After many years working in Papua New Guinea’s capital, and a life-changing moment, a man catches an MAF flight back to his village.
Story by Matt Painter
Newly retired Joseph Ako boarded an MAF Cessna Caravan in Mount Hagen, on his way home to Wanakipa. Mr Ako, who does not even know his own age, left Wanakipa as a boy and spent his working life as a security guard in the nation’s capital of Port Moresby.
“I went to Port Moresby and I’m coming back again,” Mr Ako said. “I’m getting the MAF plane to go to Wanakipa... I’m already old, I want to go to the village and stay there.
“My father went to Moresby. And they got money, sent a letter to my village and, following that, I went to Moresby. But I never came back. I got married and I got a plane for my wife to come and stay with me. And then I sent my wife and daughter to the village to stay. I alone stayed in Moresby. And today, I’m going back to my village.”
During his time in the city, Mr Ako was injured in a motor vehicle accident.
“I died there. I said, ‘Jesus, I don’t want to die.’ I didn’t stay dead. Jesus resurrected me. And so, I’m not able to forsake my worship. That’s all. Jesus, he truly is real. I didn’t stay dead. They put me in the morgue, but they took me out again. I stayed in the 3 Mile Hospital for one year and three months.”
I didn’t stay dead. Jesus resurrected me.
Wanakipa is one of Papua New Guinea’s many roadless communities, surrounded by vast, thickly forested mountains and raging rivers. It is possible to take a bus from Mount Hagen to Kopiago, at the very end of the Highlands Highway. Then, it is a two-day walk over Mount Kinaiyu to Wanakipa—but Mr Ako will not consider such a mode of transport.
“Without a plane, I have no way to go today,” he said. “There’s no cars in my village. Just an airstrip, for planes only. My village does not have roads. They constructed a road but it doesn’t reach my village. We move around only on aeroplanes. Small planes, big planes, MAF is our road. That’s it.
“It’s an overly long distance. It’s a long way, and bandits are on the road, and it’s hard. We only fly.”
Mr Ako looked back on his time in Port Moresby and how he would share the gospel.
“Often while in Moresby I would preach. I would preach in the market, here and there,” he said.
“In Wanakipa I will keep listening to God’s Word, I will preach it, too. Jesus will come back; he will come and get me.”
Joseph does not remember the year he left Wanakipa but recalls he was so young that he did not have facial hair at the time. His fellow church members in Port Moresby gathered together and paid for his air fares home.
“I rejoice that I’m going back. I’m looking forward to going home.”
Watch Joseph tell his own story in the linked interview. Click the button below...