The Mission Phoenix

       Rev. Alfred and Nancy Ebel served as missionaries in New Guinea from 1968 – 1978. Rev. Ebel taught at Papyulu Lutheran School, Highlands Lutheran School and Balob Teachers College in New Guinea. Here are some of their observations and recollections of their mission service.

       What does one do with one hundred 100-watt bulbs that only go “pop” when put in a socket? Fortunately, the bulbs would not even fit in the socket--they were of a bayonette type while ours were screw in. We threw them away in the "hol pipia"--the garbage pit in the back of the house. That was one of our "jolts" to life outside of the USA. Papua New Guinea produced electricity at 220 volts and 50 cycles and we did not have a converter with us.

       For five years Nancy was elbow deep in diapers with a wringer washer to help keep clothes and diapers clean. She spent all Monday at that job. It was great that Tide had just come out with soap to be used in cold water. I did not have to heat water for the washing machine. We did not have hot running water, only a pot on the wood stove in the kitchen.

       Three children were born in the first five years. Nancy wore recycled maternity clothes for most of those five years. The recycled clothes came from the many other missionary wives and every once in a while a new set was added to the cycle. We bought an Aussie crib. It came from Australia and was new to the mission field. The package came, it came on time, and when the box was opened we found a basket--a US basket is an Aussie crib and we didn't know.

       I was called as a teacher and was assigned to Papayuku. We arrived at Papayuku in time for school to start--in January. I was to teach Standard five and be the "headmaster". The school had two other teachers: two seasoned teachers. One for Standard three and one for Standard One who was also the head of the local government Counsel. He had to come from Laiagam every day.

       I had 40 students in that first class with 35 males and 5 females.  The students ranged in age from 9 to over 20. It was a joy because the students wanted to be there and enjoyed school. Our classroom language was in English since that was the language of the government. Our curriculum was very similar to an American classroom.

       My first day in the classroom I tested everything. I tried the maps housed at the front of the room. I pulled the map down and thought the map was very, very wrong. I saw the island of New Guinea in the middle of the map instead of North and South America. It took me awhile to realize that I was in a different country and in very different part of the world.

       We enjoyed a weekly Bible Class with attendees from the government in Laiagam and missionaries from the Catholic Church, and the SDA Mission. We shared a Land Rover, had electricity four hours a night, lived with rain almost every day also learned to live with flies, fleas and cockroaches. My parents sent a package once a month besides weekly letters.

       We learned about God's providence and His desire for Enga men and women to be part of His church here on earth and in the assembly of saints in heaven. We are very thankful that God called us from Florida to Papua New Guinea. Our World View changed and expanded.