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Open Door in the Trobriand Islands

Uploaded 11 September 2008

Sis Thecla and Bro Digi Sinakadi, our General Secretary in Papua New Guinea

The National Secretary for the church in Papua New Guinea, Digi Sinakadi, took a trip to his home islands known as the Trobriands. These are coral atolls off the eastern coast of New Guinea, in the Milne Bay province. Most of the 12,000 population live on the main island of Kiriwina. For him to make this visit from his present home in Goroka, Eastern Highlands Province, is a long and expensive trip. He travels 4 hours to the coastal town of Lae and boards a ship to sail south to Alotau. Here he waits for a smaller boat that sails through the D’entreaucast Islands and eventually onto the Trobriands, spending about 3 nights in the open sea. The following story is a brief account he told of his most recent visit to his home island of Kiriwina in the Trobriands.

After almost 15 years of praying and seed planting the Lord has opened a door for us in my home islands of the Trobriands. (Now often referred to as the Kiriwinas).

In 1992 I first took my family for a visit to the Trobriands, from the Highlands of Papua New Guinea. The two places are very different. At this time we did some out reach meetings and three open air rallies. We passed out many tracts and at an inland village I was able to speak to 300-400 people in a meeting. But my actual village is a stronghold for what was once Methodist and they did not allow me to have any meetings in the actual village area. However the Lord did a miracle during this visit and healed a young boy in the hospital who had a serious bowel blockage for 8 days.

The Trobriand Islands

I was able to visit my home islands again in 1994 but it seemed the doors were still shut for us and I was not allowed to preach in my own village. I did take opportunity to preach in public places like the market. A few people from my village heard me in the market and when they returned to our village they requested I be allowed to preach at home but the elders refused.

Between 1994 and December 2007 I was unable to afford the visit home to the Trobriands. However in December of 2007 I was able to go once again with my wife. As soon as I arrived, there was an invitation to preach in my village from those men that had refused us some years ago. I stood on the wharf and a large group listened attentively as I preached about baptism in Jesus name and the receiving of the Holy Spirit. It was as though they were drinking in every word I spoke. The next day another invitation came to speak again.

After this next meeting a retired school teacher and his family came to see me. He had read a tract I had passed out many years ago. He wanted to know more. We spent time at his house explaining many things. He has now opened his house for meetings for our church and when others heard this, they desired to join in.

My time in these islands came to an end too quickly and I had to return to work. However we have sent a guitar, tracts and reading material for these interested people. My appeal is for people to pray for these islands, for labourers for the harvest.

When I returned to work in the Highlands, I was told of a brother in the church who is also from these islands. He had recently visited there after living overseas for many years. While he was there at his own home island (which can be seen from my village), he had the privilege of baptising 12 people.

The Lord is opening these doors for us and we are excited!

- Rev Digi Sinakadi

Traditional Canoe sailing in the Trobriand Islands	Yam storage shelter on Kiriwina, Trobriand Islands

- 12 September 2008

• Richard & Andrea have arrived back in New Guinea
• News update from Cairns, Australia [more]
• News update from Lismore, Australia [more]
• A door opens in the Trobriand Islands as our General Secretary visits there [more]

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