June 2024
Dear Praying Friends,
Greetings from Kaintiba. Wow! 9 weeks have passed since our last newsletter went out. Also, sorry about the PDF of our last newsletter which had part of the text cut off for some reason. It was just recently when I went back to forward a copy to a pastor did I see this discrepancy. My apologies. These last 2 months have been filled with many new events and adventures. Christi and I had a group of 4 ladies that came for a 12 day visit in Kaintiba with us. One was our daughter Hadassah, who actually came ahead of the others to accompany a new missionary family into PNG. The other ladies were Linda Taylor (Christi’s mother), Tracy Wright (Christi’s sister), and Allana Wright (Tracy’s daughter). It was a house full of woman! It was a morale booster, though, for sure.
From Christi: What a joy to entertain some of my extended family! They spent two weeks with us here seeing our schedule and being a part of our daily lives. During that time, Tracy was able to teach the ladies at a ladies meeting. We also were able to have Grace’s graduation ceremony and mumu. The four visitors plus Grace and I flew up to Aiyura in the Eastern Highland’s Province to meet up with Caleb Wilson, Ken Seremak, and Scott Back. They drove down to Aiyura from Hagen to get us. We had an enjoyable time on the road. Bro. Ken made it fun for us in spite of the discomforts of the road. The next day Caleb, Tabitha, and family drove us to Pangia where mom, Tracy and I lived in the 1990s. What a joy to see the work continuing and thriving there. We got a tour of their ministries. Then, after attending church with the Wells in Lama, we drove back to Hagen. The rest of the time was spent getting some souvenirs in Hagen and spending time together. I was so blessed and thankful for their wonderful visit. Thank you, Allana, for wanting to come to PNG for your senior trip!
Back to Mark: Of all the ladies that came, my favorite was Hadassah (of course, she’s my daughter), and she got to be with us a full 7 weeks! If it wasn’t for the PNG Immigration laws, she would still be with us, or at least somewhere in PNG. Spending half of her life in PNG, it is hard to get it out. Living in the USA is not her 1st choice of residence. Please pray for her as she continues the transition process, and her continued growth with Christ.
In order to save some cost of flying out to get supplies, I decided to do the “road” trip up to Lae this time. One day (7 hours walking/2 hours by car) to Asiki and a second day via car 8 hours to Lae. In a quick one day blitz, I quickly bought and boxed about 650 pounds of supplies. By Friday, the 21st of June, I was able to get a driver to drive me and these 25 boxes up the Highlands Highway 4 hours to Aiyura. From there the supplies were weighed and staged for the following Tuesday flight. This plan worked out well, because upon my return to Kaintiba on the SIL flight, our visitors, Christi and Grace were able to fly back on the return leg of this chartered aircraft. That got them up to Mt. Hagen in a timely manner, as they continued in their other planned events. These are just some of the logistics we have to juggle around to make the most of the resources available (or not available) to us.
Please continue to pray for us as we continue here. There has been one pressing problem that is like “a thorn in the flesh”. There is a woman in Kaintiba just returned back from several years in Kerema. Seemingly she has an evil spirit that has set its sights on trying to get her to interrupt the ministry God has given to our family. She is often coming improperly dressed to the church property, and sitting in the Sunday School classroom on random days/nights of the week. The police and community leaders are of little help, so upon God we pray this nuisance will end soon. He is sufficient.
Christi’s Corner: The Lord has been so good to us! Clifford Jesse Wilson was born on June 27, 2024. He weighed 8 lbs. 9oz., 20” long. This “Mimi” is super blessed to have been there for his birth. God worked out all the details and allowed our plans to come to pass. Proverbs 3:6 “In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.” I was able to be with them for week after the birth.
Grace was able to stay on with them. She will be with them until she flies to POM to go back to the US in August. Lord willing, I will join up with her on the 12th of August in time to catch our 13th August flight to the US.
I was able to bring back a puppy to the family. Our male dog had died before I left. We were able to replace him. This has brought lots of fun times to our girls.
While in Hagen, the Lord allowed me to help two ladies come to Jesus! I went with the Sermaks, Backs, and Wilsons to Kelua where Bro. Ken Seremak was holding services on Sunday afternoon. That was an important highlight of my trip, also.
In September, after things get settled down, I am planning to start a ladies class again. I want it to be a Bible/literacy class. Pray for me as I plan this!
For His Glory,
Mark and Christi Helzerman
Grace, Hope, Serenity, and Glory
E-mail: mhelzerman@gmail.com