28 years July 22, 2008

Hi friends and moms,

  So yesterday (actually today in USA) I celebrated my 28th Birthday.

I was sure I was going to wake up sad, you know missing friends and family.  Instead I was surprised to wake up excited with an unexplained joy.  Not because its my birthday, but because of where I was.  God has gone above and beyond all that I have asked for in my life.  Not to sound too cheesy but I was so blessed, humbled and grateful to God that on my birthday, I was here, in Papua New Guinea.  Doing what I know He’s designed for me to do. 

I love reading in my journal from a year ago, where I was, what I was praying about and such.  Seeing all my prayers answered and finally being here, where generation have gone before me and now I get to following in the footsteps, but also tred new ones of my own. 

There is a deep satisfaction that I feel here, not because I’m perfect (just look at my house or read my journal), not because its perfect here, believe me.  But because I know that I’m doing what I’m suppose to for His Glory.

Every year I ask God for something on my birthday, this year I asked Him for more of His Holy Spirit in my life.  I want to go deeper, stronger, and emptier (is that a word?) than I’ve ever been. 

Paul took me to 4 diffrent beaches for my birthday, it was so special to play with my boys, in this lush, rugged land.  I love it.

Thank you Jesus for a great Birthday! He is so faithful, His joy is my strength.

July 18, 2008

Its offical friends, my son is now Papua New Guinean.  Today him and his friends Pei Pie (left, Rhoda, and Junior) found a lizard.  Mason was out of his mind excited, as were all the kids.  They played outside with it for over half and hour, then I heard my son yell out, “Mama, I killed the lizard.” Truth be told it was an accident, they were all playing to rough with it.  They stood outside for over an hour taking turns throwing the dead lizard up in the air and catching it.  Then if that wasn’t enough, Mason came running in shouting, “they’re cooking the lizar.” Yep, his friend and him decided to cook the lizard over the open fire behind our apartment (open fires are everywhere here.) Just so you know mom, I didn’t let Mason eat it. 

July 18, 2008

 Sorry to all my faithful readers (my two moms) these pics and stories are going to be repeated on our family blog.  It will be talked abou in our next newsletter but I couldn’t wait.

Saturday our church and youth group here in Madang did an outreach to a settlement area close by.  Many of our church members live in this settlement area and so there was allot of excitement to show the community the love of God. 

   The outreach primarily to feed. I think the craziest thing here is for a church to feed 300 people in PNG it takes hours of hard work.  You can’t just go to the Costco and get bread or frozen chicken and put food together.  The woman here gather together early in the morning and will cook over an open fire for up to 8 hours to prepare.

     I had just received some packages of balloons (thanks Monica and mom) and I brought them all with me to the settlement.  I started blowing them up and handing them out to 3 or 4 kids.  Within a half our there were over 100 pikinini’s (children) with balloons.  These children have nothing some of them don’t have clothing, but them came out in force to get a balloon, eat and hear the music and testimonies. 

    This picture below is not a good picture but this young boy really tugged at my heart.  He was so hungry he just held his plate and shoveled the food inside his mouth.  He was obviously malnuritoused by looking at his face enflated stomach. He barley smiled and showed no sign of joy, but quickly ran up for second helping, then third.  I can hardly wait to go back to the settlement to feed him again.

 

Feeding the Hungry July 18, 2008

The day of the outreach, Paul and I decided to leave Ezra home with Wena (pregnant bible school student), and take Mason to the settlement outreach.  Since it was held in a field with all the church youth we felt it would be safe and good for Mason to help and see the need.  Mason had so much fun and made friends with almost every child (over 100).  He handed out balloons and helped me find kids who didn’t get one but were to shy.

    Now, like a good little missionary, I knew all the food we prepared was for the settlement people, so I made Mason a big dinner and brought along a sandwich, carrots and bottle water, so he wouldn’t want any food.  But when he saw all of his new friends eating and getting food he begged me for food like the kids were getting.  It was so funny, watching him stand in a huge line patiently waiting for his plate of rice and chicken.  All the youth laughed at him as they served him food with his friends.  Then he was so happy to sit and eat with all the other children. 

   I wasn’t surprised that he couldn’t finish his food, but my heart broke when I realized several children were staring at his half eaten plate.  All of them had finished eating their food and since they were still hungry asked me what if they could have the food Mason didn’t eat. 

   In August we are going back to the settlement for another feeding outreach, Mason and I can’t wait!!

 

Kids eating in Settlement July 18, 2008

Mason and I had so much fun sitting with the settlement children while they ate their food.  Most of these children were, if at all barely dressed.  They were so excited to eat and even more excited to talk with a “white skin meri”.  Its amazing to me how many people here have never spoken to a white person before, let alone a woman and her child.  Mason and I played and talked and shared Mason’s carrots and sandwich with them.  The whole time we were at the outreach I kept remembering that scripture when Jesus asks Peter, “do you love me?”, Peter answers, “yes” and Jesus says, “then feed/love my sheep”.  I kept thinking how much Jesus loves these people and these children.

 

Land of the unexpected June 26, 2008

No pics today, but had to tell some great PNG stories. 

George Butron, a former missionary to PNG told us that he calls PNG “cowboy town” or the wild west.  You just never know what you will see. 

Here’s an illistration:  Going to the bank is usually about a half hour event.  ATM’s are new here so there is usually a line of 20 people or so (who stare at the funny white skin people).  Yesterday we went to the bank and the line was long so me and Mase and Ezra waited in the car while Paul stood in line then wait inside.  There are 2 guards that stand in line with bush knives to protect the people.  As I sat in the car I “Guard Dog Security” truck pulled up next to mine (double parking) and 6 guards with M-16 machine guns got out and surrounded my car.  Mason thought it was cool but I was scared until I realized they were picking up a deposit from the bank. They have to have machine guns because often times they get shot and robbed while picking up a deposit from the bank.  Just another day in PNG. 

June 16, 2008

 

I wanted to thank all of you who prayed for Mason and our family while Mason had malaria.  We’ve only been here 4 months but it feels like I’ve grown up allot with all the different things we’ve been through.  Living on the other side of the world away from home, family, friends, TARGET, I’ve had to ask myself what I put my trust in.  What brings me comfort.  My greatest fear was that one of my kids would get malaria.  In the states I worried and prayed about this terrible disease, but since we have had to face it, I’ve found great grace and peace and protection in my heavenly father.  I tend to worry (especially about my kids) but the thing I’ve learnt is that even during the toughest storms, my God is with me.  That’s enough. My El Shaddai who loves us, is right here.  During the strange battle with the fever and pain Mason had , I was surprise at the joy, the great peace that God gave us. 

  My favorite author Elizabeth Ellitot wrote: “you can’t forecast grace.”  Its easy to think the worst, but that’s not trusting that our BIKPELA PAPA GOD is with us.

   This picture of Mason was taken the day after his fever broke and he started eating again.  As you can see he looks tired and weak, but we took him to the ocean (his favorite place) and watched the waves crash against the shore.  It was such a beautiful afternoon together, like a hug from God who brought us through to the other side, safely, like He said He would. 

 

Madang Show June 16, 2008

           This last weekend our city of Madang had its annual show or festival.  It was UNREAL!!! Definitly a cultural experience.  The closest thing I could relate it to would be a fair, but even then its unlike ANYTHING I’ve ever experienced.  The field is covered with booths of food and clothes people are selling and different tribes from different provinces all come and do a “sing sing” where they dress in their tribal clothes and perform a song from their area.  Usually about 6 groups perform at a time.  The sounds and smells of this event were unforgettable. 

The top picture is a group of young men from Simbu and they we unbelievable drummers.  They paint their faces and they look very scary while they perform.

Below: Paul with Mason and Ezra in sensory overload getting ready to watch another tribe perform. 

 To enter the show you have to wait in a HUGE crowed area with over 1000 people trying to get a ticket, then stand in the entrance line which is guarded and monitored by PNG police.  The police here are scary and intimidating.  I’m talking big thick men with gigantic bush knives and machine guns.  It made me feel scared and safe at the same time.  While coming into the show I see a police man grab a man and start beating him,  on the head.  Then the police started hitting his arms and back with a big cane.  I was later told that the man tried to bring in alcohol to the show and that’s how police here deal with that sort of thing. 

 

June 16, 2008

 

I put these two pictures next to each other so you can get a taste of PNG.  This spider (top) was number 3 we found in our house.  These suckers are FAST.  It took Paul almost 20 min. to kill one of these that was visiting our kitchen.  I’ve NEVER seen my husband scared of an insect.  After he killed it he would randomly mutter that day,  “man that spider was big”.  We foundly refer to her as SHELOG (Lord of the Rings). 

After Paul killed this one he showed the carcus to another Pastor.  He laughed and said, “oh yeah, that what we call HOUSE SPIDER.” 

 The picture on the bottom I took from my patio in my flat.  It was the most beautiful PNG sunset and it lit up the whole sky. (In the picture you can see a “cook house” which is where several woman cook dinner since they don’t have stoves.)  Sometimes I think God gives me these gorgeous lights at dusk to remind me of His faithfulness and how He loves to make me smile. 

Spiders and Beautiful Sunsets, a little bit of PNG.

 

 

New Toys June 16, 2008

 

My mom recently sent me several beach balls for the Bible School pikinini’s (kids).  I gave one to each child and it was like Christmas, a sea of beach balls (no pun intended).  It had been a long few days without water, which means no showers so this was a happy distraction.  Almost all of children have no toys, which is alright for them because they make toys out of twigs, rocks and anything else they can find.  But today they were happy to have a real toy.