Use the term “Road” lightly

We landed in Lae- last plane ride!!!!!! Our fellowship family (the family assigned to show us the ropes of Ukarumpa living etc.) met us at the airport and drove us to a SIL guest house were stayed the night. The girls were very excited to see a pool there. The fellowship family has a girl that is a month older than Kiery and a son that is almost 10. So the kids paired up. Kiery was so excited to have someone to play with and they became friends immediately. Again the Lord knew what we needed just at that point.

The husband, Loren, will be Chad’s supervisior in the CTS department so the men started into the computer jargon and getting to know each other. The roads in Lae make the pot holes in Spokane look like nothing. The road is totally washed out or earthquakes have created big gaps in spots. And remember that we are on the different side of the street as well, so driving through town was an adventure.

We met Loren’s wife, Kindsey, and their daughter Briston. Before going to dinner (Chinese food) the kids played in the pool, including Chad.

Loren offered to rub Ruth’s neck and shoulder. He had learned some massage so he knew what he was doing. Thankfully, he was able to provide more relief for Ruth’s very sore and inflamed muscles. Each of us started to fade as our bodies were trying to get used to the time change. But we continued to enjoy the fellowship and getting to know this family, and them us.

 

Bed was wonderful again. As we woke the next morning (think it was Sunday), we enjoyed hearing the new sounds of all the animals and trying to identify what they were. We enjoyed having a real cup of coffee thanks to Loren and Kindsey.

Then we went “shopping” and went around Lae on the wonderful roads!!!! The information that was being told to us was starting to fry the circuitry of our already overloaded brain. Trying to figure out metric system and the different money etc etc… The tears came upon Ruth in the middle of a grocery store. Kindsey was an angel and gave Ruth a hug and made some decisions for her. Loren and Kindsey did all the communicating with the Nationals in Talk Pigeon. With Chad following some of the conversation and Ruth picking up a word here or there.

They showed us around the town of Lae but not sure what we will remember or not for our next trek in there. Ruth has no desire to do this anytime soon, especially without someone who knows the language really well and the money and metric system.

Our kids enjoyed the company of Briston and Layton and they were very fun to be around. Loren rubbed and massaged Ruth’s neck and shoulders some more and Kindsey was able to give me some “Aleve” type meds. Ruth was slowly starting to feel almost human again. After a full morning and a little of the afternoon in Lae we made the trek up to Ukarumpa. Ruth was very nervous about that drive. The road wasn’t nearly as bad as they were in Lae. Only a few heart pumping situations happened on the way up but Loren was a very good driver.