Home at last…
Al and Ina arrived at Gurakor in early October, 1961 and lived in the guest house for the month of October while the German missionaries, the Horrolts, prepare to leave. Gurakor is located in the mountains on a road between Lae and Wau. The Horrolt’s have lived here a long time and was their home. They were an elderly couple and have a variety of health problems so were not able to train Al and Ina how to take over. The guest house does not have much of a kitchen and yet Mrs Horrolt was very reluctant to let Ina use her kitchen making for a difficult situation with 2 young children. Ina does not mention this in the letters but I recall her telling me this and how difficult Mrs Horrolt was. ~ Paula
Gurakor is on this map but actually closer to Lae. Mumeng is not. But Mumeng is on the lower map located west of Malalo. Malalo is on the coast of the Huon Gulf south of Lae. Ampo is on this map and is located NE of Lae. That is the Lutheran mission headquarters in PNG. Offices, mission guest house, a church are some of the building there.
Paula was born in May of 1960 and Tom July of 1961. I include this so the reader has an idea of how young they were during this time.
Gurakor station is different then the more widely know town of Guroka which now (2021) has a international airport in the highlands of Papua New Guinea. Gurakor is a village on the road between Lae and Wau. The colored map has Mumeng on it just inland from Malalo on the coast south of Lae. Need to zoom in to see it.
This map labels Gurako St Joseph Church which is close to the Gurakor station and Mumeng is to the south. Lae is to the east and slightly north of here.
Notes from Alvin:
Guroker was 4 miles up the mountain MacLae. MacLae was an early Explorer, who sired many kids by New Guinea women. Therefore the kids had lighter hair. Cattle ranchers got milk from him. The road from Guroker continues south to Mumeng, which is 3 to 4 miles down a hairpin curve. Once I rode with Maurer and Fred. Fred decided to go downhill without turning on the Land Rover and just wanted to coast down the hill. But I convinced him to turn on the Land Rover. Between Mumeng and Bulolo the rock is all stirred up from the gold mining. So this area is destroyed and cannot plant anything.
Gabensis: north part of the Buangs on the road between Lae and Wau.
1961 October 3 to Estelle
Letter written by Ina Erickson from the Gurakor Mission station to Durward and Estelle Titus Box 224 Route1, Carlos MN USA
Dear mom and dad,
Home at last. It was quite an experience. We arrived in late as planned on Wednesday, September 27. Reverend and Mrs. Horrolt‘s came to Lae to see us, but we had business to take care of that had to be done before we could leave. We need to get registered in New Guinea for driver’s license, nurses license etc. It was the rainy season so it was real comfortable. It looked kinda—(I had to attend to one of the kids and forgot what I was writing.)
The first morning we were here,(Gurokor) Al got up at 6:00 AM to go to the outhouse and here sat three girls waiting for me to tell them what I wanted done. No one could speak English and we didn’t know either Jabem or Pidgin English. I didn’t know what I wanted to do let alone trying to tell someone else to do something for me. I finally had them boil the diapers at the campfire with a grid and a big boiler affair that Mrs. H sent down.
Today we went to visit a village. Al, Paula Tom and the Horrolt’s and I. He would talk to them but we couldn’t understand any of it. Paula waved and waved at all the school girls and boys in their tumble down one thickness walls with no glass or screens in the windows. The kindergarten pupils sat on the ground. The roofs were of grass as were the rest of the house. All of the houses except the school are built upon sticks. Pigs and children run about the yard. There isn’t a blade of grass growing on the village proper. I don’t know why.
Pineapples, bananas, grow wild all over. There is an abundant supply of coconuts also-but they have to be planted. .We soon will have to put in a garden. Right now I think it too wet as it rained every afternoon and night since we’ve been here. They save rain water in high tanks for drinking, washing and etc. Paula and Tom seem to be taking it all OK. Tom still doesn’t sleep all night but pretty good from 8 PM until 4 AM.
Example of houses on stilts
About a mile before we get to the station, the river crosses the road. There is no bridge so we can’t get over it if there is too much rain.
It’s good to be out of suitcases. We have room to put things away, even if will have to move again. We live in the guest house with no kitchen so I have to carry all the water in and out. I’m trying to break in a girl to help me, but I am pretty slow because I don’t know the language. I really wish you could come and see the lovely country. It’s nice and cool all the time except a few afternoons. We’re really up in the clouds. You can see them drifting in and unfolding the mountain peaks on the other side. We have a refrigerator, a wood stove and gas oven.
We miss and love you. Al, Ina, Paula and Tom
Note added:
We use, pounds, shillings, and pence, and it best be supported by an Australian accent.
All this were catching onto. The country itself will take a while longer. We live on the very damp side of the mountains– full of thick jungle and raging small mountain streams. Our whole water supply comes right off our roof. There are 1 million insects and plants. The supply of pineapple, bananas and lemon seems endless. Going south, the scenery changes, first rugged, grasslands, then land that has been dredged for gold, surrounded by beautiful pine, a deep gorge, which goes out into a rich mountain. Note ends here.
