Just got an email from Aaron on some specifics.

Meals - We have ordered your breakfast supplies and it will be ready for you when you get there.

Teens - Here is probably why the kids want to be separated. The distinction between Jr High and Sn High is somewhat significant in the States, but even more so here. The Jr High are usually living at home and doing all the games and activities with the elementary kids. The Sr High is usually going to the boarding school, having to make a lot of grown up decisions and hanging out with their peers and adults. However, I am for combining them where we can and think the activities would probably be better with more kids. I’ll be ready to run some things by you on Monday when you get here.

Boat project - I bought the last of the fiberglass resin (it is chopped strand) in Kokopo. It was 30 meters by a meter wide. If you think we will need any more than that I can see if they can get it in.

Motel in Au - I know that you have to leave the airport (clear customs, collect our luggage, leave the terminal), but I don’t know if we can’t go to the departure terminal early. We could try to leave the arrival terminal and go up to the departure terminal. I don’t think it would be closed though it is pretty dead real early in the morning. If that doesn’t work and we don’t have reservations, we could be in a pinch. There are lots of hotels though, but it just may mean taking more time and not going as smooth. We could always try to find a 24hr McDonalds. Either way I am fine, I am more considered about the team after all their travel and a hard week 2 weeks of work. Hoskins did just get VSat up and going so reservations online would not be a problem.

Bedding - I am checking on the mattresses and will let you know. Hoskins will be less of a threat since the houses are sealed a little better and they do spray for mosquitoes, but nets are available and not a bad idea.

Trailer - I still have the welding sticks from the last time you all came. I can check around for a welder. We are open to having it fixed, but I think the wheels would also need replaced if we did it. The big problem is that we can’t back the trailer down into the water far enough to put the boat on it without getting the truck in the water and we don’t want to put the truck to close to the water because of all the problems we are having with it. So even with the trailer fixed we will have some tricks to get it being used.

Soldering pen - A small pen for soldering house wire and small connections. Right now I can use a candle, but it is not very convenient.

Boat Project Overview

We are still trying to figure the best route to get from Hoskins to our village. Right now the airstrip we were planning to fly into is closed down. Hopefully it will open ui before then and we can use it. If not we will plan to fly to Rabaul/Kokopo and take boats over. If the seas are not cooperating we will fly to Kavieng and hire a car to drive 7 hours down the island. Either way we will get there, but you can be praying for God to work out the best route.

Our time in the tribe will be limited. We have a lot of work for you to do. Most of the projects are small: replacing termite eaten wood, fixing doors, replacing louvers, sealing cracks, house repairs.

The big project is the boat. I will give you some details, so that if you can do any research o the best way to go about the project, you will have some information. I also tried to get some pictures which are on the cd (the boat was up-side-down so the interior pictures are not the best_ but I will try to get more and send them by email), We were given a fiberglass banana boat. It is 23' long and b' wide at the widest point. The body of the boat is in good condition, but when we got it the floor was rotting away (it was wood and fiberglass. We ripped out the floor exposing the bottom of the boat (still in good condition with rib bracing for the floor every couple of feet.

We are wanting to put a new floor in. My thoughts at this point is get 1/4 treated plywood an( lay it over the ribs (and under side bracing that is every 5') and then cover the whole thing in fiberglass. (I can get all the materials mentioned above in country.) We are wanting to put it a motor with a center consul for steering. We have an old center consul which will need some fixing up but will work. Here are some other areas that we want done, but are not sure how. We were told that under heavy waves with an 85hp motor on the transom that the transom bowed some and appeared weak. It appears to be fine, but may need reinforced somehow. I do not know if it be reinforce too rigidly and possibly cause more potential problems or not. The original floor went back to the transom and the drain was under the floor and accessed from outside the boat on the back. I would like to make the new floor so one rib short of the transom and put a drain plug in from the inside. We are also wanting some boxes built into the boat for putting boat tools and our bags when we travel. Boxes with hinges and latches rust and corrode very quickly. My idea was to have a hard plastic of fiberglass box attached to the boat with a lid that would cover the top of the box (and seal it from splashes) with holes to be able to put paddle locks on each side (similar to a rubbermaid tote like the last work team brought over). We would like the boxes to be strong enough to work as benches for people to sit on. Overall layout and plan is up in the air. If any of you have experience or know of someone who does we would be open to it.

The Boat Diagram

Here are Aaron's orginal plans for the boat. This ia an idea of what we have to acomplish in 4 days of 90% humidity and 100 degree weather while working with fiberglass and wood.