Janaury 23. It was a very hot, stuffy day again, and mostly cloudy. I have a bad sore throat and earache so didn’t sleep well last night. Slept a fairly long nap again today.
We started out with just six in lotu this morning - Lew and I, David’s mother and Maro’s mother, Phinehas and Steve. Others straggled in later until there were 16 all together, a pretty good group since most everyone is down at the river. They were all youth and elderly, except for Daniel. Daddy taught on Bible pictures of the church, e.g. a house, a garden, a body.
Daniel stayed afterward and worked. Changed the hinges on the back gate and put a hook latch on the gate. Then he took the old shut-off valve off the pipe that goes to the outside faucet because it didn’t work, and he put the new one on that Daddy bought. So the water has to be off for 24 hours until the glue dries. Daddy filled the bathtub with clean water so we can dip out for flushing the toilet, washing hands, etc. Daniel also went up on the roof to nail down the loose piece of roofing iron above the kitchen and to see if there were a dead rat on the veranda roof. We have been smelling the horrible odor every time we open the back door. He didn’t find the rat on top of the veranda, but did find it under the pile of wood that is under the veranda. I am thankful to be rid of that. Then Daddy and Daniel put shelf brackets up in Connie’s room. Now Daddy has to find or cut the right size pieces of plywood for the shelves.
We started school early, shortly after lotu ended. So I thought we would finish early today. Well, we did finish early, but we never did have English class. We went a little longer in phonics class so they could finish their phonics lesson and do the worksheet too. About half way into math class, Daddy called for a couple boys to help catch a live rat that Daniel found down by the dead one. Sosthenes and Bethuel went out and tried to get the rat, but it kept escaping to other areas under the house. One by one, the other boys went out to help. By the time they finally cornered and killed the rat, it was 11:40. They still had to finish up their math. So we didn’t have time for English today. But I think they had fun “rat hunting”.
After everyone left, I warmed up dinner. We gave a plate of greens and a cup of peanuts to Daniel too. He was saying that the man… who started those other rumors about NTM leaving the country is now telling people that by June of this year, PNG will have a new money system and people won’t be able to buy anything unless they have the 666 mark. This man also says that this is the last government PNG will have. Where is he coming up with all these stories? And people are believing him.
It is not just Daddy and I who are feeling hot these days. Other people too are saying that they don’t remember it ever being so hot here. They said it is hotter down at the river than they ever remember it being. They get in the water and cool off; and five minutes later, they are hot again. Just a very wee taste of that which is to come during the tribulation. I certainly am thankful we won’t be here.
After nap, I finished grading papers and recording grades. Then I got most everything ready for tomorrow before getting supper on the table.
“I say unto you, that likewise joy shall be in heaven over one sinner that repenteth, more than over ninety and nine just persons, which need no repentance…. Likewise, I say unto you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner that repenteth.” Luke 15:7,10
January 24. It has been another mostly cloudy day, but not as humid as the previous days. We had a pretty hard rain early this evening.
Daddy turned the water back on at 10:30 this morning, but the water leaked quite a bit around the new tap he had put in. So he had to do it all over again. That means the water is off for another 24 hours.
The students brought pretty colored leaves to science class today, and we put them between pieces of greaseless paper (known in the US as waxed paper) with heavy books on top. Next Tuesday, they will glue the leaves on colored paper and make pictures or designs.
It was late when we finished science class today; and after dinner, I had keyboard class so it was after 2:30 before we went for a nap.
After nap, I cut up the little popo somebody brought the other day. Daddy had some to eat, and I had half an apple. I will use my share of the popo in the morning - cook it up to put on the rest of my pancakes.
Had just about enough time to finish correcting papers and recording grades before getting supper. This evening, I played keyboard a while after doing dishes.
My throat and ears have been very sore; and this afternoon, I started losing my voice.
“ It was meet that we should make merry, and be glad: for this thy brother was dead, and is alive again; and was lost, and is found.” Luke 15:32