Twelve Days of PNG - Day 10: "Rain!"

Yes, it's rainy season here in PNG.  Up until today, it hasn't been too much of a bother.  However, today was a different story.

In rain like this, driving can be a bit of a challenge.  Portions of the road are flooded and it's hard to tell where the deepest potholes are...and some potholes are doozies!  We hit a particularly deep one and whacked the underside of the van pretty hard, but I think we escaped without noticeable damage.  We were driving to the airport to pick up Elidah, our fellow staff member, who was flying into town from her village.  We found a parking place not far from a covered walkway...and WAITED. 

Elidah texted that here flight was delayed.  We (3 staff girls and ourselves) waited in a steamy van because the chances of finding a seat inside the domestic terminal in this downpour were slim to none.  We flick on the air con every so often.

Elidah finally arrived and told us her airplane had overshot the runway (visibility?) and she looked out the window of the plane and saw that it was practically on top of the houses below.  The plane circled again and they landed safely.  We got her squared away inside the van only to discover that the van's battery was dead.  (We had mistakenly left the lights on after using them to see through the storm's gloom.)  A kind man gave us a jump start (a very wet endeavor, involving many tries and two different jumper cables).  We thanked him and gave him Jesus Film DVDs.  Oh, well.  At least the girls now know what to do if this should happen to them.

I'm so thankful for a van (and not having to get wet waiting for a taxi), and kind people, and safe girls, and to be back at our guest house, eating a hot meal cooked by someone else.  What an adventure!