Village Life

Drying chocolate seeds to sell.

Weaving sago leaves to make a roof.



A nice spot for Phil to sleep in the village men's meeting hut.

Fresh, mountain spring water via bamboo piping.

The elderly don't go to nursing homes, or live alone, they live with their extended family. This lady is 104.

Fetching water from the river or village pipe.

Cooking food for the family pigs.

Survey team: Phil, Jacob and Yuliana.

Karate

I thought this was such a beautiful photo I had to post it. Before we left for furlough Phil and Soren were doing karate together with some other families. Pak Frans on the right is the Sensei.

Back in Papua

Back to Papua meant back to playing in the dirt..

..and worming everyone every few months..


..back to our lovely Indonesian home..

..and back to work. Here is Agus, Nehemia and Penina whom Phil is mentoring, at a Writer's Workshop, learning basic skills needed for translation work.

The Nimboran and Mlap crew.

These men are from the Mee people. They don't have a facilitator for their language, but through the generosity of a couple of friends we were able to help them get to this workshop.

Phil teaching computer skills to Agus.

Perth then Bali

On our way back to Papua we stayed two days in Perth, to connect with a church there that partners with us. We stayed with lovely friends Emily and James and their two kids Talia and Toby. Our kids didn't cope so well with yet another transition, and I was struggling with symptoms of an overactive thyroid and Autumn and I didn't really sleep. But! we loved getting to know our hosts a bit better, and meeting the wonderful group who pray for us, catching up with some old friends from college and fish & chips (the best--and most expensive--I've ever had) at the beach.

To get to Papua you have to stop at Jakarta or Bali, and Bali is the obvious choice. We extended our stay to 10 days, because we were so exhausted, and because Guin needed to see an endocrinologist to sort out her thyroid problem. So, in between blood tests, chasing the results and seeing doctors, we had a holiday of sleeping, TV, swimming, eating and reading.



The flight to Papua leaves in the middle of the night. The whole process with small children, no sleep and a ridiculous amount of luggage is a killer, but quickly forgotten.