This has been a busy week with lots of mission flying. But probably the highlight of my week was picking up two pastors in Mt. Hagen who were carrying a very special Bible around PNG as part of the "Follow the Bible" Program. This is a General Conference initiative to encourage everyone to spend more time reading and studying their Bibles. The G.C. had a large Bible printed with every book of the Bible written in a different language. This Bible is on a two year journey traveling around the world. It began in Manila in 2008 and it will end up in Atlanta at the G.C. session in 2010. For more information on this story and to follow the Bible on its journey click on the link in the upper left hand corner. This Bible reached PNG around the middle of March and is now making its rounds around the country.
As we landed in the town of Chimbu we were greeted by approximately 300-500 church members. Well, leave it to the Eastern Highlanders of PNG to know how to give a proper reception! As I shut the engine off there was a group of church leaders waiting to great the pastors that we had just brought.
Standing behind them was wave after wave of different groups all decked out in their finest uniforms.
First up were a group of Pathfinders who ceremoniously marched around the back of the airplane with high steps and white gloves. 
They proceeded to receive the Bible from the pastors, then marched back around to the front and with great fanfare placed it on a special box they have made for the occasion. 
The box was somewhat reminiscent of the "ark" from the old testament sanctuary as it had rings on the corners and a pole along each side. Four Pathfinders picked it up and carried it on their shoulders. (Note the Bible sitting on top)
Everyone took off marching along behind it. Here go the rest of the Pathfinders.
The school children waiting for their turn to start marching.
Here go the mothers of the church, proudly marching along.
The part I liked the best was a truck parked off to the side proudly displaying a banner on the front, a huge wooden Bible "billboard" on the back, and a loud speaker tied on the roof blaring out music.
They even had a drum corp thumping away. Eventually they all marched off to town accompanied by a police escort.
I thought this was the end of the adventure, but not so. Apparently the Bible made the rest of the trip down to Goroka by truck. Sabbath morning we were invited to join the celebration being held in the town soccer field. Here you see faithful Adventist gathered out in the field.
As mentioned before, we are in the middle of rainy season. Every day it rains buckets and the ground is so saturated there is just no where else for the water to go. When you walk on the grass it feels like a sponge and mud and water ooze around your feet. Here are Bonnie's feet after walking through the field. Now I know why the Bible says a host always washed his visitors feet!
This however did not detour the church members from coming out in droves to enjoy the occasion, including us! Everybody just brought their own mats, pieces of plastic, gunny sacks, etc. to lay on the ground to protect them from the mud. Here I am with Brooks and Susan Payne.
Here is the large wooden Bible on the back of the truck that I mentioned earlier.
A temporary platform was built for the ceremony. Here the Bible is being passed off by the Pathfinders to the pastor. A church choir stands in front ready to sing.
I was taken up by this little old man whom I was sitting next to. He was so diligently studying his Bible which was very old and worn. I was amazed that he could actually read as so many of the elderly are illiterate. It was evident that the Word of God was very precious to him.
There were a few uninvited guest!
Here you see the gathered church members sitting under umbrellas to protect them from the intense sun. When it is raining you see very few people under an umbrella. They don't seem to mind getting wet. In fact time and again we have seen people walking with umbrellas folded up in the middle of a rain storm. They are waiting for the sun to come out and THEN they will use their umbrella. It makes for a very colorful scene.
That evening for vespers the Bible made its way out to Kabiufa, our Adventist Academy where we live. Here you see some of the students standing in readiness to welcome the Bible on its arrival.
The pastors solemnly carrying the Bible into the church.
The Kabiufa church was packed out to the max. Every inch of space was taken up with people sitting all over the floor as well as on the benches. I wonder...when this Bible reaches the USA will we reverence it as much as these people have? Will we take its message to heart and try to spend more time each day in Bible study and prayer? I hope so. Now I can say that not only is God's Word a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path, but also that I have carried it in the back of my airplane. 