Well friends...we have arrived! We actually arrived in PNG on thursday (wednesday canada time). We experienced many delays throughout our trip here. After almost missing our first flight out from winnipeg due to taking a long time going through security, our flight was delayed in vancouver for an extra 4 hrs (making that layover 8hrs). Then the flight from Hong Kong was delayed 24hrs (so we spent our second night in Hong Kong at the Sheraton which was beautiful!). Then our flight from Port Moresby into Goroka was delayed 5hrs. But we did make it! And all our luggage did too, with no luggage fees anywhere! Praise God! The kids were amazing on the flights up until leaving Hong Kong...then the twins decided they didn't want to be on a plane anymore and were quite a bit fussier then we were hoping for. I think all the time changes were adding to their frustration (as well as ours). Airport personnel throughout our trip were so accommodating to us, mainly because of the twins I'm sure! As soon as they would start fussing, someone would open up a new line for us or move us to the front of the lineups...it was great for us! In Hong Kong our twins were treated like celebrities, people stopped and stared and even the security guards were baby-talking to the twins to make them happy going through customs! :) One lady was staring so hard at the twins as I exited an elevator that she walked straight into the elevator doors as they were closing! It was quite comical!
Although the trip was long and drawn out, we felt very blessed by our travels and could definitely feel the prayers of our faithful friends and family back home.
As for our transition to PNG, we've been slowly getting our bodies switched over to PNG time, this morning our kids woke up at 6am which is almost back to normal! The kids have fallen in love with the bananas and pineapple here (which are amazing), and tomorrow I'll have my first go at the fresh market outside the gate. I was able to buy a few groceries at the Lapilo store for our first few days here...food is definitely more expensive here than I'm used to! Brown sugar $14 (and that's a small bag!). Some items are priced similar to home, but most is much higher. It's also hit and miss with what you will find at the store. We've been blessed these past few days with having families from Lapilo cook us supper and have us in their homes. Tayah has already made quite a few little friends (shocker, I know), and all three kids are adjusting well to Lapilo. We went to church this morning held in the gym here in Lapilo, and it was nice to meet many new faces.
Clinton's job has changed a bit since we got here. The need is greater for him to be working with NTMA which is the missions airplane service, so he will be still be doing finances, just now with NTMA instead of the general mission finances. He's quite excited about this. Clinton will most likely start in the office at the end of next week. I will take a while longer to get myself and the kids settled and make some new friends that will be able to watch my kids while I work before I start at the clinic. I did get a tour of the clinic already and I'm very impressed. It is much better stocked and organized than I had anticipated. I'm very excited to start working as well.
I know this is a long post, but there's just so much that has happened in this past week. We just want to thank everyone for their prayers and ask for your continued prayers as we settle in here. So far we're doing well emotionally, but I know the hard times are yet to come.
Blessings, Clinton & Rolanda Friesen and kiddos
