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,” […]

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 […]

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 […]