some of my peers in my passport country.

Living in a foreign country has given me a broader worldview and helped me to become more accepting of those around me. I have learned not to be prejudiced or biased toward other personalities or nationalities. The world teaches us to put others down to lift ourselves up, but living in this third world country has taught me to look for the good characteristics in people and appreciate them for what God has made them to be. My small community is extremely diverse, but we all love each other as brothers and sisters. Because of this diversity, cliques do not get much of a chance to form in our school. This wonderful variety, I believe, causes most MK's (missionary kids) to be more flexible and able to fit into any kind of group when they return to their passport country.

Living in Papua New Guinea has shaped my character in many positive ways. As I compare my life on the mission field to that of my friends in the country of my birth, I realize that I enjoy more responsibility, deeper spirituality, and a greater appreciation of people from different cultures. It is good to be home again.

To be a missionary kid (MK) is one of the greatest privileges and honors in the world. Few have the opportunity to live in a loving Christian community and have the privilege to be a part of the Gospel being preached for the first time in the heart-language of an indigenous people group.

Though I have only been on the foreign mission field for two and a half years, these two and a half years have greatly changed my life. When I first arrived on the field, I did not have a strong walk with Christ. I knew all the proper answers but that did not mean I had a passion for Christ. Being in a community filled with Christians who love their lord with all of their hearts and strive to serve Him has made a major difference in my life. I have been challenged by their examples and driven to have the same type of relationship with God. If I had not come to the field, I doubt I would have developed a true walk with Christ.

Numonohi Christian Academy (NCA) has played one of the largest roles in my experience as an MK. I have had the privilege of being taught by several wonderful teachers who have taken a personal interest in my life and encouraged me to do my best. Though it has not always been entirely pleasant, I am very thankful that my teachers have set high goals for me and have helped me achieve them. They have not only taught me academic lessons but valuable life lessons as well.

During my first two years on the field, I lived on a small mission compound that was the location for the New Tribes Mission Interface program. One difficulty of living on a small compound was that there were no teens on the compound besides my sister. NCA became my opportunity for social contact with other teens. When I first arrived in Papua New Guinea, I was very shy and quiet around most people. At NCA, I met several good friends who helped me to become more outgoing socially. With their encouragement, I was able to open up and allow people to see sides of me that they had never previously seen.

Through my time as a teacher's assistant this year, I have discovered how much a teacher must do to be a good teacher. Often, students see only the homework and tests and not all the time, energy and passion that the teachers pour into their lessons and curriculum. When I think of the sacrifices that my teachers have made to come to New Guinea and teach, I am very thankful and rather amazed.

I am so very thankful that God has blessed me with the opportunity to be an MK. Even through the hard times, I would never wish to forsake this life and all its wonderful blessings.

I moved to Papua New Guinea about two years ago. To be honest, the move was rough. I let my stubbornness get the best of me. People were persistent to break down my barriers and to show me what true friendship was. After being here and getting to know the culture and the teachers, my perspective has changed. I have learned that just because something is different does not mean it is wrong. I have also learned of the love that people have to offer through Christ.

The school that I am attending as of now is Numonohi Christian Academy. This school has changed my way of thinking in many ways. I have attended public schools my whole life before coming here. It took me a little while to open up my eyes and my heart to see what a great blessing this school is here in PNG. I have become more trusting and more open to different opinions and suggestions. I am being challenged in day-to-day situations from schoolwork to friendships. The teachers here care about you, not just during school, but also outside of school events. I feel very comfortable around my teachers. I am not afraid to ask questions, or call them at home if I need something. These teachers keep on giving themselves and their lives for us students. They never run dry with giving. They have shown me love and compassion, something I was never shown in the schools when I lived back in America. I want to thank them for what they have done. These teachers have all shown me the love of Christ in their own personal walks. I understand that I can frustrate others easily, but they never let that get them down.

When I realized that teachers have left their homes and raised support to come to teach me, I was astonished. I am truly blessed. These teachers did not have to come; it was something they chose to do. The beginning of this school year looked grim because of the lack of teachers. No one was coming; no one could afford to come. This helped with the bond between the students of NCA and its teachers. We are a big family here.

I first came to Papua New Guinea when I was in second grade. Looking back on my nine years of living here, I realize that I have been extremely blessed to grow up at Numonohi. There are so many things about growing up in Papua New Guinea that I am thankful for. Being able to attend Numonohi Christian Academy has been an experience of its own that has had its ups and downs, but like my growing up, I am very thankful for the privilege I have had to go to a Christian school, with teachers who love to serve the Lord.

Growing up in Papua New Guinea has been very beneficial to me in all areas of my life. One obvious way that PNG has affected me is my love for outdoors and nature. If I had grown up in the culture that consumes America today, I believe that I would not have the same appreciation of the outdoors. Thankfully, I have grown up doing things outside that most kids in America never dream of doing. I have been able to stay on desert islands, climb mountains, and go on a multitude of other adventures. All of these things combined have given me a love for the beauty of God through nature. Another way that growing up in Papua New Guinea has affected my life is in my view of missions. I have been able to witness first hand, the work that God is doing in remote tribal locations. Because of this, I have been blessed with a worldview that sees world missions in its correct spot.

Numonohi Christian Academy has also been a large influence on my life. I love the closeness between students and teachers, and appreciate the effort that most teachers put into getting to know their students on a personal level. Many other adults on the Lapilo center do not seem very interested in the youth, but I am always encouraged when the teachers make time to get to know the students. Another way that Numonohi Christian Academy has influenced me is through the Christian atmosphere. At times, it can be quite easy to put on a Christian façade, but if you are sincere about your faith, Numonohi is a good place to grow in it. Being constantly surrounded by Christian teachers and peers can also be encouraging. But like every Christian environment, if you stay closed within your iron fence, your faith does not get much testing from the world. If there were anything about Numonohi that could be better, it would have to be the outreach program. Such a program would offer better relationships with the national citizens and would provide ways in which students could have their faith tested in the midst of unbelievers. Overall, attending Numonohi Christian Academy has been a blessing and has helped me to gain a better education and understanding of God.

Like every other person on the foreign mission field, the teachers at Numonohi Christian Academy have left home and raised support to come teach us. I am very thankful that they come, for without them we would not be able to receive a good education. It is exciting when the teachers who come over to Papua New Guinea have a love to be with kids, but more importantly that they desire to follow God with their lives. It is a huge example of faith when someone gives up everything they have to come serve the Lord on the foreign mission field.

Saying all this, growing up in Papua New Guinea, attending Numonohi Christian Academy, and being surrounded by God-fearing teachers, has been a huge privilege and blessing to me. Because God has allowed me to grow up here, I have received a wonderful education and been able to take advantage of the great opportunity to grow in my faith and learn to walk with God. I would not trade this experience for the world, for it has helped shape me into the man that I am today.

As I look back on the last twelve years of being a student at Numonohi Christian Academy, I have come to realize the opportunities available to me, which are western cultural influence, good education, and strong Bible teachings. My name is Shadrach Ghabiliha and I am the third sibling in my family to be graduating from Numonohi Christian Academy. I am a native Papuan Guinean, mixed Coastal and Highlands. My mother was asked to teach Pidgin, the trade language of Papua New Guinea, to the students and the new missionaries that were coming on the highlands mission field. This then opened the door for my sister, two brothers, and I to attend the school. Dad, now a layman, moved the family back to his tribe in 1992 because he felt the Lord was calling him back home to minister to his people using the knowledge he had about farming. I started attending school as a little preschooler not knowing too much about life. I just went on with life, which is school, the social life, sports, and homework. But as I have gotten older, I now can see how Numonohi Christian Academy has influenced my way of thinking because of the western lifestyle, my education, and biblical foundation.

It is amazing how much the western culture has impacted my everyday life. I really enjoy playing and listening to music of all styles introduced by the westerners. While attending school, I have learned how to read music and play trumpet in a band. I also play the acoustic and electric guitar. There are many different sports and games offered at the school which I have enjoyed learning. Some of them are American football, soccer, basketball, biking, and track and field events and so on. Other small things I have noticed that are a part of this influence are things like my style of dress, how I relate socially to others, the different types of food that I enjoy eating and so on. It is a great privilege that I believe the Lord has given me.

The western influence has also brought in education and religion. Numonohi Christian Academy is a very special school because the staff and families at this school are Christians who provide education for the missionary children. The education offered is a higher level compared to what is offered at surrounding Papua New Guinean schools. As much as the good education is a great privilege, the Christian staff and Bible teaching is an even greater blessing. I can really see how the teachers and staff of Numonohi Christian Academy not only care about our education but our personal growth and relationship with the Lord. The close relationship between the students and staff and students like a family. But I know it is because of the family that we have through Christ Jesus.

This is only a brief overview of how Numonohi Christian Academy has influenced my life. I am very privileged to be a part of the family of God here at Numonohi Christian Academy.

My name is Mikel Poulsen and I would like to share with you some things that I have learned while growing up as a missionary kid in Papua New Guinea. Some questions that are frequently asked me are: "How has growing up in Papua New Guinea affected your life?", "In what ways has Numonohi Christian Academy influenced you?" and "When you realize that teachers have left home and raised support to come to teach you, how does that make you feel?" I am going to try to cover these questions in the following paragraphs.

The first question is probably the hardest to cover. Growing up here in Papua New Guinea has affected my life more than I could put into writing. One of the biggest things that growing up overseas has done to me is it has given me a much broader or real thinking of why we are here on earth. Not to "down" anybody, but I feel that most first world kids are so wrapped up in their own life and the things that are tangible to them, that they do not step back and ask themselves the question, "Why are we here (on earth) toiling day after day, month after month, year after year?" I find that for myself this question is so much more of a reality. When I see the work that my parents and other missionaries are doing here in Papua New Guinea and around the world, I realize that what they are doing is, and should be, what our goal in life is, to bring the lost to a saving knowledge of Christ. Another thing that growing up in Papua New Guinea has done to me is it has given me a sense of not belonging. What I mean by this is, when I return to the countries of my parents, I do not feel any sense of patriotism or loyalty to that country. I feel like a kid without a home. If someone were to ask me where I thought home was, I would not be able to answer them, at least honestly. There are many other things that being a missionary kid has done to me, but these are probably the two main ones.

I believe my school, Numonohi Christian Academy, has both affected me positively and negatively. This school has been a great place for me to get to know teachers and have good fellowship with them. Many adults on this center that we live on do not seem to have enough time to get to know me personally and spend time with me; however, I feel that in school the teachers do have more time for me. Now although the schoolteachers here provide a good atmosphere for fellowship there are still some things that are very negative about this school. Because my school is a so-called "Christian" school, it is very easy for me to pretend to have a good Christian walk. There are really no tests put on my faith here. Everyone is a "Christian." I also feel that my conversations here, in the school setting, hardly every revolve around the Lord and the things He has done. Conversations are usually about things that are pointless and will be forgotten the next day.

Teachers, as I mentioned, are men and women that I appreciate. In my point of view, they have given up almost everything to come over here and do a job that I would never want to have. This attitude of theirs makes me even more appreciative of them. The teachers here seem to have a real sense of wanting to get involved in your life. I must say though that part time or associates have a much deeper "want to get to know you" than full time missionaries do. I do not know if this is due to the fact that the older missionaries are busier or what, but the way I see it is that associates do a better job of being part of your life.

Even though there are positives and negatives of being a missionary kid, I would not trade it for the world. I have learned so much living over here. More than, I believe, I would if I was back in a western country. I thank God so much for this privilege.

There are those who would call me deprived. Who would even venture so far as to feel sorry for me and the life that I have led. In the eyes of those people my life thus far might be called a sad story of separation - separation from family, friends, and aspects of Western life that are deemed necessary for all normal young men and women. Growing up in Papua New Guinea as a missionary kid (MK) is by no means typical, but pity me not. It has been an experience I would trade for no other.

My family came to PNG in 1989. I was only one year old. The next three and a half years were a big adventure to me. Some of my earliest memories are of running through the village, chasing chickens, eating bee larvae, and following my two older brothers into trouble. I knew of no other life and thought things would never change. But things did change. My dad suffered an asthma attack and died in January 1993. We were forced to leave the country and people that we loved, that my dad had loved and given his life for. The next five years in the US were spent hoping and praying that somehow we would be able to return to PNG. It seemed impossible, but the God who loves to make the impossible possible was working. In 1998 He provided a way, that way being Numonohi Christian Academy.

Numonohi Christian Academy is an MK school that exists so that missionaries can be free to serve in tribal locations or in their support ministries while their children receive a quality education. Because this school exists, missionaries are that much more enabled to spread the gospel to those who have never heard. My mom is a Spanish teacher and we live on the New Tribes center, Lapilo, where the school is located. To my family, NCA was the road by which we could serve God in the country we loved. However, when I look back on these last eight years, I can see how NCA has impacted my life personally, more than just enabling us to return to PNG. Being surrounded by my teachers' godly examples and the wealth of Bible knowledge that can be gained by being a part of this school has played a huge part in the development of my relationship with Christ. From academics to sports or service projects, scriptural principles are what is stressed by the teachers and coaches. But what amazes me most about NCA is the student body. The potential MK attitude of bitterness and discontent with the life they lead is extremely rare, if there at all. Most students love their lives and more importantly, love God. The positive peer pressure to have a walk with Christ and live for Him is tangible like no other place I've been. This is not to say we MK's don't have our struggles and trials, but overall, NCA is a help to our spiritual lives, somewhere we can draw encouragement and strength from.

Hudson Taylor once wrote, "how it must grieve the heart of God when He sees His children indifferent to the needs of that wide world for which His beloved, His only Son suffered and died." Here on the mission field, that indifference is felt, even by the students. It is felt in the understaffed ministries, the under-supported missionaries who are here, and the always-present prayer request for more teachers. When new teachers come to our school, even if it is only for a year, it is a tremendous blessing. It means there is someone else who has answered God's call, someone who is willing to undergo separation form family and friends to further the gospel. Many people feel inadequate to go to the mission field, that they don't have enough faith to do something so risky. Hudson Taylor also wrote, "It is not a great faith we need, but faith in a great God." If my life in Papua New Guinea has shown me one thing, it is this: That we indeed have a great God.

I have heard it said that only one out of ten Christians who commit to missionary service ever make it to the mission field; it is a number reminiscent of the ten lepers, of which only one returned to thank Jesus after being healed. Because many who can do not make it to the field, there is a need for more missionaries, a need that has been made apparent to me in Papua New Guinea (PNG).

Growing up as a missionary kid on a rainforest island in the South Pacific sounds exotic. Papua New Guinea is a cultural paradise, full of beauty, but more than that, it is a land full of people - people who need the Lord. Most of PNG's people live in poverty. Crime is rampant, and the standard of living poor. The need for the gospel is great, as thousands are dying in the darkness. Their time on this earth is brief. Yet, so many who have the good news cannot comprehend how important it is to reach the lost before it is too late. If anything, living in PNG has made clear to me how urgent the need for the gospel is.

From the start of my education at Numonohi Christian Academy, a New Tribes school located in the Eastern Highlands Province of PNG, I was ingrained with the need for more missionaries. Parents, pastors, teachers, and other missionaries have instilled in me a great respect for missions. They left their homes, families, and all they had to come to the mission field. Some have come as teachers, and it is an honor to be surrounded and taught by these servants of God. They are examples for me to follow.

Unfortunately, at a place like Numonohi, more help is always needed. The school is forever in need of more teachers, and has even been forced to combine different elementary grades into one class because the workers are too few. In high school, the need is seen in the correspondence classes students must take individually because there is no one to teach us. There is an urgent need for more missionaries. Experiencing this first hand has not only heightened my understanding of it, but also deepened my desire to make it understood by others.

What would the world be like if more Christians were aware of the great need for more missionaries? What if more people were like the one leper, who came back to thank Jesus for what he had done? It has been said that only one out of ten Christians who commit to missionary service ever make it to the mission field. Jesus' question remains the same: "Where are the other nine?"

Growing up in Papua New Guinea (PNG) has had a lasting effect on my life. I have lived here all my life, and over the years I have developed lasting friendships and created many memories. I have also developed an appreciation for the people who have followed God's call to come to Papua new Guinea to play their part in spreading the gospel to all the peoples of the world. Being surrounded by such great Christian examples has had a lasting impact on my life and how I live it.

Thinking back over my life in PNG brings to mind so many good memories and feelings that I am not able to express them all in such a short essay. However, the thing that has had the most lasting impact is the lifelong friendships that I have developed with people all over PNG in the years I have been here. These are not shallow friendships or mere acquaintances, but relationships that will last a lifetime. Living in a third world country and seeing the poverty of the people around me has given me an appreciation for what I have. Even as a missionary, I often take for granted things like running water, plentiful food, and good shelter. However, growing up with people all around me who don't have such basic things has given me a desire to help these people, both spiritually and physically. My desire is to eventually join a Christian aid organization and help the poor while also spreading the gospel. If I had not grown up in PNG I most likely would not have developed such a desire.

In the year 2001 I left my family in Hoskins, West New Britain, to attend Numonohi Christian Academy (NCA). This is now my third and final year at the school. What a blessing my three years at NCA have been! There are so many opportunities to grow as a Christian here. There are weekly discipleship classes, Bible studies, and prayer meetings, and also daily Bible classes. Without the people, though, NCA would not be what it is today. The teachers and the other adults living at Lapilo are such good Christian examples to the students. NCA has a very high standard of education, and, as a result, students usually do very well.

I am eternally grateful to the teachers who have given up their lives and careers in their home countries to come to PNG to teach missionary kids at NCA. These teachers have made it possible for hundreds of kids like me to get a great education, both in academic and spiritual matters. They are great examples of the type of servants the Bible tells us to be. Their good example makes me want to work harder in school.

It is hard to sum up all my thoughts and memories regarding my life in Papua New Guinea and my years at Numonohi Christian Academy. However, I can truly say that I would not trade my experiences growing up in this country for anything. I am eternally grateful to God for letting me grow up in such a spiritually encouraging environment that has provided me with a good spiritual grounding for the rest of my life. I will never forget the memories and relationships created in my years growing up in Papua New Guinea.

My name is Jordan Wall and I have lived in Papua New Guinea for most of my life as a missionary kid. I have learned so much here that I would never have been able to understand if I had grown up in a western country. Below are three questions that I hope will help you understand my life and how God has blessed me.

How has growing up in Papua New Guinea affected my life? Since the time I have come to this land with my parents, God has provided me with a foundation firmly set in Him. While in the tribe of Pukapuki, I was able to witness first hand my parents and co-workers present the gospel of Jesus Christ to the people there. When the teaching was completed I saw many of them come to know Jesus as their personal Savior. Living in this country has been extremely beneficial with all the godly men and women who are very helpful when we as missionary kids are going through hard times or have questions regarding the Bible you can go directly to them without fear of rejection. The best part of all about growing up here in Papua New Guinea is that I can freely exercise my faith and being like Christ anytime.

In what ways has Numonohi Christian Academy influenced my life? First and most importantly, it has given me an excellent education with Christian teachers who are upstanding and fear God. Here at School I have also been able to go to discipleship groups and get involved in programs like "Feet to your Faith", which has helped me to grow continually in my spiritual life. Now what I have to say may or may not make sense, but please bear with me as cultural boundaries and crossing to and from them are a very real thing for home-schooled students living in the tribe. I was home schooled until I was in seventh grade while living in the tribe. This left me with the majority of my time being spent interacting and learning the tribal culture. This was excellent for when I was in the tribe, knowing their culture and being able to relate to it, however when I left the tribe and came to NCA I was in for a massive culture shock. Since I have been here I have gotten to know western culture and being able to relate to it, however when I left the tribe and came to NCA I was in for a massive culture shock. Since I have been here I have gotten to know western culture and can now relate better to white people. Therefore I am very thankful that I came to this school, for every thing I have learned here will be needed once I return to the United States.

When you realize that teachers have left home and raised their own support to come teach you, how does this make you feel? I am very thankful that they have listened to God and have come to serve where there is a great need. I am also grateful, for without associates and permanent teachers I personally would be doing correspondence courses my senior year. What I thank them all for, especially new teachers, is that they have just left colleges and school in the United States or other countries so they know what the requirements are to get into schools there.

Maybe this has given you an idea of what life is like on the mission field, and will challenge you to help fill the needs, whether it is taking on a support role spiritually, financially, or physically. I hope you can find some way to get involved in the work of the Lord, and I would like to leave you with this verse. "And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him." Colossians 3:17.

Just around one more bend in the river and we will be home, I thought to myself. It had been a long day. At 8:30am I had left the boarding school in Goroka and had flown down to the Sepik. It was finally the school break. At 10:00am the Cessna 206 touched down on the bumpy strip in Siawi. Looking out the window of the plane I saw my dad had made it up the trail in time to meet the plane. He was standing along side Tom Brendle, one of the Siawi missionaries.

After waving farewell to John Merristra, the New Tribes pilot, my dad and I caught a quick bite to eat and hit the trail for Sino, the tribe in which my parents were missionaries. This trail was not just any ordinary trail. We had to walk through swamps, over tiny logs that stretched across streams, through rivers, and other things the average hiker did not do. All together it took about three hours to hike to the Sepik River from Siawi. There was a dugout motor canoe waiting for us at the river. Jumping in the canoe we started our way down river.

The sun was starting to set before the morretta thatched roof of our jungle home came into view. The people from the village crowded the dock as we came in. Everybody was waving and smiling at me. "O Wes, you have come back," they would say to me in the trade language. There was mom standing along side them all, happy to see her son home.

Seeing the love my parents have for the Sino people and how they have faithfully worked in learning the language so that one day the gospel can be preached to these lost people has really shown me what love is. To give up a life of comfort and to come live among people in a lonely place in the middle of wilderness is true love and faithfulness. They have been faithful to God's calling of them and have passed that baton, of wanting to serve Christ, into my own life.

A great friend of my family's who is part of the supply team in Wewak had an unknown problem with his joints. This man went back to America and was examined by many doctors. Finally they found what was the matter and after treatment he was able to come back to Papua New Guinea. His hands are a bit crippled, but he has come faithfully back to what God has called him to do. This man had all the excuses and reasons to go home but he was faithful and came back to where he felt God wanted him. Look at this man's love for Christ and his awesome faithfulness.

Growing up in Papua New Guinea has helped me to see the need to reach out to others about Christ. It has shown me that it is useless to reach out to these unbelievers without love. How will the people we witness to understand Christ's love for them if we do not show our own love for them.

My life in Papua New Guinea has shown me God's faithfulness. God let us be a part of other people's lives. He has brought people who have been encouragers to us young people in living for Christ. We are surrounded here by people who want to serve Christ with every breath they have. There are so many good role models here for us to follow. God has enabled us to have teachers to teach us.

The teachers at Numonohi Christian Academy have given me a great schooling and also they have continued to encourage us in the faith and living our lives for Christ. They have taught us trades such as carpentry and leathering.

All the teachers of Numonohi Christian Academy mean so much to me. They have left home and left well paying jobs to come teach us missionary kids. Without our teachers the work my parents are in would probably have been slowed down because of my home schooling. These teachers have shown me again what love is in the way they conduct themselves. I thank these people for their labors and the influence they have had in my life.

Living in Papua New Guinea has made me into who I am. I am so thankful for the life God has so graciously given me over here. There are no regrets and there never will be. This is where my walk with Christ has for the most part started and grown. There is no better place to be than in the center of where God has us.