More Earthquakes, Poison Rope, and the PNG “Toll Road” - Week Seven

I woke up Sunday morning to another earthquake. The epicenter for this one was in Lae which is 135 miles from here. The magnitude was 6.9 at the epicenter. It did not do any damage here but one village in which NTM works was damaged.

Perseverance - Week Six

The message on Sunday was from Hebrews 12 where we are taught to remove any hindrance or sin that would keep us from completing what God has planned for us to do. We are to persevere and not be discouraged. We are to realize that God disciplines us so that we are molded to His holiness. We are not to let bitterness take root in our lives or trade an eternal inheritance for a brief moment of pleasure. Rather, we are to pursue holiness and unity with all people. What is God teaching me through the struggles I face?

It Has Been Just Over a Month, the Geckos Moved Out, and I Have Fallen Three Times - Day 32, 33, 34, 35, and 36

It has been five weeks since I left Texas. I am still settling in and things still seem new to me each day. I am really enjoying my time in the clinic and am grateful for the wonderful people who work there. One thing I do struggle with is the fact that many of the people I have meet will be leaving in June to go on home assignment for a few months up to a year.  Others will not be coming back.

Easter - Day 28, 29, 30, and 31

The clinic was closed on Good Friday. I spent that day cleaning the apartment, doing laundry, and watching DVDs; including The Passion of the Christ. It had been several years since I had watched it and it was good to reflect on the precious gift of eternal life our Savior gave to us through His death and resurrection.

The Bridge is Open - Day 25, 26, and 27

Eleven days after collapsing, the bridge on the Highlands Highway connecting us to our main suppliers was opened. A semi-truck with an over-sized load hit the side rail and the bridge collapsed. We had plenty of fuel for the generator but there were some shortages in local markets and the clinic ran out of liquid nitrogen.

Annual Conference - Day 21, 22, 23, and 24

I was blessed to arrive just before the annual conference which allowed me to gain a better perspective about mission life and the reason we live it. Conference began on Friday evening and concluded on Monday morning. We heard from several speakers, saw tribal updates, sang songs, prayed and, of course, ate.

My favorite sessions were the video updates on how works in the bush are going with the tribal people...

Babel - Day 17, 18, 19, 20, and 21

I spent an hour each morning this week with Kunik and Oksoo learning to “tok pisin” from Marcus. We learned a few nouns, verbs, common phrases, and commands. We really did not get too much into conversational pidgin, which is covered in another class. Dr. Bud has approached me about going to live for two weeks with a PNG family to immerse more into the language and culture. He will take me there to make sure I am comfortable with the family and living conditions before I make my decision. Several missionaries have lived with this particular family so I guess it is safe. It is important I learn pidgin in order to converse with the patients in the clinic and to build relationships with the people.