Our humble abode...

Here is Tom sitting on our porch over looking the "pickle pond" while he's pondering the intricacies of the English vs Metric system of measurement. I'm impressed with his ability to figure all that out.

The folks on the center spent a great deal of time remodeling this apartment for our use. It was gutted and completely redone! It's quite comfortable and inviting. Even the local "wildlife" agree...if you get my drift. The tropics do have different critters who aren't aware that it's not polite to just barge in where they're not wanted! I've moved rather quickly a time or two, propelled only by the adrenaline that the squeals (shrieks?) produced!

Everything is brand new and common things are quite different ...like the electrical, the toilets ...that kind of thing. Oh, they work great, just differently. I've found that that which I know isn't the only way. It is so easy to believe, unknowingly, of course, that our way is what is real. We've all seen pictures on the news, in movies, and certainly National Geographic, about things and conditions "over there". We acquiecse and go about our business. But we don't really believe it, because it's not, well, it's not real... to us anyway...ah, but I digress :-)

We love our home away from home and are deeply grateful for all who spent so much time preparing for our arrival. Bless you all!

For those of you who might not know ~

As responses have come in from our emails about our travels, we have found not everyone knows what on earth is going on! A little update:

It has long been a dream of ours to be involved in foreign missions and because, for various reasons we did not go, we participated on the sending, praying and giving end. It just so happened that through a variety of avenues and circumstances, it was clear that the Lord would have us come to Papua New Guinea to volunteer with New Tribes Mission (NTM) for 3 months this winter...and volunteering we are!

October 8: Left home. On the road, visited a church, friends and family; every one, a loved one!

November 2: Flight #'s 1 and 2. San Francisco to Cairns, AU via Auckland, NZ. -22 hours;

November 4: Tree Tops Lodge, Cairns, for 26 hours of rest. (Int'l dateline in there somewhere!

November 5: Flight #3. Boarded a plane for PNG's capital city, met by NTM government reps who walked us through customs, visas and changing planes. The airport and boarding area little resembles what we know!

Flight #4. Successfully changed planes...whew...our luggage is with us this far!

2:00 pm: Arrived at our desitnation, sans luggage! Throngs of Citizens behind a locked gate waiting for all of us, the plane's luggage stacked on a crude large table behind security (a chain link fence with gate), luggage checked by security and folks let out a few at a time.

There they are! Wayne and Loma Morris and Carl and Donna Sheetz! We can't wait to give them a big hug as we're swept away in their Land Rover!

It's been a whirlwind and we are so happy to finally be here. The sights, sounds and smells are truly a world apart. We have lots to learn and are ready for what the Lord has for us, how He'll use us, and find new ways to glorify His name and purposes. Thank you all for your continued prayers!