Walt Steinkraus (left), Bill Oates, David Cummings at the new sawmill. (Photo Courtesy of Bruce Hooley)
Once they were in New Guinea, Walt and other newly arrived members David Cummings and Ray
Nicholson made a survey hike down to the Markham Valley in search of a site for the New Guinea Jungle
Camp. No longer would the many missionaries planning to serve in New Guinea have to take their Jungle
Camp training in Mexico, as Walt and Vonnie did.
Walt hiked up and down the mountains with hardly a change in pace. When he came to a river that
needed to be crossed, he stuffed his trouser legs with his supplies and put them over his head, keeping
everything high and dry as he waded through the water. The New Guineans laughed as Walt would get
washed downs tream because he was so lightweight! The people were amazed to see such a slim white
man and named him the “man bun nating” (a Tok Pisin trade word meaning, “A man who is nothing, but
skin and bones!”).
It wasn’t long before Walt and Vonnie became involved as staff members at the New Guinea Jungle
Camp, which was just being set up by Earl and Betty Adams. Earl and Betty had been asked to leave their
work at the Mexico Jungle Camp in order to set up a new jungle camp in New Guinea.
Walt and Vonnie enjoyed their jungle camp work; the Adamses and other new missionaries appreciated
their vitality, cheerful spirits and willingness to do whatever needed to be done. Vonnie enjoyed and
appreciated the horses, which were part of the jungle camp training. Ron Carne, director of the Aiyura
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