To get or not to get your drivers license,,.

 

First step go to this building in Hagen.

Go inside, get a paper from this window, it is a very badly photocopied paper, but fill it out..

Then stand at “door number 3” there is no numbers, but you can handle counting.

   Then this guy gives you a very official stamp with a loud thunk and you have passed your driving test.

This is the drivers license that I have been carrying since 2003.

Then I have to go across town to the police barracks to pay the 60 kina charge for a license.  But alas…they close at 2 pm.  At 2:20, they will not help you.  So, Scott is going to town Friday, maybe he can pay for it when he renews his license.  

Kukan Church

This church is also named Ellen Memorial church, but Ellen is still alive, so I like to call it Kukan.

  Inside the church, most bush churches would not have pews, and to be honest, I would rather sit on the floor than the 1x8 backless bench, but it works.  

It was a great service, Scott shared some of our deputation sermon and the people were challenged.

Church in PNG

 

If one is 4 1/2 years old, this is what one would wear to church. This is one mission cruiser that the missionaries share, that we drove to church It was a gorgeous Sunday morning!

 

Saturday drive

 

Went to a birthday party for a cute little 4 year old friend on Saturday.  Here are some picture of our drive.  This is the town of Banz.  It used to have many expatriate families in the 70’s and 80’s, with an international school and hotels with swimming pools.  It is a little less glamorous now in 2010.  However, I love to go there and shop second hand clothes.  Will have to do that next trip.  Cute mama with sugar cane, sweet potatoes, beans and watercress near her. A typical house.  Well, actually most houses would not have a  window or a porch, so maybe I should call this a “nice” house.

A slightly rough patch of the road.  This might seem normal to USA folks, but the red van is on the “wrong side” of the road.  Basically the most aggressive driver always has the right of way.

Coppertone

Well, we came home to a DOG who is not puppy sized any more.  He grew 4 inches the 4 months we were gone.

We let him inside if he is not too muddy.  He still loves to chew, if you need proof, look at our front porch!  He will put as much of his blanket as he can in his mouth and fall asleep still chewing on it.

 

He still has many behavior issues that we are working on, but he adds lots of joy to our family! 

A glimpse of our life.

 

A banana spider on the side of the house Kids picking our guavas!  The kids pick them before they are really ripe.  Our bougainvillea bush is the purple in the background and our banana trees at the right of the picture.  I wondered what was hanging on our clothes line…walked closer and realized that our house help had washed out the trash bags from the the garbage cans, full of trash, and had hung them on the line to dry!  O…we are doing this now?

When I went to get the camera, there were about 5 kids in the tree~!

Back to surgery…

 

    

How wonderful to pull on my scrubs again and go back up to the hospital.  The new hospital and surgery area was still in good condition and functioning well.  It was great to catch up with my friends again.

Sleep over!

 

Our PNG friends are on holiday this week for end of second term break, so we had 2 friends spend the night!    

Oh my!  So many giggles and fun! 

Bubu Kunjim and Bubu Kenum

 

  

Our friends came to visit this Saturday afternoon.  They brought 2 pineapple and I gave them a bag of rice and some of Al’s leftover drop biscuits. This is a typical interchange of goods.  They sat for a cup of tea and looked at the girl’s scrapbooks and hurried off before the afternoon rain.  It was comforting to give them hugs and have them love on the girls.

Allison makes supper

I encouraged Al to plan, make and serve an evening meal.  She made her menu, and planned her time, found her recipes.

Needed to go to the market along the road to get some pineapple.  Al was in charge of picking them out and paying for them and talking in Pidgin.  She does great with Pidgin, but needs more confidence.

    Once I take one picture at the market, then everyone wants their picture taken.  Which is fun…for awhile.We got 2 pineapples.  Al made potato soup, veggies, drop biscuits and brownies from a mix in town.

Welcome back!

 

  So good to see friends again. They love looking at the girl’s scrapbooks!  This is Little Scott, and he loves coming to Umbumb Gail’s house (white woman Gail) to ride the “white horse”.

Al, at 5 foot, is now taller than Rebecka, our house meri and close friend.