Ruminations
The past couple of months have been difficult for the people in the area that we live. I would encourage interested readers to familiarize yourselves with the current situation by searching internet news sites. News is sometime difficult to come by as our host country will not permit journalists to come to the area. Some [...]
While teaching, Catherine and I have have noticed that some students, when called upon or questioned, will politely stand, smile and say nothing. They will stand and stand, but never reply. When you try to give them a hint, they will repeat the hint or they may try to repeat a prompting from one of [...]
From Allan
I’ve been teaching at a private post-secondary school for Papuans called Titip. It’s mission is two fold – to develop Christian character in their students and to improve their English. Entrance to better universities requires certain minimum TOEFL scores. Most of the classes are to improve their English, but there are also classes in [...]
Somebody in our area customizes old Vespas, or maybe people just get creative.
We are the second MCC couple to inhabit this house here in Abepura. Just before us were Paul and Cathy Godshall. The evidence of their work and dedication is around us everyday. Because of them, we live in a comfortable house.
During their stay here they had a young Papuan man, John who was a former [...]
From Catherine:
It’s a day the children in this humble neighborhood have long waited for. They gather patiently and not so patiently for the opening of the new Global Family Mini-Library. Finally the leaders say it’s time to start. The leader looks questioningly at the children and asks, “What do you want to [...]
One of the upperclass students at STT came over one afternoon to talk and tell me about a special initiation/ceremony that would be happening to the new 1st year students that evening. So we walked down to the school to see what was happening. In a big meeting hall the 1st year were just completing [...]
One of the characteristics of life in the church here is the ability to celebrate all sorts of events through an Ibadah Syukur (thankgiving service). Thanksgiving services can be and are held for all sorts of occasions. A few that we are aware of include, church anniversaries, birthdays, remembrance and celebration of a person’s life [...]
From Allan
We usually have an ample supply of water for washing. The MCC family before us put in a big orange reservoir that ensures a steady, reliable flow that’s drawn from a municipal tank up the hill and feeds the neighborhood.
As clean as this water looks, it’s probably not potable. So we also buy drinking [...]
Last year we described our trip to the Papua Highlands to serve as cooks for a Mission Aviation Fellowship retreat. We decided to serve again as cooks this year, too. We shared the cooking responsibilities with another American couple and a crew of Papuans, who did everything from clean dishes to baking bread. Every meal [...]