Pastor Ted Schulz who serves as pastor of Shepherd of the Valley, in Dayton Virginia shares the story of two happenstance encounters with individuals from our global companion synod, the New Guinea Islands District of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Papua New Guinea (ELC-PNG). These were emotional meetings as Ted was born and raised in PNG, the son of American Lutheran Church missionaries, Rev. Paul & Carrie Schulz, who served there from 1947-70.
An Encounter with Zebedy Bahude from the Madang Province of Papua New Guinea
Pastor Schulz shares: In July of 2023, I was in communication with Dianne Giessler, former chair of our companion synod program. I asked if she knew that a Lutheran is the Governor General of Papua New Guinea. Sir Bob Dadae has served as the representative of Queen Elizabeth and King Charles being that PNG is a member of the British Commonwealth of Nations. We are proud to have friends in high places in PNG including Lutherans who are members of Parliament as well as a Prime Minister. Diane Giessler responded by asking me if I knew that a Lutheran from PNG was serving as an international counselor at Caroline Furnace Lutheran Camp and Retreat Center in Shenandoah County. If not for my conversation with Diane, I would not have known this. Immediately, I contacted Tom Powell, executive director of Caroline Furnace. We arranged for Zebedy to visit my parish which is located on the southern edge of Harrisonburg, VA. It was wonderful having this overseas guest with us for Sunday worship on August 6, 2023. I learned that Zebedy works in the IT department at the ELC-PNG headquarters in Lae. However, he hails from Amele near Madang. Talk about a small world! Amele is just up the road from Yagaum Lutheran Hospital, Madang, where me and my brother Jim were born. Turns out that my father worked with and had great respect for Zebedy’s grandfather Pastor Liwa. Blest be the tie that binds.
An Encounter with Doreen Philip from the Morobe Province of Papua New Guinea
Pastor Schulz shares: Exactly two months after Zebedy’s visit, another Lutheran from PNG made a surprise visit. On Saturday, October 7, 2023, Doreen attended the Dayton Day autumn festival where our church provides food and drinks to festival goers. She spotted the Luther Rose on our booth tent and stopped by for a cup of hot chocolate. I served her and asked if she was visiting from near or far. Imagine my surprise when she introduced herself as Doreen Philip from Papua New Guinea and imagine her surprise when I replied in the New Guinea Tok Pisin language. Doreen’s family is from Gantisap Village at Kaiapit in the Markham Valley, which is not far from Lae. The Schulzes know Kaiapit because we are friends with the Rev. Karl & Helene Holzknecht family who were long serving German Lutheran missionaries there. We Schulz kids went to school with the Holzknecht kids at the Lutheran boarding schools in PNG and Australia. The old saying is true, “it really is a small world!” Doreen came as an International Fulbright Scholar for two years of study at James Madison University in Harrisonburg, VA. During that time, my family and congregation tried to be of support to Doreen. Besides worshiping with us, we showed her some good southern hospitality. In addition, my son Josiah invited Doreen to play on his co-ed soccer team in the Harrisonburg adult soccer league enabling her to enjoy more social interaction. Doreen hails from the Morobe Province. Morobeans are the best soccer players in PNG. They thank God that the German Lutheran missionaries brought them the gospel in 1886 at Finschhafen, and that they also brought them soccer! After earning her Master’s Degree at JMU, on May 15, 2025, Doreen returned to PNG where she hopes to raise awareness of good governance and transparency in public services as well as to provide inspiration and empowerment for village women.
