Twelve Days of PNG - Day 7: "A Blast From the Past!"

Surprise!  The man sitting with us at the breakfast table this morning went to a Bible college in my hometown.  He knew my high school and the street where I grew up.  Here, in PNG, was this man who preached occasionally at a church Dan and I spoke in once during our furlough. What are the odds?

He also said he worked at Senn's Dairy at one point in time.  Senn's sold bottled milk right down the street from my high school.  The store was one which had a "drive-thru."  The customer ordered milk and a young man delivered it to your car.  It was run by a Christian man, and at one time the workers were ultra-conservative.  I have no idea when our breakfast companion worked there, but it brought back a memory that made me laugh.

I was riding in the car with my girlfriend when we were teens, getting milk.  My friend has a definite sense of mischief and she turned up the "rock" music station on her car radio, then rolled down her window...knowing that it would make our delivery boy a bit uncomfortable.  Truth be told, as a girl who avoided conflict, it made me a bit uncomfortable as well.

I thought to myself, "You've come a long way, baby!"  I think it's safe to say that working in other cultures, I've had occasion to unintentionally ruffle feathers!

Twelve Days of PNG - Day 6: "A Hard Day at the Office!"

In the early morning, Dan led our team in a great devotional about being men and women after God's heart.  Later in the day, we had occasion to talk about walking the path God has laid out for us.  God doesn't promise a "comfortable" life...just the opposite.

Having to bring up hard topics with someone isn't comfortable, and hearing hard topics isn't comfortable.  Moving forward from a hard place isn't always comfortable.  BUT...There is comfort, there is peace, and there is joy to be found in running to Jesus in our discomfort.  Eventually there's a bend in the road and the path eases. 

 But, at the end of the day, we're tired after a hard day at the office.

Twelve Days of PNG - Day 5: "Big Footprints!"

It's hard to go to church here without sticking out a bit.  We're just so blindingly white.  Luckily, we arrived after church had already started and they already had a PNG speaker lined up who had just written a book, so we weren't asked to speak.  (Even so, someone came up to us afterwards and apologized that he tried, but couldn't get us up front this Sunday.)  The songs were all unfamiliar and in another language, so I hope no one was offended that I didn't join in.  (Sticking out as we do, it's hard to go unnoticed.)  A dog roamed around, up front and under various seats.  The thing that ministered to me the most was watching another PNG mom there, with peace on her face, calmly singing songs to Jesus.  That's food for my soul.

It's easy to feel a little lost in another culture, never sure of exactly what to do.  I found myself praying that God would leave big footprints in the snow...that I could follow along to make walking a little easier in confusing situations.  Looking ahead at ministry, it's just a walk of faith, one step at a time.

Dan and Alex

In the afternoon we met up with Alex, an alumni that wants to be involved in discipleship.  I'm not sure how this will work out with his job situation, but ...one step at a time.

Twelve Days of PNG - Day 4: "A New Look!"

I just got new glasses before coming here...the kind that go dark in the sunlight.  I don't always notice that it's happening, but before seeing photos of myself taken outside, I was hoping that I'd look like a secret agent or a movie star or something...but, nah.  I look different, but don't feel different.

This year's ministry on campus is going to have a different look.  While the staff are working on finding ministry partners during the first part of this semester, we're considering ways to keep the ministry going on campus. We've been hearing that some of our alumni (students who we've trained in the past and who now have jobs in the area) have indicated a desire to maybe lead a discipleship group on campus.  We're thinking God is moving to give our ministry a new look this year.  Our goal is to keep the students focused on Jesus and the Great Commission...so while the look may be new, the focus will remain the same.  (I wonder how it will all come together, but as long as MY focus is secure, maybe my fear of the unknown will be conquered.)

Twelve Days of PNG - Day 3: "Sweet Meets!"

It seems odd that this introvert should find meeting up with people so fascinating.  I think it has something to do with the variety of people and seeing how God is working.

We had lunch with Beautlyn.  Because her dad is sick and is asking for her, and her mom needs help with him, Beautlyn will change her status to associate staff next month just for a time. But she will be kept in the loop and rejoin us full time when she is able.  She has such a big heart and a clear eye on following Jesus.  It'll be interesting to see how God will use her as she goes down this new road.  (It reminded me of when Dan was in pain for two years in the States before coming to New Zealand.  God used that time to build into his character.)

In the afternoon we had a meeting with staff and a few students on campus outside the chapel.  This involved me sitting on the ground.  (With my knees, it's a comical picture getting up and down!) As we planned the event inviting all the new students to find out about our ministry, I wondered what the year had in store...and what was God's plan for some of these new students.  Would they discover a relationship with Him?  Would they discover the wonder of following Him with all their heart?  (It reminded me of when I was a student and how I could never have dreamed of where following Him would take me.)

At dinner we talked with the woman running our guest house.  We found out she is in the middle of writing a couple of musicals and is entering one of them in a competition in Australia (where she is from.)  It's about the "flying doctor," who started a medical mission to reach people who were so remote in Australia that they couldn't get medical care back in the day.  Who'd imagine I meet such a person in Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea!  

Twelve Days of PNG - Day 2: "It's the little things!"

After a day of trying to brush my teeth with a toothpick, toothpaste, and my finger, Dan arrived in our room with a new toothbrush in his hand.  I felt like he had just given me a bouquet of flowers.  Never had a toothbrush seemed so romantic.

We spent the morning with our PNG team for a time of singing, devotions and outlining the schedule for the next few days.  It's sure good to be with these beautiful people.  On top of that, Beautlyn had a computer charge cord that fits my computer and she let me take it home! I'm all charged up!

We decided to take each member of our PNG team to lunch each day.  Tanya was brave enough to go first.  It  was good to hear what's going on in her life and what she's learning and what she's trusting God for this year. God is growing her! These are things that we don't find out over a group phone call from New Zealand.  

Twelve Days of PNG - Day 1: "First Egg!"

I'm looking at this trip like an egg carton.  Twelve days, twelve little pockets of potential to fill.  However, after just one day, I feel like I've already laid an egg of goof-ups.  It turns out I (Kaylynn) forgot to bring my computer charge cord and my toothbrush.  My computer is already dead and I'm using Dan's little tablet computer.  I'm holding onto all those verses that say, "When I am weak, then I am strong." and "God uses the foolish things of the world to confound the wise." and "It's not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit, says the Lord."

But...in spite of a day of traveling and very little sleep and forgetful brains, here we are with the privilege of a front-row seat to see what God will do! 
 

In Brisbane, waiting for our connecting flight to PNG