tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14944642528201326332024-02-06T23:49:08.878-06:00The World Wide WebersUsing Our Skill-Sets to Support Bible Translation in Papua New GuineaAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07969313731357237136noreply@blogger.comBlogger13125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1494464252820132633.post-62670118649558992112017-10-31T03:09:00.001-05:002017-10-31T03:20:54.035-05:00Backyard CoffeeI promised to show you how we got from coffee "fruit" on the tree in our backyard to the aromatic, yumminess of the stuff I drink every morning. Finally...the coffee post you've been waiting for!<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Eli got in on the picking action</td></tr>
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Our friend, Enoch (you've seen a bit about him on Facebook), picked the red coffee fruits for me. He showed me how to squeeze the beans out of the red skin. It's a very sticky job.<br />
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After removing the skins, we placed the fruit in a bucket to "sleep" for a couple of days. I guess this loosens the flesh of the fruit from the bean so that it is easier to wash off. Then, Enoch washed and rinsed, washed and rinsed, washed and rinsed the coffee beans to remove the fruit from the seed.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">After the outer, red skin is squeezed off</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Wash, Rinse, Repeat</td></tr>
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We were left with green coffee beans that still have the seed coat on them. Enoch and I worked daily to lay them out on an old piece of window screen to dry in the sun. You want to get them dried pretty quickly or they will rot. We had to be vigilant to bring them in whenever it rained, because Enoch said it wouldn't be good for them to get wet and we'd be going backwards!<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Coffee beans drying in the sun</td></tr>
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The next step in our coffee-processing venture was a little more difficult to navigate. We needed to remove all of the seed coats from about 15 kilograms of coffee beans. Enoch told me that people usually use a machine to take off those skins, but he doesn't have one in his village. He told me that he was willing to grind handfuls of them between his palms to remove the seed coats, but I didn't want him to go to so much trouble.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The "green beans"</td></tr>
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We left the coffee project aside for awhile because Joel and I were busy with our house remodel. Finally, after a couple of months of no coffee action happening and a lot of asking around, Enoch was willing to take my raw beans to a nearby coffee roaster. He negotiated for them to shell the beans AND roast them for me and all for a REALLY GREAT PRICE!!<br />
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Thanks to Enoch's help, expertise, and excellent negotiating tactics, I ended up with 4.5 kilograms of delicious, backyard PNG coffee for about 75 Kina ($25 USD). Enoch told me it should be enough coffee to last me for a year. I beg to differ.<br />
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I see the tree is blooming again now. Good thing.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Finished Product</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ok...the <u>real</u> finished product</td></tr>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1494464252820132633.post-32464851961174571042017-02-21T01:29:00.000-06:002017-02-21T01:34:18.524-06:00Vacation Bible School in Aiyura Valley, Papua New GuineaMany adult and teen volunteers from our mission center joined hearts & hands with two national churches to hold a Holiday Bible School January 2-6, 2017.<br />
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Eli and I joined the team that headed out to the Lutheran Renewal Church in the village of Ba'e. Each day began with a short drive to the Ba'e River, where we would ford on foot and then take hike a short to the village church. As if often the case during rainy season, the river was too high and fast for crossing on three of the days. That circumstance required a bit of a longer drive around to cross and a bit of a longer hike. But, we really enjoyed getting to walk through some other villages that we haven't had the opportunity to visit yet.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjs8VjLFqoFCpWEXAZSuJElV-EN8LpQIFvZqGF0Y-baP6i0tH-Cg68l-UDEkMW4fyIg9vx3nWubPQnUhHGEAQSi4DE_JNiE8IPcS5M0FHkkgOaSx3wg5FXx5A3TidUGzBydFcFuMCiR15U6/s1600/IMG_3080.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjs8VjLFqoFCpWEXAZSuJElV-EN8LpQIFvZqGF0Y-baP6i0tH-Cg68l-UDEkMW4fyIg9vx3nWubPQnUhHGEAQSi4DE_JNiE8IPcS5M0FHkkgOaSx3wg5FXx5A3TidUGzBydFcFuMCiR15U6/s200/IMG_3080.JPG" width="150" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our team crossing the river</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I tried to keep my skirt dry!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7H0-EPsHMbkoDJdcQzn6QsP1MUrYvROFC33qVbuR5g29yMbU2MDwFXalAWPwHd53s_kvSs275PQHJ2w9eRioYVXGZaK0ZSiG8_kL4Nds12PIBzfV2iDAsGnlq2Coj_jaIjitLq1VjTzMl/s1600/IMG_3127.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7H0-EPsHMbkoDJdcQzn6QsP1MUrYvROFC33qVbuR5g29yMbU2MDwFXalAWPwHd53s_kvSs275PQHJ2w9eRioYVXGZaK0ZSiG8_kL4Nds12PIBzfV2iDAsGnlq2Coj_jaIjitLq1VjTzMl/s200/IMG_3127.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">There were lots of muddy feet</td></tr>
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The theme of the VBS was "Stand Strong Like Daniel". The children were encouraged from stories from the Book of Daniel to keep their lives clean, to become people of prayer, to humble themselves before the Lord, and to trust God in all circumstances. <br />
The children who attended were very enthusiastic to hear the Bible stories, sing loudly, and play some wild games.<br />
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What a blast we had!! And what a privilege to bring the Word of God to these children and work alongside our national brothers and sisters!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCKG8L7gjZC4WWkIDs2292WYCFgy8H5Jma9aR2emgDO9GNG9PIUNJfh23aTJ0M9Y749__Xrj4cPS8xc4_srXH-_4Ncovuv-r4uaWprgGlnMIiERQg-9g50FMG9MWT44f9QVdQ3fEbMdDeW/s1600/IMG_3128.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCKG8L7gjZC4WWkIDs2292WYCFgy8H5Jma9aR2emgDO9GNG9PIUNJfh23aTJ0M9Y749__Xrj4cPS8xc4_srXH-_4Ncovuv-r4uaWprgGlnMIiERQg-9g50FMG9MWT44f9QVdQ3fEbMdDeW/s200/IMG_3128.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">LOTS of Muddy Feet</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6tOL53AM2Xba9qpuR_SEiFxLoSbm-2sndB2K_7T1TP6NT1TMkNpROiZ_uY9v6UQ3-Hbk9ibmMjolKA1Ltle_nLE8G6nwPTF0WILLUjGOOe7fdKj-bg3Gkwacr_hv5a9wPDwWJCTDAZ0oR/s1600/IMG_3167.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6tOL53AM2Xba9qpuR_SEiFxLoSbm-2sndB2K_7T1TP6NT1TMkNpROiZ_uY9v6UQ3-Hbk9ibmMjolKA1Ltle_nLE8G6nwPTF0WILLUjGOOe7fdKj-bg3Gkwacr_hv5a9wPDwWJCTDAZ0oR/s200/IMG_3167.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Me with the Grade 2-4 Blue Team</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Eli in the front row</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvvfJJv_z6X0MEJmyft-V6GCJBujjkt0kFHd50lRpp5fkHYCmd8_0QlEf87S38-SWqs6r5_r5a1jPmMfmfy5rjFlr6sm4rYiI9Yf-Au0mYIiWfdRuC5XdkaCBWVbGTfqxkFLrwcu1EycBg/s1600/IMG_3146.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvvfJJv_z6X0MEJmyft-V6GCJBujjkt0kFHd50lRpp5fkHYCmd8_0QlEf87S38-SWqs6r5_r5a1jPmMfmfy5rjFlr6sm4rYiI9Yf-Au0mYIiWfdRuC5XdkaCBWVbGTfqxkFLrwcu1EycBg/s320/IMG_3146.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Limbo</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHyLoAm07i_YGdzA_JQEydxmAn27r8Boytg0pUKQFeoG7VjAxVch-GmhqnStj5eJZeM1_lZhyvqWDkJjKvDDQ-cR7_LX3EIMcFM4QOz2YWuAdaQ9sQrHn0Oy_nAdSrSp-BAPcLrzj-XpeJ/s1600/IMG_3151.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHyLoAm07i_YGdzA_JQEydxmAn27r8Boytg0pUKQFeoG7VjAxVch-GmhqnStj5eJZeM1_lZhyvqWDkJjKvDDQ-cR7_LX3EIMcFM4QOz2YWuAdaQ9sQrHn0Oy_nAdSrSp-BAPcLrzj-XpeJ/s320/IMG_3151.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Children entering the Kingdom of God</td></tr>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07969313731357237136noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1494464252820132633.post-40230589317431924302017-02-21T00:17:00.000-06:002017-03-19T22:57:34.149-05:00Life in the Land of the Unexpected: The Story of a Truck Rollover<div class="MsoNormal">
Joel went out as truck driver with a building
team from the Construction and Maintenance Department (CAM) which will be building a
home for the Boyd family, Bible translators in Enga Province. The trip that
should have been about 12 hours’ drive on difficult roads, spread over two
days, ended after just a few hours. The truck hit a pothole, causing the
passenger-side tires to fall off the edge of the road and the top-heavy truck
to turn over onto its passenger side in a grassy ditch.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Thankfully, there were only two very minor injuries. The
construction materials loaded in the back of the truck shifted, but were
undamaged. The truck itself was only slightly damaged. EVERYTHING and EVERYONE
came out essentially unscathed, except maybe Joel’s pride. If you were going to
have a trucking accident, you would want it to happen like this one did.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Our mission center dispatched personnel and security resources,
and a private tow truck arrived several hours later to upright the vehicle. A
trucking company was hired; the CAM team spent 12 hours the next day
transferring the load from our truck to the commercial truck. That vehicle and
the building team headed out to the village the following morning, and it looks
like the build will begin just 24 hours after it was supposed to. <o:p></o:p></div>
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But if you’re like me, you start to ask, “WHY?” God, why did
you allow this to happen? Why all the extra stress, worry and work for so many
people? Why the extra manpower, vehicles and financial resources? Just to have
the build go on as planned, if only a little delayed???<o:p></o:p></div>
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Then, I saw this photo…<o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYU-jX03AbvduzAhN86sf3yXyiDUbzO9QPVaD4AFIKHkzuELbZFUG92oOUMQKn4Q3oHAzlnTMqlXwTfpc7peHHVbLywjWEY4fuuO1pLbQx0wRXHjZhc9ZaL33ZpUcA7sO8fdpgSZ4PQfgN/s1600/IMG_3225.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYU-jX03AbvduzAhN86sf3yXyiDUbzO9QPVaD4AFIKHkzuELbZFUG92oOUMQKn4Q3oHAzlnTMqlXwTfpc7peHHVbLywjWEY4fuuO1pLbQx0wRXHjZhc9ZaL33ZpUcA7sO8fdpgSZ4PQfgN/s320/IMG_3225.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
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That white face under the baseball cap in the midst of all
of those earnest, dark faces is Bible translator Adam Boyd. He’s sitting in the
shade of the upturned truck which carries the makings of his family’s home (for
which they’ve been waiting for YEARS)… and he is sharing about the work of
Bible translation and the importance of God’s Word in the language people
understand best. Making the most of every opportunity.<o:p></o:p></div>
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*THIS* is the GLORY of God. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Sometimes God doesn’t show you what He is up to in the midst
of your difficult circumstances. Sometimes He does.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%;">“For what we preach is not ourselves, but Jesus
Christ as Lord, and ourselves as your servants for Jesus’ sake. For God, who
said, ‘Let light shine out of darkness,’ made his light shine in our hearts to
give us the light of the knowledge of God’s glory displayed in the face of
Christ.” 2 Corinthians 4:5-6</span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07969313731357237136noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1494464252820132633.post-15053121780711541052016-11-16T18:25:00.003-06:002016-11-16T18:25:39.846-06:00Baking Monster Cookies in the VillageDuring the month that our family lived in Awalmade Village, Papua New Guinea, I learned many things about cooking over an open fire. It's not really knowledge that you can explain verbally, you just kind of get a "feel" for it. For example, knowing how hot the fire has to be to cook but not burn, and when do you need to start "turning down" the heat in order to finish things well.<br />
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We made a village pizza by cooking the dough on the first side, then flipping it over, adding the toppings, and covering the skillet to melt the cheese. I have a feeling that if we'd been served this pizza in the U.S., we might've turned our noses up at it. But, in Awalmade Village, it tasted great!!<br />
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<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-3AXvRfo2ewE/WCzuv6BWknI/AAAAAAAAAEg/FdaM_zHI1gs9TdRIJLDBW09zgwZvS94vwCLcB/s1600/pizza.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-3AXvRfo2ewE/WCzuv6BWknI/AAAAAAAAAEg/FdaM_zHI1gs9TdRIJLDBW09zgwZvS94vwCLcB/s320/pizza.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-EgCZoRYfRvE/WCzuwbPaf6I/AAAAAAAAAEo/HoC_jZwc4rAK30_Glwz1u-umLZJciqaggCLcB/s1600/pot%2Boven.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="133" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-EgCZoRYfRvE/WCzuwbPaf6I/AAAAAAAAAEo/HoC_jZwc4rAK30_Glwz1u-umLZJciqaggCLcB/s200/pot%2Boven.jpg" width="200" /></a>This is a pot oven. You put about two inches of sand inside and then set some clean tuna cans on top of that. The sand spreads out and holds the heat from the fire so that there is a more consistent temperature inside the oven. Keep the lid on to hold in the heat and you actually have a pretty decent baking apparatus! It takes a pretty hot fire and some experience to know when it's too hot. That experience comes by trial and error: some of my banana bread loaves were burned on the edges and still raw in the middle. But I eventually caught on.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ZAtZUechr4Y/WCzuwOwsa2I/AAAAAAAAAEk/8xlfk7gIQj4Buaf3anFZwoj0DXD6Na_sgCLcB/s1600/pot%2Boven%2Bw%2Bbread%2Bin%2Bit.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ZAtZUechr4Y/WCzuwOwsa2I/AAAAAAAAAEk/8xlfk7gIQj4Buaf3anFZwoj0DXD6Na_sgCLcB/s320/pot%2Boven%2Bw%2Bbread%2Bin%2Bit.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Baking Bread</td></tr>
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When you're baking in a pot oven, you want to do a lot of baking at once, because once you have the fire right and the oven heated you really want to take advantage of that! Imagine trying to line up all your ingredients and your mixing station on a couple of thin, rough board counter tops. You have to find something to cover all of your dishes with because the flies want to land on everything. You've got sweat dripping from every limb because it's more than 90 degrees and very humid. There's no washing water handy, so you're going to end up using almost every dish you own in the process.<div>
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<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ISlelEe6bSs/WCzuuxQMOUI/AAAAAAAAAEY/m3GTdQftj906mlEcE97WimrmpgkiOUhVgCLcB/s1600/breads.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ISlelEe6bSs/WCzuuxQMOUI/AAAAAAAAAEY/m3GTdQftj906mlEcE97WimrmpgkiOUhVgCLcB/s320/breads.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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On this day, I made three loaves of banana bread, one loaf of sourdough bread, and a batch of my husband's favorite cookies--monster cookies. You can see that the two loaves in the containers have all of the sides and bottom cut off because the edges were burned by the time the middle was done; the pot oven was too hot. I do not recommend baking cookies in the pot oven because you can only bake about 8 at a time so it takes a LOOOOONG time to get them all done. And the chocolate chips were already melted from the climate before they ever went into the oven! </div>
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But, my boys loved them (even without M&M's), so I guess it was worth it!! Thinking back, I think that round of baking took about 6 hours (thankfully, I could fit 2 loaf pans in my oven at once).<br /><br />
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<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-mySK7lJctlM/WCzuuiPn3_I/AAAAAAAAAEU/MPkwpgZH_NY2s3ucyId2QUNmZ5AxTV2kgCLcB/s1600/baking%2Blesson.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-mySK7lJctlM/WCzuuiPn3_I/AAAAAAAAAEU/MPkwpgZH_NY2s3ucyId2QUNmZ5AxTV2kgCLcB/s200/baking%2Blesson.jpg" width="200" /></a>Our was papa (guardian father) LOVED banana bread! So for our last big bung kai (family potluck) in the village, he put out the word and people brought me dozens of bananas so that I could make a lot of banana bread and banana cake for our big get-together. Our PNG family had never done any baking because they didn't have the right utensils or an oven. So, I held a baking lesson in order to get all of that cake ready. They had never read a recipe or measured ingredients, so we had to start with the basics. Most of them took their turn reading the recipe I had translated into Tok Pisin, practicing measuring the ingredients carefully, and mixing things in the order & manner given. It was so fun hearing them give each other reminders and advice as they took their turns. They did a great job! </div>
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Hopefully, they'll be able to remember their lessons because "was papa" told me that if they don't make him banana bread after we left, he was going to call me and tattle on them!!</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The yummy results of our baking lesson</td></tr>
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After all that baking, you get to go cool down in the river as you wash every dish you own!</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1494464252820132633.post-1056772083973982192016-10-15T01:29:00.000-05:002016-10-15T01:29:18.734-05:00Some Things I Learned While Living in a Village in Papua New GuineaI don't know how many items will be on this list.<br />
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It is in no particular order.<br />
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I reserve the right to add more items later after my brain has processed this whole experience for a little while longer.<br />
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1. It's amazingly easy to forget to brush your teeth in the village.<br />
2. You know how when you feel like you have bugs crawling on you and then you can't NOT think about it...yeah...you DO have bugs crawling on you.<br />
3. It gets dark quickly. Start cooking supper early (4:30 at the latest) so you don't have to cook and wash dishes in the river in the dark. If you try to wear a headlamp, humongous flying insects that you've never heard of before will be all over you.<br />
4. Stop fighting the mud. Just stop.<br />
5. Clean is relative. When you wash your self, your laundry, and your dishes in the same river...a stream, really...(see #4)<br />
6. Life without refrigeration is possible. Not nice though.<br />
7. When you finally give up on seeking comfort, you can sleep anywhere. For short, painful periods of time.<br />
8. Fire ants do not care who you are. (See #2)<br />
9. Women in this country are amazing!! and very strong!!<br />
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That is all. For now.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1494464252820132633.post-54752777216934589182016-07-20T04:46:00.000-05:002016-07-20T04:46:21.965-05:00We've Arrived in Papua New Guinea!After working and praying so long toward this, it's actually kind of surreal to BE HERE FINALLY!!<br />
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Here are a few pictures to let our family know we are well and so you can see a little bit of what our situation is like (for a few days anyway), while we wait for training to begin on June 24th.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ewX5jXc6-zk/V49FOSSeg-I/AAAAAAAAADg/qwcxtsDgoy0TGXJiooRH8xat36aKcsnMQCLcB/s1600/IMG_2096.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="219" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ewX5jXc6-zk/V49FOSSeg-I/AAAAAAAAADg/qwcxtsDgoy0TGXJiooRH8xat36aKcsnMQCLcB/s320/IMG_2096.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8px;">The three of us at Madang, Papua New Guinea<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Zo0JNSEppw8/V49FN3mR6iI/AAAAAAAAADY/Yi-dHWiAV_oeZ-sVcYby6AgvXiB3LDW2wCKgB/s1600/IMG_2098.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Zo0JNSEppw8/V49FN3mR6iI/AAAAAAAAADY/Yi-dHWiAV_oeZ-sVcYby6AgvXiB3LDW2wCKgB/s320/IMG_2098.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8px;">The Guest house where we are staying for a few days until training begins.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-XHNSMpIUKiM/V49FODyOBKI/AAAAAAAAADc/wQ0dVKRlrGYjV35jQVNQym2TCwoj-kYEACKgB/s1600/IMG_2099.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-XHNSMpIUKiM/V49FODyOBKI/AAAAAAAAADc/wQ0dVKRlrGYjV35jQVNQym2TCwoj-kYEACKgB/s320/IMG_2099.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The view from our porch</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-gcmmmsCEVGI/V49FOqZSqRI/AAAAAAAAADk/CTywaZLHjKkPK6aeizY9ghwJ5QO2NUwVACKgB/s1600/IMG_2100.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-gcmmmsCEVGI/V49FOqZSqRI/AAAAAAAAADk/CTywaZLHjKkPK6aeizY9ghwJ5QO2NUwVACKgB/s320/IMG_2100.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Joel and Eli chillin'</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8px;">Pizza with a view<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8px;">Kitchen<br />
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1494464252820132633.post-30643331378401805762016-06-29T19:51:00.002-05:002016-06-29T19:51:40.767-05:00Our Commissioning Service & Send-Off PartyThe past two weekends, we experienced new milestones in our journey to Papua New Guinea: our commissioning service and a send-off open house. We are so blessed to have so many people who care for us and serve us by participating in our Wycliffe ministry in these ways!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhl3iOpyoPwb3l_SmJHclHj-sbkVRrjFGPRb3u2j_QXy01YR1R1q0hvmP9HqA15PYB2JtMul4hjVs2V2oupa6Ll-MBwJqWgODFY503zGpvRueH6yDJO8Z_wuWIVBQuYV3DDaSzS-27Mim_/s1600/IMG_6929.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhl3iOpyoPwb3l_SmJHclHj-sbkVRrjFGPRb3u2j_QXy01YR1R1q0hvmP9HqA15PYB2JtMul4hjVs2V2oupa6Ll-MBwJqWgODFY503zGpvRueH6yDJO8Z_wuWIVBQuYV3DDaSzS-27Mim_/s320/IMG_6929.JPG" width="320" /></a>On June 19th, the Evangelical Free Church of Marshalltown commissioned us as the first missionaries from our own church family who will go out as full-time, foreign missionaries. Our pastors and elders shared some scripture and prayed for us as we "go". Though we are the first to go as foreign missionaries, we are not E Free's first efforts in making Christ known to the nations! We are so proud of our church family and their heart for the nations; AND we feel very privileged to represent our spiritual family as we begin our work in Papua New Guinea.<br />
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And, we were so grateful to have our grown children, Cady & Lucas (& wife, Alyssa); our grandchildren, Lily & Henry; Tina's parents, Sam & Karen Herkelman; and Tina's great-uncle & great-aunt, Delbert & Darlene Eakins; present to witness and participate in our commissioning. THANK YOU for supporting us and sending us with your blessings!!<br />
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When Pastor Bob invited anyone who wanted to join us on the stage to pray for us and symbolically lay hands on us...WOW! It was overwhelming and turned into a big bawl-fest!!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-X1y-v7pKS_ulhrd4VLUd7xsdkMdPNzLxPk6CA0ywrk8oxcQkv9niK9LASeEICff6WLoFzasPCs5Pv64mllr67zNMnceWMjZola3G-O1asUYj75QoFZsvRl2kxCIah_YROtLOdn-tRbbB/s1600/IMG_6999.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="138" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-X1y-v7pKS_ulhrd4VLUd7xsdkMdPNzLxPk6CA0ywrk8oxcQkv9niK9LASeEICff6WLoFzasPCs5Pv64mllr67zNMnceWMjZola3G-O1asUYj75QoFZsvRl2kxCIah_YROtLOdn-tRbbB/s320/IMG_6999.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
This past Sunday, June 26th, we had a "farewell" open house and ice cream party. We estimate around 150 people stopped by to give us a word of encouragement, a hug, and to send us on our way. WOW!! It was so wonderful to see so many friends, partners, and loved ones on one day!!<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We were able to get a picture with almost everyone who <br />stopped by to see us. What fun! This is one of my favorites <br />because of Yohan's sideways look at Joel! :)</td></tr>
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We were afraid we would cry a lot with all of the goodbyes, but, really, it was just such a sweet, sweet blessing to see everyone!<br />
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THANK YOU to everyone who attended. THANK YOU to everyone who donated ice cream toppings. THANK YOU to our small group, the Tweedys, and the Mattsons for their help in serving us and all of our guests.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSW_018BjJ2feo8mU0P-SoC7FzmEVePjxm7ZrI9nJUGpCobhpRgm5x7eLZ3rfYYAzdOCmT0JGiPIpoqXCwanrimX1sATkHxPE8jCWOa0ZqcDRnfiuHB5ivRzfn2AH_IkpjGQbu5uVyIc-a/s1600/IMG_6966.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSW_018BjJ2feo8mU0P-SoC7FzmEVePjxm7ZrI9nJUGpCobhpRgm5x7eLZ3rfYYAzdOCmT0JGiPIpoqXCwanrimX1sATkHxPE8jCWOa0ZqcDRnfiuHB5ivRzfn2AH_IkpjGQbu5uVyIc-a/s400/IMG_6966.JPG" width="374" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lily & Henry enjoying the party!</td></tr>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07969313731357237136noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1494464252820132633.post-84128987249347176732015-08-04T14:31:00.000-05:002015-08-04T14:38:57.226-05:00Good-byes and Good HellosWell, we have officially finished the first transition in our journey to Papua New Guinea! We have sold and moved out of our acreage home and have moved into a cute little rental home in Marshalltown. When we were at our Equip training in Orlando in June, they taught us the importance of saying good good-byes so that you can say good hellos. So far, so "good".<br />
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Here is a little of the photo record of this part of the journey:<br />
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We said good-bye to the swing set, rope swing, barn, camp fire and our house of 8 years.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZrCDk3oR5gE_ZSgXlWu8gN_wTGnzUnreN2SZTA2GX_qE4Ijvt87aNHL0hnZb9rOHt_yP9ko-M_HpjVCPvuuKcD4F4jjIb178gHCjUSDBdr_9mZY6CxAns_TbwiVuQs4lSK-Ksjw0orwbc/s1600/100_7424.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZrCDk3oR5gE_ZSgXlWu8gN_wTGnzUnreN2SZTA2GX_qE4Ijvt87aNHL0hnZb9rOHt_yP9ko-M_HpjVCPvuuKcD4F4jjIb178gHCjUSDBdr_9mZY6CxAns_TbwiVuQs4lSK-Ksjw0orwbc/s320/100_7424.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Good-bye swing set</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgD_o59RU7PGwSeR_7Q5cXT5lt8FOQwCxX-CvLL3Nyx8VMBJ3fQKvcv_azU0SMksJQRUo5EzIz1oHIggnxVkcMaVy3JpAYylrFwjTlVV41AgWpIYWz80icYNj3IBQTqrVyXnO_KILhMo2Mk/s1600/IMG_1013.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgD_o59RU7PGwSeR_7Q5cXT5lt8FOQwCxX-CvLL3Nyx8VMBJ3fQKvcv_azU0SMksJQRUo5EzIz1oHIggnxVkcMaVy3JpAYylrFwjTlVV41AgWpIYWz80icYNj3IBQTqrVyXnO_KILhMo2Mk/s320/IMG_1013.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Getting ready to jump onto the rope swing</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvKH9ZAVDXFkxjOcN7ORynaPzOteoPDjTtWbfNgLOzF918UyrRRefgF8_r0Rkm57zfqEzvowxdXsWapOSeq7ufdlH8LxowQgAvdYpoF2P5vxUNR4C0qYYybBkBWVNDXpiwSpJC6anqBJ4w/s1600/IMG_1051.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvKH9ZAVDXFkxjOcN7ORynaPzOteoPDjTtWbfNgLOzF918UyrRRefgF8_r0Rkm57zfqEzvowxdXsWapOSeq7ufdlH8LxowQgAvdYpoF2P5vxUNR4C0qYYybBkBWVNDXpiwSpJC6anqBJ4w/s320/IMG_1051.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Good-bye camp fire</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh48zDIZWjX2RcP5L7x-V_zjkBQx1hloY7mvaV3ggGQnJXzaYGfI9jVyVMiv5_cLaY3qdf7J9j2d2uOxQ9Wb7YzZ91-_On62FFIOkaLvAsAPf_Qe0CISLcvV6-5v75fAHpmyG9UQRcYcLIs/s1600/IMG_1047.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh48zDIZWjX2RcP5L7x-V_zjkBQx1hloY7mvaV3ggGQnJXzaYGfI9jVyVMiv5_cLaY3qdf7J9j2d2uOxQ9Wb7YzZ91-_On62FFIOkaLvAsAPf_Qe0CISLcvV6-5v75fAHpmyG9UQRcYcLIs/s320/IMG_1047.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Wonderful friends from church helping us move</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivd2gTcLdtBLcEygrzcYV-LtVB05GrNIVL5fLFGmkkRKQRM8LY14CjR39y4hm26OkBU0VDs465JG2bvzaKBTgqedS3N6kGoeguFLhnUbMwGIx0Wt8r8ZYcsfvY1yVC2biLvtBxBJ2-eQ9m/s1600/100_7369.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivd2gTcLdtBLcEygrzcYV-LtVB05GrNIVL5fLFGmkkRKQRM8LY14CjR39y4hm26OkBU0VDs465JG2bvzaKBTgqedS3N6kGoeguFLhnUbMwGIx0Wt8r8ZYcsfvY1yVC2biLvtBxBJ2-eQ9m/s320/100_7369.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Good-bye acreage & home</td></tr>
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We have enjoyed our hellos to our cute little rental home in Marshalltown. We get to attend last-minute programs at the library, 40 minute grocery shopping trips (as opposed to almost 2 hours), walks on a sidewalk, chatting with neighbors, and a 10-minute drive to church! We have already been able to host two different couples in our home for dinner, in just the past week!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzZG7sf9cFYhCqHRF9DlRyHG9cqTYbvjbR1OhMvIpVMNFFxA8mmOunAs1y__42f9chrihYEbBe7QL43qKnhBj-y2GBBgZLKbAI-uxkL39z1zhoMu5lTIHf_2oSGmIdrRCMMwVo0PErm0UP/s1600/100_7463.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzZG7sf9cFYhCqHRF9DlRyHG9cqTYbvjbR1OhMvIpVMNFFxA8mmOunAs1y__42f9chrihYEbBe7QL43qKnhBj-y2GBBgZLKbAI-uxkL39z1zhoMu5lTIHf_2oSGmIdrRCMMwVo0PErm0UP/s320/100_7463.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our temporary little place</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzolPJU7j0l9h2y9ckShFnnYzCVwFN3tkCCwhFdICM9XOOuipj5MnGQMiisJD9YI7WyUBcojrsrPz3On7gfNppqdcpAfsXh466GIEMMf96Eir9TWU4WwZse8BPTFktvqIlFc9N1mj_Oc96/s1600/100_7464.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzolPJU7j0l9h2y9ckShFnnYzCVwFN3tkCCwhFdICM9XOOuipj5MnGQMiisJD9YI7WyUBcojrsrPz3On7gfNppqdcpAfsXh466GIEMMf96Eir9TWU4WwZse8BPTFktvqIlFc9N1mj_Oc96/s320/100_7464.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Eli chatting with our across-the-street neighbor</td></tr>
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Eli is enjoying long summer days playing with friends for the first time in his life. I think this is his favorite part of the move (and it blesses his mama's heart too). These boys are almost as crazy as he is!! He spends as much of every day as he can with them.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzY6qve7kP_1iCmMxt7YBmduH1397xnyb2uCyoNZRGEpd_9ssRJ2EGnea3BvuWtZEWYLhcnyQrz-zCB1UcV9wmwmfNyfbwUrVGy-LDbG3N29X3mygx4g1hhwmW4reXuL13eIeSR56VlU8n/s1600/100_7461.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzY6qve7kP_1iCmMxt7YBmduH1397xnyb2uCyoNZRGEpd_9ssRJ2EGnea3BvuWtZEWYLhcnyQrz-zCB1UcV9wmwmfNyfbwUrVGy-LDbG3N29X3mygx4g1hhwmW4reXuL13eIeSR56VlU8n/s320/100_7461.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Eli with Charlie & Kyan...his nearly constant companions!</td></tr>
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And...HE GETS TO GO OUT FOR FOOTBALL!!! That is one happy boy right there!<br />
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"Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past.<br />See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it?"<br />Isaiah 43:18-19</h3>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07969313731357237136noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1494464252820132633.post-70270424605420188762015-07-15T21:34:00.001-05:002015-07-15T21:34:46.436-05:00One More Step Down the Road...<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcAjfqnA7JKAK3Y6hE0RsRpZBkik3uwHxm6GzAHUBMOZd6ghsERC7iIBO_utI1lMKjJeSWLnUwFHqXcIpv_9CFAgFK1_baeHtfKezrQnQpdJ7vk9nDnzyYoDnOYcGED0jrTlaFSxQ-qXg4/s1600/100_7436.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcAjfqnA7JKAK3Y6hE0RsRpZBkik3uwHxm6GzAHUBMOZd6ghsERC7iIBO_utI1lMKjJeSWLnUwFHqXcIpv_9CFAgFK1_baeHtfKezrQnQpdJ7vk9nDnzyYoDnOYcGED0jrTlaFSxQ-qXg4/s320/100_7436.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Joel digging with the backhoe for the septic tank</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Eli looking on while they work</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">The septic tank is installed...</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Our portion of the house </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">trim is done... </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Must be time to move! We will be moving to our temporary, rental home in Marshalltown this Saturday. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">One more step on our journey to Papua New Guinea!</span><br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07969313731357237136noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1494464252820132633.post-17332376802029144422015-07-08T15:36:00.003-05:002015-07-08T15:37:55.213-05:00"We've Never Heard This Story Before!"At a Good Friday service in 1980, Leonard Bolioki stepped to the front of
the church he attended in Cameroon and began to read the story of
Jesus’ crucifixion. Always before, this passage from John’s Gospel had
been read in French, but this time the priest had asked Leonard to read
it in the local language, Yambetta.<br />
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As he read, he became aware of a growing stillness; then some of the
older women began to weep.<br />
At the end of the service they rushed up to
Leonard and asked, “Where did you find this story? We have never
heard anything like it before! We didn’t know there was someone who
loved us so much that he was willing to suffer and die like that… to be
crucified on a cross to save us!”<br />
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Leonard pulled out his French New Testament and showed them that the story was in the Bible. “We
listen to this Passion Story every year during Holy Week,” he told them, but they insisted that they’d never
heard it before. That, says Leonard, is what motivated him to translate the Scriptures into the only
language his people could really understand—Yambetta!<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJOI95HL6xelppRj79XvnmTeyPSx3tf4vl5Iq81hTkudLZiZsG8yPDnutmytP4ZZcKyhk6gPQrqbSWPziD8iXLJOgJb1ono6FAvj_PgzPXglW2QOxwV9KNmAYDX7pO6tfhaDiBmhUNLAtl/s1600/Small_20100112-IMG_8688+copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="133" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJOI95HL6xelppRj79XvnmTeyPSx3tf4vl5Iq81hTkudLZiZsG8yPDnutmytP4ZZcKyhk6gPQrqbSWPziD8iXLJOgJb1ono6FAvj_PgzPXglW2QOxwV9KNmAYDX7pO6tfhaDiBmhUNLAtl/s200/Small_20100112-IMG_8688+copy.jpg" width="200" /></a><br />
Leonard had to work full-time to support his family, and for many years, he could only translate when he found free moments. By 2008, Leonard and other Yambettas had drafted just 35% of the New Testament.<br />
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And then in 2008, the Seed Company picked up the project and began providing funds for training, equipment, and living expenses for Leonard and his team of translators and literacy teachers. In addition, SIL Cameroon was also able to assign someone to work alongside them as a consultant. Completion of the New Testament is anticipated in 2016!!!<br />
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Leonard says, "I took it upon myself to translate for my people this Word of God that gives life. From 1980 on, this goal remained uncertain. But now, I can see the realization of this dream and I can only be happy--VERY happy! May this Word of Life that has saved many people from other language groups also save the Yambetta people!"<br />
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Wycliffe Bible Translators, with its many global partners (including SIL and The Seed Company), desires to see God's Word accessible to all people in a language that speaks to their heart.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07969313731357237136noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1494464252820132633.post-38906969491772295382015-06-28T19:24:00.002-05:002015-06-28T19:24:33.622-05:00The Story of How God Sold Our HouseIt was a Friday evening, around the middle of March, and we had <u>just</u> sat down to eat dinner. A pick-up truck that neither of us recognized pulled into our "farm" yard. Joel got up from the table and went outside to speak to the two men who came to the door. They walked out to our outbuildings and looked around for about an hour.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2uH113ocLoVyTsxUaQ5ApGm92omQfhk1W5Ptn8vBVfnLdUaIpLJqIjWkXDhpeVhXy3nkquSwZCVrMkKRQdSqUck2N9v_yRi0qcwoQL3f7Ly6mafSAgpx3ZQuSMT9JcfNbLWDxwhxzx60l/s1600/100_7369.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2uH113ocLoVyTsxUaQ5ApGm92omQfhk1W5Ptn8vBVfnLdUaIpLJqIjWkXDhpeVhXy3nkquSwZCVrMkKRQdSqUck2N9v_yRi0qcwoQL3f7Ly6mafSAgpx3ZQuSMT9JcfNbLWDxwhxzx60l/s320/100_7369.JPG" width="320" /></a>When Joel finally came into the house, I asked, "Who was that? And what was that all about?" He went on to tell me that it was a local farmer who was interested in renting & modifying two of our hog buildings for raising bottle calves. Joel said, "I told him what we will be doing with Wycliffe and that the whole place will be for sale soon...I told him he should just buy the whole place."<br />
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To make a long story short, we had several conversations with the farmer over the coming two weeks which resulted in us agreeing to rent the buildings to him and him agreeing to put the word out for us that our acreage would soon be for sale.<br />
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Well, it didn't take long! The very next day after that final conversation, the farmer's partner called us to ask permission to give our phone number to a young man who was looking to buy an acreage. We said "yes", the young man called five minutes later and set up an appointment to see the house two days later. He really liked the acreage, but had just graduated from high school and didn't really have the means or credit to get a mortgage.<br />
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But...about 10 days later, he told one of the employees of his family's farm who came right away to see the place and made us an offer about a week later. We asked God to make the negotiation easy and the answer to that prayer was that this young couple offered us exactly what we wanted to sell the house for!<br />
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4OnPqCx8biyGnN9KCN-ZgnPKulJk2RHxvkoLVmblwAtF2zL7BxUGIDeCehSRqZNGKOaqGKzPBCuXRKcom-j6CdkT1jssfENvTkzQhLQvrMWx1U8wilJTY5joYuwEUpo0jHO0h6cbeJINo/s1600/100_7368.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4OnPqCx8biyGnN9KCN-ZgnPKulJk2RHxvkoLVmblwAtF2zL7BxUGIDeCehSRqZNGKOaqGKzPBCuXRKcom-j6CdkT1jssfENvTkzQhLQvrMWx1U8wilJTY5joYuwEUpo0jHO0h6cbeJINo/s320/100_7368.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Some of our friends "adopted" our goats & chickens</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
We have really enjoyed getting to know this young couple who will be buying our place. We are so pleased that they are going to use it as an active farm for their small cattle operation. We feel like we are leaving our place in great hands!<br />
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07969313731357237136noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1494464252820132633.post-19749037875604315212015-05-02T10:52:00.001-05:002015-05-02T13:06:33.589-05:00A Life-Giving ShadowThis morning, I was standing with my hands in dishwater, look out the kitchen window at the tractors driving by, the new greenness of the grass and the leaves and blooms coming on the apple and pear trees we planted last year. My mind was all over the place: <i>how will this meeting to negotiate the sale of our house go tonight?...well, we're never going to get to enjoy the fruit from those trees...I love this time of year, except missing my husband...just think, you'll have to wash <u>all </u>the dishes by hand in PNG...dang, I was going to start laundry first...</i><br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbdxwKKZaCqswyjMRDMu0ulbUDxmezaR6ipdA9SXCOBc9dMZHmM_RHwweh2yrVMOImh-jq_qAH6fu32VAsZO_aZEtuunIy0yea6UsF4UkjeD2x5iYLfxJum21o_jJmCJrtSnGqv3wZ81mo/s1600/100_7340.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbdxwKKZaCqswyjMRDMu0ulbUDxmezaR6ipdA9SXCOBc9dMZHmM_RHwweh2yrVMOImh-jq_qAH6fu32VAsZO_aZEtuunIy0yea6UsF4UkjeD2x5iYLfxJum21o_jJmCJrtSnGqv3wZ81mo/s1600/100_7340.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The view out my kitchen window <br />
(see those baby trees back there behind the big one?)</td></tr>
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Then, in the midst of this whirlwind in my brain, I felt the warmth of the sun shining in the window and saw its brightness and the beauty and life it brings to everything. I was overwhelmed with the thought that God's glory and warmth and life giving power make the sun look like a shadow. Is His glory the sun magnified 100 times? 1000 times? more? He created that sun for life and as a shadow-image of Himself. It is REALLY His glory, light and power that gives life to all things.<br />
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We are on the cusp of selling our house about 4 months sooner than we had planned. But, we can't just pack everything up like we're moving to a new house and life goes on as normal after we unpack. We have to decide on every possession: what are we getting rid of? what will we put into storage in the U.S.? what do we need to have to live for the next six months? what will we ship to PNG?<br />
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Then there's the phone calls and e mails: dealing with the county sanitarian's office; scheduling septic inspection/installation; setting up new bank accounts; oh! by the way...here's the paperwork you need to begin to get your work permits and visas started, because that takes six months. We are supposed to be spending at least 6 hours weekly together on an online training we have for Wycliffe, but that's a problem because Joel is working 12-15 hours daily. Get stuff ready for ABF this week. You didn't email about small group meeting this week (that's not going to happen).<br />
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Yeah. And I feel like I'm alone because my husband is working 12-15 hours daily. (Did I already mention that?) I wept after talking to one of my grown kids on the phone this week. WEPT. Could not stop.<br />
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And to top it all off, Eli says to me at bedtime, "Mom, last year's Christmas was the last one we'll have in this house." I answered, "Yep, buddy. It sure was. It was our last one and we didn't even know it."<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-Mr647b7NWpQhUbJLjRYCF_p1-HoboJ8s0rM3Qj53JMR-GZFpLuxce8iq9KkmAom8XCJY7vzaCplZzZW-GU_SWS7A7PPE8_PFbNV9GZr0caxrxIdvd2q5X_Kf6v_34Ed75GcgyYMzEh3B/s1600/100_5497.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-Mr647b7NWpQhUbJLjRYCF_p1-HoboJ8s0rM3Qj53JMR-GZFpLuxce8iq9KkmAom8XCJY7vzaCplZzZW-GU_SWS7A7PPE8_PFbNV9GZr0caxrxIdvd2q5X_Kf6v_34Ed75GcgyYMzEh3B/s1600/100_5497.JPG" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 12.8000001907349px;">All our kids at Christmas (2011)</span></td></tr>
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Where will we spend next Christmas? In our "temporary" rental house in Marshalltown? Will we be staying with friends or family by then because we will have needed to get rid of all of our belongings?<br />
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I don't know.<br />
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But what I do know, is that the God who created the sun to be a shadow-image of Himself will be with me and will be give me light and warmth and LIFE no matter where we are and no matter our circumstances.<br />
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I need to keep SONbathing.<br />
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"<i>The sun will no more be your light by day, nor will the brightness of the moon shine on you, for the LORD will be your everlasting light, and your God will be your glory." Isaiah 60:19</i><br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07969313731357237136noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1494464252820132633.post-335203076869092182015-03-02T16:43:00.000-06:002015-03-02T16:43:55.800-06:00It's Official!Well, it's official! As of yesterday, March 1st, we are officially members/employees of Wycliffe Bible Translators! Now the work begins! We have begun getting e mails about our ministry budget, coaches, Equip training and I'm sure there are many more to come! To tell you the truth, it's a little overwhelming. But, we are trusting that Wycliffe has excellent, professional and capable people who know what they are doing and will help us along the way. And there is a looooong way to go!Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07969313731357237136noreply@blogger.com0