After a stint in Africa, teacher Wendy cannot believe how lucky PNG is

People

By ROSELYN ELLISON
AFTER spending two years in Zambia, Africa, school teacher Wendy Samson is amazed at how lucky she is to be from Papua New Guinea.
“We are so blessed with so many things. We can have food four to five times a day. We have so many things but yet we always complain.
“My advice to us all in PNG is to accept what we are given because we are so lucky that God has blessed us with so many things. We must always be thankful to God the Father rather than complaining.”
He trip to Zambia in 2017 was made possible by Operation Mobilisation, one of the inter-denomination organisations which sends missionaries to other countries. It operates in 110 countries including PNG.
Wendy, 30, was born in East New Britain to parents from New Ireland and East Sepik.

Wendy Samson (in red jacket) with some of her students at Mkushi compound in Kabwe in Zambia.

She did get good grades in Grade 10 at the Kokopo Secondary School in 2006, so she had to upgrade her marks at the UPNG Open campus in Kokopo. She completed her matriculation studies in 2009.
In 2010, she was accepted for teacher training at the Our Lady of Sacred Heart Kabaleo Teachers College. She graduated with a Diploma in Primary School teaching in 2011.
“I really didn’t want to become a teacher. But my father wanted me to become a primary school teacher so I can offer him financial support.”
Wendy taught in various primary schools in ENB.
But her dream was to become a missionary so that she could visit other countries to spread the gospel. Her break came in 2014 when an elder from her church at Tokom in Malakuna, Bitapaka local level government in Kokopo prayed for her.
“After praying for me, the church elder told me I need to go out to the field and spread the word of Jesus Christ to those who need him.”

Wendy Samson (third from left) at a farewell lunch with students from Eden University in Zambia. – Pictures supplied by Wendy Samson

Her application to serve abroad was approved. In 2016, she attended a one-month training course organised by OM in Port Moresby during the school holidays. She left for Zambia in Sept 2017.
“I was taken to the OM base there and then posted to Kabwe province where I taught at Mkushi. In Africa, there are a lot of needs and ministries but not enough missionaries to serve there. There were no teachers to teach children. I felt sorry for the children and started teaching them.”
Mkushi is in a very remote part of Kabwe. The children cannot speak English. She had to communicate with them through drawings. By the end of 2019, the students could speak and write in English.
She stressed above all the love of Jesus Christ and why everyone should accept Him as their Saviour.
It was all volunteer work but she never regretted her trip. Her biggest takeaway while serving as a teacher and missionary was how the people, even though they have little, never complained.
“They always accept what is given to them. The food is little. They only eat in the morning, to last them the whole day.”
She is glad that she had accomplished her dream of serving as a missionary abroad, relaying Jesus’ message of love to the needy and neglected.
Back home now, there is food and love galore to share. Wendy cannot believe how lucky PNG is.