Last night, Daddy heard from Randy again with word that Jeff and Elizabeth will be needing the car after Friday. So that only gave us three days to do all our shopping and everything else we need to get done. We went out about 8:00 to get started and spent a good part of the day running around town. Went to West Goroka first - Papindo and Goroka Food Mart. Took things back to the house and then went to the new Highlands Pharmacy to get passport photos made. By the time we finished there, my back was already starting to hurt so we made a quick trip back to the house, and Daddy ran upstairs to get me some ibuprofen. Next we went to Papindo midtown. Stopped at post office, but no mail. From there to Goroka Stationery, Bintangor, and a few little stores. By then it was lunch time so our next stop was uptown Papindo for lunch at the café. Then we shopped there. When we came outside, we ran into Sunny and Wilson. They said they had been looking for us around town. They went along with us to SVS, and then the Chinese stores on the opposite corner. I had them look around for uniforms while we did food shopping. They finally found some shirts and trousers in one of the Chinese stores so tomorrow we’ll go back and get what is needed.
It was mid-afternoon when we got back to the house. Sunny and Wilson helped us carry boxes upstairs. We gave them each a dish of ice cream. Then Daddy went back uptown to get butter and meat and more ice cream, and he dropped Sunny and Wilson off across from Papindo midtown where there were a number of other Owenians waiting.
In the mean time, I took a nap, and Daddy took a nap when he got back. This evening, we spent packing our supplies into boxes. I also wrote a note to the embassy to go along with the passport pictures and wrote a couple e-mails.
(Please pray that Mom and Dad’s passports can be processed and renewed quickly. Thank you!)
“2And thou shalt remember all the way which the LORD thy God led thee these forty years in the wilderness, to humble thee, and to prove thee, to know what was in thine heart, whether thou wouldest keep his commandments, or no. 3And he humbled thee, and suffered thee to hunger, and fed thee with manna, which thou knewest not, neither did thy fathers know; that he might make thee know that man doth not live by bread only, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of the LORD doth man live. 4Thy raiment waxed not old upon thee, neither did thy foot swell, these forty years. 5Thou shalt also consider in thine heart, that, as a man chasteneth his son, so the LORD thy God chasteneth thee. 6Therefore thou shalt keep the commandments of the LORD thy God, to walk in his ways, and to fear him.” Deuteronomy 8:2-6
December 4. Another very, very warm day. No rain. We went out early again this morning to try to get as much done as we could today. About mid-morning, Phinehas met up with us at Bintangor. He just wanted to get his money and was going to try to get a ride back to Kainantu. After Bintangor, we went back to the house so I could get some ibuprofen - my back was already hurting. On the way back up town, we saw Phinehas along the road. He wasn’t able to get his ride back to Kainantu so he tagged along with us. We had him go with us to help pick out the uniforms for school. Wilson met up with us when we were getting shirts and trying to get trousers at the first store. They didn’t have enough trousers so we went to another store to get the trousers. We still need to find material for the skirts for the girls. There was some plain blue material at Papindo, but it wasn’t very strong so we didn’t get it.
After we got the shirts and trousers, we went to Papindo for lunch. Bought meat pies for the two guys. Daddy got a hamburger, and I ordered chow mein. There was way more chow mein than I could eat so I gave half of that to the two guys too. When we finished eating, we shopped for a couple little things. Sunny met up with us there at Papindo. From there, we went to Endeavor Stationery and got notebooks for school. Then we went to the midtown Papindo where we looked at the material but found out it wasn’t very strong. By then I was pretty tired so we went back to the house. The three young people helped us carry things upstairs and helped Daddy carry a box of dangerous goods down to take to NTM so Daddy could book a flight for fuel and other dangerous goods. While they were gone, I took a much-needed nap. I seem to be getting a bit dehydrated from being out so much in this hot weather.
Daddy came back shortly after I got up from nap. David and Clemen came by with some cargo they want us to take back to Owena on the plane. He said that Silvia still has not had her baby. I packed up boxes with the notebooks and uniforms, filling in spaces with other items.
“When Jesus heard it, he saith unto them, They that are whole have no need of the physician, but they that are sick: I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.” Mark 2:17
December 5. Not quite as hot today and raining this evening.
Last day of shopping. Went out early to Papindo West. Phinehas and Wilson found us there. They said they had found some blue material at Goroka Food Mart that might do for skirts for the girls. So we went down to GFM to check it out. When we went inside, they had out samples of different kinds of snack crackers and sodas. I had seen the rice crackers on sale the other day but didn’t pick them up because the ones we got at SIL were rancid. How would I know if these were good or not? Now with the opportunity to sample first, we found out they were good so got several packs of them. Also got some Arnotts drumsticks crackers. First, though, we went to check on the material. It was nice material - cotton/silk I think the lady said (polyester maybe?). Got twelve metres of that plus elastic and thread.
A quick stop back at the house. Then uptown to check on calculators. Checked City Pharmacy first, but theirs weren’t solar. Stopped at Hot Spot by Bintangor and got more yarn to sell to start replenishing the school funds. Then went to the other Hot Spot and found some fairly nice solar calculators there for K7.90 each. Since we got a dozen of them, they gave us a discount - K6.50 each - quite a bit more discount than we expected. After that, I really didn’t need to do any other shopping so Daddy brought me back to the house. Wilson had left us to go back and take care of some business for his father.
After that, Daddy and Phinehas went off to do bulk buying. Then they came back to the house and got all the cargo that was boxed up and ready for the flight and took it over to MAF.
They were gone quite a while so I finally had my lunch. I had just about finished when Daddy came in. Phinehas had gone to Fish Park to be with some of the other Owenians. I had a nap, and Daddy went out again to get meat and a few other things that we still hadn’t gotten. When he came back, Wilson was with him again. A couple other people came by to see Daddy. By the time everyone left, it was almost 4:00. Daddy had planned to take me out to do second hand store shopping this afternoon. Since it was late, we just went to one store - Hamamas. I did find three slips and a warm nightie there which is what I was looking for. After that, I was too tired of shopping to just go look around, and my feet are too swollen too. So I said that was enough, and Daddy was tired of shopping too. The past three days have been so tiring as we’ve rushed, rushed, rushed here and there and back again trying to get everything done. I’m thankful the Lord gave us good weather during the days of shopping.
After coming back to the house, it was time to fix supper. We still had leftover rice and meat but no veggie. So I cooked up a pot of carrots and broccoli.
Worked a bit today on the PNG history/geography, and this evening I worked out the schedule for the next school year.
And so ends a week of life in Goroka.
“Therefore shall ye keep all the commandments which I command you this day, that ye may be strong, and go in and possess the land, whither ye go to possess it.” Deuteronomy 11:8