UPNG Graduation trip - Day 1: "Elton" (Wed & Thur)

The day we fly to PNG is always a very long day (with lots of naps).  This trip, I woke up at 2:30 am, caught my shuttle to the airport at 3:30, checked in for my flight at 4:30... and then called Kaylynn and woke her up and pleaded with her to get out of bed and bring me my wallet that I left at the house (I can't function in PNG without money).  She was wonderful and did this for me, and 30 minutes later it was good to see her again (briefly) as she drove past me holding my wallet in her outstretched arm out the window of the car.

I arrived in Port Moresby (Papua New Guinea) at 1:30 pm (3:30 pm NZ time) and  Elton & Dianne were waiting for me - with wonderful smiles!  They drove me to my guest house and left me there.  I needed to get my head straightened out and to make a plan for my time in PNG (only 8 days).  (I'll count this day as day 0)

The next day (day 1) Elton picked me up and we spent all day together.  We talked about lots of stuff, including the need to him to work full-time on his support and pull himself off of campus for a few months.  I was pleased to hear that he was thinking the same.  So this is what we are going to do, we just have to figure out how to keep his disciples engaged and motivated without him being around.

Elton is part of an Oceania leadership training over the next 2 years, with the first week starting in New Zealand at the end of May (it will be exciting to introduce him to all the family and our church - many of whom have been praying for him!).  So we went downtown to the NZ Immigration service together and submitted his application for a NZ visitor's visa.

We then went to campus (UPNG) to meet up with his disciples, and then headed back downtown to IRC (like the IRS or IRD) and met with a person who was investigating a tax issue we have.  We saw her, and things are not all sorted, but we refreshed her mind with who we are and had several things clearly explained to us, which is very helpful.

Tonight we are taking our 3 new missionaries and their parents out to dinner to get to know each other.  I'm a bit nervous, but excited at the same time.  I'll write about that in the next blog.

Thanks so much for praying for us!!  We really appreciate it!

Dan