Perin works alongside her husband Jimi in Papua’s Asmat region among the North Korowai people. She, like her husband, comes from the highlands but has been serving in the southern swamplands for several years. 

Testimony of Conversion

Perin’s past family life is representative of the struggles of the church in Papua. Perin was the child of a Papuan evangelist. However, her father was so busy that the children frequently endured long periods without him. As a result, several of Perins’ siblings rebelled and fell into various sins such as drugs and drunkenness. Sadly, this sort of family disintegration is a growing feature of Papuan life, even among professed Christians.

When Perin came of age, she took care not only to marry within the church in Papua but even married a Papuan evangelist. However, he was a false convert who promptly began a series of adulterous affairs and was accused of rape and sexual harassment. Although He passed through short periods of church discipline, he always returned to his sin like a dog returning to its vomit.

No children were born from this union and Perin was blamed. Her inability to conceive was used as a further excuse for her husband to continue his repeated adulteries. Finally, another woman gave him a child and he began living with her. At the same time, he abandoned Perin and his mother, who was dying in her home without help. Despite physical abuse and abandonment, Perin cared for her husband’s mother and even spent her meager funds on her needs.

In time, a divorce was granted to Perin, and she sought to serve in the church by whatever means she would be allowed. She was overjoyed when an American missionary family asked her to join them in their work among the tribes. She lived in their home for several years and was a great blessing to their children and all the tribal children. At every opportunity, she taught them Christian songs and the Scriptures.

Finally, in a remote Danowage village, Perin was married to tribal evangelist Jimi. They now serve together as co-laborers in the Great Commission in one of the most challenging environments in the world.