March 16, 2026
Greetings from Lae! After several months of travel, I arrived back in Papua New Guinea a month ago. I enjoyed getting to see many of you while in Canada and Australia. The past month in Lae has been very busy getting caught up and also prepared for this year’s Melanesian Bible College session. As I write this we are literally on the eve of the start of classes. All of our students have arrived on time (!!!!) and we have an entirely new student body this year. We had chapel together this morning and met each student briefly while handing out their materials. I’m looking forward to telling you more about them in the coming months. For now, here is a brief overview of the past few months:
September – December, 2025
I left Lae on September 3rd and arrived in Ontario on the 12th , enjoying stays in Port Moresby, Brisbane and Vancouver along the way. September was spent preparing for presentations and catching up with family (both church and physical) and friends. I enjoyed being able to take part in serving at the Fenwick Men’s Day on October fourth and saw many ‘old’ friends while there (I am NEVER in Canada for the Ladies’ Day in May, so it was great being there for the Men’s).
P.N.G. Presentations started at Bramalea church of Christ on October 26th, and continued
from there to Markdale/Vandeleur on November 2nd, St. Catharines (5th), Owen Sound (9th), Cambridge (16th), Beamsville (23rd), Great Lakes Christian High School (28th), Fenwick (30th), Fennell Avenue (December 3rd), Stoney Creek (7th), Grimsby (14th), and Tintern (28th). While at Tintern, we had a meeting for anyone interested in visiting Papua New Guinea in 2027. Since the last Canadian team came here in 2003, we are really looking forward to having visitors!
On the P.N.G. front, heavy rains in November/December took out our bridge! This is the route we use to get to and from M.B.C. With visitors arriving, a temporary solution had to be found.
The M.B.C. congregation hosted the 7th Morobe Provincial Youth Camp from December 18-22. Steve and Gill Raines, from the South Pacific Bible College in New Zealand, came as guest speakers. The camp was well attended and all of the hard work, leading up to and during, paid off. There were 716 registered, but more than 800 in attendance, with 14 baptisms and 11 people who repented. Thank you to those who prayed for the camp leading up to it. The next camp will be hosted in 2027 by Tugatugan church of Christ in the Markham Valley.
January-March, 2026
In some ways, January is a blur! I remember a lot of work getting ready to leave Canada, a lot of visiting, a lot of last-minute shopping, and a lot of snow. Every time I said, “This is probably the last time I’ll get to shovel for a while!”, the heavens opened up. Despite the weather, I was thankful to get to visit several of the older members from Fenwick, some whom I haven’t seen since 2018 or before! I did a presentation during one of those visits.
On January 31st I left -13◦C Toronto and travelled to 10◦C Abbotsford, British Columbia, where I spent a few days with former P.N.G. missionary, Velma Forman, and her family. On February 4th I did a final presentation (#14) for the Abbotsford ladies’ class, before leaving for Vancouver International Airport. On to 27◦C Brisbane for a few days with dear friends (and my first boat trip since July, 2024!) before travelling to 32◦C+high humidity Lae on the 12th
It is good to be back and we are excited about this new school year. Great visits!
Prayer Requests (lots this time and in no particular order!)
1. Roommate Miring’s great-nephew, Boaz, is working in Abu Dhabi (U.A.E.). The past few weeks have been especially concerning with the current war happening in the Middle East. Please pray for his safety. The closest Papua New Guinean Embassy/Consulate is in Jerusalem and we understand that it is ‘closed until further notice’.
2. My family, mourning the loss of my cousin’s wife.
3. Naomi, daughter of Christians Bafi & Yasum Donao – currently in hospital in Lae with cancer.
4. The family of sister in Christ, Natak Zawo, who passed away on October 15 from T.B. Natak was Miring’s first cousin and a really close friend. Over the years she has stayed with us frequently and was one of my literacy students before going on to do three years as an M.B.C. student. Being in Canada has made her passing somewhat unreal for me. Please continue to hold her husband and sons in prayer, as well as the congregation in Indagen.
5. Brother Chris Moore and family, and the Fenwick congregation – cancer.
6. M.B.C. teacher, William Kewo, and his family and community at
Mumeng, Morobe Province. A massive land dispute is threatening
to displace six communities from their traditional lands. Natak
7. The Melanesian Bible College for several things:
a.) For this school year, especially for our new students. This is the first time we have an entirely new
student body. Pray for guidance for us as we help them to settle in and adjust.
b.) Teacher Joe Dobadoba will be retiring this year. Please pray for him and his family as they prepare to
leave M.B.C., and for the new teacher who will be stepping in towards the end of the 2026
school session to make the transition to full time teaching.
c.) New brother-in-Christ (and new student), Gotfrey Filip from Zumangurun, Morobe Province. He was baptized into Christ yesterday!
If you have written to me in the past month, thank you for your patience with my extremely slow replies. It really has been a busy time! Thank you also for your prayers over the past few months as I travelled. They and you are much appreciated.
In HIM,
Ruth
Sponsor information:
Fenwick church of Christ, P.O. Box 416, Fenwick, ON L0S 1C0 Canada (cofcfenwick@gmail.com)
Malaga church of Christ, P.O. Box 105. Ballajura, WA 6019 Australia (malaga@perthchurch.net)
Contact: Ruth Zimmerman P.O. Box 1112, Lae, Morobe Province, Papua New Guinea (ruthzimm@gmail.com)
