Siobhain Dales: My week of Bush Orientation - Hauna, East Sepik, Papua New Guinea

Thursday, 17 April 2014

My week of Bush Orientation - Hauna, East Sepik, Papua New Guinea

During the 1st week of April, these lovely women, Marilyn, Shirley & Cristina, looked after me whilst I experienced the real PNG with the people of Hauna, a remote village, 80 minutes flight time from the nearest MAF base, in the hot & swampy lowlands.

The "Bossmeris" who run the Mission and the Elementary School

Hauna is located on a tributary of the Sepik river, where the people learn to row a canoe on the crocodile & piranha infested waters when they are only 5 years old; where Maleria is rife and floods constantly threaten families' crops.

I spent a week talking to the people (in both English & Tok Pisin) learning about how they live off both the river and the land. Life in the remote villages of PNG is very hard, I never fully appreciated the many blessings and conveniences of my modern, western world.

To find out more about the work of Kids Alive International and Sepik Christian Ministries who work in Hauna and hosted me, please check out their websites. They are currently looking for someone to take over running the Elementary School from Shirley who is approaching retirement at the young age of 79! Shirley is from Indiana in the USA and has been working in Hauna for over 35 years!!!

1 - Hauna Airstrip 2 - Arriving in Style, on a dug-out, out-board canoe 3 - The Mission House that I stayed in

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I was born in Lincoln in the UK and raised in military communities in England and Germany. Like most kids, what I wanted to be when I grew up changed regularly. Some of my ideas included architect, teacher and mural painter. I’m still not sure what I want to be when I grow up, but for now God wants me to be an Operations Manager for MAF!

While studying at Southampton University, I decided I’d follow in the footsteps of both my parents and my Granddad by joining the Royal Air Force. I had a short, fulfilling career, working in logistics and airport management in London, Scotland and the Falkland Islands.

My contract ended at the beginning of 2013, giving me the opportunity to ask God, ‘What next?’

In the process of investigating different Christian organisations, my Mum suggested MAF. With no prior knowledge, I was amazed at how many friends not only knew MAF and praised the organisation’s excellent work, but had also flown with them. I even discovered that my home church, Ruislip Baptist, supports MAF.

During the application process I undertook the ‘en route’ course on cross-cultural studies and mission preparation at All Nations College. This was an amazing opportunity for me to deepen my faith in a way I had never had the opportunity to previously. I would strongly recommend en route to anyone planning on working overseas for the first time!

Now I have been accepted by MAF to go to Papua New Guinea, I am really excited (and a little apprehensive) about this immense challenge on the other side of the world, but I know God has equipped me and will continue to walk with me.

As I take each step, I am looking for a team of people willing to travel with me, who are committed to supporting me prayerfully, financially, or both. Could you be one of them?