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.  

March 26, 2008

  The next picture is of 3 of my little friends.  Ishmael, Emily and Hans (left to right).  These are children of the bible school students and they also attend the church’s preschool (Sunbeam).  I hate that they didn’t smile in this picture because they have such precious smiles.  Emily is three and loves to scare me (I pretend to be scared).  Hans is my hugger. He pushes and pulls on everyone but hugs me.  Ishmael always looks sad, his mother too.  I’ve been praying for them that the sadness would lift.  Since we live hear at the church/bible school, I love that I wake up in the morning to the children laughing outside my window.  I love it!!! 

Rainy day with my friend and our kids March 26, 2008

        This is my dear friend Nana.  I wrote about her on my first blog from PNG. The picture above is Nana, Naomi (13months) (theyThis is my dear friend Nana. I wrote about her on my first blog from PNG. The picture above is Nana, Naomi (13months) (they pronounce it like now-me), Rhoda (4) and Peipai (6). Nana has another boy and girl that are living in their village still with family so they can attend the local school. Her kids and mine were watching a Leap Frog letters DVD. Nana and her husband Lucas, were pasturing 2 churches in a dangerous and extremely rustic part of PNG. Neither of them have ay education or training so they prayed for 2 years to come to Bible School and a family friend said he would pay their school fee. So far (3 months later) no money has come in. Her children came to the school with only the clothes they had on. So lately I’ve been giving Peipai some of Mason’s clothes and finding the girls skirts and tops and a near by store.
Nana has become my friend, no strings attached. I invited her to my house to make chocolate biscuits with me. My tokpisin in improving and so is her English, so I thought we’d give it a try. I showed her how I make chocolate busquets and she told me how to make steak beans and greens on rice. Then we sat and I showed her pictures of my family and friends in the USA. I didn’t understand why after every picture she said, “sorry”. Finally I asked her. She said she was sorry because I left all of them to come here and serve the Lord, she felt sorry for me. I told her “maski wari” which means know worries. Nana and I have a kindred heart, I can’t explain it. I’m waiting for the day in heaven when we can sit with our Savior and talk clearly to one another. She is a mighty woman in God’s kingdom and I feel like every time she enters my home, I’m the one being blessed by her. in God’s kingdom and I feel like every time she enters my home, I’m the one being blessed by her.