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Steve Highlander-- New Guinea misionary
Special to the Daily Mail
Steve and Brooke Highlander have been preaching the gospel and meeting practical needs in Papua New Guinea since 2014. Their ministry has included working with survivors of gender-based violence, young men from the settlements and villages and children in crisis, as well as outreach ministry to churches, villages and settlements. They will be spending several months in the USA and returning to PNG in early 2017.
Highlander said that New Guinea is a tropical island nation in the South Pacific. It includes the eastern half of the Island of New Guinea and about 600 small islands in the immediate vicinity. It is located north of Australia and just south of the equator. The country has a landmass a little bigger than California with a population estimated at around 7 million.
PNG is 80 percent rain forest and, being located within the "ring of fire," boasts 67 active volcanoes. The majority of the population of PNG lives without the modern elements of life, like electricity and running water. Many still live in primitive tribal situations, and some parts of PNG have yet to be explored. The nation has more than 800 active languages and dialects with more than 1,000 distinct tribes, demonstrating the intense tribal culture that still exist there.
Highlander said that poverty is rampant in PNG. There is a huge gap between the wealthy and the poor. While the tribal people are poor they really don't have anything to compare it with, having lived off sustenance farming and the jungle all of their lives. Their lives to us would seem like abject poverty, but they have all they need. The cities are a different story. Port Moresby, the capital, has 300,000 people with a 60 percent unemployment rate. This poverty can't be offset by living off the jungle.
The interior and highlands of PNG were not explored until the late 1930s. PNG saw a lot of action during WWII with the Japanese controlling the island, and then the Allies. It wasn't until then that much contact with foreigners was made. The intense tribal culture, the cruelty of the Japanese, a lack of Judeo-Christian ethics and extreme poverty have combined to create a culture devoid of morals for much of the population. Crime is rampant in the cities -- mainly as a way of survival. Women are still regarded as property in many cases and domestic abuse and rape are widespread. It is estimated that 80 percent of PNG girls and women have experienced domestic abuse or rape. Gangs control many neighborhoods; robbery, muggings and car-jackings are frequent in some high-risk areas.
Highlander told the Lions members that the people of PNG are hungry for change, because of the hopelessness many feel. While PNG is considered a Christian nation, for many, Christianity is nominal. The impact of Spirit-filled ministries is making a difference though, and the people are very open to the Lord. Once they accept Christ they are generally very hungry to grow and worship.