Well today was our first full day in Hoskins. Arco who manages the supplies for the base in Hoskins asked me if he could use one of the team members to help him this morning. He was buying all of the supplies for the week and needed some strong backs. I asked him if he could use 2 people and told him we were here to serve them. He mentioned that he almost had tears in his eyes because he didn’t want to even ask. So Jimmy, Jared, Arco, his wife, and Annette went to town to get supplies. It took them almost 4 hours to buy the needed supplies. Needless to say Jimmy & Jared had plenty of stories (Arco, his wife and Annette speak Dutch) so they learned a lot in 4 hours about different cultures and PNG. Cheryl got adjusted to the way everything is cooked in PNG. Hamburger is mince; Peppers are not called Peppers, etc. Cheryl says even with 30 years f cooking experience she feels like she is starting all over again. She has one of the natives helping her – so she is trying to teach Cheryl some Pigdin.
Gloria and Michele helped get some things set up at a school and we all helped get things set up for the conference. Chuck is helping Charles with some plumbing projects and someone stopped by tonight to ask him to work on another pump tomorrow. John got to help prepare and pour a cement slab today – much different than ordering it from the cement truck in the US. When not in meetings I got to help Chris (a native) put up a tongue and groove ceiling in one of the new rooms they are preparing for one of the missionary families. I taught him an English phrase “not good” whenever I bent a nail in the tongue. When John stole my hammer he told me they call that person a “steele-mann”.
Tonight was a potluck for the families at the conference. Each of the team members went to a different house (with about 4 other families) – we brought enough chocolate for everyone at the conference – so we were a big hit! Tonight was the first night for the conference and everyone was together for the first meeting. It was a tremendous opportunity to hear everyone sing for the first time. Chad had spent most of the day working with Jaap and some other people on the music and they all did a great job. Tomorrow is our first day of ministering for the conference. Everyone is pretty tired, but we are seeing the value of the things we are doing. These people have a very difficult time even asking for help, because they are not used to having help available. It has been a great opportunity to show them that we love them and care abot the work God has called them to do in PNG. Keep us all in your prayers.
The 2007 Mission Team
PS – They have located Michelle’s luggage. It is in Bom and should be here by tomorrow night!
