Mystery Question

"Which of the following missionary couples opened new work in the Paiela area among the Ipili speaking people in Papua New Guinea during the mid 1960's?"

1. Dave & Lois Birner
2. Harvey & Norita Kath
3. Ron & Mary Anne Rall

The answer: HARVEY & NORITA KATH

In a recent letter, they share the following:

"When we moved to the Paiela, it took 14 helicopter trips from the government station near where bob and Lynn Holst lived. After that we had a two-day walk into and out of the Paiela, over a 9,800 foot mountain range."

Here is more from Alumni reporter, Bobbie Lautenschlager.

Harvey and Norita Kath served in the Paiela River Valley in Papua New Guinea from 1965-1969. They joined a group that traveled to Papua New Guinea in August 1998 on the occasion of the 50th Anniversary of LCMS work there. This visit prepared the Kaths to accept a volunteer assignment in January of this year. "We had been interested in returning to Papua New Guinea when we retired, but did not know if that would be possible. When we were asked by the Papua New Guinea Mission Society, now an active mission group for the support of PNG Mission Field, to go, we accepted. We have returned to the USA only this last May," states Rev. Kath.

Rev Kath taught Term 1 at Martin Luther Seminary, in Lae, PNG. "I taught Isaiah and Matthew, both with emphasis on the assigned lectionary readings, I was a presenter in two workshops for Gutnius Lutheran Church pastors and evangelists in Kopiago and Marimari District, and at Timothy Lutheran Seminary in Birip", Rev. Kath reports.

Norita filled her time working in the library of the two Seminaries. " We both enjoyed being able to bring our experiences as a pastor and as head librarian in the USA to the culture of PNG which we knew well. Our visit in 1998 had alerted us to changes in the country and culture from our time in the 60's. Crime was more prevalent now, and we were less carefree than we remember when we were much younger," says Norita.

The Kaths are grateful to the Papua New Guinea Mission Society that supported their volunteer ministry, and were glad that they had the opportunity to return to PNG. "We think our many years of ministry and experience in the USA made it possible to make a valuable contribution to the people we taught and worked with at the Seminaries," Rev. Kath concluded.

To the Kaths we say, "Well done" and "Welcome back!"