Missionaries

I have been enjoying my time with the other missionaries here. Yesterday, I traveled with the Dooleys and some of the Bennetts to a restaurant in Mt. Hagen. We saw a bunch of traditional carvings as shown above, and had a very nice lunch. I have played a game called Settlers of Catan with the Dooleys which as been a lot of fun. I have enjoyed dinner with the Boyes the past 2 weeks. We watched a movie called First Contact - which tells of the first people coming up into the Highlands area of PNG. Tomorrow, we are going to watch a movie called Pineapple which is also about PNG. I recently had pizza and watched a movie with the Myers during their friday family night. I was on call, but thankfully didn't get called all night after 5:30pm. It has been a blessing as everyone is making me feel at home.

Sharing Jesus

With the help of my language tutor and her son Marvin, I have been learning how to share Jesus in Pidgin. I have been trying to learn some Bible verses in Pidgin and writing out how to share the Gospel. While rounding, I talked with a young lady who goes to church. I asked who Jesus was and found out she knew very little about Him - so I shared with her in Pidgin. I didn't know how to say a lot, but I shared the basic truth - We are sinners deserving hell (ples paia) and Jesus took our sins upon the cross and died in our place so that if we believe we will have eternal life. Like anywhere, I have come across people who say they are Christians or who go to church, but don't know the truth of the gospel. I was able to share in English with one such patient. Continue to pray that I would proclaim the gospel clearly with both actions and words. Pray that through the work of all the missionaries here, many will be able to give a testimony of God's work in their lives just as my Grandma did to a visiting pastor while at the hospital. Praise God for His faithfulness.

Making rounds

This week I have started rounding in the hospital on my own. Dr. Jim Radcliffe is away so I have been in charge of D ward - the surgical ward. Many pts are here because they have suffered a chopchop - a cut by a bush knife (machete) usually from a dispute. Others have been in car accidents, and some have had surgery and are awaiting discharge. Above is a young girl and her family - she suffered 3rd degree burns on her L hand. I changed the dressings and resplinted the guy in the middle picture with the help of the OR staff. He was in a car accident and broke his ulna and radius. The other lady is a postop laparotomy pt.

I have been practicing my Pidgin. The nurses and the patients laugh with me as I try and talk, but I am learning. They correct me when I say something wrong, which is helpful. I have started praying with patients in Pidgin, which has been a blessing.

Tok tisa - Language teacher

Samsili na pikinini meri bilong em, Natasha, skulim mi Tok Pisin. Wanpela Wanpela apinum Samsili kam long haus bilong mi na mipela tok Pisin. Mipela ritim buk, singsing buk singsing, ritim baibel stori, na tok. Mi lain isi isi, tasol laikim el. - (Samsili and her daughter Natasha are teaching me Pidgin. Each afternoon, Samsili comes to my house and we talk in Pidgin. We read books, sing from the hymnal, read bible stories, and just talk. I am learning slowly, but enjoying it.)

Trip to town

Today - Wednesday, I went to "town" - Mt Hagen to go shopping, and set up a checking account. I went with Jeff Myers the husband of Susan a pediatrician here. He is also the father of Ethan and Jessica and does a lot of things with maintenance here on the station. We first went to the market, pictured above. Here there are numerous vendors selling all kinds of fruits and vegetables, some also sell clothes. You don't bargain here, you just pay the price and if you think it is too high, there are plenty of other people selling the same thing, so you can go somewhere else. There are constantly kids walking up to you asking to carry your market bag (a big white bag where you place all your purchases in). It is also a place for pickpockets so one has to be aware. Thankfully Jeff was keeping a good eye on me and told me what I should and shouldn't be doing.

After that we went to Best Buy - the grocery store. Where they do have a lot of things that one would normally see in the US, but not the same brands. The milk comes in a carton and you don't refrigerate it until after you open it. I got some chicken, and beef, some cucumbers, cabbage, rice, sugar, brackers, spaghetti and sauce, oreos, pringles, cheese, and much more. I spent about 900 Kina - which is about 350-400 dollars on things. Hopefully it won't be that much all the time, thankfully I don't eat much so it shouldn't be a problem. I am still hopeful that I will receive frequent invitations from the other missionaries to have dinner with them :)

Arrived safely

I safely arrived at Kudjip Nazarene Hospital on Monday am the 17th. I stayed a night in Port Moresby because the flight leaving Australia was 2 hours late and I missed my connecting flight. Before I left I had been anxious about flying since I was going alone, but God provided. Phil 4:4-7 "Rejoice in the Lord always, I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your heart and your minds in Christ Jesus." I kept coming back to these verses knowing that the Lord was near and with me, and praying for my travel and thanking Him for what He had already done, and was given the peace I needed. It was a blessing in disguise as I was so tired and needed to sleep.

I was warmly greeted by the Comstocks at the airport and we briefly stopped at a market in Mt. Hagen. The photo of the boy is from that market. When I got to the hospital lots of the other missionaries came to my house to greet me. I had lunch with the McCoys, and dinner with the Dooleys. It is a blessing to now be apart of this Kudjip Hospital family. I am living in the above pictured house until mine gets repainted - sometime in the next few weeks. I am still trying to adjust to the time change, wanting to go to bed at 7pm here - so pray for this.

More goodbyes

After watching PSU defeat ND, I had to say goodbye to Megan, Joe, and Luke. It was definitely hard, but God had given me good time with them all. I was very thankful for the month we had together. I am thankful for the internet which will allow me to keep updated on all their happenings and Luke's development.

I then traveled safely back to Tx for a short visit with the residency family. It was great to see everyone and to have everyone pray for me. Thanks for all the cards - what an encouragement.

Leaving on Friday was probably one of the hardest days ever. I was very content in the US and wouldn't have minded staying and practicing there, but that isn't what God called me to. Christ's love compels me to serve here, so I am. Knowing that I wasn't alone was helpful - God told Moses Ex 4:12 - I will be with you, Jesus tells us in Matt 28:20 - And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age. I felt His strength and presence throughout.

Saying Goodbye

1 Cor 1:9 "God, who has called you into fellowship with his Son Jesus Christ our Lord, is faithful." Despite a lot of goodbyes this past weekend, God was faithful in answering many prayers. I had a chance to go golfing with my dad, and spend time with family and friends. His faithfulness this weekend had encouraged my heart and will be a good reminder in the days and weeks ahead.