YWAM Madang has been pioneered by YWAM Ships Kona as a base for Bible translation and as a base for YWAM Liberty. They have been able to lease a wharf from the Lutheran church in the middle of town, and it comes with a warehouse that they are currently converting and using as living space. This proved to be a good place for us to dock our boat, get a change of scenery and catch up with old friends.
Naomi did her outreach here after her DTS with YWAM Ships Kona in January 2022. She was part of the first outreach team from Kona to come and help pioneer this base. Naomi spent countless hours with the locals here and she made quite a few friends, some of whom are still around! There were many joyful reunions as their favorite white girl returned after two years away! Tears of joy, jumping and dancing, and it was so sweet to see!
I have friends here from my time aboard the YWAM Liberty and as staff with YWAM Ships Kona. Five years ago I was talking to Jeff and Emily about their dream to come to Bougainville and plant a YWAM base. I remember saying, mostly for fun, that by the time they plant a base I will have a sailboat and come visit them from the Solomon Islands. I had no idea that was actually what God had in store for me! Jeff and Emily arrived in Madang the day after me, ready to start their commitment to PNG and start working towards pioneering a base in Bougainville.
Another man from my time aboard the YWAM Liberty also came by for a surprise visit. My favorite man from PNG, captain Morris! He was the pastor of the crew of the Liberty, so to speak, and the atmosphere onboard was peaceful with him at the helm. More than once did he help me out of a pinch, saving me from my own ignorance in how to deal with PNG crew as volunteers in the outreach. I owe him a lot.
Captain Morris also flew in the day after we arrived to assume his new post as a Maritime Safety Officer in Madang. He showed up on the dock one day and I recognized him right away! After inviting him onboard for snacks and coffee, and after a bit of small talk, he revealed that they had been getting a complaint from the rotten egg (in Thiefs and rotten eggs) about us anchoring on his reef. Thankfully captain Morris was on our side and he was assuring us that nothing would happen unless they were able to provide them with underwater photos of the damaged reef. I was able to share with him our track where it was clear we were anchored in the passage and not on the reef.
Finally, the last and sweetest reunion happened on the end of our stay. Billy arrived from the Solomon Islands and it was great to have him back in our midst! Billy joined me and Sammy in Fiji in 2022, and it was us three Naomi came to join when she came carrying the spare part for the sailboat Mandolin. We were such a great crew in Fiji and I am so stoked to have the old crew back together again for the last leg to the Solomon Islands!
