We minister under the Sepik Mission, which scheduled children’s ministries training in the town of Vanimo during Christmas break. This would be a valuable opportunity for church members from our villages to receive excellent training and connect with other local and regional leaders within our mission and union.

Eight women from May River, six people from Arai, four from Imombi, and our recently-graduated pastor and his wife wanted to attend. Orion and I decided to join them.

We provided our canoe, motor and fuel for the river portion of the trip. Since our canoe driver and another church leader who served as “watchman at the front of the canoe” asked to attend, we paid their entrance fee instead of their regular pay.

We were scheduled to leave Wednesday morning at “second cry,” when the roosters alert the world that a new day is beginning. But we left a bit later because it took so long to stow belongings.

We stopped in Imombi after an hour to pick up others. Six hours later, we arrived at Moni, where the logging company built and maintained a road to the river. There was a “guest house” but no vehicles to take us to Vanimo. We settled in for the night and prayed for transportation. At about three in the morning, Orion heard a large truck arrive. He went outside and spoke to the driver. Someone in Vanimo had told him we would be arriving and needed a ride. After the driver and his assistant slept a few hours, we loaded everything into the back of the PMV (Public Motor Vehicle), a large truck with a bench down each side and a covered top to keep everything and everyone dry.

I sat in the back with the women while the driver offered to let Orion ride up front with him. The driver politely selected Christian music that repeated every 20 minutes.

After six hours of bumpy, hilly, curvy roads, a few stops for fuel, and refreshing at a lovely cold stream, we arrived in Vanimo with plenty of time before the training started. “How to Keep Them in the Church” covered topics including how the Sabbath School lesson years work, nutrition and exercise, engaging the young brain through activities, and ensuring children find the entire church service interesting. The interaction between our people and the Vanimo church leaders uplifted everyone.

Toward the end of the training, Orion talked to the same PMV driver and owner and arranged for them to carry our group back.

That’s when the excitement began . . . .

Shortly after they picked up Orion and me, Orion was alarmed that the driver needed to pump the brakes several times before the vehicle began to slow down. We didn’t feel safe around town, let alone crossing the mountains on the way to the river.

Orion kindly but firmly told the driver and owner that he needed them to repair the brakes or he would cancel their service. They readily agreed.

After several hours working on repairs, they arrived at 9:30 p.m. to load everyone’s cargo. With so many people having purchased supplies in town, it took several hours to load, and there was barely enough room for passengers. Two people needed to stand throughout the ride.
We began our journey at 1:00 a.m., meaning we would be able to reach the river shortly after sunrise. As the truck slowly descended the mountainous driveway of the retreat, Orion sensed the brakes were not really fixed. Once the vehicle was on a straight and level road, he told the driver to demonstrate the braking power. The driver pumped the brakes twice before they began to slow the large truck.

“You didn’t fix the brakes!” Orion said.

“Yes! Look! Now it only takes two times before it stops!” To the driver, this was an improvement, and he was enjoying the ‘better’ braking. I will give him credit. He understood how to use a lower gear and begin his descent as slowly as possible to maintain control of his vehicle down a long hill. Yet, we did not feel safe, so Orion told them to take us back to where we were staying.

After getting a refund on our pre-paid trip, Orion tipped the driver for his time.

Orion spent the next day trying to arrange transportation. Finally, he hired two smaller flatbed trucks with low sides but no cover. We eagerly left at about 9:00 p.m. and drove to a market for snacks. There, Orion gave his cell phone to our canoe driver to charge it in the truck in which he was riding. We ended up losing sight of the other truck.

A couple of hours later, our driver began experiencing some difficulties shifting and pulled over. Orion and the driver tried to bleed the clutch and figure out what was happening. The truck was stuck in first gear, and the clutch was not working. Our only option was to return to Vanimo.

The starts and stops were jerky without a clutch, and we plodded along in first gear. Soon it began to rain. Those of us sitting in the back of our truck shared three tarps and tried not to get too cold and wet. Five hours later, our truck pulled into the yard of the mechanic shop where we had hired it. Tired, many of us lay on the floor to sleep. Plywood is too firm to be classified as a comfortable mattress.

Back on the road, Orion checked all his pockets, then the truck’s cab, and asked me, “Keren, do you have my cell phone?” He hoped I had it in the back of the truck.

“No,” I replied.

“Uh-oh, it’s lost then,” Orion responded.

By 7:30 a.m., the driver and his assistant had transferred our cargo to a different truck, and we began our journey all over again.

We stopped along the way to look for Orion’s cell phone. No success.

By 4:30 p.m., we reached the waterfront and were greeted by our group from the second truck. They were relieved to finally see us.

We quickly loaded everything into the canoe to travel as many miles as possible in the daylight. As darkness fell, we traveled slowly, stopping three times to let people off at their villages.

Just before midnight, we were finally safe at home at the Ama project, eagerly showered and resting on a mattress that felt much better than plywood.

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