New Bag May 14, 2008

 

This is my new purse.  Its called a bilum (bee-loom).  The picture next to it is of my little friend Ishmael.  His mother, Leah, made me my new purse.  Leah is precious.  She doesn’t smile very often but she is one of the kindest women I’ve ever met.  Ishmael doesn’t smile very much either.  I don’t know what’s happened in their life to make a mother and child not smile but over the 3 months we’ve been here God is beginning to give them joy.  Ishmael is 4 years old but smaller than Ezra who is 2.  When we got our shipment I gave Ishmael a bag of old clothes of Ezra’s.  Leah said a simple yet grateful thank you and walked away. 

    Last week Leah came to my door with Ishmael. With tears flowing down her face she handed me this bag. She made it.  It takes about 2 weeks to make a bilum, that’s working all day.  Most woman sell these for 60 or 80 Kina (20-30 dollars).  She could have made allot of money by selling this purse but instead she gave it to me.  We stood there crying together, awkward because she speaks no English, my tok pisin is not great.  After we hug, she smiled and said “thank you”.  I carry it with me everywhere and remeber the great sacrifice she made.  

 

May 14, 2008

 

Me and my best friend.  One thing that I love about serving the Lord is that I get serve with Paul.  Being here with him makes me so grateful for the amazing gift God has given me in him. He is amazing.  He is totally PNG.  Its funny watching people listen to him tok pisin.  So fluent, so clear.  People laugh when he tells them we’ve only been here 3 months.  Then he tells them he grew up here.

  Oh year, superficial thing: did I mention I LOVE not wearing make up.  No one wears make up here.  It definitely shave 5 minutes off my morning routine.  Just think, ladies, never having to wear make up.  Although the humidity does wonders for your skin.   

Mama Mavis April 29, 2008

 

Mama Mavis, also known as Mavis Veno, pastors wife at Madang Lighthouse.  She has been my gift from God since my first day in Madang.  (She’s sick in this picture so she’s not smiling) Mama and I are kindred spirits.  Mama is a pastor to pastor’s wives but more than that God is using her to train up the women in Papua New Guinea.

She has become a dear friend that is always an encouragement and a cheerleader.  Mavis is a great worship leader and teacher.  In this picture we are having lunch and were working on a training day for youth worship leaders.  She is so anxious and excited (as am I ) to train the youth and see them take over PNG for Christ. 

 

April 29, 2008

Julianne and Ezra.  This little girl has loved Ezra since she first met him.  She is always trying to hold him and kiss his face.  She was holding him last week and I noticed little things crawling in her hair.  “Me gat lice”, she told me while she hugged my son.  Just part of life here.  Julianne is a bible school pikinini (child), she doesn’t understand English and for some reason when I talk she thinks its hysterical.  (In this picture it was 95 degrees and no fans, Ezra was not happy).

 

Close Look April 29, 2008

 

Look closely… They look like birds right?  Nope, they are bats.  Now, silly me I thought bats only come out at night.  Not in Madang.  During the day you will often see the sky filled with “big birds” as Ezra calls them, but actually they are big black bats.  Most of them the size of seagulls and they are loud.   I’ve learned to think of them like my 2 year old, big birds.  

 

 

My new friend April 15, 2008

 So I have to tell you all that the bugs have not really bothered me yet.  I’ve learned that moth balls help keep cockroaches away and regular cleaning helps too.  But this last week I’ve had two “bug” incidents, that were bizarre. 

So this past Tuesday night Paul was at a meeting and I had the lik lik pikanini’s over watching a movie.  I looked outside my widow because I thought a bat was making a nest on my porch (bats are quite common, but that’s another story).  Then I met Phyllis.  This is she, a beautiful , large MOTH.  Moth ok, not butterfly.  This moth was the size of a soft ball if not bigger.  I am not exaggerating.  I took this picture thinking, slightly frightening insect.  Then as the children were leaving Phyllis, decide to come into my house.  Having a giant moth fly around my little apartment really freaked me out.  I screamed (more like shrieked) as this beast of an insect flew around my kitchen and landed on my curtains.  Paul was at a pastors meeting so I couldn’t get him to get it out of the house.  But I seriously had NO IDEA how to deal with this gigantic moth.  I called my neighbor, Julianne, she came over and after a good laugh at the crazy white missionary she got a broom to get it out of my house.  For the next 15 miniutes she tried killing it but the thing would not die, then she finally grabbed its wing and took it outside.  At that time I decided to name my unwelcome visitor, Phyllis, the moth that wouldn’t die.

Then last night I was getting ready for bed and I noticed a few ants on my pillow, no big deal, ants are part of life right.  As I laid down to read I noticed more and more ants crawling all over me.  I didn’t scream but thought huh where are they coming from.  So I moved my pillow to find a DEAD 1 1/2 in cockroach under my pillow and about 100 ants eating the remains.  I did what any girl would do, I jumped up and ran out of the room.  Then I came back with my bug spray and hosed down my pillow and changed my sheets. 

 

Out side with the Meri’s April 15, 2008

 

These are some of the bible school meri’s or woman.  After class is finished the woman learn different skills, such as cooking, fundraising for church and manners.  In these pictures the woman are learning how to make bilums (bee-looms).  I try to go out every afternoon and sit with them.  They love laughing at me as I try to learn tok pisin.  I love learning about their villages and there families.  Some of them left children with family to come to bible school.  My friend Anna (far  right with big smile) came with her husband Jacob and son Malachi ( but left her two girls ages 3 and 5 in her village with her sister.  These woman sacrifice allot to come here and learn. 

In PNG you must take your trash to the dump (15 min, drive away).  So we all hang our trash on the fence so the dogs won’t get into it.  Most people burn there trash, that’s why Madang often smells like smoke.

 

Movie Night April 15, 2008

Movie night at my house.

Tuesday nights have become my favorite time of the week.  The Bible school students are kept very busy with classes and church services.  On Tuesday nights they students have class so most of the children just sit outside waiting for class to end.  So I started  MOVIE NIGHT at the missionary’s house and all the children come and sit in my little living room spread out on the floor. I stuff them full of cookies and juice and we watch Veggietale movies.  Many of these kids have never seen a movie (good for them!) but I wanted to open up my home for a night of fun.  It is so cute because they wait outside till 7 pm and then Mason shout’s out, “come on friends” and all the kids come running.  They are so good during the movie, saying thank you for everything (so polite).  Now I have some of the kids from the neighborhood coming also and pastor’s kids so I have about 25 or so scrunched in my living room watching Larry Boy on my computer since we don’t have a TV yet.  But these kids LOVE it. 

It has also become Mason’s favorite night of the week.  He gets so excited to have all his friends over, and I want him to remember that there are lots of ways to bless people.

 

quick post April 2, 2008

no pics today.  I took 2 buses by myself to get here to use the Internet.  I felt very missionary in my big skirt and over-sized shirt carrying my back pack (can you picture it). 

The people here are so amazing.  So loving and giving of themselves.  Since people don’t have money they give food.  Yesterday a teacher gave us 5 apple mango’s, the first of the season.  The best fruit I’ve ever had. 

Something I love about my life here, is that my door is always open.  During the day I have several people come in and out.  The sick, the hungry the lonely.  I love that my home is a place of refuge for them.  I give out vitamins and cookies, clothes, lots of hugs and prayer.  I love that they want to come, not because of me, but because of Jesus.   I feel like God has placed me here (all of us) to show love, Christ love to whoever needs it.  But aren’t we all called to do that? 

Paul leaves tomorrow to LAE to get our shipment from the states.  Please pray for his safe travel (the roads can be dangerous during the rainy season).  Its just things but I’m looking forward to making my little house feel more like home. 

I think that when you are following God’s plan for your life anywhere feels like home.   

Love to all, thank you for your prayers, we feel them everyday. 

Our God is GOOD!

My Kitchen March 26, 2008

Me in my kitchen.  Cute huh.  Ok, I love my apartment. So cute and it feels like home.  This pic isn’t the greatest because you can’t tell but the walls are this beautiful yellow.  The woman in the church made me curtains and cupboards are this cute blue.  My window looks out onto this gorgeous fransapan (spelling Mom Greer) tree.  You know, the kind you make lei’s out of.  I cook 3 meals a day in it.  I’ve become a pro at quick pancakes.  Yes I found pasta as you can see, but its a treat cause its expensive.  So if you feel inclined to send me some. Go for it!

I love my house, God really made it special just for me.