Another day in Paradise!

 
I bought this bag a couple years ago for Scott, just to remind him and myself that when we are serving God it is "another day in paradise".
 
 
As we are surrounded by violence daily, it is hard to always see the paradise. Thursday, this lady came to the ER with nearly fatal wounds, I don't know how she was alive and talking. Polygamy is present in PNG and this is a case of the first wife chopping the second wife. The patient had a very deep cut to the side of her neck, also 2 cuts to her shoulder and one to her back. Dr Salim sewed up the deeper areas then Jenny and I stapled the rest together. As we were helping this lady, I was wondering what her future would be...going back to her husband?...going back to her family?(her family who had forced her to become this man's second wife). I had a hard time picturing anything pleasant for her life, and certainly not paradise.

It has been a tough week emotionally for me. Not questioning why we are here, but questioning if we are making any difference. What I cling to in these emotional times is that I am in the center of God's will for me and that alone makes it "another day in paradise".

Hope you are living in paradise today.

Corban

 

On Sept 5th, another nephew was added to our family. He came about 9 weeks early, and weighed 3.5 lbs. Just asking for prayers for him as Corban is working hard to gain weight, keep breathing and keep his heart rate up.

Thanks so much.

Oh my darlins!

 
 
 

Kudjip Missionary Kid School

I mentioned the girl's school situation in the last blog. Here are some more details. Their school is a converted house, complete with 2 bathrooms, library, lunchroom, lockers for the kids, a reading/English room and a math/science room.
 
This is Aunt Diane (missionary aunt, not biological) and 3 first graders from another mission station.
 
Allison in the reading/English room. I think she is supposed to be doing spelling before I interrupted.
 
Aunt Janet and the second grade class doing math.

In a school this size(7 students this semester) the kids get to learn independent study while the teachers are busy with other grades. They also get wonderful, customized, one on one teaching as well. We rely on volunteer teachers every year and are so blessed that they give of their time for our kids. Anyone interested in a great experience in teaching next school year?

Extracurricular activities are Monday:art, Tuesday: PE, Wednesday: Bible Study, and Thursday:music. They get out at noon on Fridays.

Emma's favorite parts of school are recess and computer time. Allison enjoys Math and Science. Olivia and I go up for bible study time and occasionally for recess or lunch.

The Bicycle Trouble

Emma, newly turned 8, lives on her bike. Our house is on a hospital station that is 1/2 mile in length. The hospital and missionary kid school is in the middle, so 1/4 mile from our house. She loves to ride her bike everywhere.

Our little school consists of Allison and Emma and 5 Swiss children for this first semester. I would love for a school that my girls could go to with PNG children, but that is not an option as 4th graders in the PNG school can barely read English. But that is a whole different topic.

So, Emma loves riding her bike to school. I told her yesterday, "lock up your bike" later during laundry, I find the bike chain on the floor of the laundry room. So, I head up, lock up her bike and come back home.

Normally, I am a pretty trusting person and wouldn't think too much about forgetting to lock it up. Things routinely "go missing" from our house that are left outside: Shoes, toys, 200 foot garden hose, jump ropes, lawn chairs... But the biggest kicker is that another missionary child had her bike stolen from the front porch of the school last year. It was later found and brought back, but lots of heartache for all involved.

So, today, Emma is leaving the house, climbing on her bike, backpack on, I ask if she has her chain and lock. She looks through her backpack before remembering that she left it at school so she would not have to remember to take it. And off she goes to school.

Now, 30 minutes later, I am walking by the school on the way to the hospital and see her bike outside, looking like it is not locked up. Tell me moms, what would you do? I thought about it, walked over to the school and decided to hide the bike. As I was walking away, common sense struck me and I went back and told Em's teacher what I was doing.

At 10:15 recess, I left the hernia surgery and went down so I could be there and talk with Emma as she noticed it was gone. SHE NEVER NOTICED! My Emma is not the most observant child, always having amazing thoughts, but not always noticing what is going on. So I told the teacher to have Emma call me.

12:25. Phone call. "Gail, Emma wants to talk with you"
Sniff, sob, sob "Moooooooooom....I forgot (sob) to lock up (sob) my bike (crying loudly) and it is not here!!!" Now, for all of you Grandmas out there, who's hearts are breaking I will let you know that I didn't make her suffer too much longer. I told her I had the bike and it was safe and that she couldn't ride it for a week, to remind her to lock it up.

This afternoon, I am wondering how many times do I do that to God. He reminds me of something, I read something in the bible, I hear a song that touches my heart to change something inside of me, and then I go do the same wrong again and again. My prayer is that I (and Emma) will listen the first time and not make God (or Mama) ask again or teach a lesson. May you too listen to the whispers of God today.

Continued hospital building.

About 3 weeks ago, we went and looked around the new hospital, it is really coming along.
 
 
 
Even since these pictures, they have one ward almost completely painted. The joiners are busily working on the cabinets and fixtures. Please continue to uplift the building process, the workmen, the money, and all that is involved in this new building.

Quilting with Veronica

Veronica: I am going on 2 weeks vacation.
Gail: O- are you staying here or going to your home place?
V: Staying here.
G: Well that will be nice.
-pause-
V: Yes, I will have lots of free time.
G: That is good.
-long pause-
V: I am just going to be at home, hanging out, around the garden, doing nothing.
G: Okay.
-longer pause-
V: I thought that if you are free, we could make a quilt during my vacation.
G (big light bulb appears above my head) O! Yes! That is why you are telling me about your vacation! Yes, let's do it on Monday.

Culturally, I should have picked up that Vero was hinting at making a quilt and then she wouldn't have had to specifically ask. But it happened anyway and I was eager to do it together.

We talked about color and design and size... she left everything up to me. When I got home, I looked at my stash and found the perfect thing to get a quilt done in a day. When we were in the states, a friend who owns Quilter's Stash in Greeley, CO, had sent me a bunch of fabric and I found large, pre-cut squares just right for Veronica, who had never used a electric sewing machine.

Monday was great, we got started about 10 am, and took a little break for lunch. Vero's 3 year old daughter and Olivia had a fabulous time playing. We quilted until 6pm and she walked home just as the sun was thinking about going down. The quilt finished, under her arm, ready to be put on her bed. We laughed, shared, talked about deep things and talked about nothing and were quiet together. Now that is pretty close to a perfect day.