Weir in PNG

Hope you were able to see some of the pictures we posted last week-end. It was extremely difficult, but I think I figured it out. Hopefully we can post more in a couple of weeks. (And a lot more now that I figured out how to do it!) Unfortunately, I cannot make any promises as we are in the "land of the unexpected".

We are almost through with our "formal" Tok Pisin classes. Next week, we will give our testimonies in Tok Pisin and then do a little skit in Tok Pisin as a "thank you" to our teachers for the time and patience that they invested in us. I hope to get a picture our of Tok Pisin groups, too....so you can see our wonderful teachers.

So, this week, I have been writing my testimony in Tok Pisin. Can I just say- this is difficult! Sure, we can write it in English, translate the words, but will it be meaningful? Probably not! I have this "cliche" phrase that I always use when I am talking about my life story:
"If death can touch so many people, how much more can life? And, I felt like God was saying to me, 'So what are you going to do with your life?'"

Again, I can translate this word for word but not meaning for meaning! All this to say, I have had a minute fraction of a taste of what it is like to be a translator.

I was brought back to reality when my friend Jessie stated: "Don't forget that this is an assignment about how you write and speak in Tok Pisin. It's not an assignment on world evangelism." I smiled. This comment reminded me of my friend Crystal...and it saved A LOT of extra work that I was going to do!

On a different note, we had our first village overnight experience. This may be a bit lengthy, but since I don't have pictures, hopefully this journal entry will explain what our experience was like!

Around 4pm, we each ate a peanut butter and jelly sandwich to hold us over until dinner (the time for dinner unknown). We then went to the kitchen to pick up our contribution of food for the evening meal (rice, sugar, tea, banana bread, powered milk, tin meat). Then, we went back to our room to pack our bags (mosquito nets, mattresses, sheets, pillows, plates, cups, utensils, toys for Ben, string to learn how to make a bilum, bush knife, lantern, drinking water, toilet paper, etc.).

Around 5:30pm (it was raining by this point), we set out with all our bags, the food, Benjamin and rain gear. Our wasfamili's oldest children were there to meet us. They led us to their village house. The path was very slippery since it was still raining, however, we made it without falling....and Ben walked the whole way (in the past, I have had to carry him).

When we arrived, it was still raining a little (liklik tasol), but wasmama came right out to greet us. Before, we left, our teachers suggested that we ask to see the liklik haus (bathroom) when we arrived while we still had light. We didn't know that waspapa was using it when we asked to see it. She called down to him: "Waspapa! The students are here and want to see the lik lik haus. They do not want to see you in it. Hurry up!"

While we waited for waspapa to finish, we were shown our room. The house has two bedrooms. We were to sleep in waspapa and wasmama's room that night. The room was absolutely spotless. You could tell that they had cleared everything out and probably spent a LONG time cleaning it for us. Their oldest daughter had picked flowers and they were stuck in the walls all over the house and in our room. We later found out that the three of us slept in their room was 3 adults and 5 children slept in the other smaller room.

Waspapa arrived and we were shown the liklik haus. I started praying then that I wouldn't have to use it since it was on the side of a very steep mountain (which was very slippery)!

Then, we all sat around on the floor of their house and enjoyed a very nice meal. Wasmama had prepared kaukau (sweet potatoes which taste more like regular potatoes from the states) and banana kuk (cooking bananas or plantains). She also prepared kumu (local greens) in a yummy fish sauce. I don't like fish, but I liked wasmama's meal! Our wasfamil has a substantial garden. Most Papua New Guineans live on their land- subsistence farming. In fact, 90% of the land of Papua New Guinea is owned BY the people. Unlike America, where most of the land is owned by businesses or the government.

Anyway, the gardens here are amazing....and the food is local....and free from all the crazy pesticides you get at home. We enjoyed the meal and then went quickly to banana bread and tea so that we could put Ben to bed. He had started to jump around and was getting quite close to landing in the food or the fire. (Just kidding about the fire. Not kidding about the food!)

Ben thoroughly enjoyed himself the ENTIRE night. He loves our wasfamili's children. The oldest is 11 years old and really takes Ben under his wing. The youngest is Ben's age, so they can play well, too. Seriously, the children were all smiles the entire night. Ben played really hard and was ready to go to sleep around 8:30pm.

After that, the Uno game came out. We played a couple rounds and had so much fun. All throughout the night, we were using Tok Pisin and working on our language and communication skills. I was able to practice my grammar, while Caleb was able to practice his story telling. Thankfully, I could understand all the stories told, but not tell any myself just yet. At one point, I did find myself reading a book to all the children which was in English. As I read it, I tried to translate it into Tok Pisin. It was a lot of fun and I received a lot of help along the way!

After Uno, the children went to bed (they had school in the morning) and we sat around talking with wasmama and waspapa about some of the difference between Papua New Guinea and America. We also talked about our families some more.

That night, I could not sleep at all! The accommodations were better than could have been expected, but I had too much caffeine in the tea, so my little eyes just would not close. Also, Benjamin slept with me in a tent mosquito net contraption thing (we only had two for our family). He was completely stretched out the whole night- a leg here, another leg of there, hands completely over his head and moving every 15 minutes or so. I was curled up into a little ball the entire night. But, I think I managed to get a solid 3 or 4 hours in eventually. Again, the accommodations were so great! I just had other things that prevented a restful night. Caleb actually slept well....considering he was on the floor practically....he gave us the better mattress. The rain was still falling and the sound was so soothing.

Around 6:30am, we all got up. Wasmama was already cooking breakfast for us- fried cooking bananas. It may not sound like much, but they were SO yummy. I am learning to like the greens here (still not a number one fan)....so my favorite local foods are the starches! =0)

That is when I realized that I had to really go to the bathroom. Caleb had already ventured down the mountain to the liklik haus and he told me it was slippery. I went by myself. Our wasafamili was watching from afar to make sure that if I slipped, I was ok. I chickened out after going down halfway! I just knew I would fall with everyone watching me. I told them I was too afraid to go!

After breakfast, the children had to go to school. So sad....Ben LOVES playing with all the children together. In fact, waspapa and wasmama have even said that he plays like a Papua New Guinean. They say he is always happy and not shy of them, etc. I never get tired of hearing how wonderful my son is!They also commented about how they expected him to cry and cry plenty all night....but he didn't. He just slept!

This is the time I begged Caleb to help me down the steep, steep mountain to the liklik haus!! He's my hero!

So....as I was saying....after the school age children went off to school, waspapa took Caleb to his new house that he is building. They went into the bush and cut down materials. They chopped bamboo (called mambu) and waspapa explained some of the process of building a house. Seriously....that needs a post all of its own. I think it takes something like a year just to gather all the materials for the house. While they were working, wasmama taught me how to made a bilum (which is a decorated string bag). Bilums are so practical and useful here. You can carry anything from vegetables from the garden to children in a bilum. They are so strong. Some babies and some small pigs even sleep in bilums at night!! I have seen both!

Anyway, it was SUCH a great experience. Not to mention, this day was also Caleb's birthday. Something tells me this is a birthday he will not forget too soon!!

I hope you enjoyed all this rambling.....em tasol!