New Operating Room

Jordan's latest building project has been a new operating room for the hospital.  The new operating room will connect to the recovery room of the current OR.  With two rooms, two surgeries can happen simultaneously or one can be prepped while the other is in use. Here are some pictures of the progress:

They poured the foundation in sections...which was a difficult process due to the large quantities of rain we've been having.

All the concrete was mixed in the small yellow mixers then delivered down the hill in a wheelbarrow.  It took hundreds of wheelbarrow loads to finish the foundation.

Now they are beginning the block walls and have stood up the frames for the doors.  

This is our surgeon, Dr. Jim Radcliffe.  He's known throughout Papua New Guinea as the best surgeon in the country.  Jim and his family have been serving in PNG for about 28 years.  It's our privilege to know them and serve with them!

Miles's Birthday

MILES turned 1!!

Again, he wasn't sure what all the excitement about this day was, but he was willing to join in!

He had on a super cute shirt that said "My 1st Birthday" but he's so squirmy I never got a good picture of it

 It's been one of my favorite years!!

We are so thankful for friends who are willing to pile in our little living room to celebrate with us!

Cake decorating is more difficult in a third world tropical country...imagine that...

It took him a while to dive in, but once he did, cake was EVERY-WHERE!!  Let's be honest...it's how we all really want to eat cake!

We missed you Grandma & Grandpa B, Grandma and Grandpa Thompson, Uncle Nate, Uncle Jake, Uncle Jared, and Aunt Jill!!

(I fear that after the last few posts people are going to get the impression that all we do is throw parties...but with Miles's birthday so close to Christmas we've done a lot of celebrating lately!  I'll have to remember to post about something mundane and typical in the next blog.)  :)

Miles's First Christmas

Christmas morning, Jordan and I burst into Miles's room saying "Merry Christmas!" and "Happy Birthday, Jesus!"  He smiles and flaps his arms...not sure why we're so excited but willing to join in the happiness!  We eat our special Christmas morning banana bread (at least that's what I told the boys...it was really just bread that I had made and frozen a while ago when I had an abundance of ripening bananas..shhh, don't tell!)

  

One of my favorite parts of celebrating Christmas here in PNG is the lack of focus on presents.  This year we just had a few gifts each to open.  It was perfect! 

It was also Miles's first present opening experience...he needed a little help from his dad.

Truth be told...I had already given him this monkey, then took it back a few months ago and gave it to him for Christmas.  He was pretty excited to see it again!  

After presents we went over to the Dooley's house to eat lunch and hang out for the rest of the day.  It was a lovely Christmas!

Missionary Christmas Party

Every year all the missionaries in Kudjip get together to celebrate Christmas with a big party.  We eat food, sing Christmas songs, fellowship...all to celebrate the birth of our Savior, Jesus!

Miles waiting to head to the party.  He got all dressed up for the occasion!

Each of our place settings was a little version of ourselves.

In the center of the room was a manger...a great reminder of why we were there!

Chalk it up!

My brother, Nate, has been doing chalk art for the past 4 years...last week we had the privilege of witnessing/helping him do his thing with chalk.  It was AMAZING!  

This is Nate's game face!  

Please note the beautiful yellow and black stripes...filled by yours truly!

Dad even got in on the action!

It's electric!

 FINISHED!!  (too bad the lighting isn't very good)

Jordan and I were the "filler inners."  Sort of like the bucket tool in Paint.

 Chalk is such frustrating stuff to work with and he just cranked this out like it was his job (well, I guess it is his job...but still!) 

Seriously, he is so talented...

Jordan would like me to point out the awesomeness of the blue haze around the lightning.  That was his job for about 2 hours.

You can check out more of Nate's stuff at:

StreetCanvasDesign.com

Amazing Race: Papua New Guinea

Teen Camp

AMAZING RACE: PNG

The first leg of the race: Each team had to dig a ditch to simulate the ditches that Papua New Guineans dig in their gardens for water run off. 

Second leg: Shooting bats with finger arrows!

 

Third leg: Rolling yarn like PNG women do before they begin making their traditional bags (bilums).  

                                        

The teens also had to learn a verse in Melanesian Pidgin, eat a dry tasteless cracker (similar to a kind you can get in PNG) without any water, and take a quiz on Papua New Guinea.

We had a great time!

NWIL Teen Camp

 In July, Jordan and I had the privilege of being a part of the NWIL Teen camp.  We got to share a little about the work we do in PNG and were a part of an Amazing Race PNG competition!  Here are some pics from our time there (a blog and pictures on the Amazing Race to come!)

There was a fabulous worship service, workshop/sermon every afternoon and evening!  We were a witness to many teens committing to put Jesus first in their lives...A-MAZING!

Part of the afternoon service involved a group reciting a verse they had learned in Pidgin from our time with them that morning!!

Miles was probably the most popular guy there!!

The little guy made a TON of new friends!!  :)