Autumn (almost 2.5)

Ride around Lake Sentani

A while ago Phil joined some others for the day to take a motorbike ride around Lake Sentani. I was a teensy bit jealous. I had my own scooter-style bike until recently (though neither my bike nor I would have been up to this ride). We decided that my riding it wasn't worth the various risks that seem to have been on the increase around town over the last couple of years, so now I just use the car and we rent the bike out to raise some cash for our work here.

Reuben's First Day of School



Looking a little unsure, Reuben finds his locker. At the end of the first week he announced: Good school! There are 10 kids in his class, from Indonesia, Australia, US, Canada and Korea.

Sekolah Papua Harapan


Soren's 1st Grade teacher Dewi came to visit him when he was sick for two weeks and unable to go to school. It wasn't malaria or anything dramatic, just a cough/cold virus thing with fever that lasted a whole week. Soren has now moved to the International School for 2nd Grade; we're glad to still see Dewi at church on Sundays.

Soren's last day at Sekolah Papua Harapan. Mum blubbered her way through the exit parent-teacher interview, grateful for Soren's two years there, and sad that it was coming to an end. Reuben was a bit too young to start Kindergarten there, so rather than holding him back a year, we put him into Kindergarten at the International School.

Al fresco dining


I bought this outdoor setting for about AU$40 and now we actually use our lovely front porch. I like to send Soren and Reuben out there for lunch. Reuben is pretending to be a dog waiting for his supper.


Reuben and Gaby enjoying some of Reuben's 5th birthday cake.

School pick up


Yes indeed, this is the trusty bridge I cross twice daily to pick up Soren from school. There was a detour set up for a while, until someone decided that it was safe enough to use again.

Rainbow Warrior


Greenpeace's Rainbow Warrior came to Papua! They weren't protesting, but promoting the beauty of Papua's vast wilderness and the importance of protecting it. Guin's sister Thom and Nic's friend Val, whom we had met in Sydney, was part of the crew and gave us a tour. Cool thing was, cousins Otto and Esther had just been on the very same ship in Sydney a few days before. A strange sensation, having this sudden connection with, but still being so very far from, our family.





Current forest (top) and proposed logging (bottom). Ouch!