Alvin’s trip to the Highlands for 1 month.

Flying into the Highlands was basically the only way for the missionaries to get there. Mission pilots and airplanes were essential for the highland missionary in terms of travel, getting to a hospital, getting mail and all other supplies including food that was not grown in the Highlands.

Flying into the Highlands was basically the only way for the missionaries to get there. Mission pilots and airplanes were essential for the highland missionary in terms of travel, getting to a hospital, getting mail and all other supplies including food that was not grown in the Highlands.

First Photo circa 1972 Mission pilots Howard Schutte, Warren Bridge, Alan Stray, Ian Roennfeldt, Terry Zadow and Glenn Sampson. Later Paula and Tom flew to boarding school in Wau by Warren Bridge and Ian Roennfeldt.

Some of the stations Alvin mentions in his letters/notes can be found on the above map. you can see Malalo to the left of the ship.

1963 July 18 from Lalibu,

Dear Ina, Phyllis, Paula and Tom
Greetings from 6500 feet Lalibu. Forgive the shivering of the pen. Tuesday we took a long plane ride far into Papua to Wabi to be greeted by Wayne and Irene Haas, Larry and John, their baby. There are no Christians there, and no immediate prospects. The people wear loin cloths, and the men have kind of a bark belt. One widow came, and she had white clay all over her body and her head and was pretty well covered in it. We have an evangelist. They are working as a doctor boy. He is Stefan from Lababia.
The Haas’s are just getting ready to move out of their bush house into a big brand new house – very modern. All of the lumber for it was originally pit sawn.
We met with the evangelist both at night, and in the morning. They really want more evangelist. In the afternoon two of us were flown to a government airstrip 6 miles away, and Doug McGraw, the pilot went back to get the other two. He can only lift 350 pounds off the Wabi airstrip. Anyway after getting us all to the government place – Kagua we took off for Lalibu. Kahua is Southwest of Lalibu on the map. We flew to Lalibu where a faithful mission the Popi’s, and SDA are working. However, we have the biggest work here with about 50 evangelist. In June 500 we’re baptized here which are the only Christian so far. About 3000 are in baptismal classes.
Rev Eckhart Weber, wife, and two children are here. His sister is their short term teacher. She will be leaving in December. They are young and very nice people all speaking pretty good English.

Atari’s from Buakup teaches station school here. He is getting along quite well. The other teacher from Dinzer Hill just suffered the loss of his little boy. It was a newborn about 18 hours old. Only a year ago his six month old little girl died here too. Today we drive to tear up to Tiripini and the old Jabem missionary Hurtle. It is a new station with no Christians.
The whole area is relatively flat with not a great abundance of bush. It is possible to get out of here by road all the way to Lae. We’ve heard you on the radio. Malalo comes in pretty good up here.

Tomorrow we will go to Tiria. It will be fun to see Ellie again. (Eleanor Unruh from Bula girls School) Why don’t you folks take a little time off and Lae. There is a possibility I will be able to come back on the next Simbang.
Keep smiling, Al

1963, July 19 from Tiria

 Dear Ina, Phyllis, Paula and Tom,

 Howdy from Ellie1 and the old Bingsu. Yep, here we are at Tiria itself. Yesterday we drove from Lalibu to Tiriapini, it was very strange. The natives there have worked hard, building a road and it was quite wide. The country is kind of hilly and with a great deal of short cane like grass. Tiriapini is kind of a swampy area area next to a big airstrip. So far all the buildings are bush. The Hertles are an old couple who for many years worked in the Jabem district and at Bumayong. Now they are in a brand new area only constructed two years ago. I bought some of the heathen primitive things including a bunch of arrows.2 I hope I can get them back to Malalo. One evangelist Michael was from Malalo and many from the Jabem district. The people are quickly giving up their heathenish ways.

 This afternoon we were flown to Tiria. Ellie and her missionary met us at the airstrip. She looked very nice with her hair completely different. It was good to see an old, familiar face. A prior change of schedule confused the meeting here so we won’t have an official meeting here. We did meet with the schoolgirls and also the two girls who are helping Ellie. Everything seems to be quite smooth. I think there is a pretty good spirit here.  Ellie mentioned that she had written to you Phyllis, about a vacation in the Highlands in August. And talking it over, we decided the dates would not coincide with the Simbang’s schedule so that it would necessitate coming by air to perhaps Mount Hagen or Banz. One way to Mount Hagen is 12 pounds. As far as I’m concerned, you are very free to go if you can arrange with the station school teachers to change the vacation time to fit Ellie’s schedule. Food wise it would be just as well to have the vacation earlier. Also, feel free to take the Victor into Lae should the situation be such you want to catch a plane.

 Tiria is kind of damp today. Tomorrow we drive onto Mount Hagen and Ohlebeny. God is consistently thrusting forward with his good news in these parts of life, giving word fresh into all of our hearts.

Sweat a drop or two for me, Al

 Footnotes:

1 Ellie refers to Eleanor Unruh. Teacher/ Education. Bula girls school and Tiria 1962-?

2. As of 2025 Paula and Tom have the arrow collection. Some have human bone for arrow heads. Alvin not only got these back to Malalo but shipped to the USA in 1963 before artifacts made with human bone was banned from entry to USA.

1963 July 23, from Alkena, Papua

Dear mom and dad, Titus, sisters and sidewinders.

 Hugs, handshakes, and Howdy from your outlaw/in law. Laying here in a bed at 7200 feet altitude, I naturally have a few covers on. The air is quite a bit less dense than my head. This is Alkena, the highest station in our mission and I am visiting here with a coastal delegation. As maybe you know, Ina and family are still sweating it out at Malalo. Been wondering how the summer is treating you all. Hope all the little ones are fine and keeping their elders out of mischief.

 I’m on a most fantastic tour, mostly by air to a station in remote heathen areas. Some have a few Christians now. These are the modern stone ages in which plastic belts holds their loincloth on. The old fogeys still wear bark belts. If you can find Mount Giloway on a map in Papua, I am resting on the northern slope. It is reputed to have wild dogs on it. We’ve been thinking of trying to capture one and station it somewhere on Martin’s postal route. Of course, it would be much better if he could match his wits with, the wild ones on Mount Giloway itself. I seem to be feeling all right. I am anxious to get back to the station to see how things are going. The little one is going to be quite a bulge before dad gets home.

 Four natives and I are making this inspection. Mostly of evangelist from the coast working up here. Since we all speak different languages, everything needs to be carried on in Pidgin English. Hope to get back to Malalo in another two weeks. Maybe there will be some pictures out of it. I keep thinking about what a wonderful lot of Minnesotans I got hooked up with, and sure have appreciated the persisting ties and treasure this heritage as one of God‘s gracious favors to me in this world.

 May this unbelievable love for us all more away from ourselves into this rich presents.

All my love, Al.

Note: Al recalls this doctor working in the highlands

D. Carleton Gajdusek and Kuru in New Guinea – Circulating Now from the NLM Historical Collections.

https://circulatingnow.nlm.nih.gov/2015/04/07/d-carleton-gajdusek-and-kuru-in-new-guinea/

1963 July from Lalibu
Dear Ina, Paula, and Tom,

Things are going fine my honey, except you’re not here. Such a different country and fascinating. How I wish you could’ve come. It’s good for me to be here. The missionaries here faced such unsurmountable problems, and they just have to be easy-going. I’ve appreciated getting acquainted with this attitude.

The Haas were doing quite well, although it was a pretty lonely place. The stream flowed very slowly, and the country was hilly. You could have thought you were back in the states. I bought an arrow which has a human bone used for the pointed tip.

How are you feeling? It will be so good to get back so things will be ready for the new arrival. God keep you in these days. Sure miss old Paula and Tom too. They would have a lot of fun up in these parts. The Mellsers, the Haas and Webers all have kids they could’ve play with. There is a terrific need here for teachers and an evangelist.

Have you been getting any reading done? What would you think of getting a small electric Organ. Would you have any use for it. Send a letter to me via Madang supply house. Hospitality has been easy-going and friendly. I’ve appreciated that very much. The food has been good too.

How I would like to have you here to tell you how much I love and admire you. God‘s grace turn our heads and hearts that we lift up his name and reveal his love.

 Yours, Al

Photo 1 Two men are older missionary from Chimbu area, and Karl Holzknecht from Kaiaipit in Jabem District. Both German.

Photo 2 Frau and Herr Schmidt from Cahle, Germany. Missionaries in the highlands.

Photo 3 LtoR Adolph Schuster Baitabag headmaster, H Junker Ogelbeng Seminary, Helmut Klemm Alkena Missionary

1963 August

Dear Ina, Paula and Tom,

Thank you for your nice second letter. I am so eager to be over and done with this traveling around and home again. It will go slow to some of these stations since the Doernier is out of action for Survey and only the Cessna could help. It carries only three passengers.

Daddy completely missed Madang. The many, many things I wanted to get down there all must be left now. I will fly from Kainantu (near Ponampa where the Fricki’s are) to Lae as the last leg of the journey. How I want to squeeze you all again and love you. The trip has been a great education for me, and given me quite an insight into a little of the Lutheran mission. Of course, my impressions are not firmly based.

I love you Ina. Please do not let the things at Malalo get you. Just ? on the whole works till I get back. All my love, Al.

Alvin also went to Banz where Tex Mansur worked and the following photos are from Banz with Tex in some of them. When trying to identify these photos, Alvin noticed some of the trees were different than what are on the coast where Malalo is.

1963, August 10. Lae to Malalo on the Victor.

Letters from Papua New Guinea.

Letter written by AlvinErickson from the Victor after one month trip to the highlands to Alvin and Louise Erickson, Box 1327, Glendive Montana, USA

Dear mom and dad,

I am back at the coast and hi to you all. Yesterday I arrived at Lae. Ina was there because she had been having some false labor. It was kind of rough on her trying to operate the station for a month while I was gone. Now we are going back to Malalo as she is feeling pretty good and it was miserable waiting around and Lae. At Raipiaka, I met a new teacher, Miss Graff from Billings. She told us she met you not too long ago at church in Glendive. She likes where she is very much. It was a thrill to have a contact like that from home. I stayed at her station one night. Two other teachers just came out from Montana. I hope, they can all come to Malalo. One is a widow from Missoula. We had a chat at Asoroka.

The Highlands were a great experience. On this trip, I have been on three ships, four airplanes, 15 vehicles and we also walked on three different occasions. One was a seven hour walk in very mountainous country. No station is less than 4500 feet. It’s really a shock to hit the coastal climate again. Some places in the Highlands have some of the best year-round weather of all the places in the world. In some areas they can grow all the vegetables with no problems at all. They also grow coffee and peanuts. I hope you are getting by this summer without too much discomfort. Tell us how the crops do. New Guinea has always received pretty well from the mission board. Consequently, many of the houses are quite nice. Even the houses that are made out of the local forests are comfortable. We live much less primitively than you might suppose.

Our gracious Lord has steadfastly watched over us all during this time. Thank you so for your letters, thoughts and prayers. May his full life forever and ever turn us and more to make use of the short time given to us to help and comfort the many troubles about us.

All our love from each of us, Al and Ina, Paula and Tom.