July 2, 2010
The houses are made from cut and smashed bamboo. They use a sharp stick, knife, or a piece of glass to cut the bamboo and then flatten it with a rock. We spent the morning learning how to weave the bamboo to make pit-pit, which is what their houses are partly made out of. Once the weaving started things became really crowded so a few of us played with the kids nearby learning how to make images using rubber bands. I learned how to make a butterfly, airplane, and star. The time spent with the children is so enjoyable and the hard life that they have makes them lay heavy on my heart. These are God’s children and they are very special and important to me.
Later that afternoon some of us girls tried to make belums, which was extremely hard for me. Everything I did without Wati helping she would undo and redo for me. It was quite hilarious. There was no disappointment on my heart because it’s something they have been doing since they were young girls and takes awhile to perfect. Mary and Dunc’s daughter Leah bought some gifts for Wati’s daughter Leah (who was named after Leah Pfantz) and she also bought some gifts for Wimai. Wimai became very sad because she misses Leah and Megan, Emily, and I all reminded her of Leah because of our long dark hair and around the same age. It was really touching to see how much Leah and her care about each other despite their differences. They had become family, forever connected.
That evening we didn’t walk back until after dark and Young Paul held my hand the whole way to make sure I made it back safely without falling. I love how everyone here always wants to help without being asked. It is because they care about us and are living the way a true Christian should just as Jesus did.
Sunday, August 29, 2010
Thursday, August 26, 2010
Disappointment and the Milo Incident
July 1, 2010
After breakfast the morning was spent listening to Peter and Wimai share their life story. They had both attended school at a young age and met working in the same place. They did marry for love, which is not too common in PNG. Many women are bought for a bride price by the groom and his tribe. Often times the woman is bought by a tribe that speaks a different language then her own and has to move far away from her family. Another older man shared as well about all the fighting and showed us a few of the weapons that would be used. They used mostly spears and arrows made from wood, but they were very effective.
In the afternoon we did some language learning and walked to Seatin to play basketball or soccer with the children. I was not able to play, but Emily, Ellen, and I had a group of children gathered around us so we started asking questions of the children and working on some more translation with them.
That evening we were invited to attend a baby dedication. I was not able to go because it had started raining as we were leaving Seatin and never stopped all night. I was very disappointed I could not go because the path would have been too slippery and on top of that it was dark. I really do not like listening to all the things I cannot do. Despite my disappointment the evening was still enjoyable spent with Mary, Tracy, Ellen and Levi. Mary read us a story and Tracy made us Milo, which is a hot chocolate drink. Ellen has a severe allergy to gluten and Tracy did not realize there was a barely ingredient in the chocolate mix that made Ellen very sick for a day. We now joke about the Milo incident.
After breakfast the morning was spent listening to Peter and Wimai share their life story. They had both attended school at a young age and met working in the same place. They did marry for love, which is not too common in PNG. Many women are bought for a bride price by the groom and his tribe. Often times the woman is bought by a tribe that speaks a different language then her own and has to move far away from her family. Another older man shared as well about all the fighting and showed us a few of the weapons that would be used. They used mostly spears and arrows made from wood, but they were very effective.
In the afternoon we did some language learning and walked to Seatin to play basketball or soccer with the children. I was not able to play, but Emily, Ellen, and I had a group of children gathered around us so we started asking questions of the children and working on some more translation with them.
That evening we were invited to attend a baby dedication. I was not able to go because it had started raining as we were leaving Seatin and never stopped all night. I was very disappointed I could not go because the path would have been too slippery and on top of that it was dark. I really do not like listening to all the things I cannot do. Despite my disappointment the evening was still enjoyable spent with Mary, Tracy, Ellen and Levi. Mary read us a story and Tracy made us Milo, which is a hot chocolate drink. Ellen has a severe allergy to gluten and Tracy did not realize there was a barely ingredient in the chocolate mix that made Ellen very sick for a day. We now joke about the Milo incident.
Friday, August 13, 2010
Market, Martin, Memories
June 30, 2010
The days here are perfect, but the nights are terribly cold at this altitude. Our day began at 6 a.m. with breakfast. After breakfast we split up into four groups to shop in local markets along the mountain side roads. Mary, Emily, and I and we had the shortest distance to go because of my leg. We were the only group who got to set up their own spot to sell things. We sold Kuman Bibles, Jesus films, and posters of the 10 commandments. Mary let Emily and I do most of the shopping so we could practice the language.
Every afternoon was spent doing quiet time going through the devotional we were given, taking naps, or spending quality time with the people. I was giving devotions later that night, so I prepared that before going out and playing with the children. I also had the privilege of holding a four month old baby named Martin. Later I helped Mama Wimai prepare dinner for the team, peeling sweet potatoes. Mary came with me helping me understand all that was being said and asked. By the time all the food was ready to cook I had become Wimai’s daughter and Peter’s sister who was also there told me I was a nice girl and Rachelle was a good name. While the food was being cooked Mary and I enjoyed sitting and listening to our family talk in their mother tongue and Gabi was playing his guitar in the background. One observation I have already had is that every time we enter the bush house every one of our team members is given a place to sit other than the ground. We were given these small handmade stools or small tree stumps to sit on.
That evening all of Mama and Papa’s children, daughter and son in-laws, brothers and sisters, nieces and nephews, and grandchild came to our temporary home to sing and pray together as one big family. They sang 10 or more songs and we jumped in if we could because some songs were in English. By the end of the trip we were able to sing all of their songs, whether in English, Kuman, or Tok Pisin. Our team sang five songs. While in California we had learned this song in Swahili from Tracy and the people loved it. It was a very enjoyable evening.
The days here are perfect, but the nights are terribly cold at this altitude. Our day began at 6 a.m. with breakfast. After breakfast we split up into four groups to shop in local markets along the mountain side roads. Mary, Emily, and I and we had the shortest distance to go because of my leg. We were the only group who got to set up their own spot to sell things. We sold Kuman Bibles, Jesus films, and posters of the 10 commandments. Mary let Emily and I do most of the shopping so we could practice the language.
Every afternoon was spent doing quiet time going through the devotional we were given, taking naps, or spending quality time with the people. I was giving devotions later that night, so I prepared that before going out and playing with the children. I also had the privilege of holding a four month old baby named Martin. Later I helped Mama Wimai prepare dinner for the team, peeling sweet potatoes. Mary came with me helping me understand all that was being said and asked. By the time all the food was ready to cook I had become Wimai’s daughter and Peter’s sister who was also there told me I was a nice girl and Rachelle was a good name. While the food was being cooked Mary and I enjoyed sitting and listening to our family talk in their mother tongue and Gabi was playing his guitar in the background. One observation I have already had is that every time we enter the bush house every one of our team members is given a place to sit other than the ground. We were given these small handmade stools or small tree stumps to sit on.
That evening all of Mama and Papa’s children, daughter and son in-laws, brothers and sisters, nieces and nephews, and grandchild came to our temporary home to sing and pray together as one big family. They sang 10 or more songs and we jumped in if we could because some songs were in English. By the end of the trip we were able to sing all of their songs, whether in English, Kuman, or Tok Pisin. Our team sang five songs. While in California we had learned this song in Swahili from Tracy and the people loved it. It was a very enjoyable evening.
Thursday, August 12, 2010
Pari
June 29, 2010
The next morning we explored the town of Kundiawa. We did some shopping for food and supplies for staying in the village. People everywhere, always staring, following, and wanting us to buy their stuff. I would say six of one of their stores could fit inside one of our Wal-Mart’s. There were few choices of each item, unlike Wal-mart, where you have 20+ choices of shampoo. They are very crowded, stuff is sometimes piled high, and their seemed to be a somewhat random organization. If we entered a store ten or more people would follow making the place even more crowded. They all wanted to see what we would buy. When checking out at one of the stores the cashier gave me her cell phone number and I gave her my address because she asked if I would be her pen pal.
We then made our way back to the hotel to check out, load up our stuff, and head up the mountain 5,000 ft to Pari village. Every child we passed excitedly waved to us and some even chased after our trucks for a few feet. We made a couple stops along the way to enjoy the scenery and take pictures. During one of these times a group of about three or four ladies came running up to us waving a digital camera in the air. They asked if we would take a picture with them, it was quite hilarious. The truck ride was quite enjoyable, bouncing along the rugged mountain roads with no seat belts.
It was about an hour and a half when we finally arrived in the village to meet the Pfantz’s family of 20 years. Everyone was so happy to see them. It had been two years since they left after the dedication of the New Testament. Most of the women were crying and holding onto Dunc, Mary, and Levi. After awhile they hugged all of us. After the tears stopped flowing, we moved into our temporary home. It was the home that belonged to the Pfantz’s after they had lived there around four years. It contained three bedrooms, a kitchen, living room, laundry room, study, and a bathroom (with a shower and toilet!). The guys were given bush house to sleep in that belongs to mama and papa. Once settled, Emily, Megan, and I headed to Mama Wimai and Papa Peter’s house to help prepare for dinner. We did our best to talk with them, but most of the time was spent listening to the family talk to each other. All of our meals were cooked over a fire and it almost always included sweet potatoes.
After dinner the evening was spent sharing our observations of the culture on our first day, what our impressions were, we also had devotion time, singing, and praying. Before heading to bed we went out and enjoyed the night sky, which contained more stars than anyone in American or a highly polluted place could even imagine.
The next morning we explored the town of Kundiawa. We did some shopping for food and supplies for staying in the village. People everywhere, always staring, following, and wanting us to buy their stuff. I would say six of one of their stores could fit inside one of our Wal-Mart’s. There were few choices of each item, unlike Wal-mart, where you have 20+ choices of shampoo. They are very crowded, stuff is sometimes piled high, and their seemed to be a somewhat random organization. If we entered a store ten or more people would follow making the place even more crowded. They all wanted to see what we would buy. When checking out at one of the stores the cashier gave me her cell phone number and I gave her my address because she asked if I would be her pen pal.
We then made our way back to the hotel to check out, load up our stuff, and head up the mountain 5,000 ft to Pari village. Every child we passed excitedly waved to us and some even chased after our trucks for a few feet. We made a couple stops along the way to enjoy the scenery and take pictures. During one of these times a group of about three or four ladies came running up to us waving a digital camera in the air. They asked if we would take a picture with them, it was quite hilarious. The truck ride was quite enjoyable, bouncing along the rugged mountain roads with no seat belts.
It was about an hour and a half when we finally arrived in the village to meet the Pfantz’s family of 20 years. Everyone was so happy to see them. It had been two years since they left after the dedication of the New Testament. Most of the women were crying and holding onto Dunc, Mary, and Levi. After awhile they hugged all of us. After the tears stopped flowing, we moved into our temporary home. It was the home that belonged to the Pfantz’s after they had lived there around four years. It contained three bedrooms, a kitchen, living room, laundry room, study, and a bathroom (with a shower and toilet!). The guys were given bush house to sleep in that belongs to mama and papa. Once settled, Emily, Megan, and I headed to Mama Wimai and Papa Peter’s house to help prepare for dinner. We did our best to talk with them, but most of the time was spent listening to the family talk to each other. All of our meals were cooked over a fire and it almost always included sweet potatoes.
After dinner the evening was spent sharing our observations of the culture on our first day, what our impressions were, we also had devotion time, singing, and praying. Before heading to bed we went out and enjoyed the night sky, which contained more stars than anyone in American or a highly polluted place could even imagine.
Tuesday, August 10, 2010
Expect the Unexpected
June 28, 2010
If you don’t know how the International Dateline works then you may be wondering why I didn’t write on the 27th. Because of the huge time difference we lost a day. No wonder we are so tired! We had a few troubles along our journey. While in Brisbane, Australia many of us did not have a boarding pass to fly Air Nugini, and no one knows how that could have happened. Mary, Dunc, and Tracy got everything figured out and we were on the flight to Port Morseby, Papua New Guinea.
Off the airplane, we were greeted by scorching heat and men singing and playing instruments, wearing Hawaiian style shirts. I was escorted by wheelchair so I was able to cut the huge lines for visa and passport checks. When Ellen and I arrived at the check-in area there was a young girl passed out on the floor. The mother was not sure if she was breathing and she began yelling out. Thankfully there was a doctor present who came to help and I gave up my wheelchair when they had decided it was okay for her to move and receive further help.
After some time of waiting in line, not finding all the luggage, and going through yet again another security check we finally made it into the country we have been dreaming about for months. We were then taken by vans to another part of the airstrip to board a very small plane called a Twin Otter. It was so awesome! We enjoyed the bumpy hour and a half ride laughing, joking, and taking pictures of the many mighty mountains below. Mid flight, the course was changed. We were supposed to land in Ukarumpa, where dinner, a hot shower, and friends of the Pfanz’s were expecting our arrival. Because planes are not allowed to fly after 6 p.m. we had to land in Kundiowa, where we stayed in a hotel for the night. For being an unexpected landing, there were many people gathered at the airstrip with curious stares welcoming us. We each found our rooms hooked up with a small T.V. and mini fridge and then made our way to the dining room for supper. The room was beautifully painted with a jungle mural. I think we waited two hours for our food. Some had chicken, some had steak, and it was well worth the wait. What really stood out to me that first night, and you will hear me say this again, was the kindness of their hospitality and service to us. They did not have any tea to serve us, which we weren’t expecting anything more than water, but they went to town anyways and bought it just for us. To me that was a blessing and the tea was so good I bought some and brought it home.
Despite the excitement of finally being in PNG and enjoying the food and company of one another our tiredness could not be ignored any longer so we went to bed, sleeping to the sound of voices in the night, a goat, the birds of paradise, and light jungle rain.
If you don’t know how the International Dateline works then you may be wondering why I didn’t write on the 27th. Because of the huge time difference we lost a day. No wonder we are so tired! We had a few troubles along our journey. While in Brisbane, Australia many of us did not have a boarding pass to fly Air Nugini, and no one knows how that could have happened. Mary, Dunc, and Tracy got everything figured out and we were on the flight to Port Morseby, Papua New Guinea.
Off the airplane, we were greeted by scorching heat and men singing and playing instruments, wearing Hawaiian style shirts. I was escorted by wheelchair so I was able to cut the huge lines for visa and passport checks. When Ellen and I arrived at the check-in area there was a young girl passed out on the floor. The mother was not sure if she was breathing and she began yelling out. Thankfully there was a doctor present who came to help and I gave up my wheelchair when they had decided it was okay for her to move and receive further help.
After some time of waiting in line, not finding all the luggage, and going through yet again another security check we finally made it into the country we have been dreaming about for months. We were then taken by vans to another part of the airstrip to board a very small plane called a Twin Otter. It was so awesome! We enjoyed the bumpy hour and a half ride laughing, joking, and taking pictures of the many mighty mountains below. Mid flight, the course was changed. We were supposed to land in Ukarumpa, where dinner, a hot shower, and friends of the Pfanz’s were expecting our arrival. Because planes are not allowed to fly after 6 p.m. we had to land in Kundiowa, where we stayed in a hotel for the night. For being an unexpected landing, there were many people gathered at the airstrip with curious stares welcoming us. We each found our rooms hooked up with a small T.V. and mini fridge and then made our way to the dining room for supper. The room was beautifully painted with a jungle mural. I think we waited two hours for our food. Some had chicken, some had steak, and it was well worth the wait. What really stood out to me that first night, and you will hear me say this again, was the kindness of their hospitality and service to us. They did not have any tea to serve us, which we weren’t expecting anything more than water, but they went to town anyways and bought it just for us. To me that was a blessing and the tea was so good I bought some and brought it home.
Despite the excitement of finally being in PNG and enjoying the food and company of one another our tiredness could not be ignored any longer so we went to bed, sleeping to the sound of voices in the night, a goat, the birds of paradise, and light jungle rain.
Thursday, August 5, 2010
PNG at Last!
June 26, 2010
It is our last morning in Azusa, California and it is no less beautiful than the days before, but it is the day we leave for Papua New Guinea! Part of the morning was spent on the beach by LAX. To reach this wonderful place I went down a cliff on my bottom and no one was going to stop me, not even the cliff. The ocean breeze and the sting of salty water is none like I have ever felt before. The beauty of the waves and reflections of blue are not like the mountains or sky scrapers. The warm sand between my toes, I watch my team members follow and run from the tide; back and forth.
Trying not to think about saying goodbye to our family and friends we head for the airport and after some time board, flying Air New Zealand. The long hours were spent watching “How to Train your Dragon” and attempting sleep. From New Zealand we flew to Brisbane, Australia and finally to the place we have been dreaming about for months, Papua New Guinea.
It is our last morning in Azusa, California and it is no less beautiful than the days before, but it is the day we leave for Papua New Guinea! Part of the morning was spent on the beach by LAX. To reach this wonderful place I went down a cliff on my bottom and no one was going to stop me, not even the cliff. The ocean breeze and the sting of salty water is none like I have ever felt before. The beauty of the waves and reflections of blue are not like the mountains or sky scrapers. The warm sand between my toes, I watch my team members follow and run from the tide; back and forth.
Trying not to think about saying goodbye to our family and friends we head for the airport and after some time board, flying Air New Zealand. The long hours were spent watching “How to Train your Dragon” and attempting sleep. From New Zealand we flew to Brisbane, Australia and finally to the place we have been dreaming about for months, Papua New Guinea.
Tuesday, August 3, 2010
Total Vision
June 22-25, 2010
This week was all about the Total Vision Conference. We began learning basic linguistics and how linguistics is applicable to Bible translation, which is in every way, shape, and form. We also did language learning. The members of the GET Global team began learning “tok pisin.” This is the trade language of PNG. Every member of the conference participated in various skits and we had a great time of team building guiding and supporting each other through obstacles.
The 24th was my orthopedist appointment with Dr. Hanes. I was given a “bionic leg” that allowed me to have better use of my leg. Dr. Hanes is my favorite person in the world because I was able to go on the trip!
This week was all about the Total Vision Conference. We began learning basic linguistics and how linguistics is applicable to Bible translation, which is in every way, shape, and form. We also did language learning. The members of the GET Global team began learning “tok pisin.” This is the trade language of PNG. Every member of the conference participated in various skits and we had a great time of team building guiding and supporting each other through obstacles.
The 24th was my orthopedist appointment with Dr. Hanes. I was given a “bionic leg” that allowed me to have better use of my leg. Dr. Hanes is my favorite person in the world because I was able to go on the trip!
Monday, August 2, 2010
"Are you Expecting?"
June 21, 2010
Today I spent most of my time in the emergency room having x-rays and a CT scan. I found it quite amusing when the radiologist asked me if I by any chance could be pregnant. I said no, but she continued to question me on the subject, so finally I said, “I have never had sex before so it’s not possible.” She was quiet real quick. Maybe it was not appropriate to say it so bluntly in a Presbyterian Hospital.
The tests showed that I had a slight fracture of the tibia, and the little piece of bone that was slightly broken just happened to be attached to my ACL. I was scheduled to see an orthopedist as soon as possible so the decision if I could go on the trip or not could be made. Many people back home and all over the country have been praying for me. I know prayer is powerful and can do miraculous things, so I am hoping God’s answer is yes. I prayed in preparation for this trip that whatever it took for me to get closer to God I would do it, even if it meant having an injured leg and not going on the trip.
Today I spent most of my time in the emergency room having x-rays and a CT scan. I found it quite amusing when the radiologist asked me if I by any chance could be pregnant. I said no, but she continued to question me on the subject, so finally I said, “I have never had sex before so it’s not possible.” She was quiet real quick. Maybe it was not appropriate to say it so bluntly in a Presbyterian Hospital.
The tests showed that I had a slight fracture of the tibia, and the little piece of bone that was slightly broken just happened to be attached to my ACL. I was scheduled to see an orthopedist as soon as possible so the decision if I could go on the trip or not could be made. Many people back home and all over the country have been praying for me. I know prayer is powerful and can do miraculous things, so I am hoping God’s answer is yes. I prayed in preparation for this trip that whatever it took for me to get closer to God I would do it, even if it meant having an injured leg and not going on the trip.
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