Pacific Propulsion Aussie Project - Day 6 - "Signs"

 Today, being Sunday, was a relax day for us (I actually got an hour nap).  We went to church this morning and it was a special Missions Sunday (last day of a 4-day missions conference).  It was very good.  We walked there and back (30 minutes each way) and so I took some fun pictures of signs (click on the photos to get a bigger picture).

This was at church - quite a surprise to find a wireless EFTPOS machine in PNG!

I liked the message on Zack's shirt (here with Greg & Jasmine) - it says :Live by Faith Not by Sight"

We didn't go in to see if they sold Second-Hand flies!

 This sign is hard to find, so I included a close-up photo below with a yellow circle.  It says "Steddy" - I'm assuming it means Steady and it's telling vehicles to be careful as they drive down into the creek.  I wonder how many people do drive down there.

The last sign today if the sign out front of our guest house (Missionary Home) - Here are Erin and Jasmine after our walk from church.

Pacific Propulsion Aussie Project - Day 5 - "one-on-one MAWLing"

Just a short post today (Saturday).  What thrills me the most is to see our students really processing what they're learning - and taking the initiative to talk to their new Aussie friends in their free time and at dinner to clarify their minds.   I'm so impressed with our (PNG) students - it is very exciting!  AND a strong thankful heart for the Aussies to give up time from the end of their summer to come here and MAWL our students (and sweat in the heat).  By MAWL, we mean Model, Assist, Watch, and Leave - like an in-depth coaching by example.  Here are some shots I took while they were working together.  Thanks for praying!!!

Lillian (PNG Missionary) & Erin (Aussie team leader)

Adelyn (in blue) talking with Steven & Zack

Vicky (R) talking with Sara

Greg (PNG Missionary) talking with Sam

Linson (R) talking with Brendon

Naomi & Beautlyn talking with Jasmine (left-right)

 Finally... just before dinner, Lillian's grandfather came by to see her and her sister.  He always wants to pray for them - they come from a great godly heritage! 

Lillian (L) and Naomi (R) with their grandfather!

Pacific Propulsion Aussie Project - Day 4 - "Out and About"

After 2 full days of training, the leaders decided that everyone needed to get out... so we all went to the UPNG campus.  I haven't been sitting in on much of  the training (I've been working on many things including the ministry finances), but I did join them today :)

Today's teaching - levels of discipleship

They had a small bit of training in the morning, made some sandwiches, and headed to campus. Elton gave us a great tour in and out of buildings, going to some parts I had never been to!

They all wanted to pose next to the iron warrior!

UPNG hallway

UPNG Campus

We then went over to Nature Park (there's an entrance gate at the edge of campus).  It's a large botanical gardens with a few animals and quite a few birds.  It was great fun, though quite hot. 

Elton by a Milne Bay Yam hut (to store root crops)

Two tree kangaroos - I forget their real name :-(

This Cockatoo had escaped & we tried (but failed) to catch him.

A Cassowary

We then went back to campus and were able to share with a few people before the truck came to take us back to our guest house.  

Elton (blue) sharing Christ with a student

Lillian (red) sharing with a lady

Dewey, Aussie student, sharing with a man

The Aussies loved the truck.  We took the long way home through town and by the beach (and over bumps) - it was a good experience for them!

A great truck experience!

The truck took them all through town.

I apologize for the erratic timing of my posting - My Internet cuts out now & then for several hours :-(     Thanks for praying!!

Pacific Propulsion Aussie Project - Day 3 - "The training begins!"

This is a joint project between the Australians and Papua New Guinea. The 2 Aussie leaders and the 3 PNG leaders meet every day to plan what to do.  The Aussies have brought a lot of content, and it's up to Elton, Lillian, & Greg to help them to know what to go over and what practical steps our students need.

Planning time - the Aussies and the PNGers

We have looked at the first 6 sessions (or groups of sessions) and divided them up 2 each to our 3 local missionaries.  Here are some pictures of the Aussies showing our PNG missionaries what they plan to cover, and our missionaries help to culturize it and to focus on the points are are true needs among our students.  Here are some photos:

At the end of the day the PNG students, led by the PNG missionaries, had a great time of sharing and praying together.  It thrills my heart to see them all working as a team.

Pacific Propulsion Aussie Project - Day 2 - "The Aussies are here!"

This is a very exciting day.  We've been looking forward to this project coming from Australia for several months now.  We've been encouraging our PNG students to come.  But, the University year was to start a few days ago (for the first year students), and we were hoping to have a heap of students to contact whom we met on the first couple days... but early January the University announced that it was delaying the whole schedule for 1 month.  So, instead of our students coming 2 weeks early, they have to come 6 weeks early - so there's lots of problems with money to buy airline tickets and accommodation after the project. Please pray for the 3 students who are still trying to get here.

Nine Aussies arrived, 2 missionary leaders and 7 students.  It was very exciting for Elton & Lillian who knew many of them from last July when they were in Australia. Naomi, our Student Life president at UPNG this year, took time off work to come and welcome them.

When they got out of the airport, it was pouring down rain!  This morning we switched the truck we had reserved, that would have carried all of us, to a van (white one in the picture) and 2 taxis.

Five UPNG students also arrived and are staying at the guest house with the PNG missionaries, the Aussies and myself (we are still missing 3 of our key leaders as mentioned above).  

It was a great afternoon of getting to know each other and getting a schedule on the next 12 days.  Elton, Lillian, and Greg are running the PNG portion, and I am here for other reasons and to help them should they get stuck.  Please be praying for them, that this training will help them gain more confidence leading the ministry.  Thanks so much!!

Tomorrow, they start training!  [Sorry about the pictures - I can resize & move them around on my tablet :-( ]

Pacific Propulsion Aussie Project - Day 1 "Off again"

Well, I'm off again - Kaylynn and I returned from Fiji on Saturday, we were able to see our church friends and our family on Sunday, and at 3 am I got up this morning to fly off to Port Moresby (Papua New Guinea).  

Not a lot of rest, but we know it's what God wants us to do - so we know He'll give us the rest we need.

The flight was a good one (both flights) as usual, and right after I landed and dropped my bags off at my missionary guest house, I met with our 2 local missionary guys, Greg & Elton. We then went to see our potential new office (more on that one later).  I then went to the bank with Greg - as you can see in the photo.

Greg trying to talk through the glass at the bank. 

Tomorrow, I'll write more about the purpose of this trip.  Thanks for praying!

Fiji Regional Conference - Day 22: "Beautiful People!"

We may not have had a view of sunsets on the ocean since we've been in Suva, but better than that we've had an up close view of the hearts of beautiful people.  As our time with our island staff family draws to a close we feel so grateful to have been around people who delight in God and want to make Him known.  We've met new people, learned a banana dance, sharpened up our biblical theology, and we've enjoyed hearing about how things our going in the ministry around our area.  It's so exciting and challenging to hear about people's goals and dreams for the future.

Yes, we're packing up our Reki Street home and walking down the steep drive for the last time.  Our PNG group will take the 3 1/2 hour bus ride to Nadi in order to catch the plane in the morning.  Farewell, Fiji friends!