Septon Philip is standing in front of MAF pilot Glenys Watson, as he prepares to explain how important it is to hold the Bible in his hands.
“I would just like to say thank you on behalf of everyone here in the community,” said Septon “Thank you, MAF, for bringing the Bible to this place in the bush. Thank you, because God’s word is inside.”
MAF isn’t the only way for the Wabo community to find a Bible. They can travel by boat to Kerema around 150 kilometres down the river, but this is not without its dangers due to rough seas. Another way is to go by foot to Goroka in the mountains. While a safer way than a boat, it’s a long journey and would take seven days through rough terrain.
“If we managed to go to town, the Bibles would be very expensive,” said Septon.
The Bible Box is made possible by generous donors, worldwide, who give, to enable affordable pricing for the Bibles in MAF’s Bible Box.
“A huge thank you goes to those people who have donated to lower the price of the Bible, so that people like us, who live in the bush, can afford to buy the Bible,” said Septon.
A woman in the community, Ata, also bought a Bible from pilot Glenys. She was thankful to MAF and pilot Glenys for bringing the Bible, but she also wanted to share how important it is for the whole community to have Bibles.
“There are many people here who know how to read, but they don’t have a Bible,” said Ada. “Lots of the older educated people have come. The knowledge that they have received before, what could they use it for? But the Bible has come for a cheap price. Now they can read it and if there are others who can’t read, they can talk to them too.”
Because the Bible is so important, many people are longing to buy one. Another MAF pilot, Jan Ivar Andresen, recently flew to Sengapi with a full Bible Box, but he quickly realised he didn’t have enough Bibles.
It was still early in the morning, when Jan Ivar Andresen took off at Kagamuga airport in Mount Hagen, flying northward towards the rural community of Sengapi.
The purpose of the flight was to bring more than 600kg of valuable school supplies for Sengapi Primary School as well as grade 8 exam papers, but Jan Ivar had also prepared to bring the Bible Box with him, filled with Bibles, Comic Bibles, Audio Bibles, and reading glasses.
“The last time I was in Sengapi, the MAF agent had asked me for Bibles,” said Jan Ivar.
“I promised him that next time I came to Sengapi I would have the Bibles with me.”
As Jan Ivar landed at Sengapi, the MAF agent, Kos Simbi, quickly came to him with enough money to buy 15 Bibles.
“Who are the Bibles for?” asked Jan Ivar.
“I am giving them to the pastors,” said Kos.
“Do others want to buy Bibles too?” asked Jan Ivar.
“Yes, they want them, so they need more,” said Kos.
Jan Ivar only had one Bible left, a large Tok Pisin Bible, but that was quickly sold. Furthermore, he sold two reading glasses, two audio Bibles and four comic Bibles. “The request from them is that the next time I come, I should have many large Bibles with me,” said Jan Ivar.
Only three days later, Jan Ivar flew back to Sengapi, where he sold eight Bibles. The same day he sold five Bibles at Dusin and eight Bibles at Mamusi, once again, emptying his Bible Box.
Although the original purpose for the flight was to bring supplies for Sengapi Primary School – a vital service for the school and the next generation of Sengapi – a whole community is now able to get to know Christ personally.
