On Campus

Welcome to the college campus where we live, work, and minister!

This is the main campus office building at the main entrance of the school. Isaac has an office here with the other professors, and we walk over here to use the parking lot for Judah's bike riding practice.

Out front are these statues and the graves of Walter Erikson and Edward Tritt, the first two TEAM members on this island back in the 50's. They were on a survey trip when they were killed by their guides. The Lovestrand family was at that time on a boat on their way to Papua (then Netherlands New Guinea, a Dutch colony). When they arrived they buried the bodies and began work here in Manokwari. Within the first few years they started this school as a way to train church leaders, and they built what is now our house as their family home.

If you walk behind the office building and wander the paths, things start to look quite a bit different than a college campus in the West. Some sections feel like untamed jungle because it all grows so quickly, and some sections have been made into gardens for the students or staff to grow food for their families.

In the back are houses for married students who have come to the school from the mountain tribes. Traditionally they would have lived in wood huts. Here they have small cement block houses. They use sheet metal to build cook sheds behind their houses, and there is a shared well for water and a shared bathroom shack.

We always marvel when we walk around this part of campus that it feels like we are on a hike, not walking a campus!

Across the road is the chapel, men's dorm, a few classrooms, and a soccer field. Isaac has been teaching in one of the classrooms, which has no working lights, is open air, and the ceiling is falling in over his podium.

However, just behind the classroom is this view of our local river flowing into Manokwari bay. Can't beat the natural beauty!

This was Isaac's first time teaching. It was at an orientation chapel for incoming freshmen in the school chapel. He's loving being in the classroom and teaching!

And finally, our kids in our own backyard!

Now that we've been here a few months this is all starting to feel normal to us, so we'd be interested to hear what strikes you all about our new setting.