All Posts | Jonathan and Susan Kopf

No Longer Afraid

June 1, 2017

I hiked to Emo’s hut on the banks of the Yif River on June 13, and when I arrived, Emo was very happy to show me his brand new house and the garden his family planted in the river valley. “Why did you leave your brother’s house on the ridge top to move here,” […]

Excitement about Jesus

October 11, 2018

In June of this year we started a discipleship-toward-leadership program to prepare the Hewa believers to appoint their very first elders and deacons at our location. Our plan was to train the ones the Lord was obviously preparing for leadership, by teaching them key lessons that they could take to their homes and re-teach at […]

Not Afraid

May 16, 2018

When I had first investigated into the culture and beliefs of the Hewa tribal people of PNG back in 2001, I discovered they never built their huts on river bottoms or even on flat ground that had a nearby creek or marsh. They believed the lowlands and river beds were where the deceptive and evil […]

The Womwe Are Coming

May 16, 2018

In the remote mountains of Papua New Guinea a few tribal men quickly gathered around a fire pit inside the spirit hut, eager to hear the news. “I can’t believe it’s finally happening,” said a dark-skinned muscular young man named Yoku. His eyes pierced through the smoky haze to the younger, thin-shouldered man who had […]

Desecrate the Sacred Pictures

June 1, 2017

Spirit pictures painted on sheets of bark “Take them,” Watofo said in January of 2006, his voice wheezing with the effort to speak. “Get them out of the house.” Fato’s brow furrowed. The Hewa shaman, Watofo, had gone in and out of consciousness with the fevers, but now he was making no sense. Fato, Waina […]

They lost everything

May 22, 2016

The malarial fever seized the old and mentally failing woman Sunday afternoon, May 15, sending shock waves of a freezing sensation over her frail body. Every joint ached. Her eye sockets felt as if they were going to burst. Her teeth were chattering uncontrollably and her only thought was to warm herself to stop the […]

Ancestors in my house

May 21, 2016

Kolumbi’s Mirror (From April of 2008) “Mother, mother,” the old woman said over and over, motioning with her hand into the mirror that was hanging on the wall of our little house. “Mother, I can see you,” the voice of the matriarch trailed off as she gazed at herself with a nearly toothless smile, not […]

From the Moon

February 15, 2016

From the moon, the tribal village on the Central Range of mainland Papua New Guinea was a picture of serenity, silvery blankets of cotton candy clouds slowly swirling to embrace the mountain peaks. A perfect picture of glowing peace and calm. From the clouds, the upraised fingertips of the jungle canopy were visible, the fog […]

Alimpu’s Baptism (From November of 2008)

December 19, 2015

Sitting in the darkness of the smoke filled tribal hut, I shifted positions, trying to get more comfortable on the woven bamboo floor. The only light in the jungle hut was from the smoldering fire in the center of the floor, but even that was suppressed by a thick blanket of smoke trying to […]