Photo's

Our plane as they were unloading our baggage just after landing in Wewak
The veiw from the radio station grounds. The large islands you see are Mushu (in front) and Kairuru Islands
Every night during the Share-A-Thon there was a panel of pastors discussing and promoting the fundraising. Top left: Assembly Of God pastor with his 3 boys- Top right: Tony Dua, station manager- Bottom left: Nazerine pastor- Bottom right: Baptist pastor
The staff counting donations during the Share-A-Thon

We are back in Australia from Papua New Guinea

Linda and I Have just returned back from Australia from Wewak, Papua New Guinea. It was so good to go back again. We felt very welcome by the staff and the community alike. It was like coming home!!
Originally back about 10 years ago we set out with a vision to establish a Christian radio station unique to the nation of Papua New Guinea. Papua New Guinea is unlike any nation in the world. Our heart was to see a youth targeted station with the majority of the programming in music form. We also wanted a station that would attract non-Christian listeners as well as Christian that would evangelize and build up the “Body Of Christ. We did not want to sound like a “church on the air” nor broadcast for the supporting listener’s sake. We felt that the Lord was challenging us to focus on and impact the youth of PNG with cutting edge music/ministry that would bring it’s listeners to the knowledge and nurture of the Lord Jesus Christ and help to unite the Body Of Christ in the process.
We were very pleased concerning the station when we arrived. Tony Dua our station manager has come a long way since meeting him ten years ago in Mt Hagen. We see tremendous growth in his life and he has kept the original vision for Laif FM which of course is exciting to us. He is stepping out in many areas of the ministry as he works to take the station to the next level. This young man is excelling in his potential! We are very proud of him!
The Share-A-Thon was a very big success! It was a 5 day long on-air time where we asked the listeners to take ownership and pitch in some money to see the station grow in listener coverage. It was fantastic to see the listening audience give thousands of Kina into the work as they took ownership of “their” radio station. This group- type of fund raising is very effective here in PNG mostly because this parallels some of their cultural practices with group giving for bride prices, compensation, etc… We were amazed to see money coming into the station from children, youth and adults many being non Christian! We were in awe! I’m thinking of one young man who didn’t appear to be a Christian and gave Kina 1000.00 to the station. Another 10 year old girl brought a Kina 10.00 note to the station. There are many stories like these! Truly awesome!
Laif FM (pronounced “life”) is a very popular station! As we were around town this week we were often approached by people thanking us for bringing Laif FM to Wewak. Christians and non-Christians alike are enjoying the station. As we were leaving our guest house for the airport to head back, a security guard approached us and thanked us for Laif FM. He told us that many have repented because of the music they hear on Laif FM. Again there are many stories like this one. It’s encouraging to see the impact the station is having on the greater community. Linda and I are truly encouraged and we thank God for everything he is doing there.
We are here in Cairns Australia now and have 9 days to rest (which we very much need) before heading back to Darwin. Please keep Laif FM and staff in your prayers.
Love …Bill & Linda

Photos of future Tiwi College students

Papua New Guinea… Here we come!!!

Our first 10 week school term at Tiwi College has completed and we are off on a 4 week break. Our first week will be spent in Wewak, Papua New Guinea helping Life FM with their 5 day, on air Share-A-Thon. We are looking forward to our time there. Those of you who know us well know that PNG has been a big part of our lives and is still very much on our hearts. It will be good to see our PNG friends once again!
Our last week at Tiwi College was extremely busy and tense. The boys were very restless the last week and were definitely ready for their school Holidays. The students and staff are definitely in need of a break as well!! This particular school break is known around the Tiwi Islands as “Bush Holiday”. It’s the time of the year when the Tiwi people camp out bush to fish and hunt. It’s interesting that most Australian Aboriginals are traditionally “hunters and gathers” while most people in PNG are farmers and very good ones at that. The PNG people are thought to be the world’s earliest farmers. The Tiwi people will hunt mostly Wallaby (small kangaroos) and water buffalo over the “Bush Holiday”. They will also do a lot of fishing. The biggest sought after fish on the islands is the Barramundi. Barramundi is a very good eating fish and fun to catch.
Also during this last week the Four Corners program aired across Australia on Monday. The 4 Corners program has been airing for about 50 years here in Australia and is a well respected news program similar to 60 minutes. They did a special story called, “Educating Kimberly” which for the most part reflected what Tiwi College is doing on the Tiwi Islands. It was for the most part a positive report concerning Tiwi College but the report revealed much of the negative social and educational issues concerning the Tiwi people. You can catch a streaming broadcast of the airing here… http://www.abc.net.au/4corners/content/2008/s2273093.htm Linda and I are in it a little.
We will be arriving back to Australia from PNG on July 1st and will spend some time in Cairns, Queensland, Australia before heading back to Darwin and Pickertaramoor. Our time in Cairns will be a time of resting so we will be fully refreshed when we go back to start school term #3.
Please continue to keep us in your prayers as we travel and for the radio work in PNG. We will add to our blog again once we return from PNG on July 1st.

This is one of our local wild Dingo's. A week ago Saturday Linda and I were taking an evening walk at dusk when one of these guys surprised us by running up to us from behind. He then followed us for a while coming as close as about 8 feet from us. It was probably curiosity but we didn't take any chances. I was armed and dangerous with a large folding knife in hand I carry for these kind of surprises.
Here are 4 of the girls as they loaded in the mini bus after a refreshing afternoon swim.
Meet Gabriel... Gabriel is our new boy in the house. He is 13 and one of the more polite/ educated Tiwi boys we have met. We're excited to have him in the house.

School Break is coming!!!

It’s hard to believe that we are already in week 9 of the 10 week school term. After the term we will be on school holidays for 4 weeks. The next 2 weeks will be exceptionally busy as we close out the term. We have BBQ’s planed for the families and friends of the students and all the other “end of the term” stuff that one can expect. We are definitely looking forward to the upcoming break! It’s been a tough stretch! Linda and I will be in Wewak, Papua New Guinea for about a week helping with an “on air” Share-A-Thon with “Life FM”, a station we brought to air back in 2003. Following the time in PNG we will take a rest in Cairns, Queensland, Australia for about 9 days. We will then head back to Darwin for a few days before attending a week of training and meetings in preparation for the next term.
We do love the boys in our care here at Tiwi College. The challenges are many but it’s exciting to see growth in their lives as they settle into routines here. Most have never experienced structure and discipline so this is all new to them. The house is a learning environment as they learn respect (for themselves and others), submission to authority, Biblical principles they can apply to their lives, self worth, hygiene, and ultimately and most importantly… a relationship with a God that loves them and gave his Son Jesus for them. The most important thing you can do for us here is to pray for breakthrough in their lives so they can see Gods love for them and receive Jesus as Lord and Savior. The Tiwi society is crumbing at the seams. The Tiwi people have the highest suicide rate per capita in the world! Drug and alcohol addiction is epidemic and the breakdown of family is evident everywhere. Most of our boys here do not live with their parents but aunties or grandparents. The vast majority of students here are many years behind academically for their age. Some students could not write their own name or recognize numbers when they came. Tiwi College is on the front lines to reach the Tiwi people and the battle is raging! We appreciate your prayer!
Tiwi College is a 30 year dream (come true) of a Tiwi elder.

A visit to Papua New Guinea

The staff at Life FM in Wewak PNG as we left back in late August, 2004. The station manager "Tony" is front right with the blue hat.

A visit to Papua New Guinea

Yes!!! We are going to Wewak, Papua New Guinea for a visit arriving June 23 and departing July 1st. Needless to say we are very excited concerning this opportunity! A few weeks ago we received an invitation email from Tony the station manager there at Life FM. He invited us to come and take part with a five day on air fundraising event called Share-A-Thon. With a minor adjustment to their schedule, we will be able to go being Linda and I will be on school holidays. Needless to say we are thrilled about the opportunity to go back to Wewak and spend time with PNG friends. We go way back with Tony to the first year we worked in PNG back in 1998. He is a dear friend! We are so very proud of Tony being he has grown tremendously and is doing a great job managing the station and running with the vision of Life FM, Christian radio for PNG youth.
Please pray for us as we go that God will be glorified and the station will raise the funds needed to upgrade the work and begin to bring the station to other provinces in Papua New Guinea.