I finished high school in 2016. Since I didn’t have any plans for my future, what I wanted to do or any career aspirations, I returned home after boarding school.
While I was at home, a YWAM team from Townsville, Australia came to my village, Sabusa, in Papua New Guinea (PNG). This was my first time hearing about YWAM (Youth With A Mission) or meeting any YWAMers. They came and stayed at my great uncle’s house for a couple weeks.
During their stay, I volunteered to show them around. When their two weeks were up, I went with them to another village on the coast, about 45 minutes from Sabusa. This village was called Hanuabada. It was there that I met someone named Joseph who became my best friend and was also the contact person for the YWAM team.
The team asked me to join YWAM.
I considered it but, since I didn’t have any data to try to communicate with the team abroad and because the service is very expensive in PNG, I didn’t know who to talk to. I ended up staying back at home. I did ministry with my mom, helping at the church and doing whatever was needed.
Several months later, we had another group of volunteers come. This time they stayed at my home. We let them stay in our house and we, my mom and I, slept outside. I was asked again to join YWAM. I said, “Okay. I am going to do this.” I went to work for the school fees, but because my pay wasn’t good, I couldn’t earn enough money. I kept thinking about everything I needed to buy.
With no way to make that much money, I just gave up and 2017 came and went.
In the first month of 2018, I was trying to find a school and a place to work. I asked my parents for support in my going to a technical college. They told me to go look for money and pay for it myself. So I walked out of the house with the plan to join a mine, to pay for school.
Joseph, my best friend who I met in Hanuabada, and his girlfriend, Geua, were now working on the ship, the m/v YWAM Liberty. Joseph was working in the kitchen while Geua was in housekeeping.
Shortly after leaving my house that day, he called me up saying they were needing some volunteers on board the ship. I only had 10 Kina (3 USD) in my pocket at the time.
Even though I had nothing, I told Joseph, “Okay. I will come for one month.” I had always wanted to be a part of YWAM and with the ship needing help, I immediately joined. I’d forgotten the reason for leaving the house and about the school I was trying to apply for.
Suddenly everything changed and I stayed with the YWAM Liberty for 2 years. God had multiplied my 10 Kina and provided for everything. Coming to the YWAM Liberty has changed all of my plans.
Now, I want to work hard. I want to become a missionary, working on a ship and my hope is to become a captain one day to help my people.
All my dreams have changed.
Cain W. Vanua
Full-time Volunteer Crew Member onboard the m/v YWAM Liberty
For more stories about PNG: https://sacloer.wordpress.com/
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