An Earful From The Ericksons: Praise the Lord for a good ending.

Hi.

I want you to read this slowly.

Yesterday Garth took a bunch of the dorm kids to the pipe. Along with them was a High schooler Zach and Buzz and Myrna Maxey. (Parents of two boys in our hostel.) When they all got up to the swimming hole, some of the kids swam there, some ate lunch and they were just hanging out. After awhile, the girls decided to walk up the pipe (1 or 2 minutes) to another swimming hole and the boys went up even further to another spot. Garth, Myrna, and Buzz were just chilling on the rocks. They saw 4 local men come up and started talking to them in Indonesian (Buzz and Myrna are very fluent in Indonesian and the other tribal language that these guys were speaking.) the locals wanted to know what they were all doing there and Buzz said just relaxing and swimming. Then the guys started picking up our bags and saying, “Where’s the money? Give us the money.” It was quickly evident that they were drunk and some, if not all, were high. They began taking all the bags and Garth’s wallet, keys, phone, camera, shoes…everything. They went to Buzz for money and he took some out of his wallet to give them. They reached for his wallet and when he pulled it away they started swinging knives. He quickly gave them the wallet and whatever else they wanted. They grabbed all the cell phones, ipods, cameras, bags etc. Even Garth’s socks and shoes. Then they ran up the pipe to where the girls were. Garth and Buzz were going to go up after them, but decided that Garth should stay with Myrna. Buzz went up and hollered to them and they let the girls go. Buzz told the girls to run and they ran down the pipe to Garth. Eventually the locals came back to where Garth and Myrna and now Buzz were, swinging their knives and telling them to stay put and not go down the pipe. Then they proceeded to leave.

Buzz shouted for the boys and they came down. The boys were far enough up that they did not know what had happened. Garth and Buzz informed them of the situation. After some time, they picked up rocks, sticks, clubs etc. and headed back down the pipe unsure what they might encounter on their walk back. They made it safely back to the van, but did not have the keys since they had been stolen. THANKFULLY at the last minute Buzz and Myrna had decided to drive separate, and the thieves did NOT steal Buzz’s keys so Garth and Myrna and some of the kids piled into the pickup truck and headed back to Sentani. Buzz and two of the boys stayed to talk to police.

When we were all back together and were talking about the day’s events we could clearly see how God’s hand was in this whole thing.

1. I was planning on going but Sophie wasn’t feeling well, so at the last minute I decided to stay behind with the kids.

2. There was another vehicle there to get home in when our van keys were stolen

3. Garth was not the only adult there. He was with people that spoke the language.

4. Two kids wear glasses that were on a rock and the thieves did not take them.

5. Garth and I had taken our American credit cards out of the wallet and had them locked up at our house-so they were not in the wallet

6. At the bottom of the pipe there were people that helped us right away. There was a head of police there, there was another guy who worked with one of the girls Dad. There were other people that recognized some of the kids and right away started spreading the word to see if anyone knew anything.

7. The girls had such a peace during the whole ordeal. They did not freak out, God gave them the right words to say and had Buzz come up at just the right time to yell at the locals to release the girls.

8. It was good that the group was split up when the locals first approached, because if everyone had been at that one location, the locals may have felt threatened and thought they needed to use more violence to prove they were in control.

9. The locals all had knives that they were swinging around but not one person was hurt!

10. the Seniors had to stay back in Sentani to work on a valentine’s banquet so none of our seniors went with to the pipe. If they had gone, they wouldn’t have all fit in the pick- up truck to come home.

This story could have had such a different ending. We are all aware of that. But Praise The Lord! I am writing you with the good news that all are safe!

Wyatt read this verse last night after we told the kids what had happened:

“The Lord is my Rock, my fortress, and my Savior. My God is my Rock, in whom I find protection. He is my shield, the power that saves me, and my place of safety. He is my refuge, my Savior, the One who saves me from violence.” 2 Sam. 22:2-3

The girls involved were sad to think that this event will give people the wrong impression of Papua. They love it here and have such a heart for these people. Garth was praying that this whole thing would make us all better and not bitter.

Please pray for everyone as they process through this. I know Buzz woke us a few times last night in sweat with his adrenaline pumping thinking he was back in the middle of the encounter. I think that will happen to everyone at different times. Pray for peace and comfort for the parents that we are calling to tell them what happened to their children. It is difficult to be so far away at times like this.

Here are some pictures from one of the other times we went to the pipe.