13 April 2007

The Urschitz family and the Waeldes flew to Yatoam over the Easter weekend. Weather conditions were good enough that they were able to fly in and fly out on the scheduled days. That's unusual for Yatoam. On Thursday the two planes, one with mostly cargo and one with passengers, took off from Ambunti within minutes of each other. For part of the journey clouds seemed to hem them in on all sides. One pilot encouraged the other to "climb to a higher altitude and see if we can find a hole." That helped and as they neared Yatoam the skies were blue and they landed without difficulty. Again, for the flights back the next Tuesday, the weather was beautiful.

"Just as the pilots encouraged each other flying together to Yatoam, we also encouraged each other just being there together," Elfriede Urschitz said. They all stayed in a small village house and cooked over an open fire. Bathing was done in the cool stream water and the restroom was out back. The boys carried water from the stream and in spite of the primitive living they all enjoyed it, Johannes Waelde (new to PIM in 2007) especially found it relaxing.

Many people gathered in Yatoam for the weekend and they heard the Word of God. Worship services were held every day and Friedemann Urschitz preached with an interpreter every morning and sometimes in the evenings. Three nights they showed the "Jesus" film in Melanesian Pidgin English, and one of those times to a very large group outdoors. On Saturday eight people were baptized--four women and two men who had been in baptism classes with Pastor Philip for a year, and the two teenage Urschitz boys, Simon and Sebastian. After the baptism each one who was baptized gave a testimony of how they had come to Christ, and stated their desire to follow Him wholeheartedly. The baptism and testimonies of the Urschitz boys in Yatoam seemed to make a strong impression. Afterwards the local village leader said, "Thank you for showing us the meaning of baptism. Now all of us must examine our own lives and make a choice."

Pastor Philip his wife, Gertrude are from a village close to Ambunti and so they are missionaries in their own country. Though t Easter time a large crowd gathered, most Sundays there may be only a handful of people at church. The Yatoams are still basically a nomadic people and much of their time is spent in the jungle gathering food. But Pastor Philip is not giving up and he genuinely loves the people. He hopes to be there for many years.

Pamela Aiambu, the teacher at the grade school, has 45 children in her beginning class, some of them teenagers. The school was started in February, 2007. When Friedemann visited her class four weeks ago, he spoke through an interpreter to the children. Now all the kids understand and speak Melanesian Pidgin! Their singing, too, is improving, though not as noticeably as their Pidgin. Pamela is right on schedule. She concentrated on their Pidgin English first. As she told Friedemann when he visited earlier "Afterwards I'll work on the singing." Traditionally, the Yatoam people don't sing as we know it.

Pamela helps Gertrude with the women's worship on Monday afternoons. When Pamela asked her supervisor, David Kasen, if she should get involved with the older youth, he said, "No, you are too busy already. As it is you can hardly find time to eat!" (David Kasen was in Yatoam for several days before Easter.)

Prayer requests:

1. Please pray for the newly baptized Christians in Yatoam.

2. Pamela is waiting on materials to be flown out from Ambunti to start a Sunday school class. Pray for teachers and faithfulness in attendance.

3. Hygiene is at a very low level--unwashed is the natural and most common condition in Yatoam. Pray for clean hands and hearts.

4. Evil forces have occupied this area for a long time and the people fear evil spirits. They say that recently a woman killed another person through sorcery. Pray for freedom from oppression through the blood of the Lord Jesus Christ.