Gumang Church

Jordan recently preached at the Gumang Assembly of God Church. We took a bunch of maintenance guys with us. We practiced singing a song on the way there...they did great! It was fun to step out of our comfort zones a bit and experience a different style of worship! It was a great experience. Jordan had a wonderful message on Christ's redemption and the privilege we are given to share that message with others. Then, after the service, they blessed us with a TON of food!!

Egg Launch

The Egg Launch
Scenario: you will be given an egg that will be launched from a trebuchet.
Your Mission: to construct a device that will protect your egg.

Completed Mission: Lydia, Jessica, Jordan
Failed Mission: Josiah, Ethan, Allison, Rachel

Maintenance Cook-Out

We had the maintenance crew over for a cook-out one afternoon. It was a great time!

The many sides of Jordan

As many of you know, I married a very multi-talented man. While you may be aware that Jordan is an excellent carpenter, a talented musician, a history-buff, and works very well with kids...you may not be aware that he also has a green thumb (notice the sunflowers), is a very good cook, and is an amazing snorkeler. AND I have pictures to prove it...Isn't he the best!! :)
(...no, Jordan does not know about this blog. We'll see how long it stays up!)

Boat Race

Jordan has taken over art this year...although, I'm not sure we can still call it "art." Anyways, one of his projects this year was to have the kids make boats. The boats were judged on appearance, raced down the river, and then put through rapids. It was very fun to watch!

It's Begining To Look Nothing Like Christmas...

Ev'rywhere you go

Take a look at market stores
They're the same as they were before
With no candy canes or silver lanes aglow.

It's beginning to look nothing like Christmas
The same cheap junk in every store
But the prettiest site you'll see is your ghetto rigged Christmas tree
On your living room floor.

To see all our friends and be home once again
is the wish of Jordan and Rach
Still we love it here and are full of good cheer
and have plenty of cookies to bake

It's beginning to look nothing like Christmas
a new language you will start,
And the carols that you'll sing, will certainly have a new ring
Right within your heart



Rusty Oxygen Tanks / Silver Bells

City sidewalks, littered sidewalks
covered in buai spit
In the air there's a feeling
of more rain

Worn dirt paths
muddy dirt paths
traveling mile after mile
at every market place you'll surely hear

Rusty oxygen tanks, Old tire rims
It's Christmas time in New Guinea
Ring-a-link hear them clink
Soon it will be Christmas day

The power is off
there are no lights
to blink bright red or green
as the lady's walk home
with their KauKau

Rusty oxygen tanks, Old tire rims
It's Christmas time in New Guinea
Ring-a-link hear them clink
Soon it will be Christmas day



Though these songs are a bit dreary, we really do like Christmas time here in PNG. We really miss being home for Christmas in the snow with family and friends but this is probably the second best place to spend Christmas. (Just in case you were a bit confused, instead of ringing a bell, people pound an old oxygen tank or tire rim with a hammer or wrench... and buai is PNG's version of chewing tobacco.)

How to decorate a tree when you have no Christmas decorations:

Step 1: Develop a love for scarves.
Step 2: Become crazy obsessed with knitting.
Step 3: Randomly knit things you have NO use for. (this requires strength and determination due to the fact that you may have a husband that continually questions why you are working on your 23rd hat while the other 22 are sitting in a basket on the floor in your livingroom)
Step 4: Find a tree in a pile of junk in maintenance.
Step 5: Ask your ever-so talented husband to construct a way for the tree to stand on its own.
Step 6: Place tree in your house and toss on your scarves and random knitting projects!
Tah-Dah!