My Journey to the South Coast Part I

I was invited by Bishop John Bosco Aurum to visit the South Coast to attend a priest and a Diaconate ordination and I enthusiastically accepted.  We began our journey on January 14 and what a trip it was. The South coast is on the opposite side of the West New Britain island. If there was a freeway connecting both sides, it would probably have taken us only a few hours, but, this being PNG, the only road connecting Kimbe to Turuk was too muddy to travel. There is an actual video of passengers pulling their vehicles through muddy rivers. Everything and everyone is shown completely caked in mud. That is something the Bishop did not want us to experience (Thank goodness).  So we traveled by vehicles from the Diocese to Garu (an hour and a half on unpaved roads) took boats to the village of Nut (pronounced noot), got in another set of vehicles and traveled across the province on unpaved roads (still muddy in spots), but supposedly not as bad as the one from Kimbe to the village of Turuk. It took four and a half hours to reach our destination.  

From Garu, we traveled on 4 boats, with between 10- 12 persons or so per boat and off we went. The last time I traveled from Garu was on my very first weekend in Kimbe (approx. 3 years ago) when we traveled with Bishop Bill, my fellow missionaries, Karen and Ron and others. On that trip, it was beautiful for the first few hours, but when the seas got rough and turned from pleasant to a rocky, wet e-ride, I found myself yelling a silent scream 'Get me off this thing!' Above the loud splashy waves crashing against the boat and me, I could have screamed out loud and no one would have heard me anyway. We did make it to the village of Kaliai, but were very wet and very uncomfortable.  We were warmly welcomed by the villagers and all was good again.  We stayed a few days and experienced a confirmation in Bariai. (Read one of my first blogs for more details). 

On this trip, I traveled with the religious and friends from the Diocese and it felt like I was traveling with family. The boat trip was beautiful and thankfully calm and uneventful as we traveled past the picturesque Pacific island villages. We waved back at villagers who were waving their greetings and watched the children swim or wash-wash in the water until we reached the village of Nut. On the road between Nut and Turuk, the road was challenging, but thankfully, not as bad as the supposed muddy conditions of the main road that starts in Kimbe. Thank goodness we didn't have to get out and pull a vehicle through the mud. 

Turuk Parish is built on top of a mountain with the village of Kandrian below where the main bush stores are located.  The rivers are also located below and they could rival any swimming pool found in the US. The river water was extremely pure and just like in Pomio, each part is designated for certain wash-wash activities.  One part is designated to wash-wash clothes, another to wash-wash dishes and pots and pans, another is for swimming, while another is to wash-wash the body and finally there is the actual spring where fresh water spurts out as it enters the pool and is reserved for the most delicious drinking water (cold and refreshing).

The men stayed in the priest house located on top of another hill with its own million dollar view. The women stayed in the convent where we shared accommodations with the Religious Sisters from the FMI, MSC and Caritas Communities along with 5 Caritas candidates. The Bishop's sister and niece and Mrs Babino and I made up the remaining women experiencing this trip. We made up a warm and supportive community as we waited for the ordination to begin. 

From the convent, we could look out over the ocean where many islands speckled the landscape, each populated with their own villages. A number of canoes were seen on the water and for some, it was their main mode of transportation.  It was an absolutely gorgeous view. PNG is rich in natural resources and is often called paradise. 

The ordination took place on a beautiful Saturday morning, January 16 and because it was to be celebrated outside in a nicely decorated pavilion right next door to the convent, we had prime seats on the second floor balcony of the convent.  We watched together as the Mass began. The clergy were escorted by the village warriors. 

A hut representing the Deacon's home was constructed on the other side of the field -about a football field away from the pavilion.  Deacon Sylvester was called from inside his hut. His family and village warriors, who tapped their drums and blew their conchs, escorted him to the stage where the ordination mass continued. Two priests came down to welcome him to the stage, but before they could begin, Deacon Sylvester had to take off all his bilas (ceremonial attire) and then he was ready to be ordained.

The Mass was followed by kai-kai (lunch) followed by a fitting celebration complete with presentations of gifts, dancing and sing-sings in honor of our new priest - Fr Sylvester.  The next day (Sunday), the newly ordained Fr Sylvester celebrated his first mass called a Thanksgiving mass. Again, the mass was followed by kai-kai, and more presentations, dances and sing-sings. 

(To be continued...)