In the past year the fury of winds and waves or the rumblings and grindings of the earth ended the lives of thousands. The media flashed images of the death and destruction with hours or even minutes of each catastrophe to viewers around the world. Are these occurrences to become more frequent or is this just going to be a cycle of increased global upheaval or in fact are we in the actual last days?

Areas of the Pacific Ocean Basin, containing the boundaries of several plates, are dotted by many active volcanoes that form the so-called "Ring of Fire". Three-fourths of the earth's volcanoes are in the ring of fire. About 71% of the world's largest earthquakes occur within the Ring of Fire.

PIM's president, Doug Hiedema, writes, "Papua New Guinea borders the PACIFIC RING OF FIRE and in 2005 we had a reminder. The Manam Island most of the time has only a small amount of smoke rising from the highest mountain top. In 2005 for two months smoke poured out more and more until January when the volcano blasted ash and dust out from the top of the volcano, some 14 islanders died. The remaining several thousand inhabitants left the island. During one night the eruption fallout dusted roofs and plants over a large area on the mainland including Ambunti, 120 miles west. Planes stopped flights for several days to prevent engine damage until winds moved the dust away. Rainfall in the evening washed roofs and we didn't use the jet-black water from our water tanks for several days. Fearing, the contamination most people did not eat greens for a week. We never expected to have volcanic dust drift over and fall on our area but it happened."

"Isaiah 54:10 "Though the mountains be shaken and the hills be removed, yet my unfailing love for you will not be shaken nor my covenant of peace be removed," says the LORD, who has compassion on you.
Aisaia 54:10 "Ol maunten i ken bruk na pundaun, tasol laik bilong mi long yu bai i stap strong oltaim. Na mi no inap brukim dispela kontrak mi bin wokim wantaim yu long mitupela bai i sindaun gut wantaim na mi bai i givim gutpela taim long yu."

The government of Papua New Guinea has been stable this year with relatively little political infighting between the parties. September 16, 2005 marked the thirtieth year of independence from Australian rule. There have been no coups during that time. The next general elections for the population of 5.5 million occur in 2007. The currency remain stable against foreign currencies - helped no doubt by higher gold and oil prices. PNG now has its own oil refinery operated by the InterOil Corporation. The big development hoped for is gas, with a pipeline to Australia and the conversion of gas to other products.

In the Sepik area cash crop farmers in villages still struggle with low vanilla prices at less than $15 per kilogram. The buyers' high airfreight cost make it unprofitable to even purchase the beans. Coffee prices are at $.40 per kilogram so they have given up on that crop. Cocoa beans are about the only cash crop being sold in the Sepik area. This makes it very difficult for most village people to even begin to pay their children's school fees or even supply the other needs of the family. For many their income is from sales of vegetables or fish at markets.

The roads in the East Sepik Province have dramatically improved with the Australian government aid funding. The road to Pagwi on which we transport our fuel and building supplies has improved so much that our truck in Wewak has done the trip several times. In September, when the MAF plane was not able to make the flight to Ambunti the Scherings and the Heidemas did the road trip in three hours. Of course with that trip is also an hour and forty-five minute river ride in the canoe to Ambunti.

MAF had a shortage of pilots and mechanics again this year. They had a Twin Otter aircraft crash and lost two pilots in the beginning of the year. Also this year in August, the Wewak plane was damaged beyond repair after going off the end of a wet runway. Fortunately, there were no major injuries in that mishap.

Finally we are thankful for the good people God has given PIM. Unity and cooperation amongst Reuben Wak, Edward Wiruk, David Kasen, David Wakuri, Etewe Gabi, and all the other teachers, station workers, and missionaries make it possible to aid people from different denominations meeting spiritual, physical, and educational needs. This, of course, is not without struggles and difficulties. PIM is truly blessed to be a blessing. Rom 8:37-39