SOVEREIGN GRACE BAPTIST MISSION International – Papua New Guinea / Malawi Africa
P.O. Box 60150 Ndirande Bt. 6 Blantyre Malawi /
P.O. Box 233 – Mt Hagen (WHP) Papua New Guinea
Tanggi Mission Station – North Koroba, Hela Province, PNG
Missionary / Evangelist: Peter A. Halliman
Email: panagioite042gmail.com
Website: sgbm-malawi-africa.com
Date: 25th January 2024
I will explain to you the reader the challenges both Eric and Edwin face and eliminate the guess work.
Both men have been endorsed by me in this mission work, as they were tutored by me for many years. They both laboured for many years with me going on mission trips, preaching publicly, privately, teaching in the Bible school, organising churches, in the baptisms, physical work with the mission labours. They worked hand in hand with me over the years tirelessly.
As I endorsed both, it was time for them to pick up the mantle and get on with the mission work as they were taught, not to reinvent or change, add to, or delete from what they had been taught.
What they do not have expenses for:
Rent – No
Property tax – No
Water & Elect bill – No
Rubbish pickup bill – No
Landline bill – No
Home Ins – No
Health Ins – No
Dental Ins – No
Auto Ins No
Vehicle upkeep – No
Employees for the mission work – No
Construction Hardware for building church buildings – No
To Construct a Bible School building – No
To purchase land for a mission station – No
To shop for groceries like a (Whiteman) No
Home repairs such as city-life – No
I can go on, but I think you get the picture, now that I have said that I do want to explain what they do face.
As you read this report, it is straight up, no crutches are used for sympathy, (I also have lived a hard life) my Lord lived a hard life on earth and so on! I will not boast on anything here to make it appear more, nor subtract from the severity of life here… I have seen how “Americans” live, how the Papua New Guineans live, and how the African’s live. As God’s people we need to stop the complaining, or (feeling sorry), nor do we need to try and change the lepers’ spots, that is GOD’S business. If the LORD does not send the wind from the West to drive out the Locusts, then what can we do?
- Food is their most expensive bill, the mainstay of their diet is maize flour, this is going for ($35.00) 100 lb bag, that will last Eric and his family of (six) or Edwin with his family (six also) for a month and sometimes a little less.
- Seeing they have no electric, the market shopping is almost every two or three days, life in Malawi is like that. Food is bought for a couple days or three the most, that is fresh veggies, etc… the flour is either redeemed from maize crops planted, harvested, ground as needed into flour, kept, and stowed in sacks for the long months ahead until next harvest. This is (all) ‘Conditional’ – meaning, if the LORD blesses the land with the proper, adequate rains for the crops, they will redeem the harvest, if the rains are too much, the crops get washed away, if too little, no growth. Therefore, maize flour must be bought. They don’t have concrete floors, or wooden, rather dirt, no airtight storage for the flour, thus being in bags, suspected to insects, (mice, cockroaches) I can go on… Africa is hard on life, end of story!
- With the houses they have in the villages, many issues with health from Malaria, bacteria, cockroaches, flies, scorpions etc…. No person from a developed country would live like they do; however, they were born this way, will live and die this way. We are not called to preach customs, change customs, or try to build our own kingdoms. With this said, small children often fall sick with malaria, dysentery, pneumonia, typhoid, and the list goes on. As I deliberate, if you the reader disagree with any of this, perhaps you can come here to Malawi or any country in Africa and work as a (social worker) or for (Habitat for Humanity), UNICEF, Save the children, Red Cross, and so on, BUT Christ did NOT command HIS church to be engaged in (social programs), be careful that you don’t confuse these ministries.
- The Malawians have a hard life, it is not easy unless you are rich, and live in the cities taking advantage of the city life, and labours of the village Malawians.
- Often the American mind must undergo a total transformation to understand and accept the way of life for those people living under a different economy, standards, and lifestyle.
- Without a proper vehicle, (though the big expenses) are eliminated, so too the convenience. The transport I have first-hand knowledge, for me to travel from the mission property here in Mulanje District to Blantyre city 35 miles one way, costs me ($2.00) USD, it is important you remember the transport costs, as you think over the cost of living for these two men here. Though the time is consumed (much) in public transport, and it is very inconvenient (for me) this does not have the same meaning for Edwin and Eric, they were born Malawians, they will live and die as Malawians.
- I hired a small vehicle on Sunday (privately owned vehicle) to take us to church about 16 miles, the vehicle was on hire going, waiting, and bringing us home, the whole day ($15.00) USD, I think you are getting the picture.
To Be Continued, ending of Part Five
Peter Halliman