The Dark River: Papua New Guinea
Flight to the Sepik
Tim, Will, and Paul take a small plane to the Sepik River, the second largest river in Papua New Guinea, the equivalent of the Nile to Egypt or the Amazon to South America. The plane is so tiny that the travelers must weigh themselves, and everything they bring on the plane. Their destination is Ambunti, which has no roads leading to it. The only way to get there is boat or plane. As they fly, signs of civilization disappear. They see scattered huts and villages, and are amazed at the remoteness of these places. The plane lands in Ambunti, but their trip isn't over. They set their sights on Mowi.
See a clip from the show: "Flight to the Sepik"
Murky Waters
Within 3 hours they secure everything they need for their trip to Mowi, which they will be taking by canoe up the murky waters of the Sepik. The canoe they rented was large, but it didn't look quite large enough, considering all the supplies they were bringing with them. These supplies included several gallons of gasoline, since it will be literally impossible to find anywhere they are going. Somehow everything manages to fit, and they set off on the croc-infested waters. The people they are going to minister to believe in witchcraft more than Jesus, so it won't be an easy ministry for the missionaries. Their arrival at one village was expected, so they are welcomed with leas.
See a clip from the show: "Murky Waters"
Abandoned
They begin a ministry of preaching and praying in the villages. It doesn't always go smoothly, and drunken men often interrupt their sermons. Alcoholism and abuse has plagued this area. It is an exceptionally hard mission field. Tim and Will speculate that these problems could have been a contributing factor to the exodus of the missionaries that once ministered here. Evidence of their presence is found in the abandoned homes and runways they built. Will speculates that they must have left in a hurry, because they left behind a lot of things. The three missionaries can only wonder what made these servants of God leave. Were they forced out, or was it some other reason? In any case, the people of this area are without teaching and discipleship.
See a clip from the show: "Abandoned"
Adapting to Life on the Sepik
The guys ease into life on the Sepik, and soon fully adapt to it. They add crocodile to their already diverse list of food they've eaten. In Mowi, everything seems to revolve around the Sepik. The guys even bathe in it-careful to avoid crocodiles of course. They learn to cover every part of exposed skin in mosquito repellant, and spend a good deal of time in mosquito nets. Life in Papua New Guinea is unlike life anywhere else, and time seems to slip away for the three. As they recline on the porch at sunset, they remember that it is only nine days until Christmas. They adapt in every way, including their ministry. They preach on boats to the people, who are also in boats, as well as trees. When it finally comes time to leave, they reflect on just how far the Gospel has reached throughout their travels. With only a month to go, there is still much to do.