“Greetings from the primitives and we who are losing our civilized ways fast.”

Soon after we got home our teacher told Al that there was going to be a big fight between the compound boys and a nearby village at Wau.

1962 January 22
Letter written by Ina Erickson from the Gurakor Mission station to Beryl and Bruce 2314 So 7th St. Minneapolis 6, Minnesota, USA

Dear Beryl and Bruce,

I don’t know what I was thinking of but on one of your letters I addressed 1214 instead of 2314 and therefore got it back again. Sorry! Happy birthday Beryl explanation don’t you feel like you’re really getting old news now. You know I even have a few gray hairs.

Well we made it home from Malalo safe and sound. Soon after we got home our teacher told Al that there was going to be a big fight between the compound boys and a nearby village at Wau. The compound boys are those that work in the sawmill, mines and others who leave their villages and live in barrack- like dwellings.
The village near Wau would be near where the missionary children go to school. So Thursday night Al left to see what he could do. Today is Sunday and he is not back yet. I do think he might be back today. I baked a pumpkin chiffon pie just in case. Next week he will have to be at wow for 10 days of conferences. Then after that he will have to be making his missionary trips in earnest.

Edna Scherle, I discovered, had two miscarriages before she had their only son Jimmy, then a year later had a full-term baby die and a few years later a seven month old baby died both from RH factor because no one knew much about it yet and both were C-sections. And then she had a cancer operation so she really has had her problems.
While we were there I kept her in bed one day with a severe sore throat. She got up to feeling better after that and then she got diarrhea real bad. She ran day and night for two days. We gave her sulfa but it didn’t seem to help so they got some Cloromysitin from some young Doctor who happen to be going through the area. I haven’t heard how she now. (We left Wednesday).

On Thursday, Paula was all bloated and fussy and had a temp of 102° so I gave her sulfa and prayed she would be all right. Sure enough the next morning she was fine. Last night Tommy had a cough and a sore throat and a lot of congestion so I gave him a shot of penicillin. His throat seems better, but he still has a runny nose. Remember how fast Paula used to kick her legs?, well Tommy does the same thing it is so peculiar.

Last night about 6:30 PM just after Paula and I had eaten, I heard a car drive in and we thought perhaps it was Al. But it was a group of Australian  youths that are working over here. Two of the girls were teachers, one girl was a missionary daughter and two fellows are working with NAMUS-an organization that is trying to develop native business. It’s kinda a chain of stores in several towns. The government had tried something similar but it didn’t work as nobody really had to make a profit. Now it is a private company and seems to be doing better. Anyway they had a Carryall like the Missouri boys used to come up to the parks in. They had 14 in it and it had a flat tire. So they put on the spare and had another flat. Some of the group had a car so stuffed in for supper and to see if we had some patches. But Al had them with him in the car so after supper they drove down the road to where one of the first settlers in New Guinea lives. He has a garage, gas, dairy and razors fresh fruit and vegetables for sale. Just about everything, so he must have fix them up as I didn’t hear from them.

Carryall 1958

Monday! - Al is back safe and sound and he doesn’t know if the trouble is settled, but at least they know he is interested. He will have to go to Lae on Tuesday for a teacher training course. It will last until Friday. Then Monday he will be off to Wau again. It’s good to get into the swing of things.

I got my washing machine for Christmas. You should have seen the native teachers and students watch. It’s so wonderful to have one.
Much love and do right and you have a happy birthday. I’m sorry Bruce I forgot your birthday in October, you have a happy birthday now with Beryl. Love the ‘E’s’

Frangipani flowers

1962 January 28 to Titus, Tonn, Westphal’s
Letter written by Ina Erickson from the Gurakor Mission station to Durward and Estelle Titus Box 224 Route1, Carlos MN USA 

Dear Titus, Tonn’s, and Westphals, LTD

Greetings from the primitives and we who are losing our civilized ways fast. Thank you for all your fine letters which keep us clued in as to what you all are up to.

We are spending a pleasant Sunday evening at home with just the kids and girls to get into our hair. The last few weeks have been rather unusual as they broke us out of our normal pattern of life and toughened us in a little more to the kind of life we expect will soon be ours.
That is as far as Al goes and and that is as far as he can write for now as he is at a conference for the next two weeks at Wau. Every year all of the male and single female personnel have a meeting in January to discuss future plans and placements and to hash over the past year’s failures, accomplishments and activities.

 I got your letter on Sunday, Beryl. So I’ll address this to you. By now you’ll have received our letters from Malalo so you’ll know why you haven’t heard. We are all OK and I surely don’t know where the rumors from in regard to one of our children as they both seem quite healthy. Unless, as you say, it was still floating around about Paula‘s malaria.
We surely appreciate your concern but please don’t worry about us. God has called us here for a service and surely a God with so much love, and so much mercy that he gave his only begotten son that we might share in eternal life with us and a God so powerful that he was able to create the world and everything that exists even ourselves, surely he will be taking good care of us. Indeed it is wonderful to know the great physician is with us always even if we have no way to a doctor.
Paula had a temp when we got back from Malalo and I was quite worried as Edna had a terrible bout with diarrhea and many of the natives in the area were very sick with it. So I was afraid Paula had contracted it also as she had been playing with some of the native children. And Al had to go to Was right away to clear up some problems. Anyway, I gave her some sulfur and prayed that God would heal her and sure enough in the morning she was real fine. Tommy got a bad cold but no sign of diarrhea. Neither Alvin or I got the diarrhea either so you see God is really holding us in the palm of his hand. And besides he knows what’s best for us, and if one of us should die, think what we have to look forward to. I’m not trying to make you feel good I’m just stating facts.
Al and I are talking about how hard it is to get any of these people to except any responsibility to be willing to put themselves out for anyone else. No one is about to walk one step if he can make another fellow do it. The pastors and teachers get such big heads that they want everybody to serve them instead of them serving. Then we got to thinking about our lives while we were in the states. We surely didn’t put ourselves out for anyone else. We weren’t willing to be witness to anyone, why should we expect anyone here to do it for their people what we ourselves were not willing to do for our own people. We really are being very poor examples by living in a nice house, eating good food, and having girls to help us with work. They want to be like the missionary with all of his things. If only we could pass on the spirit of Christianity and the wonderfulness of God’s love. Now that they have lost the fear of evil spirits and living Is easy, it’s just like America, dog eat dog. Maybe what we all need is to be slaves for a while, maybe we have to lose our world to save our souls who knows?

 Do pray for responsible leaders and the Holy Spirit will continue to work in the minds and hearts of the people as well as the missionaries. Pray that we all might have humility that we can surrender or will that not our wells, but God might be done. I was reading a story about a fourth temptation of Christ suffered on the cross. When the people were standing around reveling, the devil came along and whispered in his ear ‘is it worth it?’ I wonder if he wondered that. Why he didn’t come off of the cross, just to show them that he could, amazes me.

What do I think of Dr. Stromm and Dr. Leland, you asked me? We personally, I don’t feel personal affection for either of them, that Dr. Stromm is really a competent doctor. He’s very busy and quite impersonal. If you ever had a chance to talk to him he can be quite nice. Get him going on Berlin and you don’t have to worry what to say to him. Dr. Leland is a different matter. He has a lot of personal problems. I do think first of all he has a bad inferiority complex. Secondly, his home life isn’t the happiest and thirdly he loves children and doesn’t have any of his own. I think life to him is quite useless. He sure could use a little of God’s love.[1]
If we were to telegram it would take about 24 hours for it to reach you but since you’re on something like eight or nine hours behind us it would be dated the same day as you would get it.

Sounds like your kids are doing real well for yourselves. A large apartment, a stove, a refrigerator, a sewing machine and TV, not too bad. I’m glad you bought secondhand things as often you can pick up such a good thing so reasonably. We were so foolish under the circumstances to buy a new sewing machine. T

Try to see Bette and Frank as often as you can. They need love and encouragement so much now. I suggested to Bette that they start going to Hope Lutheran, but maybe you can invite them to go with you to Bethany or something. It is so important that you don’t lose that contact.
Say, Bruce, do you suppose any of your friends that graduated last year in teaching would be interested in coming out here as short term teachers for two years. All of their expenses are paid plus $266 a year. There really aren’t many additional expenses so that is quite adequate. They could inquire at the division of world missions, 422 S. 8th St., Minneapolis. We need teachers so badly now.

Thank you for your letters, prayers, and concerns may God‘s love and mercy keep you as you struggle through these years at the seminary. Congratulations on the merger. Say is there a Little Westphal on the way, no?
We love you Al, Ina, Paula and Tom.

[1] Ina graduated from Fairview Nursing school in Minneapolis and her younger sister Beryl is still in school so I imagine that this a discussion about doctors associated with the nursing program.

Beryl Westphal, Ina Erickson and Willa Tonn, Ina’s sisters at Ina’s graduation from nursing

Conference of missionaries at Wau in 1965

Katherine Lehmann School. Guest houses. Photo taken by Paul Senff

KLS boarding school in Wau from the 1960’s. Paula and Tom attend KLS boarding school later in 1972 and 73. School is out of session in January so it makes sense to hold the annual missions conference here due to having the facilities.

Lemons growing abundantly in PNG

While Al is attending a 2 week conference in Wau, Ina is left alone to manage the station in Gurakor.

1962 February 2 to Estelle
Letter written by Ina Erickson from the Gurakor Mission station to Durward and Estelle Titus Box 22

Dear mom and dad,
I hope you had a nice birthday dad and didn’t have to work out in the cold. I got a broadcast from Los Angeles today and they said it was -34° in Henning Minnesota. I wondered how it was near Alexandria. Would you like a few bananas? I have two large stocks that are ripe and ready for Paula, Tom and me to eat them. I have been giving my school girls and boys and anyone that goes on the veranda some bananas.
Last week some village people brought some red bananas to cook. They really are quite tasty fried in ale. We still haven’t gotten the nut for our separator so can’t turn our butter yet. Al is at a conference in Wau for two weeks. He will come home with the final verdict whether we move or not. I have been packing some of my extra linens away just in case. He will see Ted, Vince and Barb and Bob Jamison and all the rest of the missionaries. There isn’t room for the wives to go so only the wives with older or no children go to help cook and do the laundry. These are important meetings. It gives each of the missionaries some idea of what to aim at, what’s been done and what there is to do. Most important of all is the fellowship and to see what others have problems also.

School started here on Wednesday. They just meet for a few hours each day and I won’t start teaching until Monday. I decided to fix my kitchen while Al was gone. I just can’t stand the blue ceiling and dark green molding about 2 feet down with light green walls and blue woodwork. I had to sand down the refrigerator and repaint it so while I had my undercoat open I did the fly cupboard. It is protected from ants and has screens on it to ventilate it but keeps flies out for sugar, bread etc. That had a dark top and varnish that we was getting a bit moldy and another work cupboard that also had a black top and varnished sides and white undercoat. Then I plan on painting them green like the rest of the cupboards that line the kitchen. The floor is nice hardwood that never has had finish on it. I don’t know just what to do with it. I hate to varnish it until we can sand it.

 I’ve started having devotions with my house girls now. First we read the text in the Jabem and then English. Then we pray in Pidgin English. I don’t know enough Jabem to explain anything to them. I have been using English class for my house girls to practice on them for the other school kids. Maybe you could ask around and see if anyone has any of these little children books like the ‘Runaway Pancake’ and very simple English with nice pictures like you gave Paula. And some of the small 45 records with stories and simple songs. I could teach them the songs. I began reading some of Paula‘s books to them and they just love them. Ask at the Sunday school, maybe people have some that their children have outgrown. Wish you would seriously think about teaching here for two years. You don’t have to learn the language. Only teach English.
We surely love and think about you both. Tommy looks like that baby picture of dad‘s. He’s got big shoulders and long arms too.
We love you both the ‘E’s’

Multiple types of banana’s grow in PNG. Some varieties are good for frying.