Papua New Guinea

IN THE ancient past​—over a period of many years—​waves of people migrated south through Asia in search of a new home. At the eastern end of the Malay Archipelago, they encountered New Guinea, a rugged tropical island​—the second largest in the world. * They trekked along its steamy coastline, settling its vast swamps, dense jungles, and scattered outer islands. Some scaled its mountainous spine to populate temperate highlands blessed with broad valleys and fertile soils.

The population formed no unified national group but was composed of over a thousand small and often-warring tribes. They followed diverse customs, wore distinctive dress, and spoke over 800 languages. Most groups lived in fiercely defended enclaves, completely oblivious to the outside world. Many believed that the horizon hid a realm of demons and departed ancestors who affected their lives for evil or good. People’s lives revolved around appeasing those spirits.

The population was also physically diverse​—barring one widespread characteristic. Noting this feature, Jorge de Meneses, a Portuguese official visiting  there in 1526, dubbed the island Ilhas dos Papuas, meaning “Land of the Fuzzy-Haired People.” The Spanish navigator Ynigo Ortiz de Retes felt that the islanders resembled the inhabitants of Guinea, West Africa, so he named the island Nueva Guinea, or New Guinea.

In the 19th century, European powers divided the island into three sections. The Dutch, who came first, claimed the western half, which is today part of Indonesia. The British and the Germans divided the eastern half into British New Guinea in the south (later called Papua) and German New Guinea in the north (later, New Guinea). After World War I, both of these territories came under Australian control. Finally, in 1975, Papua and New Guinea combined to form the independent nation of Papua New Guinea. *

Today, Papua New Guinea is still emerging into the modern world. Some of its citizens live in modern cities surrounded by high-tech conveniences. Yet, 4 out of 5 people live in small bush villages, where life has changed little over hundreds of years and ownership of pigs signifies wealth, bride-price is common, spiritism is widespread, and clan loyalties are paramount.

In recent decades, however, this country of contrasts has seen a more significant transformation, one touching sincere people from all ethnic groups and improving their lives in countless ways. It is a spiritual transformation resulting from the study and application of the truths found in God’s Word, the Bible.​—Rom. 12:2.

 EARLY BEARERS OF GOOD NEWS

Bible truth arrived in Papua New Guinea in 1932 when a British pioneer named Peck stopped over on his way to Malaya (now Malaysia). Not one to waste an opportunity, Peck spent several weeks preaching to the locals. He placed hundreds of pieces of Bible literature before moving on to his assignment.

Three years later, seven pioneers aboard the motorized ketch Lightbearer landed at Port Moresby to repair their damaged engine. During their month-long stay, they zealously preached throughout Port Moresby and nearby areas. One of them, Frank Dewar, a hardy New Zealander, walked inland with a load of books and placed Bible literature with settlers as far as 30 miles [50 km] from the coast.

Some of that literature found its way into the hands of Heni Heni Nioki, a witch doctor from the Koiari tribe. After that, the Bible truths he learned lay dormant in his heart, waiting for Jehovah’s Witnesses to return and water what had been planted.​—1 Cor. 3:6.

 During the late 1930’s, another pioneer engaged in an extended preaching tour that covered the main towns in Papua New Guinea, including the islands of New Britain, New Ireland, and Bougainville. He placed much Bible literature. But before others could build on his efforts, the region sank into the chaos of World War II.

PREACHING IN THE “BIG VILLAGE”

Twelve years later, on September 22, 1951, a tall Australian stepped out of a plane into Port Moresby’s oppressive heat and humidity. Tom Kitto​—a 47-year-old Witness—​had responded to a call for volunteers to open up the Kingdom work in the Pacific islands. His wife, Rowena, joined him six weeks later. Their territory was all of Papua New Guinea.

The Kittos soon discovered that most Europeans in Port Moresby were indifferent to the Kingdom message. But then they met Geoff Bucknell, a fellow Australian, who had drifted away from the truth as a young man. Geoff agreed to study and later became a faithful Witness, as did his wife, Irene.

 Tom and Rowena then moved on to Hanuabada, a name meaning “Big Village” in Motu, the local language. Extending over Port Moresby Harbour, the village included hundreds of stilt houses connected together by long wooden walkways reaching out from the beach. “People flocked around us to hear the good news,” writes Rowena. “There was so much interest that we returned every evening to conduct Bible studies, missing only two evenings in two months.” Tom adds: “The hope of the resurrection and life on a paradise earth really appealed to these people. When Christendom’s missionaries and a local policeman pressured them to stop their studies, every one of them stood firm. The truth had settled deep in their hearts.”

Among those who took their stand for the truth were Raho and Konio Rakatani, Oda Sioni, Geua Nioki, and her husband, Heni Heni, who had obtained literature from the crew of the Lightbearer 16 years earlier. Soon a group of about 30 interested ones was coming to Heni Heni’s home for regular meetings. “Men and women sat apart on separate sides of the room,” recalls Oda Sioni, a young boy at the time.  “The women wore grass skirts and no tops and carried their babies in colorful string bags that they suspended from the rafters in the room. After breast-feeding their infants, they placed them in the bags and gently rocked them to sleep.”

Tom Kitto conducted those meetings with the aid of an interpreter. Understandably, things did not always run smoothly. “At one meeting, Heni Heni’s brother, Badu Heni, served as interpreter,” relates Don Fielder, who arrived in 1953. “Things seemed to be going well at first, with Badu interpreting Tom’s words and even copying his gestures. Only later did Badu confess that he did not understand a thing Tom was saying. He just repeated what truths he knew and copied Tom’s gestures so that the talk looked right.” Despite those challenges, the group grew rapidly, and soon a second group was formed at Raho Rakatani’s home, also in Hanuabada village.

“COME AND TEACH MY PEOPLE”

Early in 1952, Bobogi Naiori, a Koiari chief and prominent witch doctor, visited Heni Heni​—his wantok, or fellow tribesman—​and attended a meeting at his home. Impressed by what he saw and heard, Bobogi later approached Tom Kitto and pleaded: “Please, come and teach my people about the truth!”

Soon afterward, Tom and Rowena drove their old pickup truck over boggy dirt roads to Bobogi’s home  at Haima, a small village about 15 miles [25 km] north of Port Moresby. Tom preached to the assembled villagers while Bobogi interpreted. As a result, about 30 people began studying the Bible.

Later that month, the group at Haima built a small hall for Christian meetings. “The hall had a bush timber frame, thatched grass roof, and waist-high plaited bamboo walls,” recalls Elsie Horsburgh, who later attended meetings there. “Sapling seats, a kerosene lamp, and a small blackboard completed the internal decor.” This modest structure became the first Kingdom Hall in Papua New Guinea.

Bobogi then wanted his wantoks in the nearby mountains to hear the good news too. So he and Tom set off along a precipitous mountain road to the Sogeri plateau. Soon they were studying with over 90 people in three villages there.

Such activity did not escape the notice of the government authorities. At Ioadabu, a government officer marched into the meeting place, demanding to know who had authorized Jehovah’s Witnesses to teach the local villagers. The police also interrogated  several interested people about the nature of our work. Some village pastors and plantation owners even threatened the brothers with violence.

Under such pressure some interested ones fell away. Yet, a nucleus stood firm. In 1954, the first Witness  baptism in Papua New Guinea was held, and 13 Bible students were baptized in the Laloki River at Haima. One of them was Bobogi, who declared: “Even if all the Koiari fall away, I will not, because I know this is the truth.” True to his word, Bobogi maintained his integrity, serving faithfully as an elder in the Haima Congregation until his death in 1974.

MEMORABLE GATHERINGS

In July 1955, John Cutforth, a Canadian missionary serving in Australia, arrived in Port Moresby as the first circuit overseer. John took an immediate liking to the tropics, its way of life, and its humble people. Little did he know that he would serve in Papua New Guinea for more than 35 years.

John brought with him the film The New World Society in Action, a documentary highlighting the organizational work and conventions of Jehovah’s Witnesses. During his three-week visit, he showed the film 14 times to audiences ranging from a few hundred people to nearly 2,000. It had a real impact on the local population, many of whom had never seen a film before.

John’s visit culminated in a one-day circuit  assembly at Haima. “When the candidates for baptism were asked to rise, . . . seventy stood up!” recalls Tom Kitto. “Our hearts literally welled up with gratitude to see forty brothers and thirty sisters lined up along the jungle river ready to symbolize their dedication to Jehovah.”

The following year, the brothers arranged to hold a second circuit assembly at Haima. Bobogi, the village chief, was assigned to build the needed facilities and prepare food for those expected to attend. Three days before the assembly, John (Ted) Sewell, the new circuit overseer from Australia, met with Bobogi to discuss the preparations.

“What have you built?” asked Ted, getting right to the point.

“Nothing yet,” Bobogi replied.

“But this is Thursday, Bobogi, and the assembly is on Sunday!” exclaimed Ted.

“That’s all right, brother,” answered Bobogi. “We’ll make everything on Saturday.”

Ted was aghast and returned to Port Moresby convinced that the assembly would be an organizational disaster.

That Sunday he drove anxiously to Haima to see what had happened. What a transformation! Under a sweeping tree facing a large area of cleared ground stood a sturdy wooden podium. Farther away lay stone cooking pits, where pigs, wallabies, deer, pigeons, fish, yams, and sweet potatoes were being roasted. Teakettles boiled on an open fire. Crowds of people mingled happily at a cafeteria made from bush materials. And  there, in the midst of all the activity, stood Bobogi, looking quite unperturbed. Ted was flabbergasted!

“Bobogi, where did you learn to do all this?” he gasped.

“Oh, I saw all of this in that film John Cutforth showed us last year,” replied Bobogi.

Over 400 people from eight ethnic groups attended that assembly, and 73 were baptized. In later years, it came to be called Bobogi’s assembly.

PREACHING WITH PICTURES

In 1957, John Cutforth moved permanently to Papua New Guinea and took up the traveling work there. Since his first visit, he had thought long and hard about the best way to preach to the local people, most of whom were illiterate. Now he was ready to put his ideas into practice.

When addressing a congregation or isolated group, John first wrote his name and the name of his interpreter on a blackboard. Then, pointing to heaven, he asked the audience, “God, what name?” He wrote their answer, “Jehovah” as well as “Psalm 83:18” at the top of the board. Underneath, to the left, he then wrote the heading “Old World” and drew stick figures of two men fighting, a person crying, a grave, and “Romans 5:12.” On the right, he wrote the heading “New World” and  drew two men shaking hands, a smiling face, a grave crossed out, and “Revelation 21:4.” Afterward, he gave an animated talk explaining the drawings. He then invited individuals in the audience to come forward and repeat his presentation. When they had mastered it, he invited them to copy the pictures onto a sheet of paper and use it in their preaching work.

“Picture Sermon One,” as it was called, had a profound impact on the preaching work in Papua New Guinea. Other picture sermons soon followed. “We spent countless hours copying these picture sermons into school exercise books. Each Bible student received a copy, which he used to preach to others,” says Lena Davison, who served in the country for 47 years. Children produced their own picture books and colored them in with great pride.

This teaching method was also adapted for congregation meetings. “Blackboard drawings were used extensively during the Public Meeting and Watchtower  Study, greatly helping those who could not read,” explains Joyce Willis, a Canadian pioneer who spent more than 40 years in Papua New Guinea. Picture sermons painted on canvas were also used as teaching aids at assemblies. “These large paintings were very popular and impressed key teaching points on the mind of the audience,” says Mike Fisher, who served in the circuit work there. “Many of the paintings ended up hanging in the homes of isolated publishers, who proudly used them to witness to visitors.”

Decades later, when more people learned to read and write and illustrated literature became widely available, picture sermons were discontinued.

EXPANDING THE WITNESS

During the late 1950’s, a steady stream of zealous Australians moved to Papua New Guinea, eager to preach the good news. In addition, many people who learned the truth in Port Moresby returned to their villages with the Kingdom message. Thus, the good news spread rapidly throughout the country.

In 1957, David Walker, a 26-year-old Australian brother living in Port Moresby, heard that people in the neighboring Manu Manu village and in the Gabadi region were interested in the truth. David left his job, started  special pioneering, and spent a year preaching in the region, working alone in service the whole time. Others later built on his efforts, and now Manu Manu has a congregation and a Kingdom Hall.

In the meantime, while preaching at Koki market in Port Moresby, Don Fielder met several fishermen interested in the truth. The men came from Hula, a coastal village about 60 miles [100 km] to the east. To help them and their families further, Don, along with Athol (Dap) Robson and some interested Hula people, set sail for Hula in Don’s new 26-foot [8 m] twin-hull canoe. They stayed in Hula for three days and established a small study group there.

Soon afterward, Don moved to Hula as a special pioneer, taking his wife, Shirley, and their two-year-old daughter, Debbie, with him. “We built a small hut and began preaching in the five villages in the area,” relates Don. “This involved walking a circuit of about eight miles [12 km] every day. It was physically taxing but  spiritually refreshing, as we started many Bible studies and soon had eight new publishers working along with us.”

Don and Shirley’s preaching aroused the ire of the local United Church minister, who pressured their landlord to order their hut off his land. “When people from a nearby village heard about this, they were very angry because they did not want us to leave,” says Don. “About 20 of them helped us to move our hut​—foundations and all—​to a new plot of land owned by their village.”

The irate clergyman refused to give up. He lobbied the Port Moresby authorities to ban the Fielders from locating their hut anywhere in the district. “Rather than leave our assignment,” says Don, “we asked Alf Green, a skilled carpenter, to salvage wood from our hut and build a small room on our twin-hull canoe. We then anchored the canoe in a mangrove swamp near the mouth of a nearby river. There, among swarming mosquitoes and lurking crocodiles, we lived, while pioneering, for the next two and a half years.” When their second daughter, Vicki, was born, the Fielders returned to Port Moresby. They later shared in the traveling work, and Don served on the Branch Committee.

OTHERS HEAR THE GOOD NEWS

About that time, at Port Moresby, Lance and Daphne Gosson started studying with several young men who came from Kerema, a coastal village about 140 miles [225 km] west of Port Moresby. When the men returned home for vacation, Lance and Jim Chambliss decided to visit them for two weeks to take the good news to Kerema.

 “The whole village gathered together to listen to us,” writes Lance. “During our presentation, the local London Missionary Society pastor stormed in and attacked our interpreter, punching him several times before the villagers intervened. He insisted that the local people did not want us there and ordered us to leave ‘his’ area. We replied that those who wanted to listen to us could accompany us to the other side of the village, while the rest could stay with him. The whole village followed us.

“The next morning we went to see the district commissioner to report what had happened. On the way there, we met a woman who was very ill. We offered to take her to the local hospital, but she was afraid to go. Only after much persuasion did she finally agree to accompany us. After leaving her with the hospital doctor, we called on the district commissioner, who clearly did not welcome our visit. In fact, he angrily accused us of teaching people not to accept medical help! Just then, however, the hospital doctor walked in and overheard his accusation. He told the commissioner that we had just persuaded a sick woman to go to the hospital for medical treatment. The commissioner, to his credit, immediately apologized. He told us that the local Catholic priest had just visited him and misrepresented our beliefs. He then assigned two armed policemen to protect us from further trouble. It was quite an experience to have policemen with rifles sitting in on our Bible studies!”

Soon afterward, two young Australians, Jim Smith and Lionel Dingle, were assigned to Kerema as special pioneers. They immediately set to work learning Tairuma, the local language. “We said each word in Motu, and our Bible students told us the corresponding  Tairuma word, which we wrote down,” explains Jim. “In this way we built up a small vocabulary and memorized a simple Bible presentation. The local people were amazed to hear us speaking their language, as no other Europeans in the district could do so. After three months we were conducting weekly meetings in Tairuma on both sides of Kerema Bay.”

Later, Glenn Finlay, another young Australian pioneer, took over from Jim and Lionel and preached alone in Kerema for 18 months. “It was a testing time for me,” says Glenn, “and I sometimes wondered if my work was accomplishing anything. But then a humbling experience changed my view.

“One of my Bible students was an elderly village baker named Hevoko. He was totally illiterate and after some months had managed to retain only a few basic truths. I wondered if it was worthwhile teaching him. Then one morning, as I approached his home, I heard a voice and stopped to listen. It was Hevoko praying aloud to Jehovah, thanking Him in earnest tones for teaching him the truth about His name and the  Kingdom. His sincere prayer reminded me that Jehovah looks at people’s hearts, not their intellect. He well knows those who love him.”​—John 6:44.

CONFRONTING A CARGO CULT

In 1960, two other Australian special pioneers, Stephen Blundy and Allen Hosking, moved to Savaiviri, a village about 30 miles [50 km] east of Kerema. After living in a tent for three months, Stephen and Allen moved into a small bush house on a coconut plantation surrounded by a vast swamp.

Savaiviri was a renowned cargo-cult stronghold. How did this cult begin? During World War II, the locals marveled at the vast wealth, or cargo, that accompanied foreign soldiers. Then the war ended, and the soldiers packed up and left. Some villagers reasoned that since the cargo had come from over the horizon​—the direction of the spirit world—​their dead ancestors must have been sending it to them but that the soldiers had been intercepting it. To alert the spirits to their need, the people engaged in mock military drills and built sturdy wharves to prepare for the glorious day when a flood of new cargo would arrive.

 Before long, Stephen and Allen were studying with some 250 cargo-cult members, including its leader and some of his “twelve apostles.” “Many of these people came into the truth,” relates Stephen. “Indeed, the local government patrol officer later told us that our preaching was instrumental in bringing the Savaiviri cargo cult to an end.”

PRODUCING BIBLE LITERATURE

Those early pioneers quickly saw the value of translating Bible literature into the local languages. But how could they provide literature to 820 different language groups?

In 1954, Tom Kitto took the first step by arranging for local brothers to translate a chapter of the book “Let God Be True” * into Motu, the local Port Moresby language. Over two hundred copies of that mimeographed chapter, entitled “The ‘New Earth,’” were distributed in pamphlet form, delighting many Motu-speaking people.

As new areas opened up, pioneers toiled long and hard to translate literature into other local languages. Jim Smith relates: “By writing down new words and expressions, I painstakingly compiled a Tairuma dictionary and notes on grammar, which I used to translate Watchtower study articles. I often worked late into the night typing up translated articles on sheets of paper to distribute to people attending the meetings. Later I translated a tract and a booklet into Tairuma. Those early publications helped many Kerema people to learn the truth.”

Other publications were produced in Hula and  Toaripi. Since it seemed impossible to print publications in every language, the brothers later concentrated their efforts on the two trade languages​—Hiri Motu and Tok Pisin. Hiri Motu, a simplified form of Motu, was spoken by many people along the Papuan coast. “We worked hard to improve the written form of this language,” says Don Fielder. “Indeed, The Watchtower and our other publications in Hiri Motu did much to develop the language to its present comprehensive form.” Tok Pisin​—a blend of English, German, Kuanua, and other languages—​is widely spoken in the highlands, coastal regions, and islands in northern Papua New Guinea. How did the preaching work get started in that diverse territory?

THE GOOD NEWS SPREADS NORTH

In June 1956, newlywed pioneers Ken and Rosina Frame were the first Witnesses to move to New Ireland, an island in the Bismarck Archipelago in northeast Papua New Guinea. Ken, an accountant, worked with a large trading company in Kavieng, the main town on the island. “Before we left Sydney,” Ken relates, “we were advised to let people get used to us before we started to preach openly. Rosina was a good dressmaker and soon had many  customers. We witnessed to them informally, and soon there was a small group of interested ones meeting discreetly at our home once a week.

“Eighteen months later, John Cutforth, the circuit overseer, visited us and asked if he could show the film The Happiness of the New World Society. I spoke to the owner of the local cinema, and he agreed to screen our free ‘mission’ film without charge. His staff must have spread the word about the show. When we arrived at the cinema, the entrance was packed with people, and we needed help from the police to make our way inside. Over 230 people attended the screening, not counting those peering in through the open windows. After this event we preached more openly.”

In July 1957, a congregation was established at Rabaul, New Britain, a pretty harbor town flanked by two active volcanoes. The Rabaul Congregation met in the backyard of a house rented by special pioneers. “Over a hundred people came to the house every night to study the Bible,” says pioneer Norm Sharein. “We divided them up into groups of about 20 and taught them by lamplight under the trees.”

When the congregation hosted its first circuit assembly, seven persons were baptized at a local beach. Five of them soon took up the pioneer ministry. But where could they best serve? The Australia branch office provided the answer​—Madang.

At Madang, a town on the northeast mainland coast, the “fields” were ripe for harvesting. (John 4:35) In fact, the small group of publishers there could barely keep pace with the level of interest. When  Canadian pioneer Matthew Pope and his family arrived and purchased a house with several backyard cabins, the way was open to send in more pioneers.

Eight pioneers arrived from Rabaul and spread out into the Madang District. One of them, Tamul Marung, obtained a bicycle and traveled by coastal boat to Basken, his home village, 30 miles [48 km] north of Madang. After preaching in Basken, he rode his bicycle back to Madang, witnessing as he went. He then returned to Basken, established a congregation, and pioneered for another 25 years. During that time, he married and raised a family. His daughter and his niece later served at Bethel.

Meanwhile, in Madang, John and Lena Davison met Kalip Kanai, a schoolteacher from Talidig, a small village between Basken and Madang. Before long, John and Lena were traveling out to Talidig to study with Kalip and his relatives. This incurred the wrath of the school inspector, a Catholic, who ordered the police to evict Kalip and his relatives from their homes. Undeterred, the group moved to Bagildig, a neighboring village, and grew into a thriving congregation. They later built a large Kingdom  Hall that was used for assemblies and conventions. Now there are seven congregations and two groups in the Madang District.

While Madang was opening up, Jim Baird and John and Magdalen Endor were making good progress in Lae, a large coastal town some 130 miles [210 km] to the southeast. “We studied with large groups of people at our home nearly every night. Within six months, ten of our Bible students joined us in service,” recalls John. Later that year more than 1,200 people attended a screening of the film The New World Society in Action at the Lae picture theater. Many in the audience were contract workers who carried the good news back to their remote mountain villages.

Inland from Lae, stalwart publishers were also doing good work. At  Wau, Jack Arifeae, a big round-faced man with a real zeal for serving Jehovah, had established a thriving congregation in his home. About 30 members of the Kukukuku tribe​—once feared cannibals—​were also studying the Bible and making good spiritual progress.

Meanwhile, at neighboring Bulolo, Wally and Joy Busbridge’s zealous preaching aroused the ire of the New Tribes Mission, which regarded the area as its exclusive domain. As a result of pressure from the mission, Wally’s employer gave him an ultimatum, “Give up your religion, or find another job.” Wally and Joy moved to Lae and kept on preaching. They later entered the full-time ministry and spent years in the traveling work.

Popondetta, a small town southeast of Lae, heard the good news through Jerome and Lavinia Hotota, who returned to their home province from Port Moresby. Jerome had plenty of initiative and used the Scriptures persuasively, while Lavinia was a warmhearted woman who showed real personal interest in others. True to form, when they started witnessing, the Anglican bishop and a large group of his followers soon arrived at their house demanding that they stop. But Jerome and Lavinia refused to be intimidated. They kept on preaching and established a small but zealous congregation.

By 1963, the good news had reached Wewak, a town on Papua New Guinea’s remote northern coast. Karl Teynor and Otto Eberhardt, two German builders, worked on the Wewak hospital by day and studied with over 100 interested people during evenings and  weekends. Their preaching enraged the local Catholic priest, who gathered a mob and threw Karl and Otto’s motorbikes into the sea. One of the priest’s accomplices, a prominent village leader, had a son who later became a Witness. Impressed by the improvements he saw in his son’s lifestyle, the man’s attitude softened, and he granted the Witnesses permission to preach in the villages that were under his control.

BRANCH OFFICE ESTABLISHED

While the clergy wrestled with the Witness “problem,” the brothers took steps to ‘legally establish the good news’ at the highest level. (Phil. 1:7) Accordingly, on May 25, 1960, the International Bible Students Association, a legal corporation used by Jehovah’s Witnesses in many countries, was officially registered with the government. This opened the way for the brothers to secure government land on which to build Kingdom Halls and other facilities needed to support the Kingdom work.

Later that year, a branch office of the Watch Tower Society was also established in Papua New Guinea. John Cutforth was appointed branch servant. Yet, with rental space in short supply, where would the office be located?

The answer came through a newly arrived couple​—Jim and Florence Dobbins. Jim had served with the U.S. Navy in Papua New Guinea during World War II. Later, he and Florence accepted the truth and set the goal of expanding their ministry. “In 1958, a brother from Port Moresby visited us at our home in Ohio and showed us some slides of Papua New Guinea,” relates Jim. “Later we discovered a slide that he had accidentally left behind. On the slide was one of the most  beautiful scenes we had ever seen. ‘We’ll post it back to him,’ said my wife. But I replied, ‘No, let’s take it to him.’”

A year later, Jim and Florence, along with their daughters, Sherry and Deborah, moved into a small concrete house at Six Mile, a Port Moresby suburb. Shortly afterward, Jim started talking to John Cutforth about a location for the branch office.

“I’ve looked everywhere in Port Moresby for a place to locate the branch office, but nothing is available,” lamented John.

“Well, what about our house?” replied Jim. “You can have the front three rooms, and my family and I can live in the back.”

Arrangements soon fell into place, and on September 1, 1960, the Dobbins’ home was officially registered as Papua New Guinea’s first branch office.

‘BAN THE WITNESSES’

All this progress did not sit well with our opposers. From 1960 onward, the combined forces of Christendom’s churches, the Returned Services League (RSL), and the local media launched an orchestrated campaign to vilify and ban Jehovah’s Witnesses.

Matters came to a head when a pamphlet explaining our position on blood transfusions was distributed to selected doctors, clergymen, and government officials. Typically, Christendom’s clergy were the first to react. On August 30, 1960, the South Pacific Post trumpeted the headline “Churches Angry on Blood Question.” In the accompanying article, church leaders denounced the Witnesses as “anti-Christ [and] an enemy of the Church.”

 Subsequent articles lyingly claimed that Jehovah’s Witnesses were subversive and that their teachings promoted school truancy, nonpayment of taxes, cargo cults, and even poor hygiene. Other reports falsely accused them of using an imminent solar eclipse to whip up fear and “gain control of primitive native minds.” One editorial even berated the Witnesses for “living, eating, and working with villagers.” The South Pacific Post criticized them for teaching that “all men are equal” and claimed that the Witnesses were “a menace greater than Communism.”

Finally, on March 25, 1962, the RSL called on the colonial authorities to ban the Witnesses. The Australian government, however, publically rejected the request. “This announcement had a good effect throughout the country,” says Don Fielder. “Fair-minded people could see that the claims of our opposers were simply not true.”

 INTO THE HIGHLANDS

That same month, Tom and Rowena Kitto left Port Moresby on a grueling journey that lasted several weeks. They were taking the good news to untouched territory​—the rugged New Guinea highlands.

Thirty years earlier, Australian gold prospectors had entered the highlands to discover a civilization of about one million people completely cut off from the outside world. The awestruck highlanders thought that the white men were ancestral spirits returned from the dead.

On the heels of the prospectors came Christendom’s missionaries. “When the missionaries heard that we were coming, they ordered the villagers not to listen to us,” relates Rowena. “But their warning proved to be good advertising. The highland people​—curious by nature—​were eagerly waiting for us to arrive.”

Tom and Rowena established a small store at Wabag, 50 miles [80 km] northwest of the town of Mount Hagen. “The clergy ordered their flocks not to buy from, sell to,  or speak with us and even pressured them to ask that our land lease be revoked,” says Tom. “In time, however, the villagers saw that we were different from the other Europeans they knew. Most noticeably, we treated them kindly. Indeed, our kind acts often brought tears to their eyes, and they said they wanted us to stay!”

PATIENT TEACHING BRINGS RESULTS

From 1963 onward, a flood of Witnesses from abroad moved to the highlands to help expand the preaching work. Moving slowly east to west, those brothers and sisters eventually covered the entire region, establishing groups and congregations in many areas.

At Goroka, in the Eastern Highlands Province, a small congregation first met in a private home. Later, they built a modest meeting place from bush materials. Then, in 1967, they constructed an attractive Kingdom Hall with 40 chairs. “I quipped that we might just fill the chairs by Armageddon,” recalls George Coxsen, who served in the highlands for ten years. “How wrong I was! Within 12 months, so many people were attending meetings that we had to form a second congregation!”

Farther east, near Kainantu, Norm Sharein studied the Bible with over 50 villagers who came to his hut each day. Pioneers Berndt and Erna Andersson later looked after this group for two and a half years. “The people rarely washed, wore few clothes, were totally illiterate, and were steeped in demonism,” relates Erna. “Yet, with patient and loving help, some of them could soon recite and explain 150 scriptures from memory.”

 Berndt and Erna developed a close bond with their group. “When we were assigned to Kavieng, the women gathered around me and cried, yes, wailed!” says Erna. “They took turns stroking my arms and face as their tears flowed freely. Time and again, I retreated to my hut to weep while Berndt tried to comfort them, but they were inconsolable. When we finally set off, a large crowd ran down the mountain behind our vehicle, the women wailing all the way. I still struggle to describe the heart-wrenching emotions that I felt that day. How we long to see those dear ones in the new world!” Other pioneers built on Berndt and Erna’s work, and a fine congregation was established at Kainantu.

SOWING KINGDOM SEED BEARS FRUIT

By the early 1970’s, a small group of Witnesses had established themselves at Mount Hagen, about 80 miles [130 km] west of Goroka. This town was famous for its large weekly market, which drew thousands of villagers from miles around. “We placed hundreds of pieces of literature at this market,” says Dorothy Wright, a fearless pioneer. When the people returned to their villages, the Kingdom message went with them,  penetrating remote areas that the publishers could not then reach.

Later, Dorothy’s son, Jim Wright, and his pioneer partner, Kerry Kay-Smith, were assigned to Banz, a tea- and coffee-growing district in the picturesque Wahgi Valley east of Mount Hagen. Here they encountered stiff opposition from the church missions, who incited children to hurl rocks at them and drive them from their villages. When Kerry moved to another assignment, Jim stayed on at Banz, pioneering alone. He recalls: “I often lay awake at night in my little grass hut praying, ‘Jehovah, why am I here?’ Only many years later did I get an answer to that question.

“In 2007, I traveled from Australia to Banz to attend a district convention,” Jim continues. “Near the site of my old grass hut stood a fine new Kingdom Hall that could be extended temporarily to form a 1,000-seat Assembly Hall. As I entered the grounds, a brother rushed up to me, grabbed me, and began weeping on my shoulder. When he finally composed himself, the brother, Paul Tai, explained that I had studied with his father 36 years earlier. Paul later read his father’s study books and accepted the truth. He told me that he was serving as an elder.

“During the convention, I was interviewed on the  platform and described the persecution we had endured in the early days at Banz,” says Jim. “There was hardly a dry eye in the audience. After the program several brothers came and embraced me and tearfully apologized. As young boys, they had chased me from their village while throwing stones and yelling abuse. Moreover, one of them, Mange Samgar​—now an elder—​was the former Lutheran pastor who had spurred them on! What a wonderful reunion that convention proved to be!”

SEEDS SPROUT IN REMOTE AREAS

While many people in Papua New Guinea learned the truth through direct contact with the Witnesses, others did so from seeds of truth that worked their way into remote areas. (Eccl. 11:6) For instance, about 1970, the branch office started receiving regular field service reports from an unknown person at a nonexistent congregation in an unidentified village on  the remote Sepik River. The branch office asked Mike Fisher, a circuit overseer, to investigate.

“To get to the village, I traveled ten hours by motorized canoe along narrow waterways through mosquito-infested jungle,” relates Mike. “Finally, arriving late in the day, I met our mystery correspondent, a man who had been disfellowshipped years earlier in another area. He had returned to his village, repented of his sins, and started preaching to others. Over 30 adults in the village called themselves Jehovah’s Witnesses, some of whom qualified for baptism. Soon afterward, the repentant man was reinstated, and the group was officially recognized by the branch.”

In 1992, another circuit overseer, Daryl Bryon, learned of a remote inland village where people were supposedly interested in the truth. “To reach the village, I drove inland by car for 50 miles [80 km], hiked through dense jungle for an hour and a half, and then paddled a canoe upriver for another hour,” Daryl explains. “To my surprise, standing on the riverbank surrounded by towering mountains was a brand-new building bearing the sign ‘Kingdom Hall of Jehovah’s Witnesses.’

“About 25 interested ones met at the hall each Sunday to study the book You Can Live Forever in Paradise on Earth. Since they claimed to be Witnesses, I asked them if they chewed betel nut. ‘Oh, no,’ they replied. ‘We gave that up a year ago when we came into the truth!’ Needless to say, I was delighted when the branch office added the group to my circuit routing.”

MISSIONARY BOOM

During the 1980’s and 1990’s, activity in the Papua New Guinea field was boosted by the arrival  of scores of Gilead-trained missionaries, Ministerial Training School graduates, and special pioneers from Australia, Canada, England, Finland, Germany, Japan, New Zealand, the Philippines, Sweden, the United States, and other countries. This often proved to be a double blessing, for some of these evangelizers later married and were joined by equally zealous mates.

On arriving in the country, most newcomers attended a Tok Pisin or Hiri Motu language class for two or three months. Students studied the language each morning and then put their lessons to work in service each afternoon. This training enabled many of them to conduct meaningful Bible studies and give talks within a few months.

Learning a new language also helped them to be patient and empathetic when teaching people who  could not read or write. They thus helped scores of interested ones to master the basic literacy skills needed to read God’s Word. (Isa. 50:4) In turn, the number of publishers grew from 2,000 in 1989 to about 3,000 in 1998, an increase of 50 percent in just nine years!

Although many of those evangelizers later had to leave Papua New Guinea for health and other reasons, they left behind a lasting legacy. Indeed, those dear ones are still warmly remembered for their faithfulness and their loving acts.​—Heb. 6:10.

CONSTRUCTION WORK PROMOTES PROGRESS

As the number of Kingdom publishers grew, so did the need for Kingdom Halls, Assembly Halls, and enlarged branch facilities. How did these become available?

Before 1975, the government Lands Department regularly set aside new blocks of land for religious use. Interested churches applied for the allotments and argued their case before a government-appointed Land Board. The successful bidder received the land free of charge but had to build on it within a reasonable period of time.

In 1963, despite stiff opposition from Christendom’s clergy, the International Bible Students Association secured a lease on a prime Port Moresby property. The hillside allotment had stunning views of Koki market and the azure Coral Sea. A two-story branch office and Kingdom Hall was later built on this site. Subsequent land grants in Port Moresby were used to build Kingdom Halls at Sabama, Hohola, Gerehu, and Gordon.

The Gordon site, which had a commanding position near the center of town, was originally earmarked  as the future location of an Anglican cathedral. “At the public hearing, however, the Land Board chairman told the Anglican minister that the board was not pleased with the way that the church had hoarded land and often misused it for commercial purposes,” explains Ron Fynn, who served in Papua New Guinea for 25 years. “The chairman added that the Anglicans would not receive any more land until the board was satisfied that they were using their current allotments for the purpose for which they were intended.

“After saying this, the chairman turned to me and asked me about our land requirements. I told him that our first preference was the ‘cathedral’ block at Gordon. The Anglican minister sprang to his feet to object, but the chairman firmly told him to sit down. I completed my presentation. To the amazement of everyone present, the committee awarded our congregation the land.”

A Kingdom Hall and the four-story branch office were built on this site. The new branch facility was dedicated on December 12, 1987. The earlier Koki site was sold. Between 2005 and 2010, a four-story residence, a Kingdom Hall, and a translation office were added to the branch facilities. These buildings were dedicated on May 29, 2010.

Today, there are 89 Kingdom Halls and other meeting places across the country. In many rural areas, local bush materials are still used in the construction of meeting places. However, in larger towns, modern building materials are used. Many of these newer halls have been built under the program for lands with limited resources, which has operated in Papua New Guinea since 1999.

 PERSEVERING DESPITE CHALLENGES

The various religions operating in Papua New Guinea had a gentleman’s agreement as to where each mission could operate. Each church group had their own territory and expected other religions to keep well away. Of course, Jehovah’s Witnesses share the good news with all who want to hear it, no matter where they live. This stand, and the positive response of many who listened to the truth, angered the clergy.

“After I moved to the small island of Kurmalak, West New Britain, one of my first callers was an Anglican priest,” recalls Norm Sharein. “‘You have no right to witness in my parish,’ he said. ‘The people are already Christians!’

“Later, I saw one of my Bible students frantically paddling his dugout toward the shore in heavy rain and seas. In fact, he was risking his life by being out in such weather. He pulled his dugout up onto the beach and, panting heavily, told me that a boatful of Catholics, led by a catechist, was coming to beat me up. I had nowhere to run, and I turned to Jehovah for wisdom and strength.

“When the boat arrived, about 15 men disembarked, their faces painted red​—a sure sign of ill will. Instead of waiting for them to come to me, I walked down to meet them. Earlier, I felt afraid, but now the fear was gone. As I approached, they spoke abusively to me, hoping that I would give them an excuse to get physical, but I remained calm.

“Also on the scene was another of my Bible students, an elderly man who actually owned the island. With the best of intentions, he said to the men:  ‘Jehovah’s Witnesses don’t fight. Go ahead, hit him! You’ll see!’

“‘Whose side is he on?’ I said to myself, wishing he would be quiet.

“After reasoning with the men for several minutes, I suggested that they leave, and as a gesture of good will, I offered my right hand to their leader. Surprised, he looked around at the others, and they at him. Then he shook my outstretched hand. This broke the tension, and we all shook hands. After that they left, much to my relief! I could not help but think of Paul’s words to Timothy: ‘A slave of the Lord does not need to fight, but needs to be gentle toward all, . . . keeping himself restrained under evil.’”​—2 Tim. 2:24.

Berndt Andersson recalls that in one highlands village, the Lutheran pastor and a mob of about 70 men from another village tried to chase the Witnesses away and destroy their Kingdom Hall. Berndt put the mob off balance by going outside the village to meet them. He approached the pastor and asked why the Lutheran mission says God’s name is Anutu, a local name adopted by some of Christendom’s missionaries. The pastor said that it was in the Bible, so Berndt asked where. The pastor opened his Bible, and when it was obvious that he could not find such a scripture, Berndt invited him to read Psalm 83:18. After receiving help to find the book of Psalms, the pastor began to read aloud. When he came to the name Jehovah, he shut the Bible and shouted, “That’s a lie!” Too late, he realized that he had just condemned his own Bible. After that episode, many of his followers changed their attitude toward the Witnesses.

At times, religious opposers did burn down bush  Kingdom Halls, as in the village of Agi, in Milne Bay Province. In this instance, though, one of the arsonists, who was drunk at the time of the offense, deeply regretted his actions. In fact, he later approached the brothers, accepted a Bible study, and became a pioneer. Moreover, he was offered the use of the pioneer house adjacent to the rebuilt hall. Thus, he now found himself caretaker at the very location where he had committed the crime!

Today religious persecution has all but stopped. “We have entered a period of peace,” says Craig Speegle. “But another problem has developed​—violence, often caused by hoodlums and thieves called raskols. Hence, when witnessing in dangerous areas, the brothers work in groups and keep one another in sight.”

 “It helps to be known as Witnesses,” say missionaries Adrian and Andrea Reilly. “Whether you are shopping or preaching, it’s prudent to carry literature,” says Adrian. “Granted, this may not guarantee your safety, but it may be of help because it identifies you as a minister of Jehovah. On one occasion, my car broke down in a rough part of Lae. I was alone, and before long a gang of menacing-looking youths gathered around. Thanks to a Bible discussion we had recently had together, two of them recognized me. As a result, they spoke up for me. So instead of stealing anything or harming me, the whole group​—much to my surprise and relief—​pushed my disabled car the full quarter of a mile back to the missionary home.”

In another instance, a sister was in a market when raskols armed with knives whispered to her, “Give us your bag.” She immediately handed it over, and they ran off. A few minutes later, they returned, apologized, and gave her back the bag with all its contents. Why? When they opened the bag, they saw her Bible and Reasoning book and felt guilty about what they had done.

DIVERSE PREACHING METHODS

“We preached wherever we found people,” reminisced Elsie Thew, who served in Papua New Guinea with her husband, Bill, from 1958 to 1966. “We spoke to people in their villages, in their homes, in their gardens, in the markets, and along bush tracks. We spoke to fishermen on beaches and riverbanks. In the early days, we also carried a map of the world  so that we could show people in the more isolated areas where we came from. This was important because sometimes we arrived by air, and the villagers, unaware of the outside world, thought we’d dropped in from heaven! So we showed them that we simply came from another part of the same world as theirs.”

The only way to reach many of the villages that pepper Papua New Guinea’s long coastline and numerous riverbanks is by boat or canoe. Steve Blundy recalls: “Brother Daera Guba, from Hanuabada, Port Moresby, was an aged man and had a lot of experience with watercraft. He had two hollowed-out logs under his house, so my pioneer partner and I helped him to obtain the timber he needed to build a puapua, a local form of catamaran. The sail was made of canvas. With Daera as captain and two or three other brothers from Hanuabada as crew, we made quite a few trips to coastal villages near Port Moresby.”

 In the late 1960’s, Berndt Andersson was serving on New Ireland, a beautiful island some 400 miles [650 km] northeast of the mainland. Berndt writes: “People came from the small islands nearby, asking us to visit them. In order to do so, however, we needed a boat, which seemed an impossible dream in view of our small monthly reimbursement. We did have a few planks stored in a shed, but not nearly enough to build a boat. So we took the matter to Jehovah in prayer. Then, out of the blue, a brother in Lae sent us $200 to help us visit the outer islands. Thus, we were able to build a boat, which we named Pioneer. However, it lacked an engine. Once again, that dear brother provided the funds we needed, this time to purchase a small outboard motor. Now we could answer the call to visit those picturesque islands!”

About 1990, a circuit overseer, Jim Davies, along  with three other brothers, made plans to witness to a refugee camp far up the Fly River near the border of Indonesia. The brothers had arranged for accommodations with an interested woman whose husband was second in charge of the camp. “The trip up the Fly River took nearly two hours in a motorized dugout canoe,” says Jim. “At about nine o’clock in the morning, we arrived at a clearing in the jungle, where we saw a dirt road that led to the distant camp. We waited there for transportation.

“Finally, at five o’clock in the afternoon, a vehicle showed up. We loaded our supplies, climbed in, and went only about a hundred yards before the steering mechanism broke! Unperturbed, the driver identified the problem, found some fencing wire, slid under the car, and tied the separated parts together. ‘That won’t get us far,’ I thought. But I was wrong. The wire held for the duration​—five hours, all of it in four-wheel drive because of the state of the road. Many times, in fact, we got stuck in mud and had to push the vehicle out. We arrived at ten o’clock that night, weary and covered with mud.

“For three days we witnessed in the camp, which was scattered over a wide area of jungle, and placed all of our literature. We also met a disfellowshipped man who expressed the desire to return to Jehovah. Later, we were thrilled to learn that he did come back. Also, his wife and some of his children are now in the truth. The same is true of the interested woman and her husband who kindly gave us accommodations.”

CIRCUIT WORK ON THE SEPIK RIVER

Over 700 miles [1,100 km] long, the Sepik River is like a large brown serpent winding from the highlands to the sea.  In some places it is so wide that it is difficult to see across it from one bank to the other. The river is a great highway, regularly used by the brothers, including traveling overseers and their wives. Let’s join a circuit overseer and his wife as they visit congregations along this mighty waterway.

Warren Reynolds writes: “Early in the morning, my wife, Leann, and I set out from the town of Wewak with our 12-foot [3.5 m] aluminum dinghy strapped to the roof rack of our vehicle. After a three-hour ride, most of it in four-wheel drive, we park our vehicle by the river for a few days while we travel upstream to visit the approximately 30 publishers in four villages along the Sepik’s tributaries.

“With our flat-bottom dinghy loaded with supplies, we start the 25-horsepower outboard motor and head upstream. An hour later, we turn up the Yuat River, a tributary of the Sepik, and travel for another two hours before arriving at the village of Biwat. There we are warmly welcomed by the brothers and their Bible students, some of whom haul our dinghy ashore and store it at one of their homes. After enjoying a meal of plantains and coconut milk, we all head off on a two-hour hike through swampy jungle, the publishers leading the way and helping us carry our supplies. Finally we arrive at a small village called Dimiri, where we quench our thirst with coconut milk and set up our mosquito net and bed in a stilt house made of bush materials. Finally, after a dinner of cooked yams, we go to bed.

“Fourteen publishers live in this area in three villages. Over the next few days, we witness to each village and find many interested people. We also have  the joy of seeing two Bible students legalize their marriage and become approved to serve as Kingdom publishers. The other publishers provide a simple wedding dinner of yams, sago, some edible leaves, and two chickens.

“On Sunday we are thrilled to see 93 villagers attend the public talk! After the meeting, with our backpacks filled, we set off in the midday sun to return to Biwat, where we leave our packs at a Bible student’s home and start witnessing. Several people accept literature; and some, a Bible study. That night, in the home of a Bible student, we eat as we huddle around a fire, with the smoke keeping hordes of mosquitoes at bay.

 “Early the next day, we return to our dinghy, slide it back into the river, and head off in the morning mist, entranced by the birdlife and the fish splashing in the water. Families on bamboo rafts packed with goods for the local market quietly pass us going the other way.

“When we get back to our vehicle, we refill the fuel tank in the dinghy and replenish our drinking water and other supplies. Then we set out on the river again, this time to visit the 14 publishers at Kambot. We arrive two hours later, soaked to the bone, thanks to a tropical downpour. From Kambot, we head upriver​—this time with our dinghy full of publishers—​to a large village lining both sides of the river. We witness to these appreciative ones till late in the afternoon. On  our way back, we witness to people who are standing on their floating bamboo jetties. Having seen us go upriver in the morning, they are awaiting our return. Since money is rare in this remote area, the villagers show their appreciation for our visit and the tracts we have left with them by donating food​—coconuts, pumpkins, smoked fish, bananas. As the sun sets, we are back in Kambot cooking these items.

“In Kambot, the meeting place stands on stilts, as do all the homes in the area. During the wet season, when the whole area is flooded, people paddle their canoes right to the meeting-place steps. Our visit concludes with 72 in attendance at the public talk, including some who had walked five hours to get here.

“After arriving back at our circuit vehicle and strapping the dinghy onto the roof, we make the three-hour trip home. En route, we reflect on our dear brothers and sisters who live by the Sepik River. We also think about the love Jehovah has for them, as reflected in the effort his organization makes to ensure that they are spiritually well-fed. What a privilege we have to be part of such a wonderful family!”

WRESTLING WITH WICKED SPIRITS

Although a large percentage of Papua New Guineans profess Christianity, many also cling to traditional beliefs, including ancestor worship and fear of evil spirits. And in recent years, according to one guidebook, “there’s been a strong resurgence in black magic and sorcery.” Hence, people often attribute sickness and death to witch doctors or the spirits of ancestors.

In such an environment, Bible truth is truly liberating. In fact, even some witch doctors have recognized  the power of God’s Word, abandoned their practices, and taken up true worship. Consider two examples:

Soare Maiga lived in a village about 30 miles [50 km] from Port Moresby and was greatly feared because of his powers. However, he became curious about the beliefs of Jehovah’s Witnesses and started attending group Bible studies. Before long he accepted the truth and abandoned his old ways. But when he tried to discard his spiritistic paraphernalia, in some mysterious way it kept coming back! Nevertheless, Soare was determined to “oppose the Devil,” so one day he placed all the items in a bag, weighted it with a stone, and hurled it into the sea off Port Moresby. (Jas. 4:7) That time his items did not come back. Thereafter, this courageous man became a zealous Witness of the true God, Jehovah.

Kora Leke used sorcery and herbal remedies to cure the sick. However, when he began to study the Bible, he struggled to break free from a spirit that had helped him in his witchcraft. Like Soare, Kora was determined to end his involvement with the demons​—and with  Jehovah’s help, he succeeded. Later, he served as a regular pioneer and as a special pioneer. Even in his old age, when his legs were giving out, this loyal brother continued sharing the good news with his neighbors.

How did Kora get to his favorite witnessing spot? The brothers carried him there in a wheelbarrow, the most practical means at hand. Later, a resourceful brother working at the branch kindly made him a wheelchair using the steel frame of a normal chair, bicycle wheels, and canvas for the seat. His new mode of transport gave Kora greater independence, and he used it to the full! Yes, what an inspiring example such older ones are, and how they must warm Jehovah’s heart!​—Prov. 27:11.

TEACHING PEOPLE TO READ AND WRITE

“All the things that were written aforetime were written for our instruction,” says Romans 15:4. Clearly, God wants his people to be literate. Hence, as we have already mentioned, Jehovah’s Witnesses in Papua New Guinea have made great efforts to teach people how to read and write.

Of course, learning to read and write can be a challenge, especially for older ones, but if a student has a willing heart, success will usually follow. Indeed, God’s Word can have a powerful effect on the humblest and most unlettered of men.

 Consider the example of Save Nanpen, a young man from the headwaters of the Sepik River. When Save moved to Lae, he experienced a cultural leap, seeing facets of the Western world for the first time. Additionally, he met Jehovah’s Witnesses, who shared the Kingdom hope with him. Save’s heart was touched, he began to attend Christian meetings, and before long, he qualified to be an unbaptized publisher. However, he was reluctant to take the next step​—baptism. Why? He had promised Jehovah that he would not get baptized until he could read the Bible for himself. So he studied hard and attained his spiritual goals.

Illiteracy is still common, but secular schools have been established in a number of areas, and children of Witnesses attend those schools. In fact, our young ones are often models of literacy​—thanks in no small part to good parenting and the training given at congregation meetings, such as the Theocratic Ministry School.

BIBLE TRUTH TRANSFORMS LIVES

The apostle Paul wrote: “The weapons of our warfare are not fleshly, but powerful by God for overturning strongly entrenched things.” (2 Cor. 10:4) Sometimes just one scripture can have a powerful effect, as was the case with a woman named Elfreda. After Elfreda was shown God’s name in her Wedau-language Bible, she consulted an encyclopedia, which confirmed what the Bible said about God’s name. ‘Jehovah’s Witnesses teach the truth,’ she thought. However, her husband, Armitage, wanted nothing to do with the Witnesses. He was a drunkard who chewed betel nut and smoked tobacco, and he had a foul temper.

 After retiring from his job in Lae, Armitage, along with Elfreda, moved to Alotau in Milne Bay Province, where there were no Witnesses. Meanwhile, Elfreda subscribed to The Watchtower and Awake! and studied by mail with Kaylene Nilsen, a pioneer. “Elfreda faithfully sent me her written answers every week,” says Kaylene.

Later, Gilead graduates Geordie and Joanne Ryle were assigned to Milne Bay, and they visited Elfreda to encourage her and work with her in the ministry. “Armitage asked me to study the Bible with him,” recalls Geordie. “Because of his reputation, I wondered about his real motive. But after studying with him for a month, I knew he was sincere. Later he was baptized and eventually became a ministerial servant.” Now, three generations of his family are in the truth, and his grandson, Kegawale Biyama, quoted earlier, serves on the Branch Committee in Port Moresby.

While pioneering in Hula, Don and Shirley Fielder started a Bible study with Alogi and Renagi Pala. “Alogi was a thief and was always fighting with others,” writes Don. “He suffered from a tropical disease that gave his skin an unsightly appearance, and part of his mouth had been eaten away by a tropical ulcer. Both he and his wife also chewed betel nut, so the gaps between their blackened teeth were often blood red. Alogi was the last person one would expect to be drawn to the truth. Yet, he and his wife became interested in the truth and attended our meetings, sitting quietly at the back.

“Over a six-month period,” recalls Don, “we saw a stunning transformation in Alogi. He stopped stealing, fighting, and arguing, and he and Renagi cleaned  themselves up physically and started to participate in the meetings. They also began to share the good news with others. In fact, they and a handful of others became the first publishers in the Hula area.”

Abel Warak lived on New Ireland and had suffered from leprosy. As a result, he had no feeling in his hands and feet. When first contacted with the truth, Abel could hardly walk and had lost interest in life. The truth, however, completely transformed his attitude and outlook, infusing him with renewed joy and vigor. In time, he even became a pioneer. To supplement his diet, Abel used to fish, but because his feet were numb, he could no longer walk on the reef. So the brothers bought him knee-high rubber boots. He also learned to ride a bicycle, which enabled him to travel farther with the good news. In fact, he sometimes pedaled 60 miles [100 km] to follow up on interest, and on one occasion, he rode his bicycle 90 miles [145 km] one way to invite an interested man to the Memorial.

At times, “the knowledge of Jehovah” has helped even those with beastlike traits to make great changes. (Isa. 11:6, 9) For example, in 1986, about 60 people from two villages near Banz filed into a district convention at Lae and sat in the front rows. These highlanders were traditional enemies who often fought one another. But after hearing the good news from special pioneers, they decided to live  together in peace. Such experiences call to mind the words found at Zechariah 4:6: “‘Not by a military force, nor by power, but by my spirit,’ Jehovah of armies has said.” That same spirit has also impelled many sincere people to conform to the Bible’s moral standards.

HONORING GOD’S GIFT OF MARRIAGE

In many lands local custom as well as the churches of Christendom typically disregard the Scriptural view of marriage. (Matt. 19:5; Rom. 13:1) The situation is no different in Papua New Guinea. Thus, in order to please Jehovah, many couples living together out of wedlock or in a polygamous relationship have made major changes in their lives. Consider the example of Francis and his wife, Christine.

When Francis resigned from the army, he and his wife separated. Christine and their two children went back to her home village on Goodenough Island, Milne Bay Province, and he returned to Mount Hagen. There, Francis eventually took up living with another woman and her children. They attended the Assemblies of God Church. In time, Francis’ partner was contacted by the Witnesses and started to study the Bible. Later, Francis took an interest too, and before long, both were attending Christian meetings.

Francis wanted to become a Kingdom publisher, which meant that he had to resolve his marital situation. After giving the matter prayerful thought, he discussed it with his partner. She and her children then moved to another house, and Francis went to see Christine, from whom he had now been separated for six years. Understandably, Christine and her relatives were more than a little surprised to see Francis. Using  the Scriptures, Francis kindly explained to all of them his desire to do what is right in Jehovah’s eyes. He then asked his wife to come back to Mount Hagen with their children and become a family again. All were amazed at this change of heart. Christine accepted her husband’s invitation, and he, in turn, provided financial compensation to his wife’s relatives for all they had done for his family over the previous six years.

After Christine arrived back in Mount Hagen, she too began to study the Bible, which also meant learning to read. Meanwhile, she gave up chewing betel nut and smoking tobacco. This couple are now dedicated servants of Jehovah.

CHILDREN WHO HONOR THEIR CREATOR

By courageously adhering to their Bible-trained conscience, many children in Papua New Guinea have given a fine witness. For example, early in 1966 a primary-school teacher told seven children of local Witnesses that they would be expected to salute the flag during ceremonies to be conducted the following week. When the time arrived, in the presence of some 300 assembled students, all seven children refused to salute. As a result, they were expelled, even though their parents had requested in writing that their children be exempt from the ceremonies. An elder in the local congregation appealed the matter to government officials in both Papua New Guinea and Australia.

On March 23 the Australian Administrator of Papua New Guinea telephoned the school authorities directing that the children be returned to school  immediately. True worship had won a small legal victory. Today the Papua New Guinea government continues to respect the right of children to refrain from saluting the flag for reasons of conscience.

“Babes and sucklings” can praise Jehovah in other ways too. (Matt. 21:16) Consider the example of Naomi from the highlands, whose parents, Joe and Helen, were not in the truth. When Naomi was about three years old, she stayed for about a year in Lae with Helen’s sister, a zealous Witness. The aunt regularly took Naomi out witnessing, often carrying her in a bag draped over her shoulder. Thus, Naomi became familiar with the Kingdom hope, and all the more so because her aunt made good use of the illustrations in My Book of Bible Stories.

When Naomi returned to her parents, she took a Witness publication, stepped outside the house, and then knocked loudly on the door. “Come back inside,” her parents called out. Stepping inside, the little girl said: “Hello. I am one of Jehovah’s Witnesses, and I have come to talk to you about the Bible.” As Joe and Helen looked on in surprise, Naomi continued: “The Bible says that Paradise will come upon this land; and one King, Jesus, will rule over us. Everything we see around us is made by Jehovah.”

Joe and Helen were stunned. “What will the neighbors think!” Joe exclaimed to his wife. “Tomorrow you had better keep her locked inside the house.”

The following day, while her parents were sitting outside the home, Naomi knocked loudly on her bedroom wall. “Come outside,” said Joe. Naomi emerged and launched into another presentation: “Hello. I  am one of Jehovah’s Witnesses, and I have come to preach to you. Good people will live forever on the earth. But people who get angry and do bad things will not be in Paradise.” Totally baffled, Helen burst into tears, while Joe stormed off to bed.

That night, his curiosity piqued, Joe paged through his old King James Bible and chanced upon the name Jehovah. The following morning, instead of going to work, he wrote a letter to the Witnesses and then drove 25 miles [40 km] to Mount Hagen to leave it at the Kingdom Hall.

The brothers went to Joe and Helen’s home and arranged for a regular Bible study. They also taught  Helen to read. Eventually, both Joe and Helen were baptized, and Helen was able to help other Bible students learn to read​—all this because a little girl’s heart overflowed with praise to Jehovah!

EFFORTS TO ATTEND CHRISTIAN GATHERINGS

In some parts of the world, brothers negotiate congested, polluted highways or crowded subways to get to Christian meetings and conventions. But in Papua New Guinea, the problem is often the lack of good roads and transportation. Hence, many families have to travel at least some of the way on foot or by canoe or both. For example, publishers, along with their children, regularly walk more than 100 miles [160 km] over slippery, sawtooth mountains to attend the annual district convention in Port Moresby. Their grueling, week-long trek follows the world-famous Kokoda Trail, site of many bitter World War II battles. They carry with them their food, cooking utensils, clothes, and other items needed for the convention.

The brothers on isolated Nukumanu Atoll usually attend annual conventions in Rabaul, 500 miles [800 km] to the west. “To be certain of getting there on time,” says Jim Davies, “they sometimes leave six weeks ahead of time because of the unreliable boat service. The return trip can also be fraught with uncertainty. One time, the only boat traveling to Nukumanu detoured to Australia for repairs, and then the owners had financial problems. As a result, it took the brothers more than six months to get home! Granted, that was an extreme case, but delays of weeks are not unusual, forcing the stranded publishers to stay with fellow Witnesses or relatives.”

 THE FINE EXAMPLE OF MISSIONARIES

Serving in a foreign land where the standard of living may be lower than it is at home can be quite an adjustment for missionaries. Yet, as many have demonstrated, it is an adjustment that can be made and that is often appreciated by the local people. One woman in Papua New Guinea said of the two missionary sisters studying with her, “Their skin is white, but their hearts are like our hearts.”

Some missionaries serve in the traveling work. In order to visit congregations, they may have to travel by whatever mode of transportation is available. This was true of Edgar Mangoma. The circuits he served took in the Fly River and Lake Murray. “When serving the two congregations on the lake, I went by canoe​—sometimes with and sometimes without a motor. In the latter case, it would take me up to eight hours to get from one congregation to the other. Usually, three or four brothers accompanied me, knowing they had to paddle all the way back after dropping me off. How I appreciated them!”

The good example of missionaries, including their humility and love for people, has resulted in an excellent witness. “The villagers were astonished to see me staying with interested ones in their homes and sharing meals with them,” wrote a circuit overseer. “In fact, some local people have said to me: ‘Your worship of God is genuine. Our pastors do not associate with us like you do.’”

Do foreign sisters find it difficult to adjust to life in Papua New Guinea? “For the first few months, I found  it very difficult,” recalls Ruth Boland, who accompanied her husband, David, in the traveling work. “Many times I felt like giving up. But I am glad I didn’t, for I came to appreciate and love the brothers and sisters. My husband and I thought less and less about ourselves and more and more about others. Indeed, the joy we began to experience was unsurpassed. Materially we had nothing, but spiritually we were rich. And we saw Jehovah’s hand in so much that happened​—not just in connection with the advancement of the good news but also in our own lives. When you have nothing materially​—that is when you truly rely on Jehovah and see his blessing.”

CIVIL WAR ON BOUGAINVILLE

In 1989, on Bougainville Island, the smoldering embers of a longtime secessionist movement finally ignited a full-scale civil war. During the 12-year conflict, some 60,000 people were displaced and 15,000 died. Among the displaced were many publishers, most of whom resettled in other parts of Papua New Guinea.

Shortly before leaving the island, Dan Ernest, a pioneer, was seized by Bougainville Revolutionary Army (BRA) soldiers and taken to a large warehouse. Dan recalls: “Inside was a BRA general wearing a uniform covered with medals and a sword at his side.

“‘Are you Dan Ernest?’ he asked.

“‘Yes,’ I replied.

“‘I heard you were a spy for the Papua New Guinea Defence Force,’ he declared.

“I started to explain that Jehovah’s Witnesses do not get involved with the conflicts of any country, but  he interrupted and said: ‘We know! We were watching. Other religions supported whoever seemed to be winning. Yours is the only religion that remained completely neutral.’ Then he added: ‘Our people have been in turmoil during this war and need your comforting message. We would like you to stay in Bougainville and continue preaching. But if you must leave, I will make sure all your belongings get out safe.’ Two weeks later, when my wife and I transferred to a new pioneer assignment on Manus Island, the general lived up to his word.”

The branch office worked hard to maintain contact with the publishers in the area affected by the war and, despite a naval blockade, was able to send them some food, medicine, and literature. A visiting circuit overseer reported: “The scars of war are everywhere, but the brothers and sisters are still busy preaching and holding their meetings. Many Bible studies are also being conducted.”

Finally, in 2001, the warring parties reached a peace agreement that established Bougainville and nearby islands as an autonomous region. Bougainville Island currently has no resident Witnesses, but neighboring Buka Island has a fine congregation of 39 publishers.

A VOLCANO DESTROYS RABAUL

The city of Rabaul has a large harbor that is actually the caldera of an ancient volcano. In September 1994, active vents on opposite sides of the harbor erupted, devastating Rabaul and reshaping the way of life in the province. The Kingdom Hall and the attached missionary home were destroyed, but no brothers were killed. One brother, however, had a  heart problem and died while fleeing the eruption. The brothers all went to prearranged areas miles away, following an evacuation plan that for some years had been posted on the information board at the Kingdom Hall.

Immediately, the branch office took steps to assist those affected and to organize relief supplies. Donated clothing, mosquito nets, medicine, gasoline, diesel fuel, and other items were dispatched, along with rice and taro from a nearby congregation. Indeed, the relief operation went so well that local officials and others made a number of favorable comments.

Eventually, the Rabaul Congregation ceased to exist. Two days after the eruptions, about 70 publishers and their children gathered at an abandoned vocational school. When the elders arrived, the publishers asked, “What time does the book study start?” Yes, despite the hardships, meeting attendance and the witnessing work were never neglected. (Heb. 10:24, 25)  Most of the brothers moved to nearby groups, one of which became a congregation as a result.

The provincial government promised all the religions that had lost property that they would be granted land in the town of Kokopo, about 15 miles [24 km] from Rabaul. However, while other religions received land, the Witnesses did not. Then, about seven years after the eruption, a brother from Africa began to work for the town planning department. Noting the unfair treatment the Witnesses had been given, he promptly located a suitable parcel of land in Kokopo and assisted the brothers with the application, which was approved. A volunteer construction team helped build a Kingdom Hall and missionary home. In fact, the initial injustice actually proved to be a blessing. How so? The land earlier granted to the churches is up a steep hill. But the property given to the brothers is ideally located in the center of town.

TRANSLATION MOVES AHEAD

“In a country of over 800 languages, it is vital to have a common language or common languages so  that people can communicate with one another,” says Timo Rajalehto, who is a member of the Branch Committee and the overseer of the Translation Department. “Simple trade languages, such as Tok Pisin and Hiri Motu, are ideal for that purpose. They are relatively easy to learn as a second language, and they serve well as a means of communication in everyday matters. But they are not ideal for conveying complicated concepts. Hence, our translators often struggle with certain terms.

“For example, we discovered that no Tok Pisin word could adequately translate the word ‘principle.’ Hence, our translators joined two Tok Pisin words to create the word stiatok (steer talk), which describes how principles work by ‘steering’ people in the right direction. The expression caught on in the media and is now used by many Tok Pisin speakers.”

The Watchtower began to be published in Motu in 1958, and Tok Pisin in 1960. Study articles were printed in Sydney, Australia, on loose sheets of paper that were stapled together and then shipped to Port Moresby. In 1970, the magazine was enlarged to 24 pages, and its circulation rose to over 3,500. A 24-page edition of Awake! was first published in Tok Pisin in January 1972. At present, the branch prepares a semi-monthly Watchtower and a quarterly Awake! in Tok Pisin as well as a monthly study edition of the Watchtower and a quarterly public edition in Hiri Motu.

“Recently, we translated certain tracts into a number of new languages, including Enga, Jiwaka, Kuanua, Melpa, and Orokaiva,” says Timo Rajalehto. “Since people who speak those languages also speak  Tok Pisin or English or both, why was this done? We wanted to see how people would respond to the Kingdom message in their native tongue. Would it spark their interest in the truth and create positive feelings toward the Witnesses?

“The answer is a resounding yes! Indeed, many positive comments have been made by the public. Bible studies have been started, and even some former opposers have changed their attitude toward the Witnesses. When people get a publication in their mother tongue, it has great impact.”

Currently, the Translation Department has a staff of 31, which includes the Hiri Motu and Tok  Pisin translation teams. In December 2009, all were thrilled to move into a new translation office.

THE PIONEER SERVICE SCHOOL BENEFITS MANY

For many of Jehovah’s servants, the Pioneer Service School is a highlight of their life. The school not only helps the pioneers to develop spiritually but also equips them to be better pioneers. Consider what some have said after attending the school.

Lucy Koimb: “The school has helped me to see that one of the best things I can do with my life is to share in the full-time service.”

Michael Karap: “Before the school, I had many return visits and no Bible studies. Now I have many studies!”

Ben Kuna: “The school taught me to think more the way Jehovah thinks.”

Siphon Popo: “I studied harder than I ever had in my whole life! And I learned not to rush when studying.”

Julie Kine: “The school taught me to have a proper view of material things. We don’t really need as much as others say we need.”

Dan Burks, who is a member of the Branch Committee, observed: “When pioneers become more productive, they also become happier and more zealous. We are confident that the Pioneer Service School will continue to benefit hundreds of pioneers in this land. Of course, these benefits will also extend to the publishers and interested ones in the territory.”

GROWING TOGETHER IN LOVE

Jesus Christ said: “All will know that you are my disciples, if you have love among yourselves.” (John  13:35) In Papua New Guinea, Christian love has bridged all kinds of chasms: language differences, racial diversity, tribal culture, and economic disparity. When honesthearted people see such love, they are moved to say, “God is with you people.”

Those were the sentiments of Mange Samgar, a bus owner and former Lutheran pastor from Banz, mentioned earlier. What led him to that conclusion? In order to attend a district convention in Lae, the local congregation chartered one of Mange’s buses. “Curious about the Witnesses, he came along for the ride,” said Steve and Kathryn Dawal, who were at the convention site when the bus arrived. “Mange was tremendously impressed by the organization and by the racial and tribal unity among Jehovah’s people. By the time he returned home with the busload of Witnesses, he was convinced that he had found the truth. Later, he and his son became Christian elders.”

Sister Hoela Forova, a young, widowed regular pioneer caring for her widowed mother, was in desperate need of a new home. On two occasions she had scraped up some money, gave it to a relative to buy lumber, and never saw it again. Aware of her plight, the local Witnesses rebuilt her house in just three days. For the whole three days, Hoela wept off and on, completely overwhelmed by the love of the brothers. The project also gave an outstanding witness. A local church deacon exclaimed, “How can people who do not solicit money and just walk around with book bags build a house in three days!”

The apostle John wrote: “Little children, let us love, neither in word nor with the tongue, but in deed  and truth.” (1 John 3:18) As a result of such love, expressed in many ways, the work in Papua New Guinea continues to move ahead. Indeed, the 3,672 publishers conduct 4,908 Bible studies, and 25,875 people attended the 2010 Memorial of Christ’s death​—a powerful evidence of Jehovah’s continued blessing!​—1 Cor. 3:6.

Some 70 years ago, a mere handful of courageous brothers and sisters ventured into this amazing and mysterious land, bringing with them the truth that sets men free. (John 8:32) In the decades that followed, many other Witnesses​—expatriates and locals—​joined them in the work. Before them lay seemingly insurmountable obstacles: dense jungles, malaria-infested swamps, and poor roads or none at all, as well as poverty, tribal violence, rampant spiritism, and sometimes violent opposition from Christendom’s clergy and their supporters. The brothers also had to deal with illiteracy and the challenge of preaching to thousands of tribal communities speaking over 800 languages! Their unselfish contribution to the Kingdom preaching work is greatly appreciated by those who have come after them and built on the foundation they laid.

Many of these challenges, however, still face Jehovah’s servants in Papua New Guinea. But with God all things are possible. (Mark 10:27) Thus, with full trust in him, the brothers and sisters in this diverse land are confident that Jehovah will grant many more righteously inclined ones “the change to a pure language, in order for them all to call upon the name of Jehovah, in order to serve him shoulder to shoulder.”​—Zeph. 3:9.

[Footnotes]

[Blurb on page 88]

“Bobogi, where did you learn to do all this?”

[Blurb on page 100]

‘He agreed to screen our film without charge’

[Blurb on page 104]

“Give up your religion, or find another job”

[Blurb on page 124]

When they saw what was in her bag, they felt guilty about what they had done

[Blurb on page 149]

“Their skin is white, but their hearts are like our hearts”

 [Box/​Picture on page 80]

An Overview of Papua New Guinea

Land

Papua New Guinea occupies the eastern half of the island of New Guinea. The country includes 151 smaller islands and is slightly larger than the state of California, U.S.A. Rugged mountains dominate the interior; dense rain forests and swamps line the coast.

People

Of the 6.7 million inhabitants, 99 percent are Papuan and Melanesian. The rest are Polynesian, Chinese, and European. Most people are professed Christians.

Language

Papua New Guinea is the most linguistically complex country on earth, with 820 distinct languages​—12 percent of the world’s total. In addition to their indigenous languages, most people speak Tok Pisin, Hiri Motu, or English.

Livelihood

About 85 percent of the population live traditional lives, tending small vegetable gardens in little villages. Coffee and tea are grown as cash crops in the highlands. Mineral, gas, and oil, as well as forestry products, also contribute to the economy.

Food

Staple foods include sweet potatoes, taro, cassava, sago, and bananas, which are eaten raw or cooked. Vegetables, tropical fruits, and tinned meat and fish are also popular. Pork is eaten on special occasions.

Climate

There are two seasons​—wet and not so wet. Because Papua New Guinea is located near the equator, its climate is tropical on the coast, but it is cooler in the highlands.

 [Box/​Pictures on pages 83, 84]

‘I Conquered My Shyness’

ODA SIONI

BORN 1939

BAPTIZED 1956

PROFILE The first local pioneer in Papua New Guinea. He now serves as a special pioneer in Hohola Motu Congregation, Port Moresby.

▪ WHEN my older sister saw Tom and Rowena Kitto preaching along the wooden walkways of Hanuabada village, she asked me to attend their meetings to find out about this “new religion.” At the time, the meetings were held at the home of Heni Heni Nioki, a local Bible student.

I was 13 years old and very shy. I went to Heni Heni’s home, where about 40 villagers had gathered, and sat quietly in the background with my head in my hands. I liked what I heard and kept going back. Soon, Heni Heni asked me to interpret Tom Kitto’s English into Motu, the language spoken by most of those present.

Some years later, when I began working at a local hospital with the goal of training to be a doctor, John Cutforth took me aside and kindly reasoned with me, saying, “If you become a medical doctor, you can help people physically, but if you become a spiritual ‘doctor,’ you can help them gain everlasting life.” That week I started pioneering.

My first assignment was Wau. I had recently visited the town and had found several persons interested in the truth. One man, Jack Arifeae, invited me to preach at the  local Lutheran church. I chose God’s law on blood as my subject. The 600 people in the congregation paid rapt attention, since many of them believed that eating a person’s blood could allow his spirit to take over their body. The priest was furious and told the assembly that they should have nothing to do with me. But many liked what they heard and made further spiritual progress.

About a year later, I was assigned to Manu Manu, about 30 miles [50 km] northwest of Port Moresby. There I met a local chief, Tom Surau, who invited me to preach in his village. After I had studied with the villagers for three days, they chopped up their wooden idol of the Virgin Mary and threw it in the river.

People living downstream collected the debris and took it to the Catholic priests in their village, crying out, “They have killed Mary!” Two priests came to confront me. One of them walked straight up to me and punched me in the face, slashing my cheek with his ring. When the local villagers rushed to defend me, the priests ran off.

I traveled to Port Moresby to have the cut stitched and to file a complaint with the police. The priests were later fined and defrocked. Meanwhile, I returned to the village and established an isolated group. With Jehovah’s help, I had conquered my shyness.

[Picture]

The first meetings were held in Heni Heni’s home

[Box on page 86]

The Wantok System

The term wantok, meaning “one talk” in Tok Pisin, is related to a powerful cultural bond that links people of the same ethnic group who speak the same language. The bond includes certain obligations and privileges. For example, people are expected to care for the material needs of their elderly wantoks (people who speak their language) or for those out of work or unable to work. This is a real help in a land with limited social welfare.

The system also has its downside. For instance, when Bible students take a stand for the truth, other family members may reject them. In such situations, new ones must look to Jehovah for aid should they become unemployed or for some other reason come into material need. (Ps. 27:10; Matt. 6:33) “The wantok system can also put brothers under considerable pressure to associate unduly with non-Witness relatives, including those who may be disfellowshipped,” says Branch Committee member Kegawale Biyama. “Also, during political elections, Witness relatives of candidates are often pressured to compromise their Christian neutrality.” Of course, they do not compromise.

 [Box/​Picture on page 91]

He Won the Hearts of Many

During his missionary service in Papua New Guinea, John Cutforth won the hearts of many. Consider what some of his fellow missionaries and others with whom he worked had to say about him.​—Prov. 27:2.

Erna Andersson: “John told us: ‘A true missionary becomes all things to all people. If people give you a stump to sit on, sit on it; it is the best they can give. If they give you a roughly hewn bed, sleep on it; it has been made with kindness. If they give you unusual food, eat it; it has been prepared with love.’ John was an outstanding example of a self-sacrificing missionary.”

Awak Duvun: “During the period of colonial rule, John not only broke down prejudice between black people and white people but destroyed it! ‘Black man, white man​—no difference!’ he often declared. He loved all.”

Peter Linke: “One afternoon, after traveling most of the day, John arrived at our home in Goroka, dusty and tired. Yet, after dinner he said, ‘I haven’t done anything for anyone else today’ and trudged off into the failing light to visit and encourage a local family. He was always concerned about others. We all loved him.”

Jim Dobbins: “John taught us to live simply and to teach simply, using illustrations that people could understand, as Jesus did. This enabled us to communicate with those who couldn’t read or write.”

 [Box/​Picture on page 101]

‘We Will Never Give Up’

KALIP KANAI

BORN 1922

BAPTIZED 1962

PROFILE One of the first people to accept the truth in the Madang area. As told by his son Ulpep Kalip.

▪ MY FATHER was a humble man and a deep thinker. When faced with a problem, he would listen carefully and analyze the matter before finally offering his opinion.

When I was 15, I was hospitalized in Madang because a shark bit my leg off just below the knee. While visiting me, my father met John Davison. “In the new world,” John said, “Jehovah can give your son a new leg.” Father’s interest was aroused, he began studying the Bible in earnest, and he soon developed a strong faith.

Because my father and his relatives had left the Catholic Church, the police were incited to evict us from our homes. Our 12 houses, set among lush flowering gardens, were less than a year old. The police threw blazing torches onto the thatched roofs, which burst into flames. We rushed to salvage our belongings, but burning embers and smoke drove us outside. We wept as our homes were reduced to ashes.

With heavy hearts we walked to Bagildig, the neighboring village, where the village chief kindly allowed us to move into a small one-room hut. There, my father addressed our family: ‘Jesus was persecuted. So we can expect that people will persecute us too, but we will never give up our faith!’

 [Box/​Picture on pages 107, 108]

He Was Grateful That He Went to the “Wrong” School

MICHAEL SAUNGA

BORN 1936

BAPTIZED 1962

PROFILE Became a special pioneer in September 1964 and has served as a special pioneer longer than anyone else in Papua New Guinea.

▪ IN 1959, I moved to Rabaul to advance my education. When I heard that the Witnesses had a school, I went to the home of the “teacher,” Lance Gosson, thinking that I was going to a vocational school. Lance invited me to join in the Bible study that was held every Wednesday. Despite the misunderstanding, I accepted the invitation. I deeply appreciated what I learned, especially that God’s name is Jehovah and that there will be a “new heavens and a new earth.” (2 Pet. 3:13) I was baptized on the morning of July 7, 1962, ever so grateful that I had gone to the “wrong” school.

That same day, I attended a meeting for those interested in pioneer service. The conductor, John Cutforth, who was the district overseer, stressed that the fields were white for harvesting and that more workers were needed. (Matt. 9:37) As soon as I was able, I enrolled as a vacation pioneer, as auxiliary pioneers were then called. In May 1964, I became a regular pioneer, and in September, a special pioneer.

I recall an occasion when I was preaching near Rabaul. A Tolai man asked if he could hold my Bible to read a text for  himself. When I gave him the Bible, he tore it into pieces and threw it on the ground. Rather than get angry, I reported the matter to the police commander, who immediately dispatched a constable to arrest the offender. The commander told the man: “You are a bad man. You broke God’s law and the law of the government. You must buy a new Bible for the man tomorrow, and if you don’t, we will send you to jail.” The commander then told me to come to the police station at 10 o’clock the following morning to pick up the money for the Bible. When I arrived, the money was waiting for me. Since then, many Tolai people have come into the truth.

On another occasion, I was with a group of Witnesses distributing the Kingdom News in an area west of Wewak. The others were working ahead of me. A local village leader, however, found out what the brothers were doing and collected the copies they had distributed. He must have known that I was coming, for he was waiting for me in the middle of the road, his hands on his hips, with copies of the Kingdom News in one hand. I asked if there was a problem. He held them out to me and said, “I’m in charge here, and I don’t want you distributing these.”

I took them from him. Meanwhile, villagers had gathered around. Looking at them, I asked, “If you want to work in your garden or go fishing, do you have to get official permission?”

“No!” said one lady.

Then I asked the villagers, “Do you want to read this?”

“Yes,” they said. So I redistributed the copies of the Kingdom News unopposed. Later, though, I had to defend myself before a meeting of some 20 village leaders. Happily, all but two voted in favor of our preaching work.

 [Box/​Picture on page 112]

‘Have They Eaten Your Heart?’

AIOKOWAN

BORN 1940

BAPTIZED 1975

PROFILE One of the first individuals from the Enga people to learn the truth.

▪ WHEN Tom and Rowena Kitto came to Wabag, Enga Province, the local missions spread false stories about them. For example, the missions claimed that Tom and Rowena dug up dead people and ate them. Those stories really frightened me.

One day, Tom asked my father if he knew of a young woman who could help his wife with her housework. My father pointed to me. I was terrified, but my father made me accept the job.

Later, Tom and Rowena asked me, “What do you think happens to people when they die?”

“Good people will go to heaven,” I replied.

“Did you read that in the Bible?” they asked.

“I have not been to school, so I cannot read,” I answered.

They started to teach me to read, and slowly I began to understand Bible truth. When I stopped attending the Catholic Church, one of the church leaders asked me: “Why have you stopped coming to church? Have that white couple eaten your heart?”

“Yes,” I replied, “my figurative heart is now with them because I know that they are teaching me the truth.”

 [Box/​Picture on page 117]

“Give Me a Chicken, and It’s Yours”

AWAIWA SARE

BORN 1950

BAPTIZED 1993

PROFILE Learned the truth in an isolated area. Now serves as a ministerial servant in the Mundip Congregation.

▪ WHILE staying with a friend, I saw a copy of the book The Truth That Leads to Eternal Life. I read a few chapters and asked him if I could have it. “Give me a chicken, and it’s yours,” he replied.

The exchange was made, and I took the book home and read it carefully. Before long, I was telling others about the wonderful things I had learned, even though I was twice summoned before church leaders, who said that I should stop preaching!

Soon afterward, I wrote to the branch office asking how to contact Jehovah’s Witnesses locally. They put me in contact with Alfredo de Guzman, who invited me to a district convention at Madang.

I arrived at the convention wearing ragged bush clothes and a big black beard. Yet everyone treated me kindly and respectfully. During the program I started to cry because what I heard touched my heart. The next day, I arrived at the convention clean-shaven.

After the convention, Alfredo came to my village​—a two-hour truck ride plus a five-hour walk from Madang. My family and friends plied him with questions, and he answered every one from the Bible.

Today the Mundip Congregation has 23 publishers, and more than 60 attend the meetings here.

 [Box/​Picture on pages 125, 126]

“What Have You to Say for Yourself?”

MAKUI MAREG

BORN 1954

BAPTIZED 1986

PROFILE She pioneered alone for many years on an island having no other Witnesses.

▪ IN 1980, I accepted a tract from a pioneer in Madang and took it back home to Bagabag Island, six hours away by boat. I liked what it said and wrote to the branch office requesting more information. Soon afterward, I received a letter from Badam Duvun, a pioneer in Madang, inviting me to attend a district convention. I visited her for two weeks and started to study the Bible. I also attended all the meetings at the local Kingdom Hall. When I returned home, I continued to study, but by correspondence.

Before long, I started Bible studies with 12 other families on Bagabag Island. We held regular meetings in my uncle’s home, following the pattern for group Bible study that I had seen in Madang. This angered my father, a prominent member of the Lutheran Church. “I know Yahweh but do not know Jehovah,” he thundered. I opened my Tok Pisin Bible and showed him the footnote on Exodus 3:15, which discusses the divine name. My father had nothing to say in response.

Three times he summoned me to appear before church leaders to defend my faith. One of these meetings  was held in the largest church on the island. Over a hundred people filled the building. The atmosphere was tense. “What have you to say for yourself?” demanded the chairman. “I only want to follow Matthew 6:33 and put God’s Kingdom first,” I replied, holding my Bible tightly. My father leaped to his feet. “Are you trying to teach us?” he bellowed in rage. One of my uncles rose to strike me, but another relative jumped to my defense. The meeting descended into chaos. Finally, I was dismissed.

My troubles, however, were far from over. Tragically, one of the women attending the meetings we were holding had a sick baby who died. Some in the community blamed me for the death, saying that it happened because I was teaching the mother a new religion. My father, wielding an iron bar, drove me from our family home. I fled to Madang with my aunt, Lamit Mareg, who had also accepted the truth. Soon afterward, we were both baptized.

In time, my father became very sick. I took him into my home at Madang and cared for him until he died. During that time his heart softened toward my religion. Before he died he urged me to return to Bagabag Island and preach to its inhabitants. This I did in 1987. My relatives kindly built me a small house, and for 14 years I was the only Witness there. For 12 of those years, I served as a regular pioneer.

Later, I returned to Madang to pioneer along with Lamit. In 2009, six individuals from Bagabag Island came to Madang to attend the annual Memorial of Christ’s death. I never married, and I rejoice that I have been able to use my singleness to serve Jehovah fully.

 [Box/​Pictures on pages 141, 142]

Jehovah Took Me In

DORAH NINGI

BORN 1977

BAPTIZED 1998

PROFILE She learned the truth as a girl and was ostracized by her family. Later, she began pioneering and now serves at the branch office.

▪ WHEN I was 17 years of age, I found a copy of the book You Can Live Forever in Paradise on Earth. I soon realized that I had found something very special. I associated the book with Jehovah’s Witnesses because when I was about four years old, two Witnesses spoke to me about God’s promise of Paradise on earth.

Not long after I found the Live Forever book, my adoptive parents told me that since they had five children of their own, I had to return to my family, who lived in the coastal town of Wewak. When I first arrived there, I stayed with my father’s brother.

Eager to meet the Witnesses, I found my way to the Kingdom Hall and arrived just as a brother was announcing the closing song. Nevertheless, a missionary from the United States named Pam arranged to study the Bible with me. I thoroughly enjoyed what I was learning, but after only three studies, I had a confrontation with my uncle.

As I was nearing home after a Sunday meeting, I saw smoke ascending from my uncle’s front yard. He was burning all my possessions, including my Bible study aids. When  he saw me, he shouted, “If you want to worship with those people, then let them take care of you.” Because I was no longer welcome there, I had no choice but to go to the home of my biological parents, who lived in a village about two hours by car from Wewak.

When I approached my father, he said to my siblings in my hearing: “Who is this girl? We don’t know her. We gave her away when she was three.” I got the message that he did not want me either; so I left and stayed wherever I could.

About two years later, two special pioneer brothers met me in my parents’ village. I said to them, “Please tell Pam that I have not forgotten what she taught me, but I have no way to see her.” Shortly thereafter, however, I was able to meet Pam in Wewak and resume my study. During that time, I stayed with three different families, but because of my association with the Witnesses, I was kicked out of each house. Pam kindly made arrangements for me to live with a Witness family in Wewak. I was baptized in 1998 and began regular pioneering in September 1999. I was invited to Bethel in 2000 and have the privilege of working with the Tok Pisin translation team.

While my own family turned me away, which hurt me deeply, my spiritual family has more than made up for the loss. One of my favorite scriptures is Psalm 27:10, which reads: “In case my own father and my own mother did leave me, even Jehovah himself would take me up.”

[Picture]

Literature in Tok Pisin

 [Box/​Pictures on pages 147, 148]

“Jehovah Is Our Greatest Teacher”

JOHN TAVOISA

BORN 1964

BAPTIZED 1979

PROFILE As a child, he was cruelly persecuted by his teachers and his fellow students and was forced to leave school after only two years. He now serves as a circuit overseer.

▪ I WAS born in the village of Govigovi in Milne Bay Province. My father started to study the Bible when I was seven years old, and he taught me the things he was learning.

At about that time, I began to attend a public school. When my two teachers, who were Anglicans, learned that I was associating with the Witnesses, they began to persecute me. Fellow students did the same, even attacking me with sticks. As a result, I was forced to leave school after only two years.

About a year later, I saw one of the teachers at the local market. “You are a clever boy who would have done very well at school,” he said. “But because of your religion, you will end up being a servant to your fellow students.” When I told my father what the teacher had said, his reply warmed my heart. “If the world will not educate you,” he said, “Jehovah will.”

Father and a special pioneer brother helped me to gain the most valuable education of all​—the knowledge that  leads to everlasting life. (John 17:3) My native tongue was Dawawa, but they taught me the Bible in Hiri Motu, which became my second language, and in Tok Pisin, which became my third. I was baptized at the age of 15. Two years later, I started pioneering.

In 1998, I was invited to attend the Ministerial Training School. At the time, I had a limited knowledge of English. So, to prepare me for the school, the branch assigned me to an English-language congregation in Port Moresby. Thus, English became my fourth language.

At the graduation, I was assigned to the Alotau Congregation in Milne Bay Province. Six months later, I was greatly surprised​—and thrilled—​to be appointed as a circuit overseer. My first circuit included New Britain, New Ireland, Manus Island, and other neighboring islands. I married my dear wife, Judy, in 2006, and we special pioneered for one year, after which we took up circuit work together.

When I visit congregations, I often tell young ones: “Jehovah is our greatest Teacher. So let him teach you, for he can equip you to be truly successful in life.” That, to be sure, is an important lesson I have learned.

[Picture]

With my wife, Judy

 [Chart/​Pictures on pages 156, 157]

TIME LINE​—Papua New Guinea

 1930

1935 Pioneers aboard the Society’s ketch Lightbearer preach in Port Moresby.

1940

1950

1951 Tom and Rowena Kitto arrive in Port Moresby.

1956 Pioneers move to New Ireland and New Britain.

1957 John Cutforth develops picture sermons.

1960

1960 The International Bible Students Association is registered.

1962 Tom and Rowena Kitto move to the New Guinea highlands.

1965 A branch office is constructed at Koki, Port Moresby.

1969 The “Peace on Earth” International Assembly is held at Haima, Papua.

1970

1975 Papua and New Guinea combine to form Papua New Guinea.

1977-1979 Violent mobs destroy Kingdom Halls in Milne Bay Province.

1980

1987 A new branch office is dedicated.

1989 Civil war breaks out on Bougainville Island.

1990

1991 The Watchtower is published in Tok Pisin and Hiri Motu simultaneously with the English edition.

1994 A Hospital Liaison Committee begins operating.

1994 Volcanic eruptions destroy Rabaul, New Britain.

1999 A Kingdom Hall Construction Desk is established at the branch.

2000

2002 An Assembly Hall is built at Gerehu, Port Moresby.

2010

2010 A new branch office extension is dedicated.

2020

[Graph/​Picture on page 118]

(For fully formatted text, see publication)

Total Publishers

Total Pioneers

3,500

2,500

1,500

500

1955 1965 1975 1985 1995 2005

 [Maps on page 81]

(For fully formatted text, see publication)

PAPUA NEW GUINEA

PORT MORESBY

Wewak

Sepik River

Kambot

Dimiri

Biwat

Yuat River

Wabag

Mount Hagen

Banz

Wahgi Valley

NEW GUINEA HIGHLANDS

Lake Murray

Fly River

Basken

Talidig

Bagildig

Madang

Goroka

Kainantu

Lae

Bulolo

Wau

Kerema

Savaiviri

Gulf of Papua

Popondetta

Kokoda Trail

Hula

Agi

Govigovi

Alotau

CORAL SEA

Manus Island

Bismarck Archipelago

BISMARCK SEA

Bagabag Island

New Britain

Rabaul

Kokopo

Kurmalak Island

New Ireland

Kavieng

SOLOMON SEA

Goodenough Island

Buka Island

Bougainville Island

Nukumanu Atoll

Equator

Haima

Six Mile

Hanuabada

Port Moresby Harbour

Koki Market

Sogeri Plateau

Ioadabu

 [Full-page picture on page 74]

[Picture on page 77]

Lightbearer

[Picture on page 78]

The first local publishers, left to right: Bobogi Naiori, Heni Heni Nioki, Raho Rakatani, and Oda Sioni

[Picture on page 79]

Hanuabada village with downtown Port Moresby in the background

[Picture on page 82]

Shirley and Don Fielder just before their arrival

[Picture on page 85]

The country’s first Kingdom Hall, at Haima, Port Moresby

[Picture on page 87]

John Cutforth

[Picture on page 89]

Reproduction of a picture sermon

[Pictures on page 90]

Right: John Cutforth teaching with the aid of pictures; bottom: a brother carrying a picture board for preaching in the bush villages

[Picture on page 92]

Alf Green, David Walker, and Jim Smith

[Pictures on page 93]

Left: Shirley, Debbie, and Don Fielder; right: Don and his canoe

[Picture on page 96]

Jim Smith and Glenn Finlay

[Picture on page 97]

Stephen Blundy crossing Kerema Bay

[Picture on page 99]

Rosina and Ken Frame

[Picture on page 102]

Matthew and Doris Pope

[Pictures on page 103]

The home of Magdalen and John Endor was the first meeting place in Lae

[Picture on page 109]

The highlands

[Picture on page 110]

Tom and Rowena Kitto in front of their small store and home at Wabag

[Picture on page 113]

Erna and Berndt Andersson

[Picture on page 114]

Kerry Kay-Smith and Jim Wright

[Picture on page 115]

Mike Fisher on the Sepik River

[Pictures on page 123]

The Kingdom Hall in Agi was burned down by arsonists but was then rebuilt and expanded

[Picture on page 127]

Elsie and Bill Thew

[Picture on page 128]

A puapua under full sail

[Picture on page 128]

The boat Pioneer, built by Berndt Andersson

[Pictures on page 131]

Traveling on the Sepik River

 [Pictures on pages 132, 133]

Left: Circuit overseer Warren Reynolds and his wife, Leann, visit the village of Biwat; above: public talk during his visit to the village of Dimiri

[Picture on page 135]

Soare Maiga

[Picture on page 135]

Kora Leke

[Picture on page 136]

Save Nanpen

[Picture on page 139]

Geordie and Joanne Ryle

[Picture on page 145]

Some of these children were expelled from school for not saluting the flag

[Pictures on pages 152, 153]

Left: Rabaul with the Tavurvur volcano in the distance; bottom: the Rabaul Kingdom Hall that was destroyed in 1994

[Picture on page 155]

Translation team, 2010

 [Pictures on page 161]

Papua New Guinea Branch

Branch Committee: Dan Burks, Timo Rajalehto, Kegawale Biyama, Craig Speegle