Happy New Year

Bill and I have been home on furlough for the holidays and it has been a wonderful time spent with family and friends.

I came home early so I could spend Thanksgiving with my parents and our girls. I met Bri and Betsy at Union College and was delighted to find out that some of the “little girl” still remains in my grown up college daughters.

Right after Thanksgiving my two sisters were able to come and spend a week with my parents and me. We really missed having our brother there to make the reunion complete.  But we truly enjoyed our sister time together.  

Shortly after their departure Bill returned home from PNG and his family all gathered at our home for a family reunion.  It was a special time of laughing and crying as we shared memories of Bob and found our hearts really missing him during this Holiday season. We really look forward to the big family reunion in Heaven where we will ALL be together again forever and ever.  Bob, Neiba, Dad…all of us! 

We enjoyed showing off some of the beauty of New Mexico to Bill’s family.  We took them hiking on top of Sandia Mountain and to the unique formations of Tent Rocks. 

I loved playing the part of “grandma” and helping my adopted grandkids make some Christmas cookies.  

Christmas wouldn’t be the same without Grammy and Poppy.

What do you think? Where we good enough this year to receive something in our stockings?

Thank you to Dave and Bev Spencer for inviting us to spend some time in their beautiful little cabin up in the Colorado mountains.  

Linden Millist was visiting us from Australia and we wanted him to experience some real snow! 

 A gorgeous Sabbath afternoon hike. 

Playing in the snow. 

All good things must come to an end! Yesterday the girls returned to college and Linden to PNG. Bill and I will be following shortly on January 12.

Happy New Year to each one of you. May this next year be a time of growing closer to Jesus and one year closer to heaven.

A clinic is built

In my last blog I told you about the Australian team that came to build a clinic in the village of Mengino. Here is the rest of the story… The village of Mengino from a bird’s eye view.

I want you to notice in this photo that the airstrip (on the right) is not actually in the village (to the left). This is very common here in the Highlands. The villages are often built on a mountain ridge and the airstrip has to be built wherever the closest semi flat area is available.

It is approximately a 45-minute hike from the airstrip up to the village of Mengino.

At last…destination reached!

Over the past several weeks the building supplies and equipment were flown into the village in readiness for the building team’s arrival. Now it all had to be carried from the airstrip up to the village.

The team didn’t waste any time getting started and before nightfall of their first day (after flying in from Goroka and hiking up to the village) they had the foundation put in.

From that point on it was steady progress.

Everybody had their area of expertise and pitched in to help...

…well, almost everybody!

The children enjoyed playing “blocks” with the left over pieces of lumber.

These huts were provided for accommodation.

There was a bit of rat activity going on during the nights. The cat came to the rescue.

After that feast he thinks he deserves a rest – even though the trap caught the rat for him!

The cooking was done over an open fire inside this cook shack.

The women did an amazing job keeping the crew fed.

The men thought they would try their hand at it too.

Cold shower anyone?!

The “Washing Machine” busy at work.

Technology has a way of following us even to the most remote parts of the earth.

The village women enjoyed braiding straight hair.

The team held meetings every night. They hung a sheet on the side of the clinic to make a large screen.

Nimson is the village healthcare worker.

Before the clinic could even be finished the first patient arrived. This unfortunate fellow is the husband of two fighting wives. He tried to intervene and the result was a machete slash to the shoulder.

Nimson set up shop on a bench outside the unfinished clinic and proceeded to stitch up the wound.

In less then 2 weeks time the new clinic is finished! Wow, I think that is impressive.

They say, “Many hands make light work” and it is so true.

Large crowds gathered for the official opening of the clinic - not only from Mengino, but also from the neighboring village on the other side of the mountain.

Good work team!

The happy but tired group on their way back to Goroka and hot showers!