Preparing Pi Ma teria l prepa red “JP arl and Betty Adams left Los An- geles for Lae, Australian Terri tory of New Guinea — their final destination being the New Guinea Base of the Wycliffe Bible Translators at Aiyura in the highlands at about 5,000 feet altitude, 140 miles from Lae. Earl, who since the fall of 1948 has been Director of the Wycliffe Jungle Training Camp in Chiapas, Southern Mexico, and his wife Betty, had come to New Guinea for the purpose of ad vising in the location of a site and in the establishing of a training camp program for Australian and New Zea land Wycliffe candidates, similar to that which has operated so successful ly in Mexico. As finally set up, the 101/6 weeks’ training program, in which 11 candi dates participated, was divided into two phases, of which the first four- weeks’ session was held at the central Wycliffe Base at Aiyura, Here lan guage classes were conducted, native villages were visited as part of the curriculum, and two overnight trips and a four-day survey trip were made. Courses during this period included a study of Gadsup (a New Guinea tribal language), Orientation, Carpentry (using lumber milled in the Base saw m ill), Mechanics, Horseback Riding, Swimming, Hiking, Clinic. That the life of the Camp was not without its adventures and its lighter moments, as well as its difficulties and dangers, is evident from the letters of Earl and Betty. Earl Adams says of the natives in whose area the Camp is located: “ . . . The natives are very friendly and helpful, having been under government and mission influ ence for many years. Like most natives to be found on the island, they are fuzzy-headed, dark-skinned, and bois terous extroverts. Their display of af fection is quite in contrast to the re tiring shyness of the Indians in the Americas. Becoming accustomed to complete strangers wanting to pat your white skin, hold your hands, or rub your face is a new experience to us! Some of our very neighbors here were among the ‘Fuzzy Wuzzy An gels’ who heroically helped the Allies here in World War II.” In a recent letter Earl narrates an THE K IN G 'S BUSINESS
Crossing the swift Markham River proved to be a difficult task,
Above: The Adams' house proves to be a popular gathering for "neighbors." Below: Betty and Earl Adams with their native helpers in the New Guinea work.
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