7 April
A week ago Manot, one of our work team died from a liver issue. Almost our whole construction crew of 50 plus people walked to his hauskrai (memorial service). To get to his village we had to cross the Ba'ae river on this WW2 era (or older) bridge.
24 March 2024
Laura and a friend of ours got their licenses renewed this week in Kainantu.
March 17, 2024
This bird!
March 10, 2024
Alas! Soccer season is over but it has been super fun!
March 3, 2024
 |
| Coaching soccer has been really fun, especially with my daughter on the team. Here she got a foot cramp right as we got home from practice. Of course Laura couldn't resist taking a picture. |
Feb 25, 2024
Snapshot of the week is actually 4 shots from our 8th grade field trip to Lae with 24 8th-graders. As usual, there will always be some adventure just on the drive. Here the river jumped its bank and flowed across the Highlands highway!
Feb 18, 2024
Oct 22, 2023
First Aid and CPR training day! Thanks, Bonnie, for teaching us!
August 6, 2023
Our house from a drone shot!!
August 13, 2023
This village line brought a huge group to dig a ditch for us. We had to put in a drain pipe really low on our new well, because it's artesian and it flows all the way up to the surface. I’ve never seen so many people for a project like this. They completed a 7 foot deep ditch as long as these two houses in three hours! It was truly amazing.
August 20, 2023Our team just completed our clinic’s new ER/treatment room! There is another section with a matching bed on the opposite side of the room. Next we will be building them a new ultrasound room. Stay tuned!
July 30, 2023
I (Matt) was on call last weekend and had to rebuild this water trough for some of our cows. If you are wondering why we have cows, read the link below. It was raining as I finished. The frustrationg part was, after I showed the cows where the water was, they imediately all began drinking the muddy water flowing under the fence. I guess the old adage is right; “You can lead a cow to water, but you can’t keep him from drinking the nasty water right next to it.”.
July 23, 2023
Fire safety Day at work. Our fire department came down to show our team different ways to put out a fire. Thanks to our Fire Dept!
July 16, 2023
Photo by Andrew Good. Friends graciously picked up some pork shoulder for us in the port city of Lae this weekend! Gonna be great on the homemade smoker at some future date!
July 9, 2023
Photo by John Craig
View from the roof of our thatched roof hauswin, looking over our house. Ah, the beauty!! It’s great to be back in this beautiful country!
July 2, 2023
June 25, 2023
Here we are, after 3 flights, in Singapore. We got stranded here for 4.5 extra days but we got to enjoy this wonderful city!
June 18, 2023
It has been nearly 3.5 years since we had a snapshot Sunday. We just realized that the last posting was the day Matt’s mother died. After that the world went crazy. It seemed fitting for us to use a family picture. This is the day that we flew back to PNG for the fourth term!
January 19, 2020
Matt had the privilege of driving these joyful children to and from VBS this past week and I got to ride along one day and snap this photo. It was amazing to see how many people could fit into one truck!
January 12, 2020
I think that if Grayson were to make a New Year's resolution, it would be to climb higher and higher trees!
January 5, 2020
Matt and Grayson invited a bunch of the fourth grade boys and their dads to come out and play a game of soccer this past weekend. Grayson got a new soccer all for Christmas, so he had to break it in! It was a HOT morning, but they had a lot of fun! We're so thankful for all of the friends our kids have here.
December 29, 2019
January 12, 2020
January 5, 2020
December 29, 2019
Merry Christmas, from Papua New Guinea! Rainy season officially started today with a big rain, which we were very thankful for because one of our water tanks was completely empty and the other one only had inches left!
December 22, 2019
December 22, 2019
Have we mentioned that we love our dog, Luna?
December 15, 2019
December 8, 2019
This is my attempt at a selfie with some of my friends at a Christmas gathering this week. We all miss our families back "home" in our home-countries, but getting together to celebrate the holidays makes this time of year special in its own way. It was fun to kick off the Christmas season!
December 1, 2019
Matt brought home the most creative bouquet from the market today! The girl who made it modeled a pineapple shape out of clay and stuck the flowers in it to make this beautiful creation!
November 24, 2019
We had a very warm Thanksgiving dinner with two other families this year. It probably looked a bit different from yours, but in many ways it was probably the same - lots of good food and time with loved ones!
November 17, 2019
To end our science unit on sunshine and shadows, my first grade class make shadow-puppets and put on shadow plays for each other. It was so fun to hear their stories, which mostly involved cats and dogs fighting and people meeting new friends!
November 10, 2019
It finally came! After 5 months of waiting, our shipment has arrived! We always pack a shipment of supplies for our 3-year term here and it came just in time because we just ran out of shampoo, toothpaste, and lotion! We can sometimes buy those items at our store, but they're usually pretty expensive and there may only be one or two options. We're so thankful everything got here safely!
November 3, 2019
 |
| Brianna, with the other 7th grade girls. Can you tell they're excited to be going somewhere off-center! |
Brianna and I spent the last three days on the Middle School field trip to Lae! Let me tell you something...middle schoolers are much different from the first graders that I'm used to being around! It was a lot of fun to get to see Brianna interacting with her peers.
 |
| Listening to a devotional from their math teacher before heading out on a factory tour. |
October 27, 2019
Yes, I am biased...but isn't he the cutest beach dude ever?! The middle- and high-schoolers put on our annual Carnival this weekend and the them was "Beach Party"! There were games, yummy foods, and an auction, with proceeds partly going to support the YWCA in PNG. This was Brianna's first year to work at Carvinal, but she still had some breaks to have fun with her friends. She worked in the cafe.
October 20, 2019
One of our good friends, Anita McCarthy, who also happens to be a parent of one of my students, is an amazing photographer and has captured some of Brianna and Grayson's moments at school this year so far. Here are a few of her photos:
October 6, 2019
A few years ago, Matt and my brother-in-law invented a new game: Soccer Tennis! They usually play it on a tennis court, but over the past couple of weeks Matt has gathered a group of friends to play at our center's outdoor volleyball courts. They lower the net and...voila! A soccer tennis court! Maybe it should be called Soccer Volleyball because they play with similar rules to volleyball.
September 29, 2019
One of my students' favorite things to do is to share their writing with their classmates. When we first came to Papua New Guinea, we didn't have any technology in our classrooms - but now we have projectors and document cameras! They have had a great impact on teaching and learning in my classroom!
September 22, 2019
These are the ladies that work Matt's office at our CAM department (Construction and Maintenance). They dressed up for Independence Day! These ladies are as beautiful on the inside as they are on the outside, and Matt and the other missionaries here could not do their jobs without them!
September 15, 2019
It's Independence Day in Papua New Guinea tomorrow! Several of my students dressed up on Friday to celebrate. PNG is a young country, having gained its independence from Australia on September 16, 1975!
September 8, 2019
This is the giant caterpillar that lives in our front yard...with a bit of a makeover! Matt and the kids picked flowers to decorate it today. It was fun to see people walk by and talk about it - it brought a lot of smiles to their faces!
September 1, 2019
This past Friday was Sports Day at the primary campus of our school and Grayson won the Sportsmanship Award for his age group! There are so many cute shots of him and other kids running, jumping, and climbing their little hearts out, but here are just a few. I was so proud of Grayson and all of my first graders, too!
August 25, 2019
Matt taught Grayson how to chop firewood with an ax this week. I'm sure he got tired of hearing my many reminders of, "Be careful!" and "Remember to think about your legs!" He patiently responded, "Don't worry, Mom, I know." He's so grown up all of a sudden!
August 18, 2019
This is my awesome group of first-graders this year (minus one who was in his village for a funeral)! Each child has their own personality, abilities, and gifts - as well as challenges. Some of the nations represented by my students are the USA, Canada, Papua New Guinea, and the Netherlands. Their parents are pilots, nurses, teachers, translators/linguists, machinists, managers, and computer/network support workers - to name a few! I am so thankful to be able to teach first grade for this semester before moving into my role as principal.
August 11,2019
This has been a sad week. While this might just look like another crazy picture, it is actually the best picture I have of our friend Peter Domikar (next to me) also showing Peter Okafa. Peter D was one of my first PNG friends here that I got to know while playing soccer. Peter worked admirably at our Aviation department, doing flight coordinating. We buried our friend and colleague on Tuesday. Ironically Peter passed away while playing soccer a couple of weeks ago. He was so widely loved and respected that people sent tributes and condolences to the family from around the world. Our center misses him, but we smile knowing that he was a Christian and now he is Home.
August 4, 2019
The entrance to our center is a bridge over the Ba'ae River and it is REALLY old. This week, Matt and many of the other missionaries that work here in the CAM department spent their Saturday replacing some of the old and dangerously rusty parts. They had to do it on a Saturday because they needed to close the bridge for the day and during the work week it's a very busy bridge. I gave Matt a hard time because it took them all day..."I think I know why it took you guys so long!" I guess it's not fun if it's all work and no play, right?
July 28, 2019
This old water tank of ours broke during the last big earthquake we had here, while we were still on furlough. We have earthquakes pretty regularly, but the one that broke our water tank was big (7.2) and really close to our center! Thanks to generous friends, we've been able to replace it (more to come on that process soon)! This photo was taken when Grayson was helping Matt dig a hole for our new one.
July 21, 2019
We're "babysitting" this weekend for some friends of ours - meet Eloise (aka Schnoggs), the cuscus. She is a super-soft marsupial and her owners have had her for about two years, since she was a baby. Here she is cleaning her hands, which have two thumbs each!
July 14, 2019
We've been back at Ukarumpa, our home in Papua New Guinea, for a couple of days now. Matt said it well when he said, "It feels surreal - like we're watching somebody else's life." It seems normal to be here, but also strange since we were just in the U.S. Here are a few photos from the last leg of our journey!
July 7, 2019
After celebrating the 4th of July with family and friends, we were off to begin our journey to the other side of the world! It was a real treat to get to go to an Independence Day parade and see fireworks before leaving the U.S. for three more years.
April 28, 2019
We have finally made it back to North Carolina after almost five weeks on the road! It was a long trip, but we were able to see many supporters and aunts, uncles, and cousins. I've put more than one snapshot below to highlight a few of the places we stopped. All of this is going to seem like a dream when we're back in Papua New Guinea in a couple of months!
March 23, 2019
Our big road trip started a week ago and I feel like we’ve been on a week-long field trip! Here’s the beginning of our American adventures:
Tomorrow, we're on to Canada!
March 3, 2019
I've come to realize that I'm not very good at consistency with Snapshot Sundays while we're on furlough! I will try to do better as we travel on our upcoming month-long road trip...
We are loving seeing the seasons change - something we miss a lot when we're in Papua New Guinea! We enjoyed one of the first really beautiful days at a park with my sister and her two girls this week.
January 6, 2019
Happy New Year! Although we didn’t go to a big party or fireworks display, we had the best time just ringing in the new year with Grandma and Grandpa - something we rarely get to do! Both kids made it all the way to midnight and danced with sparklers as Matt put on a small fireworks show in my parent’s front yard. A New Year celebration we’ll treasure!
December 9, 2018
This was the best, snowy day! We got a foot of snow last night while staying with some friends near our hometown of Boone, NC. Today we got to go sledding down a huge hill and then got to ride a four-wheeler back up to the top each time! Grayson and his friend, Rose, are running down the driveway to get in the car we parked at the bottom so we could get out this morning.
December 2, 2018
We’re homeschooling during furlough this time, which allows us to travel more and fit everything in without having to build our trips around school breaks. So far it’s been going well, but since we haven’t been in one place for more than a week yet, establishing a routine has been a challenge. I have been so impressed with Brianna and Grayson’s flexibility with jumping right into their work wherever we happen to be!
November 25, 2018
Today we celebrated Matt’s brother’s wedding! Meet Steve and Tracie Young! Getting to be at their wedding has been one of the biggest gifts of our furlough. We miss a lot of milestones and events while living overseas, so this was a big deal. Thank you, Steve and Tracie, for the honor of including Brianna and Grayson in the wedding as bridesmaid and ring-bearer!
November 18, 2018
Wow, it’s been an embarrassingly long time since I posted a Snapshot Sunday and a lot has happened since my last one! To catch up on what’s been going on, you can check out our latest newsletter, but for now I want to share Matt’s latest building project:
We’re back in the U.S. for a short furlough before our next 3-year term in PNG, and right now we’re up in Connecticut with family for Thanksgiving. God gave our snow-deprived children the best gift:10 inches of perfect snowball-making snow! And Matt, of course, had to build an igloo!
August 5, 2018
Just chillin' with our snake, Kulau. When she is stretched out all the way, she's still a bit longer than Grayson, but I think by the time we get back from our upcoming furlough, he might be longer!
July 29, 2018
This man was outside Matt's office this week, selling this beautiful red-sided eclectus parrot. She is a female - the males are bright green with some red on the sides. These parrots are found here and on the islands surrounding us and they make great pets, if you don't mind their occasional shrill squawks! We enjoyed "bird-sitting" a male and female for a year for some friends during our first term here. They can easily live for 30-40 years and some can live for as many as 50-75 years!
July 22, 2018
If you've read our blog recently, you already know that mothers carry babies around in bilums here - they can be used as baby-carriers or hammocks to swing babies to sleep in. But I bet you didn't know we have one big enough for Brianna to fit into (we didn't know either, until Matt and Brianna tried it this week!).
July 15, 2018
I think we have a photo on our blog from this exact same spot pretty regularly - it's our favorite place to get away and rest. The first time we stood there, Grayson had just turned 3 years old and we had just begun our adventure of living in the South Pacific. It's hard to believe that was over 5 years ago!
July 8, 2018
Not only is this group special because it's Brianna's graduating 5th grade class, but it was my first group of first-graders that I taught at UIS in 2013! They are all moving on to the middle school at our secondary campus on the other side of our center. They've all grown in so many ways over the past five years! They start middle school in a week!
June 24, 2018
Even though the Americans in us still think of this as "Summer Vacation", this is actually our coldest time of year. Since we live about a mile high, it gets pretty chilly at night. Every school break we pull out our little, inflatable pool - which, I have to say, has impressed me by surviving 3 years of wear and tear! The kids were determined to go swimming at night this week, so Matt built a huge campfire nearby for them to warm themselves in between jumps into the pool.
June 10, 2018
Our last day of school was filled with fun things! My students filled their "marble jar" for good behavior and earned a reward, which they voted would be Pajama and Stuffed Animal Day. I'm going to miss this great group of kids as they move on to second grade!
June 3, 2018
Brianna's favorite thing to do right now is to go down to the B'ai River with her friends and go swimming! She asks us just about every other day, but it's not that easy to just head down there. We try to go with a group and depending on how much rain we've had recently, the conditions can be a bit sketchy. We're thankful that we have a place to swim nearby!
May 27, 2018
Matt spent this last week in Lae, a port city about 5 hours away from our home, to work on the missionary guest house there. He has really enjoyed working with his employees over the past few years; building relationships with them at the same time. They spend most of their time building on our main center, but they go out to other missionary centers from time to time and also work on translator houses in the bush.
May 20, 2018
Instead of posting a traditional Snapshot Sunday this week, I wanted to share a couple of videos about our school, Ukarumpa International School. It's an awesome place to teach and we're praying for more teachers to come serve here! Click on the links below!
Teaching is a Calling
After the Bell Rings
May 13, 2018
Another volleyball season in the books! Matt helped coach the high school women's volleyball team this year, so we just hosted the end-of-season team dinner at our house. It was his first time coaching the women's team. They played in a tournament about 2 hours away from where we live to finish off the season!
May 6, 2018
Matt spent most of the day replacing part of our roof yesterday, along with a few of his builders that he trains and manages here at our center during the week. Our old tin roof had been repainted several times over the years (we're not sure how old it is...30 years?) and since we drink the rainwater that drains off of it into our water tanks, it was time to replace it. We still need to replace the parts under our solar panels for our water heater on the roof, but that's going to be a bigger job...maybe next weekend?
April 22, 2018
Three of my students from last year came by my classroom during recess this week to show me what they had found...a huge tarantula! I can appreciate how cool it was, but I didn't want to hold it. They had done some research and found it in a book, too! What good students. :)
April 13, 2018
For our "spring break" (we're actually about to head into our coldest time of year here...) we stayed for two nights at our mission's guest house in Lae, a port city about 4 hours by car from where we live. Any time we were doing something other than swimming, the kids were asking, "When can we go swimming again?".
April 9, 2018
Grayson and Matt have been working on building a fort in our backyard and Grayson's done a lot of the work! He nailed in all of the nails for the flooring. There was some work that he couldn't do...lifting the heavy white box on top (we had built the box to put in the back of our truck for locking things in while traveling). So we had a few bigger boys come over to help with that part...
April 2, 2018
This is actually a Snaphot "Monday" because I wanted to wait for photos of today to share with you! Grayson made the decision to trust Jesus as his Savior when we were on furlough in 2015, but this week he decided it was time for him to publicly acknowledge his decision and be baptized. He shared his testimony and was baptized in the same river that Brianna was two years ago. It was the best day!
March 25, 2018
What does spring break look like for Grayson? Building a new fort (well, at least watching his dad and some friends move a water-tank stand to our backyard to begin the process...) and picking lots of lemons to make lemonade! He sold lemonade at our weekly Ultimate Frisbee game today. He made about 20 kina, which is worth almost $7.00. Not bad!
March 18, 2018
Brianna's 5th grade class got to paint the art teacher's van as a special class project this term! They all made sketches of designs and then voted on two winners - so the van is painted differently on both sides. Here she is with some of her friends after the big reveal! They drove through our neighborhoods blowing flutes and making all kinds of noise to celebrate!
March 11, 2018
Well, the bad news is that just days after I sent out our prayer update about how great Matt's been feeling since recovering from malaria and pneumonia...he got malaria again. Friday afternoon I brought him to the clinic not long after a fever started and he started to experience the same symptoms he had with malaria last month. Since he recognized what it was so quickly, we were able to get a blood test done and he started a treatment right away. So the good news is that two days later now, he's feeling pretty much back to normal! We're so thankful for our clinic and the availability of medicine here!
March 4, 2018
It was Book Festival at school again this week (I can't believe it's been a year since the last one!) and we all dressed up as book characters to celebrate the final day. Lots of fun!
February 25, 2018
I've been sharing so many pictures of "sick Matt" that I thought I should share one of him feeling good and working! Here he is working on a project to build a new guard post for our center at one of our main roads.
February 18, 2018
There are tons of these little parrots flying outside, chirping SO loudly every morning - I love them! But they stay up so high and love the tallest trees, so it's hard to get a good shot of them. I was really excited when another missionary here caught this image earlier this week. PNG is known for its hundreds of birds, found nowhere else in the world...but the ones in my own yard are some of my favorites! (Photo credit: Gottschick)
Special Update: Matt is improving more and more every day and we are extremely thankful! His energy and strength are still not 100%, but he looks and feels a lot better. Thank you for praying!
February 11, 2018
As Matt is still recovering from being so sick, we've enjoyed having a little more "down time" at home together this weekend instead of our normal busy weekend times. Today the kids sat down to make Valentine cards for their classmates. I was impressed that Brianna made enough for everyone in her class and hand-wrote messages in each one!
February 4, 2018
I feel like I'm cheating because I'm posting this on a Monday, but here it is! Today was the 100th day of school, and that's a pretty big deal in first grade. I love this snapshot from today because it shows the energy, thoughtfulness, and cooperation of my amazing group of first-graders. They were all working on various activities to celebrate the 100th day...writing stories, making necklaces with 100 fruit loops (well, something sort of like fruit loops), and trying to bounce a ball or jump rope 100 times. It was a fun day!
January 28, 2018
Matt has been REALLY sick...after having malaria, he has now developed pneumonia. I have never seen him this sick before. It can be scary, but I've also never before seen people come together to lift him up in prayer, encourage us, bring us meals, etc. as they have lately. This lovely group of ladies came by our house this evening to pray for Matt. They sang songs of worship and then raised their voices in a chorus of prayers. It was quite amazing! We are so thankful and humbled by the many, many people who are praying for Matt both here in PNG and around the world.
January 21, 2018
Some of you may have heard that Matt's recovering from malaria right now, probably from a mosquito bite from when we went to the coast for a break right before Christmas. He's been inside for almost a week now and yesterday he finally went outside to, well, do what he was doing inside. But, at least he was out of the house! I loved it when Grayson went out there to join him and I caught them reading together.
January 14, 2018
What do you do when you have an appliance stop working here? Well...you open it up, figure out what's wrong, Google it, watch a You-Tube video (if you have good enough internet that day), order a part on Amazon, ask your sister to bring it with her when she comes to visit, and then try to put it back together. Plug it in, say a prayer, and see if it turns on! Matt's my hero this week because he fixed my KitchenAid mixer, which I use almost daily!
January 7, 2018
We have had the best visit with my sister, Julie! After a break from blogging for her visit, I'd like to share some of my favorite snapshots from our time with her here. Happy New Year!
November 26, 2017
Our truck was vandalized this week. Somebody spray-painted a smiley-face on our tailgate. But, it's an old truck, and who doesn't like a smiley-face?! On a side note, our new Russian radiator is in and working!!!
November 19, 2017
At church this morning, we celebrated all of the work published in just the past twelve months here with our translators! Some of the items you see in the photo are audio Bibles, New Testaments, selected books in the New Testament, and Jesus Films - all translated into the heart languages of people here in Papua New Guinea! We rejoice and pray that many people will come to know the deep, deep love of God and become a part of his family of every tribe, nation, and language!
November 12, 2017
My class earns marbles for our Marble Jar when they work together well as a group - following directions, getting a compliment, working quietly, listening well, etc. When they fill the jar (it takes awhile - there are about 200 marbles in there!), they brainstorm ideas for a reward and then I try to pull it off! This week, they voted to go to our store for ice cream. We had grand plans to walk there together after lunch, play on the store playground, and enjoy ice cream in the hot sun. But, literally minutes before we were supposed to set out on our adventure, a HUGE storm rolled in! Thanks to a couple of my students' moms, we were able to drive everyone there instead and we still had a blast. I'm so thankful for my students who are easy to please, appreciate the little joys in life, and don't let a rainstorm put a damper on their parties! (Photo by Anita McCarthy)
November 5, 2017
Matt just got back from a trip to Madang Province to do an estimate for a translation team office and to help out with some language surveys. Here are a few pics from his trip...more to come!
October 29, 2017
Yes, I am biased...but isn't he the cutest beach dude ever?! The middle- and high-schoolers put on our annual Carnival this weekend and the them was "Beach Party"! There were games, yummy foods, and an auction, with proceeds partly going to support the YWCA in PNG. This was Brianna's first year to work at Carvinal, but she still had some breaks to have fun with her friends. She worked in the cafe.
October 20, 2019
One of our good friends, Anita McCarthy, who also happens to be a parent of one of my students, is an amazing photographer and has captured some of Brianna and Grayson's moments at school this year so far. Here are a few of her photos:
 |
| Some of the students in Brianna's science class dress up "Mr. Bones" from time to time. I guess this day, he was "Mrs. Bones" - wearing Brianna's jacket, sunglasses, and necklace! |
 |
| Grayson's 4th grade class is learning recorder (that's him in the red shirt). We joke about how we are all "doing our time" as we listen to them practice at home at night! :) But, I've been impressed with how much they've improved in such a short time. |
 |
| It's a big class! Grayson has almost 30 kids in his class this year! |
 |
| Brianna is a natural artist and it's been fun to see her skills develop! Here she is sketching during Art Class. |
October 6, 2019
September 29, 2019
September 22, 2019
These are the ladies that work Matt's office at our CAM department (Construction and Maintenance). They dressed up for Independence Day! These ladies are as beautiful on the inside as they are on the outside, and Matt and the other missionaries here could not do their jobs without them!
We got together with some friends to celebrate PNG's independence, too!
September 15, 2019
September 8, 2019
This is the giant caterpillar that lives in our front yard...with a bit of a makeover! Matt and the kids picked flowers to decorate it today. It was fun to see people walk by and talk about it - it brought a lot of smiles to their faces!
 |
| Yes, its eyes are two giant poinsettia flowers! They grow here year-round and get to be big trees! |
September 1, 2019
This past Friday was Sports Day at the primary campus of our school and Grayson won the Sportsmanship Award for his age group! There are so many cute shots of him and other kids running, jumping, and climbing their little hearts out, but here are just a few. I was so proud of Grayson and all of my first graders, too!
 |
| I guess Grayson thought the celebratory shouts were a little loud when his team won the tug-of-war! (Photo:Susan Frey) |
 |
| Grayson dreaded this race the most - the long distance run. I'm so proud of him for smiling at the start of it! |
 |
| My first-graders were pretty excited to participate in their first real Sports Day! |
 |
| Having fun every day with our dog, Luna! |
August 18, 2019
This is my awesome group of first-graders this year (minus one who was in his village for a funeral)! Each child has their own personality, abilities, and gifts - as well as challenges. Some of the nations represented by my students are the USA, Canada, Papua New Guinea, and the Netherlands. Their parents are pilots, nurses, teachers, translators/linguists, machinists, managers, and computer/network support workers - to name a few! I am so thankful to be able to teach first grade for this semester before moving into my role as principal.
August 11,2019
August 4, 2019
 |
| Matt and some of the other CAM (Construction and Maintenance) guys "fixing" the bridge. :) |
 |
| Pretty sure this rusty beam was about to give up! |
July 28, 2019
July 21, 2019
July 14, 2019
We've been back at Ukarumpa, our home in Papua New Guinea, for a couple of days now. Matt said it well when he said, "It feels surreal - like we're watching somebody else's life." It seems normal to be here, but also strange since we were just in the U.S. Here are a few photos from the last leg of our journey!
 |
| Brianna and Grayson, getting ready to board our last of 5 flights! |
 |
| Back in the beautiful Highlands of Papua New Guinea! |
 |
| We were so excited to see our mission's center as we approached it! Ah...home! |
After celebrating the 4th of July with family and friends, we were off to begin our journey to the other side of the world! It was a real treat to get to go to an Independence Day parade and see fireworks before leaving the U.S. for three more years.
 |
| Cousins enjoying some shade during the HOT 4th of July parade! |
 |
| Laura's sister, Alissa, and her family seeing us off at the airport. Smiling faces, but goodbyes are so hard. |
 |
| The rest of our send-off group: Matt's parents, brother, and our new sister-in-law. Leaving family and friends is one of the hardest parts of this missionary life! |
April 28, 2019
We have finally made it back to North Carolina after almost five weeks on the road! It was a long trip, but we were able to see many supporters and aunts, uncles, and cousins. I've put more than one snapshot below to highlight a few of the places we stopped. All of this is going to seem like a dream when we're back in Papua New Guinea in a couple of months!
 | |
| After Pennsylvania, our next stop was Canada! Niagara Falls was AWEsome! |
 |
| The Ark in Kentucky - it was crazy to see how big it really was! |
 |
| We got to visit with my aunt and her family, who we hadn't seen in over 20 years! They own two ice cream shops in Indiana, where we were treated to anything we wanted. Yum!! |
 |
| The City Museum in St. Louis - if you haven't been there, you should go. It's hard to describe. |
 |
| After speaking at Grace Church in Lansing, Illinois, we had a huge family reunion with my mom's side of the family. This pic is just of some of my cousin's kids! |
 |
| While visiting my sister and her family, we made a "bucket-list" trip to NYC. Grayson has been asking to see the Statue of Liberty for a long time. It was the perfect day! |
 |
| Outside part of the new World Trade Center. |
March 23, 2019
Our big road trip started a week ago and I feel like we’ve been on a week-long field trip! Here’s the beginning of our American adventures:
 |
| First stop, Virginia and a visit to the birthplace of the United States of America. |
 |
| Watching a glass-blower at work! |
 |
| Next came Washington, D.C. This was our first metro ride! |
 |
| National Museum of Natural History |
 |
| This food truck food looked better than it tasted. :/ |
 |
| We had so much fun on these scooters and it was a nice break from all the walking! |
 |
| We had a great couple of days at their cabin in the mountains. |
 | |
| Oh, we stopped at Hershey's Chocolate World on the way, of course! |
 |
| We became certified pretzel twisters in Lititz, Penn. |
 |
| Learning about how maple syrup is made in Portville, NY. |
 |
| Steam from the boiling maple sap. |
 |
| Super-fresh maple donuts! |
 |
| The Kinzua Bridge that was taken out by a tornado in 2013. We walked out there in very windy and snowy conditions. |
 |
| It was SO high and we were all a bit nervous! |
Tomorrow, we're on to Canada!
March 3, 2019
I've come to realize that I'm not very good at consistency with Snapshot Sundays while we're on furlough! I will try to do better as we travel on our upcoming month-long road trip...
We are loving seeing the seasons change - something we miss a lot when we're in Papua New Guinea! We enjoyed one of the first really beautiful days at a park with my sister and her two girls this week.
January 6, 2019
December 9, 2018
December 2, 2018
 |
| Brianna, working on an art assignment in our dining room - um...I mean, school room. |
November 25, 2018
Today we celebrated Matt’s brother’s wedding! Meet Steve and Tracie Young! Getting to be at their wedding has been one of the biggest gifts of our furlough. We miss a lot of milestones and events while living overseas, so this was a big deal. Thank you, Steve and Tracie, for the honor of including Brianna and Grayson in the wedding as bridesmaid and ring-bearer!
November 18, 2018
Wow, it’s been an embarrassingly long time since I posted a Snapshot Sunday and a lot has happened since my last one! To catch up on what’s been going on, you can check out our latest newsletter, but for now I want to share Matt’s latest building project:
We’re back in the U.S. for a short furlough before our next 3-year term in PNG, and right now we’re up in Connecticut with family for Thanksgiving. God gave our snow-deprived children the best gift:10 inches of perfect snowball-making snow! And Matt, of course, had to build an igloo!
 |
| Here's the finished product! Our brother-in-law, Matt Perry, did a lot of the work, too. The Matts make a good team. |
 |
| It's a pretty sweet hang-out fort for all the cousins! They begged to eat dinner in the igloo the first night, but we told them it would be a bit tough to eat spaghetti and meatballs in there! |
August 5, 2018
Just chillin' with our snake, Kulau. When she is stretched out all the way, she's still a bit longer than Grayson, but I think by the time we get back from our upcoming furlough, he might be longer!
July 29, 2018
This man was outside Matt's office this week, selling this beautiful red-sided eclectus parrot. She is a female - the males are bright green with some red on the sides. These parrots are found here and on the islands surrounding us and they make great pets, if you don't mind their occasional shrill squawks! We enjoyed "bird-sitting" a male and female for a year for some friends during our first term here. They can easily live for 30-40 years and some can live for as many as 50-75 years!
July 22, 2018
July 15, 2018
July 8, 2018
June 24, 2018
June 10, 2018
 |
| Last day of school photo with one of my students, Elvina. |
Our last day of school was filled with fun things! My students filled their "marble jar" for good behavior and earned a reward, which they voted would be Pajama and Stuffed Animal Day. I'm going to miss this great group of kids as they move on to second grade!
June 3, 2018
May 27, 2018
May 20, 2018
Instead of posting a traditional Snapshot Sunday this week, I wanted to share a couple of videos about our school, Ukarumpa International School. It's an awesome place to teach and we're praying for more teachers to come serve here! Click on the links below!
After the Bell Rings
May 13, 2018
May 6, 2018
Matt spent most of the day replacing part of our roof yesterday, along with a few of his builders that he trains and manages here at our center during the week. Our old tin roof had been repainted several times over the years (we're not sure how old it is...30 years?) and since we drink the rainwater that drains off of it into our water tanks, it was time to replace it. We still need to replace the parts under our solar panels for our water heater on the roof, but that's going to be a bigger job...maybe next weekend?
April 22, 2018
Three of my students from last year came by my classroom during recess this week to show me what they had found...a huge tarantula! I can appreciate how cool it was, but I didn't want to hold it. They had done some research and found it in a book, too! What good students. :)
April 13, 2018
For our "spring break" (we're actually about to head into our coldest time of year here...) we stayed for two nights at our mission's guest house in Lae, a port city about 4 hours by car from where we live. Any time we were doing something other than swimming, the kids were asking, "When can we go swimming again?".
April 9, 2018
Grayson and Matt have been working on building a fort in our backyard and Grayson's done a lot of the work! He nailed in all of the nails for the flooring. There was some work that he couldn't do...lifting the heavy white box on top (we had built the box to put in the back of our truck for locking things in while traveling). So we had a few bigger boys come over to help with that part...
April 2, 2018
This is actually a Snaphot "Monday" because I wanted to wait for photos of today to share with you! Grayson made the decision to trust Jesus as his Savior when we were on furlough in 2015, but this week he decided it was time for him to publicly acknowledge his decision and be baptized. He shared his testimony and was baptized in the same river that Brianna was two years ago. It was the best day!
March 25, 2018
March 18, 2018
Brianna's 5th grade class got to paint the art teacher's van as a special class project this term! They all made sketches of designs and then voted on two winners - so the van is painted differently on both sides. Here she is with some of her friends after the big reveal! They drove through our neighborhoods blowing flutes and making all kinds of noise to celebrate!
March 11, 2018
March 4, 2018
It was Book Festival at school again this week (I can't believe it's been a year since the last one!) and we all dressed up as book characters to celebrate the final day. Lots of fun!
 |
| Matt taught all of the kids at our school about our snake since our Book Festival them was "Wild About Books"! This is the Kindergarten class. |
 |
| Even teachers get to dress up! |
 |
| Some of my first grade students! I'm always impressed with the costumes they come up with each year! |
I've been sharing so many pictures of "sick Matt" that I thought I should share one of him feeling good and working! Here he is working on a project to build a new guard post for our center at one of our main roads.
February 18, 2018
Special Update: Matt is improving more and more every day and we are extremely thankful! His energy and strength are still not 100%, but he looks and feels a lot better. Thank you for praying!
February 11, 2018
February 4, 2018
January 28, 2018
January 21, 2018
January 14, 2018
What do you do when you have an appliance stop working here? Well...you open it up, figure out what's wrong, Google it, watch a You-Tube video (if you have good enough internet that day), order a part on Amazon, ask your sister to bring it with her when she comes to visit, and then try to put it back together. Plug it in, say a prayer, and see if it turns on! Matt's my hero this week because he fixed my KitchenAid mixer, which I use almost daily!
 |
| Yes, Matt's pretending to eat a glob of grease from around the gears. |
January 7, 2018
We have had the best visit with my sister, Julie! After a break from blogging for her visit, I'd like to share some of my favorite snapshots from our time with her here. Happy New Year!
 |
| I was so excited to pick Julie up in Port Moresby! After her main flight got cancelled, it was a challenge to get her here! I flew the last little leg with her and then Matt drove us two hours over bumpy roads to Ukarumpa. |
 |
| Julie got to spend the last two days of school with me and my class. They loved her! This photo was taken just after we had broken open our pinata for our Mexican Christmas party! |
 |
| This is what you look like after a game of volleyball during rainy season! |
 |
| Julie and our dog, Luna, became best buddies! |
 |
| We got to drive around quite a bit while Julie was here...many bumpy rides to help her appreciate the smooth roads back in the U.S.! |
 |
| Shopping at our market. |
 |
| It was so hot the day we made our gingerbread house! |
 |
| Can you find the visitor that came by one day? |
 |
| We really enjoyed our trip to the coast with Julie. Some friends of ours met us there and brought kayaks! What a treat! |
 |
| No caption needed. |
 |
| The amazing animals that live beneath the water! |
 |
| Christmas Eve Dinner: We are so thankful for friends! |
 |
| Underneath those piles of leaves and metal is loads of delicious food, being cooked underground over hot stones. |
  |
| Grayson turned 8 on January 8, 2018! I'd call that a "golden birthday"! |
November 26, 2017
Our truck was vandalized this week. Somebody spray-painted a smiley-face on our tailgate. But, it's an old truck, and who doesn't like a smiley-face?! On a side note, our new Russian radiator is in and working!!!
November 19, 2017
November 12, 2017
My class earns marbles for our Marble Jar when they work together well as a group - following directions, getting a compliment, working quietly, listening well, etc. When they fill the jar (it takes awhile - there are about 200 marbles in there!), they brainstorm ideas for a reward and then I try to pull it off! This week, they voted to go to our store for ice cream. We had grand plans to walk there together after lunch, play on the store playground, and enjoy ice cream in the hot sun. But, literally minutes before we were supposed to set out on our adventure, a HUGE storm rolled in! Thanks to a couple of my students' moms, we were able to drive everyone there instead and we still had a blast. I'm so thankful for my students who are easy to please, appreciate the little joys in life, and don't let a rainstorm put a damper on their parties! (Photo by Anita McCarthy)
November 5, 2017
Matt just got back from a trip to Madang Province to do an estimate for a translation team office and to help out with some language surveys. Here are a few pics from his trip...more to come!
 |
| Do you see anything "unusual" about these children's school supplies? It's totally normal for kids to carry a machete around with them, but these children were told to bring theirs to school so that they could help cut the grass. |
 |
| A traditional home, elevated off the ground for air-flow. |
 |
| Laughing at a joke! |
October 29, 2017
Sports Day!! It's one of Brianna and Grayson's favorite days of the school year and they had so much fun competing in the events this time. They got to earn ribbons for team and individual events, while learning a whole lot about teamwork, good sportsmanship, and pushing themselves physically. It was a great day! Here are some of our favorite shots:
 |
| Sheer concentration during the ball toss! |
 |
| Brianna's graceful long-jump! |
 |
| Brianna surprised herself by winning 3rd place in the long-distance run! |
 |
| The tongue helps! |
 |
| Rockin' the long-jump! |
 |
| All smiles before the final event - tug of war! |
October 22, 2017
October 15, 2017
I wanted to share our school pictures from this year - we are so grateful for Brianna and Grayson, their friends, the school they can attend, and the faculty and staff that have sacrificed in so many ways to be here.
October 8, 2017
We are learning about shadows in my first grade class right now, so this week my students went around the school campus taking photos of shadows to use in a guessing game. They excitedly asked if they could also make some shadows themselves and quickly struck a pose for me to take their picture.
October 1, 2017
We depend largely on the nearby Ba'e River to supply us with water, especially during dry season. Matt often gets calls to fix a problem with the pipes either at the river or with pumps and reservoir tanks here on our center. This week, he and several other men had to go down and flush out the pipe so that the 300 houses on our center could have water. It's not drinkable water, but we use it to flush toilets, wash our clothes, and when our rain tanks get low, to take showers.
September 24, 2017
We just got back from a road trip to Lae, a port city about 4-5 hours away from where we live. This photo was taken in the flat plains between the Highlands where we live and the rain forest of the coastal regions.
September 17, 2017
Happy Independence Day, Papua New Guinea! Nathan, Daniel, and another "bilased" (decorated) store employee greeted Matt as he entered our store this Friday. Each region of PNG has their own style of face paint, jewelry, and traditional clothing and people from all over the country work here at our center; so we get to see a variety during festivals and celebrations! PNG is a relatively "young" country, at 42 years old this year.
September 10, 2017
September 3, 2017
Thrill! We got this box in a shipment from the U.S. after months at sea and several more weeks at the port here. Thanks to Matt's parents for getting it all boxed up and on it's way - and for making Grayson's day with a new magazine! I think one of my favorite parts was how everything "smelled like America"...it's hard to explain that smell, but it's a real thing!
August 27, 2017
This photo really shows the energy and enthusiasm of my awesome group of first graders this year! They are taking surveys about favorite colors, in order to tally and graph the results during math class. Not everyone in my class is pictured, but the kids in the photo come from 7 different countries! I love teaching such an international group of kids - all whose parents are involved in bringing literacy and God's Word to the people of PNG.
***Hey everyone! Sorry about missing so many Snapshot Sundays in July and August! We had a rough month or so of sickness, busyness, and general "I can't find the time to sit down and upload a photo!". We're hoping to get back to our weekly routine now! :)
July 16, 2017
July 9, 2017
July 2, 2017
This is our little puppy, Luna. We have been dog-sitting for other families ever since we moved to PNG, but it's always so hard to say good-bye when it's time to return the dogs to their owners. So, we finally have a dog of our own! She's a mutt, but has some Papua New Guinea Singing Dog in her mix. The way she's laying with her legs back like that is characteristic of the PNG Singing Dogs. She is so much fun and has brought a lot of joy to our family!
June 25, 2017
This is Mary and John Yugio, and one of their adorable granddaughters. During our last day with my parents here, we went out to the Yugio's property outside of our center, where they have started up a small, Christian school for young children. Mary is an amazing teacher who saw a need for more educational opportunities for Papua New Guinean children, like her own grandchildren. She started out planning on only having a handful of children meet in the school in her basement, but now she has over 40 students and just one other teacher. They are building new classrooms to help meet the needs of her students. It's very exciting to see their love for the children here and what a difference they are making in the their lives!
June 18, 2017
We're thoroughly enjoying a quick getaway to the coast with Laura's parents since the school year just came to an end. A friend of ours gave us this cool blow-up kayak and we've had a lot of fun exploring the reefs in it here. We are so thankful for times of rest from our normal life in the Highlands.
June 11, 2017
Meet our newest "pet"! It's a 10-foot-long Boelen's python that Matt rescued from being someone's dinner this week! It's an amazing creature, but I have to say that I'm not too excited to have such a huge snake in my backyard all the time! We've had a lot of visitors come by to see and hold him, and it's been quite the talk of the town. We hope to let it go again soon, to live out the rest of its life in freedom in PNG.
June 4, 2017
Matt turned 40 yesterday! It was fun to make fun of him, but in all seriousness we are so thankful for who Matt is and what a great dad, husband, and friend he is. We celebrated by spending the morning at our center's waterslide (more like a glorified slip 'n slide) and then had friends over for a cookout in the evening. All in all, a great day!
May 28, 2017
They're here! For the second time this term overseas, we have family visiting us in PNG! Laura's parents, Kevin and Mary Ellen Golding, arrived here this past Monday after taking almost a week to get here. After their first flight being canceled and then having to stay in Brisbane for three days, they finally made it to our house. Here they are with Brianna and Grayson, standing in front of the welcome poster that was made with lots of love by two very excited grandkids the day before!
May 21, 2017
What? Doesn't everyone roast peanuts this way? Matt's been trying to perfect his method of roasting the peanuts we grow in our garden and buy at the market, and still hasn't found what he would consider the winner. But, oven-roasted in the shell did turn out pretty good. Then, he added honey and roasted them some more in a pan on the stove. Not bad!
May14, 2017
Getting ready for Grandpa and Grandma! Grayson thought it was pretty cool to lay in bed on the back of our truck, looking up a the clouds as I drove the borrowed bed home. Then, the kids who came over to play a few minutes later had to join him as well! Just another Saturday, finding fun things to do...
May 7, 2017
As I was teaching one afternoon this week, I heard a strange buzzing sound outside and looked out the window to see a black "cloud" flying past. I ran to shut the three doors to our classroom, which of course made all of my first graders run to the windows to see what was going on! The bees decided to check out the guava tree right outside our classroom door, bundling together in a tight group. They stayed there the rest of the day! Much to my relief, and the students' dismay, they were gone the next morning.
April 30, 2017
Look who turned 10 this week! Brianna is so grown up in so many ways, but I love that she still twirls around the house, plays dress-up, sings constantly, and lets her little brother play with her and her friends. We are so thankful for the blessing she is!
April 16, 2017
April 9, 2017
Korea, the Netherlands, Papua New Guinea, and the United States: the four countries represented by my students in this picture. I love this photo because it really shows the diversity of the students that I teach - at least their diverse cultural backgrounds! Their unique learning strengths and weakness, skills, and educational needs are a whole other matter! These four boys were working on measuring capacity with various containers and rice. It was a fun, messy day in math class!
April 2, 2017
March 19, 2017
 |
| Can you spot us? Hint...in the center, Matt's wearing blue! |
In other news...
This is what part of the road that Matt traveled on recently to build the Boyd's house looks like right now! Yes, that used to be a mostly-paved road through there! A massive landslide has totally taken it out. Please pray for the construction crews working on it to be able to finish quickly. It is the only road - no detours available here!
March 5, 2017
February 26, 2017
 |
| We took a serious picture, too, but it wasn't nearly as interesting as this one. :) |
 |
| Grayson (background) LOVES reading and is often reading before I even wake up in the morning! This year he dressed up as Calvin from Calvin and Hobbes. Unless you're a first or second-grader, you may not be able to guess who I am...Morgan Le Fay from The Magic Tree House series. |
February 19, 2017
February 12, 2017
Doesn't everyone have a ninja reading in the hammock in their living room? I woke up sick today, so after trying to go to church and having to leave early, I fell into bed and slept and slept. Brianna and Grayson played so quietly so I could get some good rest! When I woke up, this is what I found. I love that Grayson loves reading - and I think his ninja costume is pretty cute, too.
February 5, 2017
On Monday this week, Matt left with two other missionaries and 5 of his workmen to go to the Boyd's village to build them a house! The Boyds are translating the Bible for the Enga language group, about a two-day's drive from our center. If you're friends with us on Facebook, you already know the developments this week...but I thought I'd share some photos to help tell the story.
 |
| All loaded up and ready to go! They pre-built the walls, trusses, windows, etc. It's Matt's first try at building a house that way. The 40-foot truck was really loaded down! |
 |
| Pulling out of our missionary center. Matt was driving the smaller truck in the back. |
 |
| Just past a town, about two hours into the drive, the 40-foot truck overturned! Miraculously, there were no serious injuries and almost all of the materials were undamaged. Adam Boyd sat with this group of people for a couple of hours, sharing about the work of Bible translation. What an amazing opportunity during such a hard day! They had to wait the rest of the day for help to come and right the truck. But, thankfully, they were able to stay at another missionary center just 20 minutes away that night and for the next two nights while they worked out the details to be able to keep going. |
 |
| They were able to rent a truck from a transport company here and on Saturday all of the materials arrived at the building site. Matt had been there for a day already, digging and pouring footers with his crew. |
 |
| It may seem like this picture isn't showing much work, but after this very long and tumultuous week, this progress is HUGE! We are thanking and praising God for everything He has worked out and that Matt and the other guys can continue with this project! Stayed tuned! |
January 22, 2017
Well, this isn't technically a "snapshot", but I wanted to post it anyway. One of the high school students here, Micah Trostle, took family pictures for us while the Perrys were here. I feel like someday we'll look back at this photo and it will seem unreal. It was taken right outside of our center on one of the hottest days we had in December.
January 15, 2017
Well, it's been awhile since we've posted a Snapshot Sunday! I'm going to blame it on having my sister, brother-in-law, and niece here...and to be honest, I did try to post earlier, but we didn't have internet access for a few days! So, all that to say...we're glad to be back online and be able to share a snapshot or two with you each week again.
We just had the chance to go back to Madang Province and visit our wasfemili (our host family from when we lived in the village of Surumarang for five weeks back in 2013)! It was a great visit and was extra-special because our family from the U.S. was able to meet everyone and see one of our first "homes" in PNG!
 |
| Who doesn't gather firewood in a tutu? We couldn't resist taking a picture of this mama with her little ones out carrying heavy bundles of firewood form the beach to their house in our village. Every meal is cooked over a fire, so this is a regular job for everyone! |
 |
| Sibling love! I don't think the beauty of this country will ever get old! |
December 11, 2016
They're here! By far, the highlight of this Christmas season has been the arrival of my sister and her husband, and my one-year-old niece! I can't describe the feeling of having family here, and to know we get to have them for five weeks is amazing! Over the past two days with them, we've done a lot of catching up, eating together, and playing - sometimes in the wee hours of the night/morning thanks to jet lag. I'm enjoying every second of it!
December 4, 2016
Wow! Almost a month has gone by since my last Snapshot Sunday...between a hectic few weeks at work and home, and really slow internet (trying to post photos was taking forever!), it just wasn't working out. So, to make up for it I'm doing a "Catch-up Snapshot Sunday" today! Here are some of my favorite photos from the last few weeks...
 |
| Look what was at the market this week! It's a long-beaked echidna, which is an endangered animal here. Although they are found here in the Highlands of PNG, we've never actually seen one. They don't typically live near humans. The man who brought him to the market was encouraged to let it go, back into its natural habitat. Photo by Susan Frey. |
 |
| Here are some of my amazing first-graders! |
 |
| Making a mud pie for Thanksgiving! A couple from our center had to rush back to the U.S. because of a death in the family, but couldn't take their four daughters with them. So, we got to have their fourth-grader live with us while they were gone! It wasn't easy for her to say goodbye to her parents as they left for the other side of the world, but our time together was really sweet and it was fun to have another daughter for awhile! |
 |
| Bouquets for sale! Well, they started at 1 Kina (about 30 cents), then the price went down to 10 Toia (about 3 cents), then the entrepreneurs decided to "sell" them for free when they realized nobody had any cash on them. They were so cute! If I had had any money with me, I would have definitely given it to them! |
 |
| A couple of Matt's workers and friends at the building department here on our center headed out to East New Britain to build a house for a family of translators that have just moved there. When they got there, only half of the materials they needed had arrived, so they have been making do and building what they can over the past few weeks. Matt was originally scheduled to go on this trip, but I have to say that I'm glad he's been home! He'll be headed out to build a translator house for a few weeks coming up in January. |
 |
| We can see the little planes coming and going from our center right outside the windows of our house. On this early morning, we heard the familiar sound of a plane and ran to the window to see our "second daughter's" mom fly off to the capital city on her way to the U.S. |
November 13, 2016
These are our friends, Natalie and Joe. We've know Natalie for several years and just recently, her husband, Joe, came to our house to help us build a bamboo wall outside. They live in Onamuna, a village on our neighboring mountain. Even though it doesn't look that far away, it takes them two hours to walk on muddy roads to our center from their house! Natalie has a green thumb and is very knowledgeable about gardening here. She has helped us out a lot, expanding our garden to twice it's original size and planting lots of beautiful flowers around our house. Every Monday, I buy a big container of bright red, juicy strawberries from her. She is such a blessing to us!
October 30, 2016
Every year the teens at our high school put on a Carnival for the community and this year's theme was "Toon Town". We had a lot of fun and it was just nice to have something different to do! It's cool to see how the students creatively put together different booths and games, with limited resources and no Walmart or Dollar Tree in sight! Here are a few of our favorite photos from the day:
 |
| That's right! Cotton candy in the middle of nowhere PNG! Thanks to a family who purchased a machine and passed it on to another family when they left, the cotton candy continues to be a highlight of just about any event here! |
 |
| This is what Grayson was doing while Brianna got her face painted...it seems like he's always in a tree lately! :) |
 |
| Brianna and I, at the Popeye Cafe where we enjoyed dessert and coffee...that I didn't make!!! |
 |
| Grayson and his good buddy Banner, er...I mean...Sir Spiderman? |
October 17, 2016
 |
| Grayson smiled the entire sack race! |
 |
| My first grade class, right before we headed down to compete. They were so excited (and maybe a little nervous?)! |
 |
| Brianna (center), with some of her friends and teammates, waiting for their turn to race! |
 |
| And...they're off! |
 |
| The final event is always a tug-of-war involving the entire school, red team versus yellow. Brianna and Grayson ended up pretty close to each other along the rope, so I caught them both in this photo. Red won! Go red! |
October 9, 2016
Every Friday, Matt goes to the market and comes home with
two buckets full of fruits and veggies…but this week he came home with
something else, too! Meet the newest member of our family, Colonel Custard, aka
CoCu. We thought he was a cuscus (hence the name Custard), but after
doing a bit of research today, Matt discovered that he’s probably a Coppery
Ringtail. His fur is extremely soft and he is very attached to anyone who is
willing to hold him – much to Brianna and Grayson’s delight! He’s not fully
grown yet, but he shouldn’t get too much bigger. 
September 18, 2016
Psalm 1:1-3 "How happy is the man who does not listen to the advice of the wicked...He is like a tree, planted by streams of water."
It was an awesome thing to see Matt get to baptize Brianna; an indescribably happy moment at the Ba'ai River for us as parents!
September 4, 2016
 |
| This photo credit to James Post. |
August 28, 2016
When we first came to PNG, I saw this amazing flower and thought it was one of the most beautiful things I had seen here. Then, I found out that it turns into one of my favorite fruits of all time and I thought it was even more amazing! Passion fruit! I just took these photos of our first passion fruit vine growing in our yard (actually, around our water tank!). My favorite type to eat are the purple ones, but a friend told me that these will turn orange before they're ready to eat. I can't wait!
August 21, 2016
August 14, 2016 - What's for Lunch?
 |
| Nothing like a delicious rat for breakfast! |
Say "Hi!" to "Kulau" our newest pet! She is a 4ft 7inch long green tree python. She is friendly and you can hold her. Not friendly to mice. Her previous owner told me that she is 14 years old. Probably true. She's always sleeping in and never wants to clean up her room. A Kulau is a green coconut that is an excellent drink on a hot day!
July 31, 2016
There are actually a lot of cool things about Golden Orb Web Spiders, so if you'd like to know more, click HERE.
July 24, 2016
 |
| First day of school! |
Brianna and Grayson started school this week, on Wednesday, and were so excited! Brianna's in 4th grade this year, and Grayson's in 1st, with me as his teacher. We've had a great start to the year already, but it is going to take us a week or two to get used to having a tight routine again! It was a great winter break!
July 10, 2016
This is Maverick, our temporary pet dog (while our friends, the Dishmans, are on furlough)! We LOVE having a dog again and we've been pleasantly surprised by how helpful Brianna and Grayson have been with feeding him and taking him for walks. Maybe there will be a puppy in our future when we need to return him to his "real" family! One of his greatest talents is jumping straight up about 4 feet in the air from a standing position; which he does when he's excited to see us coming home or if he's about to go for a walk. As you can see in the picture below, he's really good about staying in the electric fence, too (even with a cat almost within reach!).
 |
| Maverick, tormented by the neighbor's cat that had come over to get some attention from Brianna. |
July 3, 2016
Rain! At this time last year, we were in the U.S. hearing about the terrible drought here in PNG, in which everyone's water tanks were drying up, gardens were dying, and the ground was cracking apart. We are so thankful to be able to take a photo like this one right now! This is the top of our water tank, with it's many pipes and funnels, catching every drop of rain we can. Although our tank is half-empty right now (or is it half-full?), we continue to pray for enough rain to get us through our dry season!
June 27, 2016
This morning Matt left for Madang Province to work on two separate projects. The trip takes just 25 minutes in one of our small planes, but it will take him at least 7 hours by road. As you can see from the truck he's driving down, he needs to bring everything with him - even helicopter fuel for the helicopter that is going to be sling-loading in a big water tank for one of the projects at a Bible translator's home. The village is so remote, it's the only way to get a water tank in! The helicopter pilot will overnight one night with Matt to help install the water tank. Matt and his two will also be making repairs on a translation project manager's home on this trip. We're not sure exactly how long he'll be gone, but prayers for safety and health for Matt and his workers, and smooth sailing for me at home with the kids are appreciated!
June 12, 2016
This photo was taken by our friend, John Craig, from the top of a new cellphone tower at our center. Even though the terrain throughout most of PNG is very rugged, cellphone towers are popping up everywhere and most households have access to a cellphone. Even in remote places, you can usually find a roadside hut or booth where you can "top up" your minutes, which means to prepay for more minutes/data for you phone. Missionaries used to have to use HAM radios to communicate here, so cellphones have made a huge impact on our lives!
May 29, 2016
 |
| The girls in my class, dressed in Papua New Guinean colors and traditional attire. The design and style of the traditional clothing varies from region to region throughout PNG. |
 |
| Busy writing in the classroom. I love the contrast of the "modern" world with our classroom document camera and projector, and Shelomith's traditional clothes. |
 |
| Here's the whole Grade 1-2 gang! What a year it's been! |
May 22, 2016
May 1, 2016
April 24, 2016
Today we drove out to Onamuna, a neighboring village where many of the people we work with live. They are building a new school and a couple of Matt's employees who live there invited us to come see what they are working on. I had a hard time picking just one or two snapshots, but here are some of my favorites!  |
| We borrowed a new, 4x4 truck to get up the muddy roads but we still had to get out so that it could get up one of the especially slick hills. We were met by the sweetest group of kids, some of whom followed us for quite a ways. |
 |
| Matt's talking with Kevin, one of the carpenters that works with him at Ukarumpa. |
 |
| This is the second building for the school. |
 |
| This little girl was so adorable and spent most of the time toddling around or riding on her big sister's back while we visited the school site. |
 |
| On our way back home, we stopped to snap a picture from above our aviation center...you can see the airstrip in the background. Our center is far off to the left, near the horizon. Many men and women who work on our center walk there every day and it takes about 2 hours, one way! |
April 10, 2016
April 3, 2016
 |
| It was HOT today! The shade from this rain tree was a good spot to cool off and sell coconuts to travelers. |
 |
| Um...yes...that is the edge of the road we were driving on (hence the blurry blacktop)! Heavy rains have recently washed out parts of the highway. We saw lots of crews and workmen working on the roads and the one landslide that was almost impassable a couple of weeks ago was much easier to cross. |
March 20, 2016
Once a month or so, horse-owners here give rides to kids in our community to raise money for taking care of the horses and buying supplies. This was the first time Grayson got to ride a horse, and he loved it - especially since he got to ride the biggest one, Chance. The hills in the background, covered in homes and gardens from our neighboring village, Quina, are my favorite part of this snapshot.
March 13, 2016 Fishing In The Ba'ai River (by Matt)- My Friend Norm and his kids (plus some) agreed to take us fishing for the day. Love getting off-center and seeing their villages.
 |
| Hanging out in the village before fishing. |
 |
| Fishing + Sugar Cane!!!! That's a good day! |
 |
| Norm's daughter hiked and hung with us all day! |
 |
| Yeah... I like her! |
 |
| Of course, we were out-fished by the local boys. Can you see the fish in the air? It looks like a white squiggle. |
February 28, 2016
This is my class! Twenty-four amazing children whose parents are involved in Bible translation here in Papua New Guinea. Teaching them is my honor and joy, and every day brings me new challenges as I teach two grade levels at once this year! Please pray for more teachers to come and teach, as we've had a teacher shortage over the past couple of years. Ukarumpa International School
February 21, 2016
February 14, 2016
 |
| I was impressed that Grayson had absolutely no fear going down by himself! |
 |
| Although she's not doing it in this picture, Brianna's favorite technique was to sit cross-legged and spin herself in circles the whole way down! |
January 31, 2016
 |
| The drive to Bauka was a little sketchy on the deeply rutted road, but we're always up for an adventure with our friends, the Dishmans! Brianna and the rest of the kids rode in the back of the truck...what a life! |
 |
| Drying the beans on a rainy day. |
 |
| On our way out of our center, several kids hopped into the back of our truck for the ride (The boy in the orange shirt is a former student of mine, and the taller boy in the red shirt is in my class now.). We hiked up some of the village property - and the kids loved getting wet in the rain! You can pray for Mavis (the woman standing next to Brianna) as she helps get the new school started. |
 |
| This is where they shell the beans before drying them (those are old shells on the ground). They use the coffee bean skin to fertilize their gardens. By the way, I found out today that you can eat raw coffee beans, too! We peeled off the red skin and tasted the sweet, white beans inside. Yum! |
January 24, 2016
I don't feel like I really need to say anything about this photo, because it says it all! It was taken at sunrise early one morning this week by another missionary couple that lives here on our center, Kevin and Melissa Derksen. We call that hill "One Tree Hill", because there used to only be one tree on it and people often hiked up to it to see the view. It's still a good hike, but I'm not sure exactly which tree is the original "lone tree" anymore!
January 17, 2016
January 10, 2016
Yarrr! Grayson turned 6 years old this weekend! It's school break, so quite a few kids from his class weren't here and couldn't make it to his pirate party yesterday, but we still had a good turn-out. Whenever this time of year rolls around, it reminds me of when we first arrived in PNG in January 2013, just after Grayson had turned 3 years old. We're looking forward to many more birthday celebrations here! And I know I've said it before, but I am so thankful for the answered prayer for friends here for Brianna and Grayson!
January 3, 2016
 |
| Matt and our friend, Paul Stewart, ready to check out what the bees have been up to. |
 |
| Paul, finding thousands of bees in the shed - and HONEY! |
 |
| Matt and Paul were able to get 8 jars of honey from the shed! |
December 27, 2015
One of the workers that builds with Matt, Bafin, had a daughter born a couple weeks ago. So Matt, Brianna, and our good friend Ivan went to Bafin's village to visit this week. We can see the village from our house, but it takes about an hour to walk there and you have to cross a river to get to it. Beautiful!
 |
| When they got to Bafin's house, he wasn't there! They were told that he was building a new house, so they set out to find it. |
 |
| Bafin's son, at the new house building site. A nice, full bag of garden food and the tool that does it all here in PNG (bushknife). |
 |
| Matt and Ivan with Bafin by his new house. |
 |
| Beautiful baby girl! |
 |
| Headed back home... |
 |
| Traffic. |
December 20, 2015
Merry Christmas! All the way over here in PNG, there are a lot of Christmas festivities going on. So, I'll share a few photos from our week! This is our hottest time of year, but thankfully it's been raining again on most days which really cools it off (and fills our little blow-up pool - see pic!). This is a hard time of year to be away from family and friends in the States, but we are so thankful for everyone here who helps to make the season special!
 |
| Brianna, reciting her part in the Christmas Chapel at school. |
 |
| We try to keep up with our holiday traditions, even if it's HOT inside and out! Yes, Grayson was too hot to wear his shirt (it seems to be off more than on these days!) and yes, that's a fan blowing in the background. |
 |
| I think they turned out pretty well! And they taste like Christmas. |
 |
| Matt rigged a pipe to divert rain water into our pool. |
December 13, 2015
December 6, 2015
 |
| Those plants didn't stand a chance. |
 |
| Matt's a good teacher...without him, our kids would never learn how to use a bushknife (machete). |
November 29, 2015
November 22, 2015
 |
| Brianna, waiting to board our fifth and last flight to our "other home" in the Eastern Highlands Province of PNG. |
Wow, when I look at my last Snapshot Sunday (almost a month ago!), it makes me realize how much has happened since then! We are safely in Papua New Guinea and we have lots of great pictures of our long journey here. So, it was hard for me to pick one...I picked three! We'll blog later this week about the trip and I can share some of the amazing things God did for us along the way. Thank you all for praying us safely here!
 |
| Both kids were so tuckered out! It was an hour and a half flight, and they slept through most of it! So many memories of our first term came flooding back for Matt and I as we looked out at this beautiful country again (pics to come this week)! |
 |
| This is me in our backyard (you may remember our trusty family car!) looking into our shipment crate that we sent here ahead of us. You can see the solar panels on our roof, our banana tree patch (right), and our semi-flat yard for the kids to play in. So thankful for hot water, food, and all of God's provisions for us. Happy Thanksgiving! |
October 18, 2015
"When are we going home?" Brianna asked me that awhile ago, and she meant Papua New Guinea. And it's true - now we have two homes. When we're not in PNG, we miss our home there. When we're not in North Carolina, we miss that home. So, with this being our last weekend at home in the Blue Ridge Mountains, we enjoyed the awesome gift of a perfect Fall day with a hike to one of our favorite spots, Beacon Heights (having Aunt Julie with us made it even more special!). It's strange to think that in a few short weeks, we'll be taking family photos in a warm, tropical place that's also home.
October 11, 2015
October 4, 2015
Daddy's girl. For sure. Although this isn't the best quality photo I took this week, I just had to use it as our Snapshot because it captured Brianna so well. The princess dress, the power tool, the look of determination in her face. She is growing up and no one can stop it (she'll be happy to let you know it, too!). Matt was rehanging the handrail after painting this week and Brianna jumped at the chance to learn how to use a drill. I love seeing the way she is with her daddy and the special relationship that they have; different from her relationship with her mommy, but good-different.September 20, 2015
 |
| Cooling off with a splash in Grandma and Grandpa's creek. |
 |
| Learning from Grandma. |
 |
| Celebrating Grandpa's birthday with Brianna's first apple pie! |
September 6, 2015
 |
| Our friend, Gary, taking a flip into the falls this weekend. |
Interestingly, Matt seems to have a certain effect on his friends when they hang out long enough...see this shot from a Snapshot Sunday in April 2014:
August 30, 2015
 |
| Grayson, aka "Superman", standing his ground. |
Also this week, on his second day of Kindergarten, he told me he didn't need me to walk him in! I was not ready for that!
August 23, 2015
 |
| Smoke fills the dry air at Ukarumpa, where they desperately need rain. |
This is a photo taken this week at Ukarumpa, the missionary center where we live in Papua New Guinea. There hasn't been substantial rain there in over a month and everything is dry and crispy. It's not just a matter of having a brown lawn. We collect rain water in tanks (like those two tanks in front of the middle house) for our drinking water and most of the tanks on center are running dry now. To make things worse, Papua New Guineans burn their fields during this driest time of the year. Some do because it prepares their land for gardening, but many believe that the smoke rising into the air will cause it to rain. Gardens are dying and some of the Papua New Guinean kids that attend the school where I teach have stopped bringing lunches to school. Please join us in praying for a nice, big rainstorm to fill water tanks, clean the air, and grow the gardens that everyone depends on for food! (photo by Kurt Metzger)
August 9, 2015
This photo pretty much sums up how we feel right now! We just returned to our hometown after a month-long road trip visiting ministry partners, friends, and family. It was exhausting, but exactly what we've been praying for during our short time here in the U.S. For opportunities to be with the people we love, share what's happening in Papua New Guinea, and spread the word that in order for Bible translation to happen, we need people from just about every profession to serve.
Do you not know?
Have you not heard?
The Lord is the everlasting God,
the Creator of the ends of the earth.
He will not grow tired or weary,
and his understanding no one can fathom.
Have you not heard?
The Lord is the everlasting God,
the Creator of the ends of the earth.
He will not grow tired or weary,
and his understanding no one can fathom.
He gives strength to the weary
and increases the power of the weak.
and increases the power of the weak.
Even youths grow tired and weary,
and young men stumble and fall;
and young men stumble and fall;
but those who hope in the Lord
will renew their strength.
They will soar on wings like eagles;
they will run and not grow weary,
they will walk and not be faint.
will renew their strength.
They will soar on wings like eagles;
they will run and not grow weary,
they will walk and not be faint.
Isaiah 40:28-31
July 12, 2015
 |
| Our new house in Papua New Guinea! |
July 5, 2015
 |
| Matt with my sister, Julie. |
 |
| Brianna and Grayson, in the Minneapolis, NC parade! |
June 28, 2015
I am so excited about the blog, ThePNGExperience! It is update every weekday with photos and videos, along with stories about Bible translation efforts and literacy work in Papua New Guinea. It's definitely worth following!
June 14, 2015
June 7, 2015
 |
| Enjoying some good, Southern BBQ at Lincolnton, North Carolina's "Hog Happenin'" with Brandy Ingle. She serves with Wycliffe teaching in Papua New Guinea as well! |
A mumu is a traditional way to cook pork by placing hot stones in a pit in the ground and layering banana leaves, meat, and vegetables to steam them. Pigs are an important part of PNG culture and are given to pay debts, for bride prices, and to settle disputes. Funerals, weddings, and holidays are all good reasons for a mumu and the whole village enjoys the "PNG barbeque" together.
May 31, 2015
May 17, 2015
"With over 850 languages in Papua New Guinea, it is sometimes hard to imagine a location for every language. It is easy to lump them all into one geographic area and just say they are all Papua New Guinean. While this is true as a nation, individually, there is pride in one’s own culture and language. Papua New Guineans take great pleasure in pointing out where they live and what language they speak. It is part of who they are. That is why it is important to pursue having language development and Bible translation projects in all the languages that can sustain them. Pray for these women who are taking part in the initial Translator’s Training Course (TTC) in PNG. Pray that they will be adequately prepared to take the road to a completed translation."
*This week's Snapshot Sunday comes from an awesome blog called "The PNG Experience". Check it out!
May 3, 2015
April 26, 2015
In honor of Brianna's birthday today, I'm posting a snapshot that I took yesterday while we were playing outside during a break in the rain. She just seems so grown up - beyond her 8 years! We thank God for the beautiful young lady she's becoming. A few quick facts on her latest "favorites": the color purple, Beanie Boos, crepes, anything American Girl, and playing with her friends. We love you, Brianna!
April 12, 2015
 |
| This weekend, we got to spend time with our friends, the Schmidts. Since they just finished up their time serving as missionaries in Kenya, we especially appreciate getting to spend time together. |
The best part about being back in the U.S. is getting to see people we love! This week, I wanted to just post a couple of snapshots from the past week of us enjoying time with special people. Thank you, Lord, for the blessings of family and friends and precious time with them!
.JPG) |
| Brianna and Grayson, enjoying time in the sun with their Aunt Julie on Easter. |
March 29, 2015
You may be asking, "Well, what about that other Tigger in his arms?"
Simply put, that Tigger just isn't Fuzzball. Although he did do his best to fill Fuzzball's big shoes during the two days it took to mail Fuzzball back to us, the "other" Tigger got one big squeeze along with Fuzzball and was quickly tossed on the floor. We're so thankful to be in a country where you can select "overnight delivery"!
March 22, 2015
CLICK FOR VIDEO Skiing! One of the things we're trying to do while we're here in the U.S. for a short time is to expose our kids to things they won't experience in Papua New Guinea. Last week, Brianna got to go skiing with her class from school, and Matt got to spend the day with her, too. After a short ski lesson and lots of trial and error, Brianna got the hang of it! She said she can't wait to tell her friends in PNG about what it's like!
 |
| It got so warm by the afternoon that they didn't even need to wear coats! |
March 8, 2015
 |
| "Each dot represents the geographic center of one of the world's nearly 7,000 languages." |
March 1, 2015
 |
| This big guy was about 10 feet away from our boat! |
February 15, 2015
There is another bridge with problems on the Highlands highway, which is our source for fuel, food, and access to the rest of the country. Click HERE for the whole story and a video.
Also, there have been a lot of medivacs (medical evacuations to Australia) from our center lately and the missionaries working in PNG need your prayers for health, safety, and wisdom for the doctors at our clinic. Thank you for praying!
February 8, 2015
This week I got to do two of my favorite things, at the same time: teach children and talk about Papua New Guinea! The AWANA group from Bethel Baptist Church invited us to talk to the kids about the need for Bible translation in PNG and how most people there do not have a Bible they can read in their heart language, and clearly understand. We could see that the children were excited to learn more and also show us what they already knew. One of their own church families, the Dishmans, are also serving to support Bible translation in PNG!
February 1, 2015
Thank you Uncle Matt and Aunt Alissa! They treated us to an unforgettable night at the Barnum and Bailey Circus this weekend. When I asked Brianna and Grayson what their favorite part was, their list was pretty long but at the top were the motorcycles in a cage (11 at once!), the acrobats, the lion and tiger tamer, and of course, the elephants. A great night of memories, much different from the entertainment we're used to in Papua New Guinea!
January 25, 2015
January 19, 2015
January 11, 2015
January 4, 2015
 |
| Jaime and Jesse, seeing me off the morning we left PNG. |
One of the hardest things about living overseas is leaving your family behind. But one thing I learned very quickly in Papua New Guinea, is that you need family to keep you afloat. So, your friends become your family. It's impossible to replace my sisters (below), and being reunited with them has been indescribable; but I am so thankful for my "sisters" in PNG, too!
 |
| Me, Alissa, Rachel, and Julie...together again for Christmas! |
November 30, 2014
.jpg)
As a going away present, one of Matt's workers made Brianna and Grayson each their own "bonara" (bow and arrow, pronounced bow nara) this week. They were so excited! Right away, they went out to our yard so Matt could teach them how to shoot.
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg){kind=spacer}
.jpg)
.jpg) |
| Don't worry, the arrows that are stuck in the ground were shot before he got there! |
November 23, 2014
.jpg)
Well, this is what happens when you try to eat outside during rainy season. When we sat down, it was sunny and beautiful. About 10 minutes later, the clouds quickly rolled in and the downpour began. Luckily, I had taken a couple of towels with us, so we used them to try to stay dry at first but soon realized that it was no use. By the time we ran inside to eat instead, we were all soaked - but the kids loved it!
November 16, 2014
.jpg)
For Brianna and Grayson, Sunday afternoons mean a motorcycle ride with their daddy. Matt took this shot as they took a break to enjoy the view through "the fence". There is a security fence surrounding our center and on most Sundays Matt takes the kids outside the fence to drive around, play in the dirt, and find new places to explore. Never does a Sunday morning pass without Brianna asking, "We're going on a ride today, right?" The kids always come back home filthy, with helmet head, and bursting with stories about what they did or saw. I am so thankful for the memories they're making with their daddy.
November 9, 2014
.jpg)
This week Matt went to a nearby village to look at a small building that he might renovate. Hopefully a translator will be able to use it as a literacy center to continue work on the Gadsup Bible translation. The Gadsup speakers desperately need a revision done on their Bible, which was translated a while ago. All of the kids in the village came out to greet Matt and the other men that came with him. This shot, taken from inside the house, really captures the children's spirit and excitement.
November 2, 2014
.jpg)
October 26, 2014
Have you ever just wanted to get away to a remote island somewhere? Matt took the picture of this island about a mile off the coast of Madang, one of the bigger towns along the north coast. It's big enough for a few houses, some chickens and a pig or two, but not big enough for planting gardens. Plus...what would grow in sand?
These islanders are dedicated fisherman, but the majority of people here mostly eat food grown in their own, small gardens. So, the families who live on islands like this one usually have gardens on the mainland that they travel to by boat, then foot. They clear bush, plant new crops, weed, and harvest it all mostly by hand and machete. Then they haul the food back to their island - just in time to start dinner!
October 19, 2014
What do you do for fun on a Saturday in the middle of Papua New Guinea? Well, there's always the "Highlands Hillbilly Water Slide"! Old mining belt...check. Hose rigged up to pump an endless flow of river water...check. Big hill...check. Hole dug at the base of the hill, filled with muddy river water...check. All set!
A few times a year, we have the chance to play on the water slide, and this time was the most fun because both kids loved it and Brianna could do it on her own. We spent a couple hours trying to figure out all of the different ways we could make it down - tummy, knees, people-trains. So much fun and maybe a little dangerous, but totally worth it!
.jpg) |
| Brianna braving the water slide on her own. |
.jpg) |
| The final splashes at the bottom didn't keep Brianna from going back for more! |
.jpg)
.jpg) |
| I tried to keep Grayson's head above water! Believe it or not, he loved it! |
.jpg) |
| After his first run with me, Grayson was prepared! |
October 12, 2014
The following photos were taken at the Waskia New Testament dedication a little over a week ago. One of our friends here, Sarah Halferty, went along to take photos and get to experience seeing people receive the Bible in their own language. I'll let the pictures do the rest of the talking...
%252B(1024x683).jpg&container=blogger&gadget=a&rewriteMime=image%2F*)
%252B(683x1024).jpg&container=blogger&gadget=a&rewriteMime=image%2F*)
%2B(1024x683).jpg)
%2B(1024x683).jpg)
%2B(683x1024).jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
October 5, 2014
.jpg)
.jpg)
September 21, 2014
.jpg) | |
| Culture clash: flying character kites with our neighboring village, K'Wina, in the background. |
It wasn't until I looked at these photos this evening, that I was struck by the contrast between what we were doing (the American world and culture we come from with Hello Kitty and Transformers) and our surroundings (houses, gardens, and a way of life that has hardly changed for hundreds or thousands of years). Seeing our world through the lens of the camera today brought me back to our first few weeks in this country - when everything was striking, new, and full of wonder. May the beauty and richness of this place never become ordinary!
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
September 14, 2014
%2B(1024x683).jpg) |
| Grayson's 4-Year-Old Preschool Class (Grayson is in orange in the front row). |
%2B(1024x683).jpg) |
| Brianna's Second Grade Class (Brianna is standing in front of me). |
As you can see, I am Brianna's teacher; but we have really enjoyed having Mrs. Howarth from the United Kingdom join us for a couple of hours each day as a classroom aide. She's also the art teacher for our school. I hope all of these beautiful faces make you as happy as they make me! I'm sure that someday we will look back and say, "Wow! Look how young everyone was!"; but right now all I can think is, "Everyone's so grown up!".
September 7, 2014
.jpg)
August 31, 2014
.jpg) |
| "Oh man, ew! That asparagus is touching the bandicoot we wanted to buy!" |
The crispy things on skewers are something Matt just had to try: smoked sago grubs! Here's the proof...
.jpg)
The furry critter is called a bandicoot, which is hunted in the bush and provides a good source of protein if you're lucky enough to catch or buy one. The little green bundles in the foreground are probably sacsac, which is sago palm. The piles of black things near the back are "kina shells", clams.
.jpg) |
| The Crabs were huge, delicious, and still alive! |
.jpg)
.jpg) |
| Also eels and a variety of ocean delicacies |
.jpg) |
| More Sago Grubs or "Benatan bilong sak sak" |
.jpg)
Wow, we might go through a bit of reverse culture-shock when we first go back to a grocery store in the U.S. again!
August 24, 2014
.jpg) |
| Our pineapple garden! |
.jpg){kind=spacer}
.jpg){kind=spacer}
I still remember the first time I was walking in the jungle here and looked down and saw a pineapple growing. An actual pineapple growing in what seemed to be the middle of nowhere! Even though I had seen pineapples growing in Africa, it had been awhile so it really caught me off guard.
Our pineapple garden at our house is one of our favorite things. Unfortunately, it's also one of the favorite things of the rats outside, so we keep a close watch over them! It takes a long time for a pineapple to be ready to pick - anywhere from 3 to 4 months or more! But it's always worth the wait when we get the perfect, most fresh pineapple for breakfast.
I felt a little silly when I asked one of my Papua New Guinean friends here how to plant a pineapple and she gave me this look like, "How can you not know this?". You take the top off and then just plant it in the ground! Since we live in a springtime climate year-round, that's about all it takes (that, and a little bit of patience, of course).
August 17, 2014
.jpg)
The bouncy castle is our version of an amusement park here...it comes out at our annual carnival and occasionally for fundraisers at other times. The cotton candy machine is owned by one of the families here at our center and we have really enjoyed having that special taste of home every now and then. It's too bad Matt is out of town - he's the biggest cotton candy fan in our family (the 9th graders would have sold at least two more if he'd been there).
I wonder what the kids' reaction will be when they see a real amusement park someday...
.jpg) |
| Patiently waiting their turn... |
.jpg){kind=spacer} |
| I asked Grayson to smile, but he was already pretty busy and couldn't seem to stop! |
.jpg){kind=spacer} |
| Sweet. |
August 10, 2014
.jpg)
Reason 1: Selling food out of a wheelbarrow! Such a great idea, since this man probably had to travel quite a way on foot to get to the right spot to sell his food. Plus, it looks like a fairly clean wheelbarrow, right?
Reason 2: These bright orange, mysterious-looking doughnut type things! I brought this photo to my classroom to ask my Papua New Guinean students what they are and they said, "Oh, they're sweet!" Now, in the U.S. that would be sugary. But I've learned a thing or two (the hard way) about how food is described here. "Sweet" can mean anything from sweet to sour to salty...it basically just means "really good". So, I clarified: "Sweet, like sugar? Or sweet like good?" Students: "Oh no, they're salty. They're flour balls covered in fish!" Hmm...glad I got clarification.
.jpg)
August 3, 2014
.jpg)
I found a bunch of wild orchids growing on a tree while we were enjoying one of the most beautiful (finally, sunny!) days today. It's dry season here, but it's been the wettest one in a while - which makes for cloudy, misty days and COLD showers (no sun = no solar water heater). So, needless to say, I am very thankful for the sunshine today and for finding such an amazing flower just growing randomly out of a tree. The only time I saw orchids in the U.S. was at a florist!
Now, to share a not-so-pretty plant:
.jpg) |
| "Hey Laura, look what I brought home from the market!" |
Well, it's what's for dinner tonight either way. Matt's been preparing it this afternoon and now it's boiling on the stove. After we fry it, hopefully it will taste like the yucca fries Matt grew up eating in Peru. That's what we're hoping for!
.jpg) |
| Like shaving bark off a tree. |
.jpg) |
| Ready to boil! Yum. |
July 27, 2014
.jpg)
Matt was just looking back at some of his old photos from growing up in Peru as a "missionary kid", so when I came across this picture (taken about a month ago), it made me think about how someday Grayson and Brianna are going to be looking at it the same way Matt was, at his old photos. They'll be saying things like, "Wow! Look how young 'so and so' looks!" and "Remember when..?".Of course, one of my fears as a mom coming here was that my kids wouldn't find the same kinds of close friends as they had in the U.S. As you can tell, we have been blessed with plenty of them! We are so thankful for all of the friendships we've made here and continue to be amazed at God's provision for all of our needs.
And...for those of you who haven't seen our first day of school pictures on Facebook yet, I couldn't resist sharing them!
.jpg) |
| Grayson's first day of 4-year-old preschool. |
.jpg) |
| Brianna's first day of second grade! |
July 20, 2014
Right way, when we first came to Surumarany, Mam's toothless smile and laugh welcomed us and made us feel at ease in a very new environment. He enjoyed showing Matt how to log trees for flooring, float them down the river, carve and patch traditional canoes, and so much more. He is already greatly missed by his wife and the rest of the family. We feel blessed to have known him and learn so much from him.
 |
| Mam and his wife. |
 |
| Our wasfemili, with Mam at the center. |
+(800x600).jpg) |
| Floating freshly-cut limbum trees down the river to the ocean. |
July 13, 2014
Well, I feel bad for not posting a Snapshot Sunday last week so I've decided to give you several pictures taken throughout my week. As I was looking back at them, I realized that sometimes the "ordinary" around here may not be. So, here was my week in pictures...
.jpg) |
| Early morning dew revealed this spider "city" in our yard. |
.jpg) |
| These spiderwebs are amazing! Each dome-shaped web is the home of one spider. Brianna and Grayson saw that the webbing at the base looks like the screens on our windows. |
.jpg) |
| Brianna with Makenna and Morgan, waiting for Makenna to board her plane. |
.jpg) |
| Smiling through a sad farewell. |
This week, we said "goodbye" to some of our dearest friends here. In fact, they were the first family we met, waiting at the airport for our final flight when we came to Papua New Guinea! The Kitchens are flying home to have their baby and hopefully will return here next summer. We miss them already!
.jpg) |
| Just another "market morning"! After we buy produce at the market, we have to soak everything in bleach water for 20-30 minutes to kill all of the "bugs". But we certainly can't complain, with all of the delicious fruits and veggies that grow here year-round! |
June 29, 2014
 |
| "Noken spetim buai" (spitting buai is not allowed), is directly translated as "no can spit buai". |
Many towns are now trying to pass regulations about spitting the red juice on the ground, with mixed success. It's a big part of the culture here and traditionally, beetlenut is often given to visiting friends as a sign of welcome. When we lived near the coast, buai trees grew everywhere and pretty much everyone in our village chewed buai. But here in the mountains it is too cold for buai trees to grow, so we don't see as much of it being chewed. I can't say I miss it!
 |
| Julai, one of Matt's friends in our village near the coast. |
June 22, 2014
.jpg)
Ben's dad is an airplane mechanic and is in charge of making sure that all of our planes and aviation equipment are inspected, current, and running smoothly. Asher's parents are Bible translators who live part-time here at our center and part-time in the village where they are now working on translating the New Testament. Both of these boys' older sisters were in my first grade class this year!
We are so thankful for the many friendships our kids have made here! It was hard to leave home in North Carolina, leaving so many precious friends and family and we feel blessed to be living life here alongside many new friends, like these.
June 15, 2014
.jpg&container=blogger&gadget=a&rewriteMime=image%2F*) |
| The people of Long Island, PNG celebrating the arrival of New Testaments translated into their language, Arop Lokep. |
.jpg)
In these photos, everyone is dressed in traditional "singsing" (celebration) attire and dancing and singing to the beat of their drums. It was an amazing sight and sound! They wrote, practiced, and performed several worship songs written for the one, true God!
The island is actually the ring of a volcano and is about 40 km away from the main island of Papua New Guinea. So, the people there are pretty isolated and don't speak as much Tok Pisin (the trade language in PNG). There are about 3,000 people on the island. It was so cool to meet people who have their own, separate language and were getting to hear and read God's Word in it!
If you want to see a video from that weekend, click here.
I will be blogging more about our time on Long Island soon!
.jpg)
May 25, 2014
.jpg)
One afternoon while on a trail behind the house Matt was working on, he found this little guy. As he was snapping a picture of it, the man he was building for looked alarmed that Matt was this close to it. Apparently, as a defense mechanism, this caterpillar curls into a ball and sprays out liquid poison from between its skin folds and if it gets on your skin you'll get miserable sores! Matt says he could easily see ten a day. They like to crawl along on the trail, especially at night. I guess Matt will be wearing shoes from now on!
May 18, 2014
.jpg)
I like this photo because it shows kids enjoying life here...barefoot, dirty, and having a blast. I seriously can't get Grayson's knees clean! I've scrubbed and scrubbed, but they're stained! At least he's having fun, right? One of the best parts of being here is that the kids can play outside year-round, rain or shine. It's going to be quite a shock to their systems when Brianna and Grayson feel winter again in the U.S. this December!
May 11, 2014
.jpg) |
| Three tree kangaroos we saw today...not in the wild, but still cool! |
Yes, it's true. We have "kangaroos" here, but not the kind you might find in our neighboring country, Australia. Here in Papua New Guinea, we have tree kangaroos! One of the ones we saw today even had a baby in her pouch, but we couldn't get a good picture of her.
Brianna and Grayson had a great time feeding them hibiscus flowers and bamboo leaves, but I had to keep reminding them to keep their fingers out of the cage - the tree kangaroos have huge claws!
In our many hikes through the jungles, we haven't encountered one yet. They are pretty reclusive in the wild. They sure look cuddly!
This was all part of my Mother's Day outing for lunch today. Matt and the kids surprised me with a lunch out with our friends, the Kitchens, at the restaurant in town (yes, the restaurant...as in, the only restaurant). It was a great day!
.jpg)
.jpg)
April 27, 2014
.jpg)
Brianna turned 7 years old this Saturday! This was her second birthday here and she finally got to have a big party. Last year, we were at POC (Pacific Orientation Course) and weren't able to celebrate with a party just for her. I can tell she's growing up because she wanted an "art party", not a princess theme like the previous four years!
We are so thankful for all of the friends Brianna and Grayson have made here. All but one of the girls in this photo are also in my first grade class this year. Fun times! And Grayson only cried once during the festivities saying, "It's too loud in here!" Fifteen girls...sorry buddy.
April 21, 2014
.jpg)
.jpg)
April 13, 2014
![[Image]](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHxL-FcvgXV8ZoFO7Gwl8cuw1-RrsulKpQOpVC4gfM8CWmalwxpe3UUWB-U3H-rzhsdwdEUeSIzq1Z1tuapKBbOHA-VneMV_IUxAebX60_Knd14_23pCIPzYgjSgDZW5SakV0XRRCeBWtM/s1600/April2014.3+029+(1280x960).jpg)
![[Image]](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUpoakk7aIlA5YdxIrWnsUs1RFEdbC-1OwWiyMsCbOV79jMRb7ATca5ANM-CbKRFCPihPsLhTMfCFQM-xGXvbKujShjU2BHes4InjitqXL6z5YB4saYtz1qoqSMS3VrKGOqaDqxUWyhBL8/s1600/April2014.3+010+(1280x960).jpg)
April 6, 2014
![[Image]](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDi2-qcYgjaymJquhUsOxjhAhEz7sX5CaPEFyw1SK0J9ujLzF1rriiNDqyx8V6HnZYvKul7ygzdZFtyolp3TeWTm8Yp7tJj3yF6tYe_VAqUIZ3DJOpMvVZbyYQzxwguUZkx1SxhPQAubn_/s1600/April+2014+330+(800x600).jpg) |
| Matt's parents meeting the chief of our village, Mam Bruce (Mam means respected father or grandfather). |
In the photo above, we are sitting in the house that we lived in for 5 weeks, enjoying the company of many friends that we haven't seen in almost a year. We never imagined Matt's parents would ever be there, so it was a pretty amazing experience.
I will be blogging all about Nana and Papa's visit with lots of photos early this week, so be sure to come back to the blog soon!
![[Image]](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSDMzE5dvraUDOymGsO1FkLUqfsawg4ViAlzTBcmfawqBrP7WmFPyCqE63ayl6nSMZ3lGxT4LTTuzG0PtmJ6CI5QdfTP5kOux4xxGvva1DUthTARLQt_Zq3rvzhm4OHONwQ1qlrYFQsIuo/s1600/April+2014+348+(800x600).jpg) |
| On the black sand beach of Surumarang, with just a few of Grayson and Brianna's buddies. KarKar island, a volcano, is in the background. Right after this picture was taken, Matt took Grayson out in this blue fishing boat. |
March 30, 2014
![[Image]](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHNua_gqO1E2LFy7rG3_iaAbZ6wAzCU7zmco6JwIe7YS9GQ_sD5BpIWPHH_HAEMnwaUtHcFW91i2eFr7vXM9Jovui2kuzlTkrvSIA1ryrcYUWwfhKdmfrSUntJBjXFeZP3iwfT27IjQYWQ/s1600/March2014.7+089+(800x532).jpg) |
| Can you tell Brianna's excited to see Nana and Papa? |
Ok, I know it's SnapSHOT Sunday, but I just can't choose which snapshot to use this week! Matt's parents finally flew in Monday a little after 5:00 pm, hours later than we expected them to come...but we call this "the land of the unexpected" for a reason!
![[Image]](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOCCnQJaDdo39DNVkEFJC9u8V7jEKp8XrbuGoLV0qDrMx0NX4Uc1js1LgoOAiCAJZp441OzberNfw2rEcoHouTCneO7pjmkPEfJO7suY6x4AiEDyC_J_dHLtJRGc_HapLE8fVptgTefCoM/s1600/March2014.7+091+(800x532).jpg)
We're especially looking forward to visiting our old village, Surumarang, where we lived for 5 weeks. I'm sure we'll have a lot of photos to blog about after that!
![[Image]](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivxwh9QoCOkVm_742EfLXRMTbiYy-K6xxD9BqKzPRM0NHDcNgJrTuBPmKqX3VhN-mxx3JRuIYihqx1lXVjJybf6kpW0UZJDdx5M1c9UphLx2foyv6BjRd88rxRw1_PHORTjVjXI-eYLap5/s1600/March2014.7+108+(800x532).jpg)
March 23, 2014
![[Image]](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgA4D_dwmEvbI2GKmW37U-YCcyI_Qna9DNl1m8zmtyJZ49YyfpMcqL_Y8czrWDXHty-GiGHKvl4D6Odg8iFKLd19tdSkxU9pO6Eh5KRkTaxmgh80jcRWI7A6-bIidVWLNhZNZgU-aZQtJ-0/s1600/March2014.5+081+(600x800).jpg) |
| Brianna and Grayson, getting Nana and Papa's welcome banner ready! |
Nana and Papa are coming to visit tomorrow!!! Matt's parents, Bruce and Carolyn Young, have been trekking across the globe for the past four days, step by step making their way to Papua New Guinea. Tonight they are in Port Moresby (the capital of PNG) and tomorrow they will make their final flight in a small Kodiak airplane to where we live in the Eastern Highlands Province, Ukarumpa. We can't even imagine what it will be like to have them here, mixing two worlds.
We've been counting down the days, tracking their flights, and can hardly wait to see their plane land tomorrow. I'm sure we are going to make great memories and will share many of them with you! Feeling blessed!
March 16, 2014
![[Image]](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5AhoH1F0kEd9bw82qiLp-c8vlGZqm9XMCRhsnht1R5Sy8R9R6tCadk4ISaMoUpRvxB0h2mVKTXr5GEZpVcTw-iAGNBBsbqbzsaT1ox1SF5t-cvB6df80Xylk-GrBr7U20rNLWe3kUE9F3/s1600/March2014.2+072+(600x800).jpg)
Getting packages in the mail or through shipments is one of the things that helps keep us encouraged and entertained here. Thanks to our family back in the U.S., Brianna and Grayson have enjoyed hours of entertainment with the Nerf guns they recently got in a shipment. As you can see, one of their favorite pastimes before bed is seeing how many bullets they can get stuck to the ceiling before they fall down. So far their record is...10! Then, of course, it's always fun to see if any of them are still stuck on the ceiling when they wake up in the morning. They also think it's hilarious when they can get a bullet to stick to Mommy's forehead (it's only happened once, but that doesn't keep them from trying)!
March 9, 2014
![[Image]](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdedgnGZjqclwLczt1QrDbaLKgDrlPrOgsM1mUQP3ZrmDp-Sbvdckfrb6sCU06qu8Y_PnvS2vFnY5Y3CWJNnDEwDIAqcGfWts0-7Cdo4urvhLcBAeN0gVTFkJnqJJrZahLo0wPjTXdykps/s1600/March+2014+013+(800x600).jpg)
We've learned to bring buckets instead of bags so that soft things don't get squished - and buy the heavy things first! If you're wondering what those purplish things are on the table next to Brianna...they're passion fruit! The purple ones, in my opinion, are the best. Orange and tangy in the middle. The green ones are white inside and much sweeter. You can buy a "hip" (pronounced heap) for 1 Kina, which is about 40 cents. One of the best buys in the market!
March 2, 2014
![[Image]](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_KWuJexRKHwogMysd4aogD_PSKo2yx27RP1cmESr_Qp10r7YRnttS7cx9vMEgHJphcQHQvnTZH-u0-b7QzmdVdJc9gT08vTH8XxSELk00n4SUYgpkr-1RiwowonxHF5E0xE3_YKmw5oU5/s1600/February2014.3+060+%2528800x600%2529.jpg)
![[Image]](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzBJnlLjvJ-SSqiG7kn96titBqx58vEwGGx4cQIEtPtjmfHX9Z4573AlaiBpLT-J4kcfG8P8Fn1GZ4o0mQrplBmEU4knwHpDgcyMdcKdDMKi9RDsnZOCRn6KmLtaN9CGh9OtLKCUJdGEMK/s1600/February2014.3+062+%2528800x600%2529.jpg)
February 23, 2014
![[Image]](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinNo_b6yAvi5dr6JHNJY9HifAIFDeuttv2HT9oiAGCkzox4589mlA2k4-YPJ7lT9tfTIxu4xuPVTHTxZXN0FImL9bOPU7hfLSUSt68zV3lW7iLxFkDONH7e9uJNZmmHaEnKnRdoruHU2mA/s1600/February2014+122+(800x600).jpg)
This is the Meeting House, where we worship on Sunday mornings and hear a message from someone either living here on the center or visiting from other parts of the country or overseas. There are two services, the first one being in Tok Pisin and the second, in English. People from all over the world and from many different denominations gather together to worship, fellowship, and learn. Living in such a multinational community seems pretty normal to us now, but when I see so many of us in one big room at the same time, I get struck once again by how special this place is and how amazing it is that God stirs the hearts of His children all over the world to be a part of His work here in Papua New Guinea.
February 16, 2014
![[Image]](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeZfHdnfAZqIP1KV2NMymFt_rV0evh4DFMQiBo_L9_nfLutuE1BVB4QFrbXoU8Bz8ndfsy6F1BataWuUhCQlQZYHpIJDM9vlB7d_GLdt-OIgvmuuOGdwSZd9NAc3KUSBM6PWpKQmQ14Sna/s1600/February2014+096+(800x600).jpg) | |||
| Matt, Brianna, and Grayson playing with the kids at Mambu Haus. |
Mambu Haus ("Bamboo House") is a ministry that we just got involved in last weekend and it's a lot of fun! Kids from villages around the area walk there on Saturday afternoons to play, sing, learn new things, and hear the truth about Jesus. They range in age from preschool through high school. About twice a month, our family is going to go get to know the kids while we spend time with them. Matt's looking forward to playing volleyball and soccer in the yard outside and I'm looking forward to leading some art and Bible lessons. Brianna and Grayson seemed to fit right in, too!
We're hoping to blog more about Mambu Haus this month!
February 9, 2014
![[Image]](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDxT5t8B4dHySORmUsP1bZEhfgxWcQwZy6RZlqmKR5C62OWBPQE06kwEp1sQRzz0-n8MzuNohYcPQ5nFreL5xRY_ieJMAsd94yymkV3I4FwCy4nKfZugIFQmf2n7T_PNHgo7TdbYo3vNJg/s1600/February2014+036+(800x600).jpg) |
| Our newest family member, Sunset, hanging out with Buddy and Puddleduck. |
Early in the morning last Friday, Matt went to the market as usual but came home with something special...a baby Dusky Lory! We saw a tree full of them recently on a trip, and Matt said, "Wouldn't it be cool to have one of those as a pet?" Needless to say, he couldn't pass him (or her?) up at the market! Meet...Sunset!
But our happy story almost had a very sad ending...When Matt took Sunset out of his cage to feed him on Friday, off he flew! It was really hard to tell the kids right before we left for school, that Sunset might be gone for good. Brianna walked around outside calling out, "Sunset!" until we had to leave. We all left to get started on our day...
That evening, we found out that a cute baby bird came out of nowhere and landed on a little boy's shoulder, way on the other side of our center! They posted it on our community webpage because they could tell that he was really sweet and tame, and had to belong to someone. We are so excited to have him back! Now, with his new "haircut" (we just clipped his wings) hopefully he'll stick around for a while!
![[Image]](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlaJc0QYnVK1qdJQRdrhJXy8o2XcXXMPxUcslQV0QDDZ3OHChHkjlEEnRtwysXp5cnP-PuBF7j3au7cNz96idm8eSv1PzvCseJIQQjKvvE8NIC12owNOkYElr2SBu7jTUFesDttFxRR-jf/s1600/February2014+132+(800x600).jpg)
February 2, 2015
![[Image]](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiahb58FfWrbgdubylgrRcc9Eld8vIqjwDXBbGChpyIOhtkQgyaoM-ssRN3vblUJBWsgzIJCbCfWpwKODBiXC3J12UsvjyVe1zrDgsU83VstYNKIvEfakCVPF6Pr_eW_K35caSnM-zQcV0k/s1600/Jan+2014-2+004+(800x532).jpg)
Welcome to Snapshot Sundays! Every Sunday we are going to post a picture from our week, just to show you a bit of our "everyday life" here in Papua New Guinea.
As Brianna and Grayson were playing with one of their friends one afternoon, we heard music playing outside. Of course, they had no idea what an ice cream truck was, but I recognized the music! I yelled out, "There's an ice cream truck outside!" The kids bolted outside and quickly came back in saying, "They really do have ice cream, but you have to pay for it!" I handed Brianna 5 Kina and before long they were all happily holding an ice cream cone!
No comments:
Post a Comment