Bongomasi (Bon-go-ma-chee) is a name not familiar to most of us. Buried in the jungles of Papua New Guinea, it is an extremely isolated and remote village. In April 2010, four MAF staff undertook a dangerous trip to the village of Bongomasi - their amazing story will enlighten and encourage you as you read about this mission work in PNG.
Scroll down to read the men's personal accounts of the journey to Bongomasi.
The Bongomasi people fought and murdered for survival, and lived in constant fear of sorcery, demonic powers and the Sanguma Men who had influence in the spiritual realms.
Many cultish practices pervaded their villages, and Christians who stood against this found themselves in grave danger.
In 1963, MAF flew some missionaries over Bongomasi on an aerial survey flight. Below, they saw leaf-roofed buildings, and native people dressed in leaves. A national evangelist was despatched into the area and the work was begun to bring development, aid and the gospel to this remote area.
Arkosame, a nearby village, hand-built an airstrip to speed up the development of their village. Several other villages, including Bongomasi, helped Arkosame, and expatriate missionaries walked nine hours each way to guide and assist the people in this project. MAF provided support form the air, dropping salt to pay the workers, and after four years of labour a new airstrip was completed.
In 1967, soon after the arrival of as SSEM missionary, a church began to take shape. It was a while before the Bongomasi church was established, and the small congregation had little understanding of the power of this God, consequently placing more stock in the powers of sorcery.
In 1988, just 21 years later, David Wilkinson visited the Bongomasi village, and was encouraged to see them taking a strong stand against the cult that was flourishing in the region. The Bongomasi church had fully cast their lives before Jesus Christ, but this was not without consequences.
Those Christians who were adamant against the practice of sorcery were outcast and threatened with sorcery, and several “accidental” deaths occurred. Neighbouring cult villages closed off the roads and walking tracks to Bongomasi, and the children were unable to get to school. Bongomasi had no access to the medical aid posts and no way to get their coffee beans to the market. Completely isolated, they suffered illnesses and lost mothers in childbirth, while tropical skin diseases became common. Still, they refused to give in.
In 2010, another 20 or so years on, the Bongomasi church knew God had blessed them and they had made progress. Despite the continual cultish practices around and the persecution they faced, Bongomasi had stayed strong. Now, as before, they were pleading for assistance and encouragement, and on Friday April 23 2010, four men went to do just that.
Picture, L-R: Michael Duncalfe (MAF AUS), Rick Velvin (MAF NZ), Godfrey Sim (MAFNZ), David Wilkinson (MAFNZ).
David Wilkinson (MAFNZ), Godfrey Sim (MAFNZ), Rick Velvin (MAFNZ) and Michael Duncalfe (MAF AUS) made the long and dangerous journey up the Sepik River.
After a treacherous journey up the flooded Sepik river with narrowly avoided mishaps, the four men were welcomed to Bongomasi. The next two days were filled with ministry amongst the people, prayer for sick, sharing with the church leaders and joyful fellowship with these faithful brethren in Christ.
Michael said, “Throughout the whole weekend I cannot begin to express how overwhelmingly generous, warm and thoughtful the people were.” David noted, “They are, by comparison to the NZ way of living, extremely inadequately provided for. But in their spirit and heart for Christ, they are giants of faith and courage.”
David, Rick, Godfrey and Michael were blessed by their experience, and feel privileged to have been a part of this amazing story. As Godfrey said, “This is the beginning of a new chapter, and we all have a feeling we’ll be connecting with them [Bongomasi Church] one way or another in the future.”
Four men shared one purpose as they made a hazardous journey up the Sepik River in PNG. Read some of their accounts below of the trip to the Bongomasi Church.
Godfrey Sim
"The hazards are mounting. Every time the [canoe] prop guard hits a log or the prop gets snagged by green debris, the risk of the motor turning sideways is suddenly high, and if that happens… the canoe would roll, no question. Then there are the crocodile tracks! We decide not to camp on that beach…"
"A bright moon lit up the village and stars dotted the sky that was nearly clear of clouds. There was no wind at all and the silvery light made the palm trees silhouette against the sky, and gave a sheen to the leaf thatching on the church and other buildings nearby. Over the mountains in the far distance lightning occasionally illuminated a thunder cloud. While preparations were still going on the music group led the people in praise songs that filled the air. I just stood there marvelling at the beauty of my surroundings and feeling immensely privileged to be there."
David Wilkinson
"... the Bongomasi believers were taking a strong stand against a ‘cargo cult’ which was flourishing in the region. This cult said that if you mix the blood of a live man with powdered bones of a dead man and rub that mixture on some money, then more money will materialise in your pocket."
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The item comes from martyred missionary pilot Nate Saint’s Piper PA-14, which is on display at the headquarters of MAF (Mission Aviation Fellowship) in Nampa, Idaho. Saint and four other missionaries were martyred on a sandbar in Ecuador on Jan. 8, 1956, by a tribe of Waodani Indians.