This week I was introduced to my third roommate, Lizzy the Lizard! Papua New Guinea is anything but short of interesting animals and insects, even in our dorm rooms! Lizzy usually just hangs out by our window, BUT this week she has branched out and has started crawling under our beds and onto the ceiling. She must like us, but I can’t really tell because she doesn’t talk much. Even though I’m learning Tok Pisin (Melanesian Pidgin) it doesn’t seem to do any good when talking to Lizzy. The good thing is, she doesn’t make much noise and she doesn’t take up much closet space!
Finally here in Papua New Guinea! But where is “here” exactly? Glad you asked! Papua New Guinea, as you know, is connected to the Indonesian islands just north of Australia. Right now I’m at training in Madang on the east coast of the island. The training campus is located on a mountain just outside of town nestled into a community called the Nobnob community. This community is surrounded by small Nobnob villages. Soon I’ll be assigned a mentor family (wasfemili) from one of the nearby villages to help me learn Tok Pisin (Melanesian Pidgin) and the culture over the next seven weeks before going to live in a village for four weeks. I hope to share pictures of the campus and some Tok Pisin with you in coming weeks, but for now you’ll have to settle for the incredible view from the training campus! It's a legitimate question that I've been asked several times in the last several months. Leaving for Papua New Guinea means leaving a lot of things I've enjoyed in the United States my whole life. So what would you want to do before you left? Would you eat all of your favorite foods? Visit your favorite place? What would you do? Leaving the United States means leaving my comfort zone, but going to Papua New Guinea means going down the path God's laid out. I couldn't ask to be doing anything differently. So when my family asked me that question last night, I wanted to go bowling! What I wanted more than anything was good quality time with my family before I left. The fact that I smoked them at bowling just added icing to the cake! It comforts me to know that even though I'm going to a completely different country, I'm still going to be with God's family. Even though I'm leaving my blood family for awhile, I get to spend eternity with them. Tomorrow I leave for Papua New Guinea. I would appreciate prayers for safe and seamless travel. The flight itinerary is listed under "Prayer Requests." |
AuthorSupporting Bible translation through children's education in Papua New Guinea. Archives
November 2017
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