Well, I didn’t make it make to bed this morning until 7:20 AM. I decided to do some more unpacking and then I slept for about an hour. Jahn took me to visit the grocery store where I hope to go tomorrow to pick up a couple of things. It is normally only open on Monday and Thursday, but new comers are allowed to go on closed days to stock up.
The rest of my morning was spent...
in orientation with Marcus, getting my computer set up on the NTM PNG intranet, hearing a contingency lecture about PNG culture, and meeting more people. There is much to remember. For example, if your work meri sees your shoes lying on the floor for more than one day, she may take them thinking you must not want them and after all what do you need with more than one pair of shoes.
In addition to learning about the nationals, I will need to learn about Canadian, Australian, Irish, British, and German cultures. The mission station has families from these countries and Jahn told me that sooner or later I will offend someone. So far, everyone has been pleasant. It is easy to identify some who have been here longer. I imagine it is like jobs everywhere when you have been there for awhile and know the good and the bad. The majority of people have found contentment in serving the Lord. I am sure I will need to remind myself that life at the mission station, while much different than home, is not what the missionaries living in the tribes face on a daily basis.
I had a peanut butter and jelly sandwich for lunch with some biscuits (cookies) and then slept all afternoon. I had dinner tonight with Brenda and her daughters, Sarah and Rachel. Joanna, the daughter of the couple in the head on collision, is staying with them until her parents return from Australia. Brenda is very sweet and hospitable. I was excited she cooked beef stew. I had asked Mom to cook it for me before leaving Texas thinking it would be a long time before I got it again!
Brenda is a teacher but is working in the medical clinic part time this year as a receptionist. She moved from the US to Australia when she was 12 years old. Her husband, Russ, was in the US military and met her while stationed in Australia. They have been here almost 3 years and are not sure if they will stay another year. Russ works in the IT department and was installing cable in another area of PNG for missionaries there. He was unable to get back today as planned but she hopes he is home tomorrow. The medical evacuation team did get home today but I was not able to meet Dr. Kevin or Julie yet – maybe tomorrow.
I did find out that Dr. Kevin will be leaving for a year in June to return to the States as one of his children is graduating high school. The missionaries leave when one of their children is ready to start college and the family is gone for one year to help their child get settled. Dr. Bud will be leaving the next year to help his son start college. Unfortunately he will be gone before Dr. Kevin returns. It also appears all the full-time nurses will be leaving this summer including my mission mate. This will be a need that I am praying God will fill. I certainly don’t want them to think I can provide the medical and nursing care. :)
It has been raining pretty hard for most of the evening and is quietly raining now. I am glad that it is cooling down. I am not sure I will ever use my flannel pajamas that I brought. Although, Brenda did say it will be a little cooler in June and July (winter months). They are just coming out of their summer months with February being the hottest month. I am not really sure there is much variation month to month but I guess I’ll find out.
““For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”” Jeremiah 29:11
Shirley Falls - Connecting You to Tribal Missions in Papua New Guinea
