Volunteers in Mission is a program where Canadian volunteers are assigned to work for partners overseas who have asked for their services., usually for a period of two years. One of the responsibilities volunteers agree to accept is to communicate regularly with parishioners back home. Here is a sampling among recent letters.
I am lodged in the principal's house for the next couple of weeks, as my little house is occupied temporarily by an Australian priest, Father Ken, here to mark senior papers, apparently. Outside "my" house is a lovely frangipani tree, with its lush white blossoms; and looking up as I write, there are several trees sporting pink and red blossoms also. On my arrival here yesterday afternoon, I was touched to find "my" stairway (all the houses are elevated), festooned with hibiscus blossoms, arranged by the acting principal's wife, Mother Rose, and her small granddaughter. This is customary, apparently, and a really nice welcome.
Let me backtrack a little, and describe how good God has been to me all through this journey. You know how concerned I was about my luggage, especially the large suitcase. Well, praise God, it was accepted, and checked straight through to Port Moresby (on payment of some excess luggage fees, of course.) What a relief, and a surprise.
The journey itself went smoothly, with good service all along the way. It was tedious, of course, especially waiting around for five hours at Heathrow London. I could locate no trolley, and my hand luggage seemed to weigh a ton after all the walking from the aircraft to the terminal, and hanging about there. The overnight in Brisbane, however, was really quite a pleasure. I did locate a trolley there, and there were showers available, and the seats, lacking armrests, were very comfortable to lie on. The transit lady even loaned me a blanket, so I was all set.
The bishop of Port Moresby (capital of Papua New Guinea) met me there the next day. Coming in by air the island looked lovely, with tropical vegetation, a low atoll and reef somewhat off shore, and the blue of the Pacific Ocean. No trouble with getting into the country; glad to find all my luggage had come with me safely, and I emerged into the concourse to find only a row of uniformed ladies awaiting passengers, each with a name card. Wheeler was not amongst them! What to do now?
But the bishop was there, outside the door, trying to get my attention, as no one but official folk and passengers have access to the international terminal! Peter Fox looked decidedly scruffy; had it not been for his pectoral cross, I'd have thought him a real down-and-out! He manfully loaded all my luggage into his car, and we went home for a cup of tea.
Peter, Angie and Daniel, 12, do not live in the bishop's house. It is rented out to provide much-needed funds for the diocese; so the Foxes occupy the rectory of St. Marin's Church, Boroko, while that rector lives in the curate's house -- there is no curate. At first the diocese hoped that Peter Fox would be both rector and bishop, but he soon arranged things as they are now. Resources are very limited, much of the diocesan money coming from rentals of property around Port Moresby.
The diocese has a wonderful AIDS project in hand -- Anglicare -- where non-judgmental assessment and counselling is given, and which is involved in intense education work around the issue of HIV.
The diocese has a wonderful AIDS project in hand – Anglicare – where non-judgmental assessment and counselling is given, and which is involved in intense education work around the issue of HIV.
A second-hand clothing shop is being run by unemployed Anglican youth, providing benefit all around. I attended three services at St. Martin's - two offered by the bishop, and the Sunday mass offered by the rector. He has a parish of about 300 families, and more than 150 children in Sunday School, as well as a thriving youth group.
In the airline magazine I had read about a fabric-printing workshop being run by City Mission as a project for unemployed youth, so Angie was kind enough to take me there, and I bought three T-shirts for kids' Christmas gifts. On Friday evening I took the family out for a nice meal at the Airways Hotel. Daniel was able to have a swim in the pool while the three grown-ups enjoyed a cold beer. There was a good buffet outdoors, very nice.
I did find Port Moresby disconcerting in one way, though I had been warned. The whole St. Marin's compound is fenced-in, and Angie never leaves it except by car. There is a night security guard, and the Foxes lock every door whether they are in or out, having had a couple of break-ins. So, one is a prisoner, in a sense. I would love to have walked around the block, for instance, but that is a no-no. Everyone told me it would be different here at Newton, and in a way, it is. This is a fairly large compound, and apparently I would be perfectly safe walking around it. The Anglican sisters and brothers are a longer walk away, safe for two people, so I hope to do that at some point.
For more information about the Volunteers in Mission program, please contact Jill Cruse at jcruse@national.anglican.ca or Clem Thomas at cthomas@national.anglican.ca
