People in mainland PNG have a play of words/letters: MANAM, read straight or backwards spells the same, as its people remain the same and won’t change. Wow… that sounds challenging to any missionary whose work is to be an agent of change. But I heard the government was able to convince them to evacuate to a safer place in mainland PNG during one major
eruption.
Nevertheless, this preconceived information did not discourage me from doing apostolic-missionary work there for I found the people welcoming and they value very much family and friendship. I first learned their language and then their culture which is rich in songs. They love music and singing! Their local songs are still in my head up to this time.
The trip from the mainland to this island takes only about an hour and 15 minutes by boat, if the sea (Bismarck Sea) is calm. But when the sea is rough (“Maasi igoala”) it can take three hours! There was a frightening incident, it was March 25 then, when returning to the island riding a small boat, with 3 companions, one of them a nun, we experienced a “white squall”(a whirlwind at sea or a violent disturbance of small radius indicated by whitecaps and turbulent water). That was one incident in my life where I thought would be the end of me. We were holding our wet rosaries in prayer until we disembarked. During the trip, our boat was beaten/ tossed by strong waves and winds. It sounds the same like the disciples’ experience in the gospel. I remember when a turbulent wave would hit us, our voices too become louder in prayer. So frightening! And when we finally reached the port of the island, people flocked to us, not only to welcome us but asked, “How were you able to make it, it is a rough sea?! (Bakaraka Kupura, Maasi igoala?!). Even the local people were wondering how we made it.
I recall, in the middle of the trip, the motor man was asking me if we need to go back to cancel our trip, but I felt that we were ALREADY travelling and ALMOST close to our destination. Why QUIT? Though I knew it was RISKY, this was the time to show FAITH and TRUST in God.
In our gospel, Peter was distracted, he was already walking on water, and he almost reached where Jesus was… When trials, temptations, adversities, troubles, difficulties, calamities, struggles come our way like a “life-threatening storm”, how do we take it?
While Jesus was not with them in the boat, he watched for them in prayer. The Lord keeps watch over us at all times. When calamities or trials threaten to overwhelm us, do we respond with faith and hope in God's love, care and presence with us?
Fr. Ted Magpayo
Pastor
