No words to describe experience

COVER STORY

By Col KELVIN ALLEY
NESTLED into the slopes of a picturesque hillside, deep in the southern part of Okapa Zone, Eastern Highlands just north of the border with Gulf, lies the beautiful highlands village of Misapi.
No one is really sure how long the village has been the home to many families, but the Salvation Army early missionary pioneers came to the village just over 50 years ago.
In those days there was reasonable access to the village by road with a good four-wheel drive. The Salvation Army pioneers established a church congregation, and at much the same time set up a health post which still operates today.
In Salvation Army terms, it is probably their most remote health post, which has now been faithfully serving the growing community health needs of the families not just of the Misapi village area, but for miles and miles in every direction. It is known that people have walked up to five days to get access to the health care offered by The Salvation Army at Misapi.
In proceeding years the Salvation Army influence has extended to neighbouring villages – three hours walk to the south on the Gulf border is Paiti; there is also Saburi, Iverato, Ivoti, Kusavindi…and further to east in Okapa is Kamila. The Salvation Army now operates the only three health posts in this vast and remote mountainous area of Okapa Zone, serving the health needs of countless thousands of people who live in this vast and remote mountainous region of Papua New Guinea.
Church leaders do not normally get to visit these very remote places. In the Salvation Army’s case, some visits have been made by chopper, and in one case by vehicle many years ago when the road was in better condition.
But for Colonel Kelvin Alley, leader of the Salvation Army in Papua New Guinea, it was in answer to a long standing commitment that he made up his mind to walk the same path taken by his pastors and health workers – by foot over several days, many mountains and river crossings in order to walk into Misapi.

In his own words “There are no words to describe the experience of these past four days, to travel on foot to our most remote Salvation Army mission post including health post at Misapi”.
Col Alley’s visit coincided with the 50 year anniversary of the commencement of Salvation Army mission and ministry in this mountainous region on the border of Gulf, Chimbu and Eastern Highlands.
Setting off initially by vehicle from Goroka, it was a solid four hours of travel on roads, the further it went deeper into Okapa zone, the more difficult the road became. A recent landslide had collapsed over most of one section of road; at another point the road had partly collapsed down the slopes, leaving very little space to maneuver the vehicle through.
Just past Ivangoi Market, the car was parked, and the next seven hours was then on foot across what felt at times like the top of the world. The highlands landscape was breathtakingly beautiful; the long valley views; the beautiful highlands traditional housing; the village kids playing and laughing, locals walking what is now a mountain track that was once more easily negotiated by vehicle.
It would be a brave and courageous driver to try their skills on the track that was now used almost entirely by villagers.
Col Alley had a good group of supporters on the road with him, young men who came all the way from Misapi to meet him, and then journey with him.
Like fuzzy wuzzy angels
Like the famous ‘fuzzy wuzzy angels’ of WW2 fame, they insisted on carrying his heavy pack, and even carrying him across the rivers to ensure his feet were kept dry!
To see a ‘whiteman’ on foot pacing it out over strong mountain climbs was quite a novelty to the local villagers along the way. He was always met with cheers, hugs and sometimes even kisses – a white face especially leader of the church being a very rare spectacle, something not seen very often.
It was quite an extraordinary experience, the support from the locals, meandering through the difficult treacherous bush tracks, every crossing became a memory of what our pioneer salvationists endured in those early days seen through the eyes of our Territorial Commander Colonel Kelvin Alley.
Col Alley, originally from Australia has quite a remarkable story to share. Just one year ago he fell off his bike during a morning exercise in Port Moresby, seriously fracturing his pelvis, and requiring emergency medi-vac to Australia for urgent surgery. There was a question whether he would ever walk normally again.
Now as he paced alongside his fuzzy wuzzy companions, there was no evidence of that injury holding him back.
His ambition was to walk into Misapi! After seven hours and just on dusk, the weary travellers came into the village of Ivoti – a Salvation Army mission station and also health post. Next morning, the trek continued, the pace quickening – Misapi was just a few more mountains away!
Descent into Misapi
Approaching the long climb to Iverato, a mountain top village before the long descent into Misapi, the trekking party could hear the local villages calling across the mountains ‘the white man is coming.’ It was so wonderful to approach the top of the final mountain to the village of Iverato, to be met by a small crowd of excited villagers who were overjoyed at the sight of a 65-year-old ‘white man’ who was as strong on the hills as the locals boys carrying his bag.

The final mountain had been crossed. It was a long downhill, then a half climb into the beautiful community of Misapi. The road is virtually impassable now by vehicle, and very tough by foot, carrying all our gear.
But the feeling of blessing and privilege to live and serve in this rugged magnificent country was overwhelming, as this ‘white man’, colonel and church leader quickened the pace, knowing Misapi was now in view.
As the colonel’s trekking party approached, the village community came down the mountain from the village, the cultural dancers greeted the visitors, especially the ‘whiteman’ whose tears were hard to hold back.
The dancers led the procession of weary but cheerful travellers back up to the mountain village – and there in view was the church, built almost 50 years ago, the health post standing strong – a place of comfort and relief for countless thousands of Papua New Guineans over those years who have needed healing and restoration to health.
This was also the place where for 50 years, multiple generations of children had been born, the oldest of them now parents and even grandparents.
Col Alley had fulfilled a promise and realised a dream come true – to walk the hot and rough track over the top of the Owen Stanley mountains into Misapi, to coincide with the 50th anniversary of the early pioneer Salvation Army missionaries.
Over a meal of bandicoot and kaukau, Col Alley told the stories of the journey, and the joy of finally setting eyes on the place that has been home to so many – the remote village of Misapi.
Sunday worship
Sunday dawned – the Salvationists walked for many hours from surrounding villages for worship, and the celebration in traditional highlands fashion with a mumu.
Commemorating 50years of Salvation Army service in this their most remote mission, Col Alley planted a small tree on mission soil as a symbol of the hope for growth and continued strength and missionary service in Misapi of the Salvation Army for the next 50 years.
The other Salvation Army communities from Paiti, Ivorato, Saburi, Ivoti, and Kusavindi all came along to join in the celebrations and to witness the planting of the tree of hope – hope for the future for the mission of the Salvation Army in this very beautiful and treasured mountain region.
With the planting of a tree, a meal shared in traditional fashion, Col Alley prayed the final blessing over the community of Misapi and all surrounding communities where flies the Salvation Army flag – Paiti, Saburi, Iverato, Ivoti, Kusavindi and Kamila.
Misapi and surrounding communities are together a precious jewel in the Salvation Army crown. With the planting of the tree, Col Alley committed the full support and leadership of the Salvation Army, to serve the needs of the beautiful people of this remote region for as long as the sun continued to rise on this beautiful land.
On the final day, after spending two wonderful days it was sad to have to wave goodbye to the village of Misapi. Facing two more days on foot over rugged terrain over the top of the Owen Stanley Range, Col Alley led his party back up the long mountain climb, and many mountains beyond, until the end of the ‘road to Misapi’.
In the words of this unique leader of the church called the Salvation Army, ‘it is indeed a wonderfully blessed life!’