February 8. Enjoyed a good visit with the Faulkners last night — Mark and Belinda and their three young girls (Bradley, Erin, and Piper). Belinda brought brownies over and Mark brought coffee, and we served the rest of the ice cream that was left from what Karen gave us.
After they left, I had my snack and finished up Christy and Connie’s e-mail. I was too tired for a shower so, after we prayed, I just went to bed.
Was awake about 5:30 this morning. Got up and had a shower. Read e-mail. Helped pack up all the last minute stuff. Ate breakfast.
Randy came over around 6:30, and Daddy had him take out the garbage and burn the trash and load up the car. It was just about 7:00 when we left for the hangar. They got us weighed up and loaded up right away. There was some rain during the night, and it was foggy in Goroka this morning. But they said the weather was open in Owena. They were ready to leave by 8:00, and were about to take off without Janeth and Kathryn, when they finally showed up. As soon as their stuff was weighed and loaded, we took off for Owena, arriving around 9:00. There were lots of storm clouds all around, but Owena was still open. We were thankful to be home.
As I walked down the strip to the house, I could see that it was still a little soft and needed a lot of work. It was good that the pilot had stayed over to the right when he landed. Even though the weather has been mostly dry this past week, there hasn’t been much sunshine. It looked like it could rain any time, and a few sprinkles did fall before the morning was over. However, the sun came out this afternoon, and there was lots of blue sky.
I came right down to the house as soon as I got off the airplane. Wednesday morning meeting was still in progress. The plane was loaded up with coffee; and after it took off, people came with cargo and Daddy came down. We got the carriers paid, spent the rest of the morning unpacking and putting away supplies, then warmed up the rest of the chicken stew for dinner.
Enjoyed a welcome nap, but just felt like I was dragging around most of the afternoon. Unpacked and put away clothes which we didn’t get to in the morning. Unpacked the office box too. Answered the door a number of times. And did a few other little tasks before getting supper.
“12Rejoicing in hope; patient in tribulation; continuing instant in prayer; 13Distributing to the necessity of saints; given to hospitality.” Romans 12:12,13
February 9. Not very many here for soul-winning class last night. I wondered why Lilian wasn’t here. I need to get together with her about Bonita’s schooling. I asked Maura about her afterward, and she said Lilian went to town. So guess I’ll have to start Bonita out with school myself.
Heard a little rain during the night. The sun peeked through a little bit this morning; but mostly the skies were cloudy, and there was a little bit of rain. The clothes were already hanging on the clothesline, and there was no sense in taking them down. We were thankful that there wasn’t enough rain to keep them from drying; and after the rain, the sun came out a bit, and there was some wind to help the clothes get dry.
Beni came this morning and cut firewood. Wamara came and brought more ooqdi. Then he helped Daddy put the door on Connie’s bedroom. I guess with our minds all concerned about how we were getting to town, among other things, neither of us ever thought of buying hinges to put the door on, or a door knob. We did manage to find one set of hinges; and even though they were a hair smaller than the ones on the other door, they seemed to be sufficient. Also Daddy forgot to measure the doorway into Connie’s room, and he bought two 32” doors. Her doorway is (or was) only big enough for 30”. But the 32” doors were the ones on sale. And Daddy and Wamara did manage to figure out a way to put in a 32” door.
After doing laundry (lots of it today — some we brought back from town, and some was left here), I sorted through some more school stuff, cleaned out the file cabinet, and did some filing. Then I cooked up some broccoli and added it to the leftover chicken stew, made a crust, and put a pie in the oven for dinner. While I was waiting for Daddy to get done with some work, I went out and checked the clothes. Mostly dry so brought the dry ones in. He was still busy so I had my dinner. Worked on some more school stuff. Then went out and got the rest of the clothes in.
Daddy had his dinner, and we gave Wamara the leftovers plus a couple bananas and some cookies. It was after 2:15 when we got down to nap.
Daddy snatched a few minutes here and there throughout the day to work on a bookshelf in the meeting room to put some reading books on for the school kids.
After nap, I washed my hair. Then started to work some more on school stuff. Just about got started when Tomas came to talk. Praise the Lord, Tomas got saved today. His story was pretty much the same as most of the others. He was just a young man when he “got saved” in 1986, just before we came back to PNG. He had no idea what it meant to be saved. He was just following the crowd so he could escape the fires of hell. He had no idea why he had to go to hell, except that he was told if he didn’t “tanim bel” (get saved), he would have to go to the lake of fire. The word of God was never used, and there was no conviction of sin or sense of a need for a Savior. There was no teaching about faith in Christ. How sad! Praise God for His mercy and His longsuffering! Tomas will be baptized Sunday along with the others.
By the time Tomas left, it was supper time. After getting dishes done, I sorted out the yarn. Then Erisa came by for a little visit.
“11And that, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep: for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed. 12The night is far spent, the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armour of light. 13Let us walk honestly, as in the day; not in rioting and drunkenness, not in chambering and wantonness, not in strife and envying. 14But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof." Romans 13:11-14