Inspirational Sons

Incredible friendships are the ones that not only affect the people in the friendship, but the people around them as well. YWAM Medical Ships – Australia has been reporting on an incredible friendship that formed in 2010, on the Ship’s first venture to Papua New Guinea (PNG), and is privileged to share the next part of their story- inspiring their fathers.

Fleming Isorua was living in Ero village without much purpose when the Ship arrived in 2010. Matt Scott was an engineer who had just joined the Ship earlier that year; hoping to help in PNG however he could. When in Ero, Matt was showing locals how to fix outboard motors and Fleming was in the group. As Fleming and Matt became friends, Fleming was inspired and challenged by the fact that all those on board the Ship were volunteers. Igniting inspiration inside Fleming, one year later he joined the Ship crew as a deckhand. Fleming has become an irreplaceable part of it all, not only with the knowledge he has gained of the Ship itself, but also with his desire to serve his people.
Now it is a new year, and a new friendship has formed. As Fleming and Matt continue to inspire those around them, as individuals and as friends, Fleming’s father, James, and Matt’s dad, Alan, have been among those motivated. James had recently lost his wife to cancer, and was living in Port Moresby when he decided to join the Ship for an outreach and see firsthand what his son had been a part of for the past few years. Alan had been on board for an outreach previously, but this would be one that would stand out from the others.

James and Alan were able to join forces for the first time on outreach two in June. After meeting in Port Moresby during outreach orientation, they worked together on outreach in many different villages. They met with the village elders, carried out village assessments, offered training for the local pastors (many of whom are also village leaders), and facilitated men’s discussion groups that covered topics such as domestic violence and family planning.
Regardless of being different nationalities and having very different ways of life, the two dad’s have been the perfect team, with James’ knowledge of his culture and the local villages, and Alan’s experience as a pastor in New Zealand.
Both fathers are proud of the work that their sons are doing on the Ship, and were overjoyed to be a part of it with them.
As the father-son bonds of these friends from New Zealand and Papua New Guinea grow stronger, they continue to inspire and change lives in PNG – a neighbour land and a home.