These journal notes cover the end of October, some of Mom and Dad's last few days spent in Papua New Guinea. Mom and Dad are now in Hawaii and have one more long leg of their journey to complete on Saturday. Thank you for your prayers for them!
October 26. After our breakfast of leftover pancakes, we did the laundry and then went to West Goroka to shop. Got a few little things and brought them back to the house. Then went to market and uptown. It was very hot uptown. I was thankful that there was a breeze. There has been a nice breeze most of the rest of the day.
About noon before we got back to the flat. While Daddy was getting the clothes in, I got things ready for lunch. We had leftover rice and cabbage from Saturday with the rest of the meat we still had leftover from eating out with Remi and Tjandra.
After nap, I did the dishes, folded the clothes and finished writing the ministry update e-mails. Don’t know what the problem is with our server, or maybe with Digicel. We are having a hard time sending the e-mails out. Finally sent part of them, and need to try again to send the rest.
“And he saw that there was no man, and wondered that there was no intercessor: therefore his arm brought salvation unto him; and his righteousness, it sustained him.” Isaiah 59:16
October 27. It has been another hot, dry day. I am sweating this evening as I sit here working at the computer.
This morning, Daddy tried sending the rest of the e-mails that I wrote yesterday. He was having all kinds of problems getting the SIM cards right. He had his, mine, and the Digicel cards all mixed up. He finally got them straightened out, but we still couldn’t send e-mails. He finally took the computer downstairs, and they sent right out from there with no problem. The worker said that the wireless Bible which is set-up outside our door is probably interfering with our transmission. So when we want to send e-mails, we’ll have to take the computer outside and try.
While Daddy was downstairs, I straightened up the room and then wrote a short letter to MAF Hagen to tell them thank you for working out flights for us to get out of Owena to SIL and then to Goroka.
Afterward we went uptown and got a few little things -- a new change purse for Daddy, several hair holders for myself, chocolates and lollipops to send back to Owena for the Sunday school kids, one onion for K2.70 (about $1.00), and a couple bouillion cubes.
Went into Goroka Stationery to try to find a pocket-sized photo album. Didn’t find one. Got home around 11:00. It was already getting too hot to be out. Wrote a couple more e-mails and then got lunch.
After nap, we wrote an e-mail. Then I prepared carrots, bok choy, and onions to cook for supper. Found the copy of my autobiography on a flash drive and put it in the computer. Started adding to it. Prepared the Alaskan Pollock and Mahimahi that we had bought at Papindo the other day. Made cheese dumplings to go on top. Delicious! First fish we have had in a long time.
After supper, I started putting my autobiography into outline form before doing dishes.
“To open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in me.” Acts 26:18
October 28. After breakfast this morning, I wrote e-mails again and Daddy sent them out. Then we went uptown so I could get the rest of the candies to send to Owena for Sunday school. Also picked up a carry on bag at Papindo, and some PNG key chains to take home for gifts. Brought those things back to the flat and then did a little second-hand shopping. There is one more second-hand store I would like to go to, but did as much as my legs and back would allow today.
Slept quite a while at nap time, but wasn’t feeling well. Also had woken up at 4:00 this morning so was pretty tired.
This afternoon, I wrote a thank-you note to Jason and Melanie. Also started taking heavy things out of the suitcases so we won’t be overweight with our baggage. Packing a few things into a box to give to Melanie.
This evening, I finished gluing bird pictures into the scrapbook to send back to Owena. Still need to do fish and animal scrapbooks.
“I will mention the lovingkindnesses of the LORD, and the praises of the LORD, according to all that the LORD hath bestowed on us, and the great goodness toward the house of Israel, which he hath bestowed on them according to his mercies, and according to the multitude of his lovingkindnesses.” Isaiah 63:7
October 29. A very warm night last night. We were up at 5:30. Had hot rice cereal for breakfast. It was 6:30 when Daddy went out to fill up the laundry tub so we could do laundry.
Checked through some of our CD’s to see if there were any we don’t need or that don’t work any more. Threw several more out. Checked the flash drives to find one that I could put my autobiography on for Daddy to take downstairs and get printed. I thought I had brought a printed copy but couldn’t find it.
Started working on a power point presentation for showing in churches. Wrote a thank you note to Remi and Tjandra. Also spent several hours today working on the creation scrapbooks to send back to Owena.
Did not go out shopping today. Daddy went uptown around 11:30 to go to the bank and exchange money and try to get travellers checks. He was going to have lunch at Papindo café too. I guess he had quite a time at the banks so I was glad I didn’t go. Found out that the banks don’t handle travellers cheques anymore. Now he’ll have to exchange all our kinas for US dollars cash. He exchanged some for Aussie dollars for us to use in Australia.
After he left, I went down and brought the clothes in. Then I made leftover soup for my lunch. It was lonely eating lunch by myself.
“But now, O LORD, thou art our father; we are the clay, and thou our potter; and we all are the work of thy hand.” Isaiah 64:8
October 30. The Lord sent us rain yesterday evening, and power went out. We were thankful it was only out for a short time, and we praise the Lord for the rain. It must have rained during the night as well. Daddy said he was awake at 4:30 and heard rain, and I heard rain when I got up at 5:15. It has been a cool day. Cloudy and rainy again this afternoon. Raining steadily this evening. Power was out for a little while.
This morning, I checked through more CD’s to see what we could get rid of. Then I was going to work some more on the presentation I had started yesterday, but power point wouldn’t even come up. Daddy took the computer downstairs, and they found that some serious error had occurred. I was thankful they were able to fix it, and I worked for quite a while this morning finding pictures for the presentation.
While Daddy was downstairs getting the computer checked out, I wrote a letter to Bonita.
Then Daddy went uptown to get the American dollars he didn’t get yesterday, a carry on bag for himself, some luggage tags, and a couple little food items.
This afternoon and evening, I spent more time on the scrapbooks. Have the big one almost filled up - mostly with animals, and finishing it up with people.
“And when they had appointed him a day, there came many to him into his lodging; to whom he expounded and testified the kingdom of God, persuading them concerning Jesus, both out of the law of Moses, and out of the prophets, from morning till evening.” Acts 28:23
October 31. Last day of October. Only three more days left here in PNG.
Very cool and cloudy most of the morning today. Nice sunshine this afternoon.
Finished up the animals/people scrapbook this morning and got that packed into the box to go back to Owena. Started sorting through the sea life pictures and got them set up for gluing in the sea life scrapbook.
Cooked the deer meat for our dinner today and made a gravy for it. Also cooked up the other bok choy with the rest of the carrots and some onion, and fixed a pot of rice. The deer meet tasted quite good.
After nap, I started gluing sea life pictures. Then I took a shower and washed my hair, and then cut Daddy’s hair. Glued sea life pictures until I ran out of glue. (Just a few more pages to do, but will have to wait until Monday to get more glue.) Then it was suppertime.
Now the power is out. It is dark except in the part of the room where the battery operated light is on. It is hard to use this computer when there isn’t much light because the keyboard is black.
“Preaching the kingdom of God, and teaching those things which concern the Lord Jesus Christ, with all confidence, no man forbidding him.” Acts 28:31