The mutual joy of evangelists from the highlands of Papua and the lowland villagers they serve.
Story by Daniel Bristol, an MAF pilot/mechanic serving with his family in Papua, Indonesia.
The Mamberamo is a large river that flows into the lowlands of Papua and makes its way to the Pacific Ocean. The Dani are a people group from the highlands, but they have been so moved by the gospel that many have uprooted from their villages to take the gospel to those living in the lowlands of the Mamberamo.
A few months ago, I transported eight Dani women—three of them with babies in tow—from the mountain village of Mulia down to the Mamberamo village of Faowi. These eight evangelists had traveled there to conduct a week-long revival.
A week later, I returned to pick them up. As the women neared the plane before departure, I asked if anyone would be willing to say a prayer of praise for their time in Faowi. The women immediately knelt or sat on the tarmac. But they weren’t the only ones—everyone near the plane followed suit.
As I watched, a pastor walked through the crowd of people on the ground and began to praise the Lord in their language. It was incredible to witness the honor and reverence this people group have so openly for the Lord.
When we returned to Mulia, an additional group of eight women and a child was waiting to go to another Mamberamo village called Derapos. They were on the same mission of revival as the previous women.
This new group boarded the plane, and I flew them to Derapos. Upon our arrival, we were met enthusiastically by most of the village. They had dressed for the occasion and were singing and shouting joyfully because of the evangelism team that had come to help them. The women were then paraded to the city, where they were encircled by villagers singing and waving palm branches.
What a joy it is to observe the Christian culture of a people group so different from ours! The people of Papua live a much less privileged life than we do, yet their praises rise so beautifully to the Lord. How wonderful it will be to join with them on that day when all of God’s people gather around His throne and sing praises to Him!
MAF is honored to partner with people of different cultures who share our passion for reaching others with the good news of Jesus Christ. If you are interested in helping make stories like this happen, you will have a special opportunity on November 30—GivingTuesday. More information coming soon!
