Alvin hiked to the Buangs
1963 February 10 by Alvin on Sunday
Letter written by Al Erickson from the Buangs to Durward and Estelle Titus Box 224 Route1, Carlos MN USA
Dear mom and dad Titus,
Sincerest greetings from your family here in warm New Guinea. Yesterday I walked over the 3500 foot mountain hike from Malalo and down here to the first village which is the main one for this whole mountain region. Today we had about 30 confirmations, 20 adult baptisms, 20 infant baptisms, two weddings, and about 250 communicants. In all, it was about four hours although we rested before communion. The people have been very nice to me in spite of a meeting last night which went on well past midnight. They give me two watermelon‘s, some onions, some sweet potatoes, and part of a pig they killed for the festive occasion. Also, I have two young girls who are doing the cooking. For the next week I will be walking around these mountains visiting villages. I hope to get back to Ina and the family a week from tomorrow.
Part of getting into the Buang area is walking along a river in a valley. Photo from Erickson’s early 1960’s
Photo from Sam Basil’s beautiful Buang home by MALUM NALU. Looks like a similar area to the photo taken by Al Erickson
Photo from Sam Basil’s beautiful Buang home by MALUM NALU.
We enjoyed receiving your letters and have been very thankful for your continued health. It has been a great encouragement to see your constant interest. Ina was home alone while both the short term teachers and myself were at our missionary conference for 10 days. I think it was a good breather for her and gave some time to relax. She said the medical work was not too difficult during that time either. Coming back to Malalo on the Victor, one of the natives asked me if we had planned to leave. Such a story had got around. The reason, Ina had cleaned everything out of the closets in order to de-Roach them. And the house girls thought we were leaving for good.
Paula and Tom have been quite healthy lately. At our mission conference we started to feel the pinch of the recent cutbacks in the world missions budget. Of course, many missionaries here are supported from their own countries of Australia and Germany. Several brand new areas will be entered now by new missionaries. The government had forbidden white people into some of these areas up until the last year. I’m starting to use only Jabem although the conversations are pretty slow and broken. It still doesn’t mean much since I translate just about everything in my head yet.
Give all the little ones around a big kiss from us we would love to sit down and have a good conversation with you all. Thanks for the very warm hearted tape you sent us. May he who loves sinners be built up by the cross.
All our love, Al, Ina, Paula and Tom.
Mapos house in the area of the Buangs. Photo from the Ericksons in the early 1960’s
Al Erickson officiating. People dressed in white on Sundays especially if there are baptisms, communion etc. Photo from the Ericksons in the early 1960’s
Photo from the Ericksons in the early 1960’s
Photo from Sam Basil’s beautiful Buang home by MALUM NALU.