In Ukarumpa, every other year, the middle schoolers go on a field trip to Lae. They tour around various factories, like the factory where they prepare much of the chicken we eat here in PNG and a factory for making Gala Ice Cream which is a magical, interesting version of ice cream that even those with lactose intolerances can somehow consume safely 🙂 (Our store also graciously brings in ‘real’ ice cream sometimes and we have the option to make our own if you can buy cream in the country - which … [Read more...] about Creativity & Relationship
God of the “Ands”
This past week, we hosted the Senior class for a potluck and I captured these two photos of just a few of the youth loving on our kids and it made me smile but, with that smile lingered a tinge of sadness. A tinge of relational loneliness. A bit of longing for the young men and women in Canada who are big brothers and sisters to our kids. The ones who sat with them in church, ran around with them, played with them, attended their school concerts and read stories to them before bed. A bit of an … [Read more...] about God of the “Ands”
Derailed Dependent Yet Inexplicably At Peace
My deepest friendships are ones of grace - ones of acceptance. Yes, they are friendships with other sinful people, but those deep, deep friendships are almost always relationships in which I know I am loved no matter what. Enter an incredibly difficult decision - a decision in which, at times, I have felt like I was choosing abandonment - a decision through which I have felt like I was slamming a door on the promise of living life together face to face. A decision that has seemed … [Read more...] about Derailed Dependent Yet Inexplicably At Peace
The Countdown Is On
The Countdown Is On! Term 3 has been full and rich - filled with many opportunities to teach, mentor and serve the youth here in Ukarumpa. From Senior Retreats to Chemistry and Anatomy & Physiology class, to class hangouts and community groups, we have enjoyed pouring into the lives of youth. As we begin the approach to furlough, we can't even begin to express how fast the time here in Papua New Guinea (PNG) has gone and yet how full and life changing our time here has been. We have a lot … [Read more...] about The Countdown Is On
We’re Not So Different
What do you think of when you think of a missionary? What comes to mind? What pictures are elicited? What traits do you imagine? Courageous, Godly, Bold, Different. Before coming to the mission field, that was my impression. These other worldly, supremely spiritual beings who long only for God’s kingdom. A sort of untouchable calibre of Christian, far from relateability, experiencing an entirely different set of problems than you or I. Perhaps that’s one of the reasons why I … [Read more...] about We’re Not So Different
