Missionaries Elias and Jose Struik -- and Uriais alike -- are anticipating the arrival of a cargo ship, but for very different reasons.
The ship contains food, fuel for the generator and outboard motor, personal items for the Struiks, and a water tank for the Uriai people.
For the Struiks this means replenishing their food supply and being able to use some things they have had to go without.
But the Uriai people's hopes reach far back to their ancestors.
There is a belief among several tribes in Papua New Guinea that has come to be known as the "cargo cult." It is said that the white people are the returning spirits of dead ancestors who hold the key to obtaining material goods.
Missionaries have to be wise about not encouraging this false belief and still express Christ's love for these people in a tangible way.
Pray for the Struiks and their co-workers, Aaron and Meredith DeRidder, Lisa Kappeler, and M'liss Spero, as they answer the Uriais' questions and learn more about their culture.
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