The Early Days of Darlene Deibler

I recently began reading a book called Evidence Not Seen, by Darlene Deibler. She and her husband Russel were missionaries to the Pacific Islands, with a burden specifically for New Guinea. They arrived on the island of Java in 1938, on their first wedding anniversary. Shortly after arriving in Java, Russel was sent from the mission post to explore the heart of New Guinea and return with valuable information about the native people and the innermost parts of the island, which were both unfamiliar to the modern world. Later he would establish a mission post of his own for himself and Darlene, who would eventually join him. Here are some of the accounts regarding their establishment in New Guinea.

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In February word came that Russell would be arriving from Manokwari [home from his three month long expedition]...When the steamer eased into port at Macassar, I was nearly bursting with excitement. Positioned at the front of those gathered to greet disembarking passengers, I was totally dismayed when I saw a gaunt wasted stranger...When I heard his voice, I knew it was Russell, but the voice shouldn't belong to this emaciated stranger [he had lost more than sixty pounds]. I quickly looked down, not wanting him to see my uneasiness. My shyness amused him, but the shock I felt, thinking of what he must have suffered, was with me for days.

He walked with considerable pain, and once back at the house, when he removed his shoes and socks, I knew why. There was no skin on his insteps, the balls of his feet, or any of his toes. He had a serious, advanced case of jungle rot. Dr Jaffray immediately sent for a doctor, who came to the house to examine Russell's feet. Turning to me, he said "Do you see this tissue that is sloughing off? Each morning take tweezers and tear off every layer until you reach the raw, throbbing flesh. Don't apply the ointment that I'm giving you until that rotting tissue is removed. This will be very painful, but there is no other way to get the fungus that has caused Mr Deibler's condition."

One morning Dr Jaffray walked into the bedroom and saw me tearing the dead tissue off Russell's feet, the blood and pus running. A wave of nausea passed over his face; then he turned and without a word abruptly left the room. He closeted himself in his bedroom, and when I called him at noon, he said he would not be out for lunch. About four that afternoon, he walked out and laid a manuscript on the table in front of me. I picked it up and read the editorial for our field magazine, The Pioneer.

"This morning I looked at the bleeding feet of a missionary, saw his wife tending them, saw the blood and pus running from them and thought to myself, "What a nauseating sight that is!" But, as I walked from the room, the Lord kept saying to me, "Oh, but to Me they are beautiful feet!" Then I remembered--"How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him that bringeth good tidings."--good tidings to men and women like those in New Guinea who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death. Someday it will all be over. Someday the tired, bleeding feet of the missionaries will for the last time cross those limestone mountains. Someday for the last time they will go down into one of those newly discovered valleys. Someday for the last time they will speak the message of redemption through Jesus Christ our Lord. Someday that last one will turn to Jesus. Then the clouds will part asunder and our Saviour will be there."

Reverently, I laid the manuscript on the table and lifted my tear-filled eyes toward the east. I knew that soon I would join the long line of intrepid missionary pioneers who had walked into the unknown to life up His ensign on the mountains and lay a claim for the Lord.

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Not long after recovering from his exploration, Russell was sent on his second expedition. This time he was to establish connections with the indigenous tribal people and begin building the mission post for himself and Darlene. This second account tells of Darlene's eventual call to join Russell in New Guinea, ending their separation which had lasted more than seven months.

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"Lord," I prayed, "If those people are ever to believe and understand about You, women will have to go there." The moment I spoke those words, an assurance filled me. God spoke clearly in the silence. I threw Russell's letter into the air and yelled, "I'm going to New Guinea!" Scooping up the pages, I dashed out to find Dr Jaffray. "Dr Jaffray, I'm going to New Guinea!" "Lassie, I've known that for several days. I also had a letter from Russell giving his consent for you to go by trail. I've been waiting for the Lord to show you."

Dr Jaffray and Margaret took me to the ship on January 23, 1940. Our belongings, packed as if by a seasoned professional, were stored below deck in the cargo hull. Dr Jaffray commended me into God's care; then he said, "Remember, Lassie, for centuries the enemy has held these people in darkness. You will now experience satanic opposition such as you have never known. Until Russell's first trip, no one had ever invaded his territory to challenge him, but don't be afraid, for he is a defeated foe, undone by Calvary. Never forget that greater is He that is in you than he that is in the world."