It has been terribly hot and dry here- gardening is their only source of food
Taro is a main source of food. But the winter and spring of 1963 there is a drought in the area so people are struggling to get enough to eat as you can read in the letters.
1963, February 13 (a copy)
Dear Marion, Virgil, and children, (Ina’s cousin)
Thank you so much for the records. I have been playing and playing them. My house girls surely have appreciated the children’s records so much. Paula gets excited when she hears the little girl. See as how they were used records we didn’t have to pay duty on them either. Thank you so much. And do you know I have an awful time finding filling for potholders so appreciate the flannel. My house girls are so curious with potholders that I’m always out of them.
We have been very well. Tommy broke his collarbone soon after Christmas. How I don’t know, but they were swimming and I noticed that there was swelling on his shoulder. Upon investigation I could feel the bones grinding beneath my finger, so probably brought him up the hill and set it and taped. A few days later, when we had a boat going into Lae, I took him in to have an x-ray to see if it still wasn’t place. They said it was healing nicely so only put a figure 8 elastic bandage across his shoulders and left it for several days. Tommy didn’t have any pain and didn’t seem to mind the bandage. At first objected when I put it on, but when he had decided that it was the way it was going to be he started climbing with one arm and losing his balance many times going crashing to the floor on his broken collarbone. In spite of all of that it healed with only a small lump to prove it was broken. Though he has none the worst for where he certainly isn’t any wiser.
Al left last Saturday for a trip to the mountains in back of us (Hotec). He sent a note back with some people that happened to be coming this way. He said that Paula had very thoughtfully included a string bag full of toys for him. She says she sent a truck along. I wonder if he was able to use it getting over the mountains.
Things rust out so quickly. I’ve had some of our work people trying to make a new stovepipe for me. I still have just wouldn’t get hot so pan investigation I found two big holes in the stove pipe. If this doesn’t help the situation, I guess I’ll have to get a new stove.
I had company coming, so I was frantically baking bread as one can’t bake things as they don’t keep for any time at all, but I couldn’t get this darn stove to heat for anything. I had a few things to learn about woodstoves, like you must clean all that outside of the stove from the inside, if you expect to get underneath to heat the stove properly. I had burned bread on the top of the bottom. So from then on I stuck to buns. They at last would get done. My cakes I had to make real thin so they would get done. Cookies did pretty well. It would have been nice to run downtown and pick up some baked goods and a repair man.
It has been terribly hot and dry here. For almost 6 weeks we didn’t have any rain. All our water tanks are dry. I was thankful that Al had fixed up a pump to pump water from the small stream several hundred feet down the hill. I was afraid that the stream would go dry too, but thank God it didn’t. The last couple of nights we’ve had a lovely rain. I don’t think they were in time to save the peoples gardens. Everyone will have to fast for a couple of months until they can get some new gardens to grow. Gardening is their only source of food. Food grows so poorly here on the coast that Al really would like to see some industry started such as fish, packing or something. Then they could buy their food and have a lot healthier diets. Now they eat mostly taro and sweet potatoes, which are mostly starch and very little other nourishing foods.
A few sentences are cut off here. But continues.-
This was a real mistake. They should have been required to bring some taro or some little things to pay for it as now it is very difficult to get them to pay their own way as they are able. Trying to make them independent people is a real job. Like teenagers they want all the privileges of independence without taking the responsibility of independence. The attitude that we will let the white man continue to run our schools while we go out and get jobs where we can earn more money is very prevalent. What is so frustrating about it is the world is demanding their independence before they responsible enough to carry the load. We can only hope and pray for the best.
Yesterday, my house girls went to a stream and brought some shrimp for me. I boiled them and have them in the icebox. I plan on frying them tonight. Want to come for supper?
We haven’t had any lobster yet, but are looking forward to the day when someone will bring us some. They don’t have them around here. We have to go further down the coast for them. Our people who have been isolated down the coast were able to sell a large amount of their wood so we’re able to purchase a boat. It will be nice because they will be able to sell some of their garden vegetables. Things grow better down there and will be able to get school and medical help. We’re real happy for this step forward.
We surely miss you all and though we’re happy in New Guinea we are still counting the months and years when we will be able again and can sure experiences with you. It is only four years and seven months furlough. It use to be six years. God bless you and yours. He has been very good to us, and has very abundantly cared for our every need, and then some. We are grateful to the many friends we have here. Many of them seems like we have always known them.
Love, Ina.
Beryl (Ina’s sister), Mrs Franzi and Ina Erickson in Carlos MN. Circa mid 1950’s
1963 February 13 (a copy)
Dear Mr. and Mrs. Franzi, (Ina’s Music teacher)
Thank you so much for the fruitcake. We really are enjoying it. The gloves are lovely. When Al came home from the annual conference, he brought a beautiful piece of aqua material that I’m really anxious to make up into a dress. It certainly is nice to have white gloves to go with it. We are hoping to be able to take a little breather and go to Madang– you can probably find it on a map - for dentist and physicals, check ups to pick up on much-needed medicine. So when we get back into civilization, it will be lovely to be able to dress up for a change. We don’t have to pay duty on food. And only 5% on clothes, so your package was duty-free. Things like cosmetics, and jewelry, tobacco are what really cost duty.
I think this upsurge of speaking in tongues, and faith feeling is really very interesting in the Lutheran Church. I’m very glad to see this direct expression of the work of the Holy Spirit. A pastor in Glendive, Montana, Reverend James Hanson, the son of Dr. Hanson, the district President of the Alexandra area, has received the gift of healing and speaking in tongues. He had been looking for a real way to reach his people. He felt that he was not getting to them. He visited the prayer meeting of the Episcopal minister and his community and through the laying on of hands received from the Holy Spirit, the gift of tongues and healing. He says he feels much more the nearness of God.
I have had many instances here, where I thought people were in a hopeless situation. From bleeding, or babies that wouldn’t breathe, I’ve given up on them as far as anything I could do physically for them, but asked God‘s guidance, and that His will be done and almost just like that they were better. It certainly has taught me that we lack nothing with the power of God so near. And he always seems so ready to assist, lead or guide.
So many times when we are really discouraged, we think that it is, just ridiculous to try and preach God’s gospel of love to such unresponsive, people, and then little incidences will arise that shows God really cares. Like I was having so much trouble getting people to bring things back that I would lend to them. When someone was sick and we had to send them in a hurry to the hospital, I’d often send a blanket with them that was marked with Malalo on it. One day I didn’t have any more of these sheet blankets left and I would have to count for them on our station inventory. I was feeling so angry that I decided that no matter what, I wasn’t going to lend another article, and just that afternoon don’t you suppose three of them showed up. People came showing me that they are better and then bringing their blankets back. Another time a man came up, who had been bitten by a very poisonous snake. He had already started to vomit, which is, a bad sign and his veins were just like— were so small and rolled all over the place when we tried getting a needle in them. We worked and worked and just couldn’t get a needle into his vein with anti-snake venom for anything. I was praying desperately that we could at least get a little in and just like that, we got into a tiny little vein an amp of the anti-snake venom into him. After about an hour, his breathing got less labored, and his pulse settled down to a slow, steady beat, and he felt perfectly well. In caring for the kids, and making decisions, I constantly feel his closeness, not because I’m such a faithful follower, or anything like that, but just because he promises to be with us to the utmost parts of the world, and promises not to forsake us, or embarrass us. He surely has lived up to his promises. It is wonderful to have the privilege to proclaim the love of such a faithful and loving God.
It will certainly be interesting to see how the history of this country unfolds. It is so far to go in such a short while. It must catch up in a few years what it has taken our society centuries to build. They as of yet don’t have a doctor or a l- cut off here by a few words. I think she means no New Guinean is yet trained at a high level yet.
Letter continues on other side.
Since the middle of November, we have had constant company. Malalo is a popular vacation spot as we have such a lovely beach for swimming, which is free of sharks and crocodiles. It has been lovely to see everyone, but very nice to have a break where I can catch up on letter, writing, housecleaning, and get some medical work taken care of. Our school year runs like Australia you’re having a two month break in December and January instead of June, July and August. They also have a month break in July when the weather is extremely wet. Consequently, when school is out, like an America, everyone went on vacation. We had a very lovely Christmas. We certainly had an abundance of Christmas parcels from home, many more than we gave or deserved. But we did appreciate everyone’s kindness.
We had a family of five over. They had just recently arrived in the territory from the States and didn’t feel much like Christmas without any snow or parcels from home. The first year it usually is February before packages arrive. They were so enthusiastic about everything. Enjoying visits to villages, hiked back to a stream with us, and took our inconveniences in stride. Mrs. Ramin made Lefsa for us. Al has been after me and after me to get the recipe for it but I never had. Now I even had a demonstration.
We do have Evergreen trees here. Their needles are a little like thorns so one needs to be careful in decorating, or will have bleeding hands. There is not trouble however, with the children removing any of the bulbs. Each year we get a few more decorations and next year we hope to get some lights.
We surely appreciate your faithful letters and do appreciate your many prayers and gifts. I’m getting a little assistance with my letter writing from Tommy. May God bless you both and may you continue to enjoy good health. Love, Ina.
Guests at Malalo. Vince Frike on the right
1963 February 14 (a copy)
Dear mom and dad,
Thank you so much for the Valentines. I forgot all about Valentine’s Day as they don’t have it here, of course. Paula and Tom enjoyed theirs. First, please don’t worry about the duty on packages. We never find out how much duty is for months as the mission pays for them when they pick them up at the post office. They charge it to our account and then months later, we find out how much it was. We don’t pay any duty on food. By the way, I do not think that I told Bette and Lois how much we enjoyed the Kool-Aid they sent. Clothes– we only pay 5%. Marion (Ina’s cousin) played the records before she sent them and then declared them as used records so we didn’t have to pay duty on them. Popcorn and canned meat like hams etc. aren’t allowed to be imported.
This party we had for the confirmation class was a different one than we had for the school kids so we had one for 80. I make two kinds of cookies and buns and tea. The other one was for 200. I make the banana cakes and lemonade – Mooli water. We had two groups of teachers and 20 each and for several coffee parties while they were having refresher courses. I only serve them cookies. This is something different for them and they aren’t used to sitting on chairs and eating delicate things politely, so they are used to sitting on the ground and eating until they are full of taro and sweet potatoes. I thought they managed themselves real well. It was a little difficult to keep conversation going as everyone was so self-conscious. We played records and they enjoyed that.
One of the gatherings in the Malalo yard
Feast on the Malalo station yard. Salamaua peninsula in the background
We’ve had such dry weather. It will be a real struggle to keep our school in session. Al and Phyllis are going to give a test to send some of the poor students home. Their gardens have all been burned by the lack of rain. Last night we had a little bit but it was too little and too late for this crop. They will have to plant the gardens and then it will be several months. The people in this area are living on Sago, which is a very starchy food like tapioca that they get from the center of a tree. They just don’t have any gardens.
So Malalo is so poor that it doesn’t grow vegetables or flowers readily so we haven’t bothered to plant one. So however, I think we will have some pumpkins and watermelons, and a few things that grow very easily. The cows go into our pineapple field so we have only had one or two pineapples this season.
Collecting the sago from the sago palm tree. Photo from FB humans of Papua New Guinea
Sago after cooked. Photo Global Table adventure
Now for history of our company. Fortunately, the medical work hasn’t been very busy. I guess people have decided to stay healthy, but anyway, it hasn’t been very heavy. I’ve been trying to encourage our Doctor boy and nurse to do everything they can, and I refuse to do anything they can do as New Guineans must learn to care for themselves, and to have the confidence in their own people.
As soon as Ramin’s left for Christmas, I had to take Tommy in for his collarbone. We had another teacher staying with us. But she and Al and Phyllis seem to get along OK while I was gone. Then when I got back, a lady evangelist, and June Prange, came through on their way to the mountains in back of us. The next day I got them off on their trip and in the afternoon Fred, Edna and Jimmy Scherle came. Al had been planning a trip down the coast but postponed it. They stayed for about a week. We managed to have some good emergencies while they were here. I had supper all fixed and I baked special dessert for Fred‘s birthday, and somebody came rushing up saying this girl had fallen on a stick and was hurt quite badly. Here she had punctured her perineum between her vagina and rectum. I checked to see if it had gone through either wall and it didn’t seem to have, but I applied an antiseptic solution. I didn’t have an -letter cuts off and then starts again. I think the next patient had a snake bite:
Vomiting is a very, very bad sign and means you better not fool around. I was boiling the syringes as I forgot that I had those disposable ones on hand. I tried to get into his veins and they were just like worms. They just rolled away. They were already so small that we had a terrible time. I was really getting scared because the man was getting worse and worse. Fred tried and I tried and I tried and Fred tried. Finally, Fred was able to get in. We had two different types of syringes and had to use two ampules of snake anti venom. Edna had drawn up the second one in a different one from the needle we were using so that would mean we would have to take the needle out again. So I had Edna squirt all the anti-venom into still another syringe so that it could fit into the needle we were using. I was holding the needle in place so we went move it so I couldn’t help her and Al. Anyway, we managed to get both ampules into him and he lived. His pulse was real, poor and breathing labored but soon after we got the medicine, he snapped out of it -thank God. We were able to sit down and finish our meal.
PNG has many varieties of snakes including poisonous snakes. Pictured is a whip snake that is particularly aggressive.
The next night as we were sitting down to eat, a little baby came who had been having convulsions. It had a high fever. At first I thought it was malaria so it had a fever in the morning and I’ve given it anti-malaria. But it cried. Edna said she thought maybe it was polio as she knew the baby and it didn’t ordinarily cry so. When we could move it legs, it would start crying all over again. So Fred decided to take it into the hospital and have it checked as it had his name. So he hardly packed his luggage and he finished supper and got the child into the hospital. It turned out to be cerebral malaria.
Edna and Jimmy left in the morning. June and Elsie got back from their trip two days later. In the meantime, Phyllis and Eli (possibly Eleanor Unruh), the other teacher had left for their vacation. June left the next day, but Elsie stayed on for about a week to have some classes for the women in the area. She is trying to get the women more active in church and training the children. Then the afternoon that June had left in the morning, two Australian teachers came, just for overnight, and Korrine from Bula stayed the weekend. We’ve gotten word that another family of four were coming so we had beds ready but they didn’t show up….. Ends here
