It is hard to believe we have been here exactly 1 year
(we landed on PNG soil July 11th 2011).
We have done all of our birthdays, anniversaries, holidays and all the community events for the first time now. Here is a list of some of the firsts over the last year in PNG:
We have done all of our birthdays, anniversaries, holidays and all the community events for the first time now. Here is a list of some of the firsts over the last year in PNG:
-
The 4th of July celebrated here for
the Americans. And using brilo steel
wool for the fireworks, very pretty and soooo quiet!!!!
-
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We have done the first day of school at the new
school
-
The first time playing softball, volleyball, and
basketball in PNG
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| Kiery with friends for Sports Day |
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Sports Day for both campuses
-
Encounter for Meliah and Chad (like a youth
retreat)
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| A skit that was done at Encounter that Chad was apart of (Meliah was very embarrassed) |
-
First time flying in a Cessna 206 little
airplane (still not one of my favorite things)
-
Have done the parent/teacher conference with
each of the girls and realized that they had adjusted well and there were some
areas that still needed tweeking.
o
But most of all really realizing what fabulous
education they are receiving here in a 3rd world country. And how it is shaping their future and how it
has broadened their horizons.
-
Did the first Thanksgiving PNG style- but yet
still had 2 of them in a period of 2 days
o
Having multiple Thanksgiving dinners doesn’t
change when you move clear across the world.
-
Did the first Christmas Eve service here which
was memorable and very family orientated.
-
Did the first of band/choir concerts, wow there
is some amazing talent that is represented here!
o
Although Chad still drools about wanting to do
the LOOOOONNNNGGG POC so he can spend 5 weeks in the village (he packed in
enough adventure in 5 days for 5 weeks, if we had done the long course, there
would have been a medivac and it would have had Chad’s name all over it J.
-
We have done the first school breaks and
realized that this place does get empty when school isn’t in session.
. The Community play was Cinderalla by Rodgers and Hammerstein
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The High School play completed
o
I don’t know if it counts about the High School
play because we didn’t see it live because we were @ POC
-
We have done the traveling around on the roads
within country-that is an experience in itself.
-
We have been to all the major “cities” within a
5 hr drive from here.
o
Ok all but 1, Mt Hagen, and not planning on going
there any time soon.
-
We have done the 8th grade play.
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The skate nights as fundraisers for the 10th
grade class.
o
Yes we are in a 3rd world country but
there are roller skates AND roller blades on center.
-
We have checked off the list the coffee shop
(aka date night).
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The game night (another date night)
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The junior and senior class dinners- again
fundraisers and date night opportunity.
o
Which is done in October and it is a fundraiser
for a local charity of some sort.
o
Yes that was Anna and no broken bones we are
aware of. And the next week right back
on the horse.
-
We have done the first dental appointment here
o
The dentist commented your family does not keep
dentist in business.
o
No cavities and very little scraping required.
o
My remark back was yeah but we keep the
orthodontist on the very high income level.
-
Some of the families first snorkeling experience
in Madang at POC and while we had a holiday there.
-
The first slip n’ slide birthday ever to happen
for Kiery and Anna since their birthdays are during the northern hemisphere
winter, and of course it was PNG style
o
a blue tarp and dish soap.
-
Chad speaking for the first time at church on a
Sunday morning has been completed.
-
Chad being the temporary manager for CTS for 8
months.
-
Chad getting to go paragliding with some buddies
from here
o
Ruth is strongly discouraging that to happen
again.
-
Chad has been able to go on some amazing bike
rides in this country.
-
Chad being able to go spend a couple days in a
village of a national friend
o
they have only seen three other white man in the
village before so it was a true honor.
o
reinforces why we do the support work we do, so
the translators can do their jobs.
-
The life of where we aren’t as busy as we tend
to be in the States that we can say WOW that was a God thing when this or that
happened or not happened.
-
The time to be able to connect with a friend
while on a walk and you end up being gone the whole afternoon because another
friend joined the walk and then we ended up on her porch for tea.
-
The first of Chad being able to mentor and have
bible study with some former raskols in a near-by village.
o
And how God has used that which started with
just couple white skins doing it, to now 6 whites skins go each Sunday and Chad
can see that this could spread to other nationals or villages
-
The first "mom, can I go and blow fire?"
o
Yes dear but where?
o
And yes that was me agreeing to that and it was
done out in our yard.
o
It was done with cornstartch. A life of a MK :)
-
The fun of water slide that was made out of
conveyer belt thick plastic and it is on a hill.
o
Ok, Ruth has not gone down it, she wants to stay
in the up-right position as long as she can with this back of hers.
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The first of going to market and seeing all this produce and these people speaking a language that you can somewhat understand but still doesn’t make sense to say it out loud.
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The first Banquet and Encore for the Juniors
Seniors
o
Meliah can’t wait till next year when it will be
her first to participate in them.
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The first graduation of the seniors and of 6th
grade class
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The first of Anna’s class and Kiery’s class leading chapel a couple different times during the school year.
The first of Anna’s class and Kiery’s class leading chapel a couple different times during the school year.
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Dealing with the postal service in this
country…. hmmm….
o
We love when we get mail but if it gets lost
somewhere in postal land we try not to fret too much and maybe someday it will
find us.
o
Yes, mom I am talking about my b-day card that
is almost a yr late lost somewhere….
-
The earthquakes have been an experience, when we
have had a couple 7 + on the rector scale
and that would of caused wide spread damage in many parts of the world
and in the States. Where here, yes a few water tanks broke or got leaks and
some pipes broke and some roads got bigger pot holes or more land slides. But
it was something to talk about and go wow that was a real shaker!!!
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Oh can’t forget the first time of running out of
water in the big tank outside.
o
Yeah that was fun having only RAM water for
house things.
o
Yes we filtered our water very well and added
bleach as needed.
o
By the way we still filter our water well because
we don’t know what things can live in a metal tank. Yeah we just won't go there.
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We have gone through the time of year where people
call June the cry month because so many leave on furlough or to go finish and
now we are experiencing July where people come back from furlough and we feel
like the new people all over again because we don’t know this person or that
family etc etc.
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This last week we dealt with the K92 bridge
pretty much going out
o
this is the only really passable road- if that
is what you call it.
o
To get anywhere out of Ukarumpa you need to go
over this bridge.
o
People are working very hard to “fix” it, which
they have done before.
o
But there is a brand new bridge waiting to be
installed in K92 but since it has taken so long for the new one to come the
land has eroded away and so now the bridge isn’t wide enough for the spot. So
we have to wait for them to build up the ground to make it even with the new
bridge. Don’t hold your breath!!! It MIGHT be in place before we leave after
Meliah’s graduation June 2014.
Other support workers from on center spent 4 days or so fixing and reparing the bridge. It is again passable.
Other support workers from on center spent 4 days or so fixing and reparing the bridge. It is again passable.
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We have been through the trying to get car parts
in this country fiasco that only took 5 months and the part came from S.
Africa.
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The first of having a family member play an
instrument in beginning band J
o
By the end of the school yr we were all enjoying
hearing her practice but remembering the days not so long ago that we were
saying and why did she pick the trumpet???
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Remembering the first of going to the grocery
store and looking at Kilos (pounds)and Kina(money) and trying to figure out how
to stock a kitchen that you haven’t even seen yet
o
yes Ruth burst out in tears…
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The times of being very thankful for the
community/neighbors you have because at least on this side of the world that is
the only family you have.
-
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We have seen when a family has to leave very
unexpectedly to go back to their home country and see how the community rallies
around them.
o
Or when someone is medivaced to Australia and
some of the family is left behind how the community really works to help in any
way they can.
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We have experienced living very close to the
Equator and finding out how severe a sun burn can get hmmm…
o
Sun kukim pes, Meliah. Tok Pisin fir sunburn on
your face.
o
She does wear sun screen at least for sports
tournaments now.
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The scary part of being a parent when your
daughter is in Ukarumpa and you are in Madang and you get a call from the
hostel mom that she is in the clinic and they are trying to figure out what to
do for Meliah because she can’t seem to get enough air into her lungs.
o
Ok everyone it ended up being something
“minorish” she had pulled a muscle in her chest area and so it made it really
hard for her to enogh air into the lungs.
o
So nothing to do with asthma just horsing around
and pulled a muscle-something that can only happen in PNG.
o
Oh wait that is for another blog entry- only in
PNG….
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The realization that living with so many hills
does have its benefits when your car won’t start and you need to roll starts
it.
o
Another good reason to like stick shifts.
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The first to really enjoy being in the classroom
and either working with a group of kids that need some re-teaching or doing
some of the paper work that goes along with keeping a classroom running. Also trying to explain to the national kids,
what a season is? Or what a mall
is? Or what a restaurant is?
o
And seeing the eyes of those PNG kids that
really get the concepts and they are showing leadership qualities and wondering
to yourself this kid may lead this community or village or province somewhere
someday.
o
I wonder what God has up His mighty sleeve.
Knowing that God is everywhere ALL the time and taking care
of all the Worlds stuff!!! He’s got the
controls…
And then of course that means we have also had the first of
the honeymoon stage is over-what in the heck did we get ourselves into coming
to PNG. All the holidays being the first
of being away from what we consider our “normal”. The first of each girl coming to one of us,
crying saying they miss this or that or this person back home. Or hearing from a friend and saying, “can you
believe that has happened while we have been gone?” Or the friend or family crisis happens and
you are not there to support or help in the situation. That has to be the toughest and the most “OK
God you are in control” type moments.
There is nothing I can do but pray and maybe lend a
“listening” ear through Email or facebook. The rewards of serving on the
“mission” field in this day and time because of the great technology that is at
our finger tips. The missionaries of
even 10 to 15 yrs ago didn’t have the technology and the way to stay connected
to their loved ones and experience their lives through a blog or facebook
statement or an email update that is instantly in their inbox.
Thank you for everyone back “home” for their love and
support and prayers as we have experienced the FIRST of our new life here in
PNG.
What a great re-cap! Don't forget the first of Chad climbing a tree for coconuts! =)
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