Room make over

I am not a fan of Extreme Home Makeover. They are just too extreme. All of the references to people "deserving" a nice house is like a punch to my gut. Does that mean the 5 million people in PNG that live in a grass hut and dirt floors deserve what they have? These Papua New Guinean friends that have minimal health care, no running water, a hole in the ground for a toilet, and a kerosene lamp... who is helping them "get what they deserve in life"? Or does the "deserving" only apply to Americans? The money that is spent on one deserving family in America could give give clean drinking water to a whole area of PNG or pencils to children in school.

Okay, that is all from my soap box today! For a few days, the girls and I have been changing rooms for them. Olivia (3) has been in a room by her self since birth, but all the girls moved in together while Brittany was here. After a family discussion, Allison was chosen to move to the little bedroom on her own.

When the girls came home from school for lunch yesterday, I had them close their eyes and go into their rooms and then I told them to open their eyes (hence feeling like the host of extreme home makeover). Any way, they love their new rooms, and it cost me a total of $10 for artificial flowers and ribbon that we put up in Al's room.


 
Allie's new room, with quilt that I finished yesterday.
 
Emma moved to the top bunk, Olivia moved to the lower bunk and both are excited because it is rearranged.

No, we do not live in a grass hut and cook over fires like most of our PNG friends do here. Our house is a little 3 bedroom, one bathroom, beautiful hard wood floor American style house, and I love it. What do any of us "deserve" while we are here on earth? I get much more from love from God than I could ever deserve! I don't want to make anyone feel guilty for what they have, just to help them realize a heart of gratitude and not of entitlement. This is not what I expected this post to be, but there it is. Leave a comment...

Emma's Birthday party

What a fun time for celebrating! We got up early and started blowing up balloons-45 in all- and cleaning up to get ready for the party.
Emma had delivered the invitations around and planned all the games for the party.
 
Emma's games were:
Horse, Horse, Pony (duck duck goose)
Horse Tag
Mad Horse
Rope a Horse and
Biting Horse (hot potato- but with a toy horse)
 
Emma says: "I had a lot of fun at my horse birthday party. I like that I am older and might be able to ride more rides"

PNG infant name giving ceremony

Today we got to attend a naming of a baby celebration. Allie was sick, I had 20 other things to do, my house was a mess, I needed to pay this person, give a key to this person, be at home by 3:00 for this person, meet this person at 2:00...there just wasn't enough time in my afternoon. But off we headed! Just 10 minutes down the road and were greeted with children running and waving and smiling at us!
 
In PNG, you don't make a baby's name public until a specific ceremony has taken place. They told us today that there are lots of reasons for the naming to be a big deal...
1. Shows love of the baby
2. Can be referred to later in a "see what I did for you" sort of attitude.
3. Gives respect to the person who the baby is named after.
4. Points out character traits that they would like the baby to have of the namesake.
5. Remember who was important in their life and the time of the birth of the baby.
 
So, we sat together, sang, Pastor did a 15 minute welcome speech (which we found funny because it was all family- that would be like an uncle standing up at the family reunion saying "Thanks Grandma from coming up from Richmond and Uncle Jo from Ottawa" and on and on!) Then more songs and I shared a bible verse for the little baby and prayed for her.
 
Then the mom and baby and I went and hid behind the house and waited for them to call out the name of the baby.
When they said "Gail" (the name of the baby) we said "yes" or really "Ooooh" (affirmative reply in pidgin) and came out and accepted the heart and piece of lung from the pig that was killed.

It was really a special time and I was so glad that I didn't let the confusions of life keep me from being a part of this great time culturally.

Farewell to Brittany!

All good things must come to an end...So at the end of our wonderful 2 months, we had to say goodbye to Brittany. It was a treasure to have her with us and pray for God to direct each step of her life.

 

 

 

 

Bilas, thanks for coming and blessing us! We miss you already.

Brittany's quilt

After seeing me help others make a quilt, Brittany and I decided that she needed a quilt!
We left the quilt making until the last week of her stay here and she finished the last stitches the night before she left.
I love it and am proud of her quilting skills!

 

 

 

First Day of school!

This is a busy week!
Aug 19th, Emma's birthday and Brittany leaves(blog coming about her departure).
Aug 20th SCHOOL STARTS! This is the earliest school has ever started, because we are usually waiting on a teacher. We are thankful to have Aunt Diane who stayed for another year and Aunt Janet, from another mission station as teachers this year.
 
Emma is mostly excited about starting second grade, and happy to be with friends at school.
 
Allison is the oldest student in the MK school this fall, as a fifth grader.
 
Olivia wonders why she can't go to school and has been through stamping, drawing, playing doctor, rubbing mama's back and playing dress up with Grammer's jewelry this morning and it is only 9:18 am!

Emma is 8!

8 years ago, on a warm August morning, Emma Marie Dooley came into the world.
 
We started off the celebrations with cinnamon rolls in bed and candles and singing.
 
Emma had a great time opening presents and cards.
 
The birthday girl selected tacos for supper and German Chocolate cake. (well actually the cake was left over from the night before, but we'll have her choice on Saturday at the party).

Hagen Show

 
 
 
 
Saturday was the Hagen show, where groups from all over PNG come together, wear their traditional outfits, and compete. It is an interesting time and has a county fair atmosphere.

Allison goes to surgery

My big 10 year old is growing up!
 

I called Allie and told her that a little 10 year old girl was going to have surgery. Allie immediately wanted to bring her a book. Allison showed up at the hospital a little later, with 2 books, a stuffed bear and a purse.
 
We had talked about Allison watching surgery sometime and she wanted to stay and watch Crystal's. I thought Al would be quiet and nervous. However, Allison could not get close enough and didn't want to miss a second of the viewing. She had hundreds of questions and asked every one of them.
 
Allison held Crystal's hand and prayed with her before surgery. Allison chatted and tried to encourage Crystal. After the surgery when Crystal was waking up, Allie stayed right by her side for almost an hour, holding her hand and talking with her. Crystal's appendix had ruptured, so you can pray for her healing.
 
My compassionate little daughter has already asked when we can go up to the hospital to see Crystal today.

New Beginnings

 
Sam Bennett, son of Judy and Andy Bennett, graduated from high school and is off to college. The Bennett's live and work at Kudjip Hospital with us. Sam and Scott have gotten very close and have had many adventures together.
 
The parting was sad, but we are excited to see God's hand direct Sam's life.
 
It is always a miracle to get on your flight out of Hagen, and the Bennett's were not too late.
 
Pray for Sam as he boldly walks where God is leading.

BOXES!

There are only a few things more exciting in a missionaries life than getting a box from friends and family!
 
Our family has a little "we just got a box dance" and have to wait until everyone is together.
 
Then we take turns pulling one thing from the box at a time, to savor the joy!
 
The postal system has been behind lately so boxes have been taking about 30 days. 9 days is the shortest record time for us and 9 months is the longest it has taken a box to get here.
 
Here is a big THANK YOU!!! To mom (also known as Grammer), to KendraKaraDebbieSuiPingChandraMary Springfield Bible Study girls, and to Scott and Andrea Marshall! Wow do we feel loved!

Mud Men!

Every tribe in PNG has their own traditional dress. This is what the people about 2 1/2 hours east of us wear.
 
These Asaro Mud Men are working on building the new hospital and dressed up for the work and witness teams.