Travel Update #6: Word from the Bush

Baby Addelyn and I are camping in the mountains for a few days with Thomas' family, (trying to "rough-it" like Daddy) :) so I headed into town to check email and found a note from Thomas with an update. Jon was sound asleep - sounds like they've had a busy few days already! Here's the word from the guys: This was written at about 4am Wednesday morning, our time - later Wednesday evening for the guys in New Guinea. 

TUESDAY AUGUST 10, 2010 - we did arrive safley in Kiari on Tuesday Evening. We had to wait a few hours for our bush flight. It was scheduled to leave Goroka at 10:00am Tuesday, but we didnt leave until nearly 1pm. We flew to Noumani and waited for a second flight with a load of supplies to be flown in. The pilot returned about 45 minutes later with all of our supplies. We then loaded up the Smith's truck and ventured out onto the bush road. It wasn't long before both Jonathan and I realized how great the need is for the airstrip at Kiari.

 The road was terrible. Many teeth-jarring legg-numbing bumps! The trip into Kiari took about 2.5 hours. Along the way we would sometimes be chased by children from the villages that we passed. They would follow the truck for quite some time, and were often close enough that we could lean out of the truck and slap hands. This "white-man" touch really made them squeal with delight! Once we arrived at Kiari we unloaded our supplies and prepared for dinner. After dinner we spent some time discussing the work plans with Randy Smith and Jeff Owens. By around 7 our bodies were shutting down and we headed to bed.

WEDNESDAY AUGUST 11, 2010 - We awoke this morning to a cool breeze blowing in the window. The room was a little cooler than I expected it to be, but I was relieved since we had left the hot weather in the States! I was very grateful for the cool temps. After a breakfast of some Australian wheat cereal, Jon and I went down to the airstrip to get our first good look at the project we came to tackle.

 From pictures the runway does not look too big.

Let me tell you...those pictures are very decieving! The runway is huge. 400 meters long and an average of 45 meters wide! Very big! Jeff and another fella who was here just before us had used the bulldozer to rip into the side of a mountain so they could extend the strip by 16 meters. Now that the mountain has been removed it is our job to remove all of the excess dirt,  install 1000 meters of posts and hog wire fencing (to keep the pigs and goats off the runway), grade the entirestrip to a 12% slope (over half is at 12%),"crown" the strip (we make the middle of the strip 20" higher than all the edges - this allows for good runoff) and install drainage throughout the strip. A lot of work for a short trip. Originally there were 2 tractors available for use on this project. However, the Skid Loader is completly down and may not be repaired for a few months, so everything is being done with the large BullDozer. Although this machine is very powerful it's size it it's biggest hinderance. It is difficult to smooth a grade with such a large machine. Jeff says that it is like driving an elephant! After spending today on that tractor I would have to say that I aggree with Jeff! After looking over the airstrip Jon headed off to preach at Chapel in the school. I went and jumped on the Dozer and began to make a mess! When Jon was finished with Chapel he came to the strip and began setting fence posts with Jeff, Matt Smith (the Smith's oldest son) and some of the national men.

We cut the day a little short and were able to attend Wednesday prayer service at Kiari Baptist Church. This was a real delight. Even though Jon and I understood VERY little of what was said and sung, It was encouraging to see that side of the ministry here in Kiari. The Lord truly has raised up a good work here to Himself. It is our prayer that we will only aid in the spread of the Gospell and the furtherance of this ministry here in Kiari.

Thanks for your continued prayers,

Jon and Thomas Rodgers

I'll probably be in town again in a day or two and see if I can find further news.

Katie