friends, language, and sewage!

Well we've been here in Lapilo for a month, which means we left Steinbach just over a month ago. It feels like forever ago and still just a bit ago that we left, it's weird how that works. Things have been running very smoothly for us, which causes me some concern as that's usually when something goes wrong right? :) Clinton has settled into his job quite nicely, he's now on his own doing the accounts receivable for NTMA (the aviation program of New Tribes in PNG). He is out at the hangar mondays, wednesdays, and fridays for now and works here at Lapilo in the finance office on tuesdays and thursdays. His days at the hangar include him leaving for work at 6:45 am with the pilots and mechanics in two big vans. He then comes home around 4:15pm with the same group of guys. He has developed a love for flying (which freaks me out regarding what kind of hair-brained ideas he's going to get about getting his own license in the future!) :) He's been enjoying his time there in any case.

I have taken on the role of the school nurse here in Lapilo. The school is called Numonohi Christian Academy and it's students are largely missionary kids either from New Tribes or other mission organizations around here. There is also a fair group of national kids who go to school here as well. So far my job has included doing lice checks and immunization checks. I've been going through the health records of the students and seeing who needs to be caught up on immunizations and then they get sent to the clinic to get updated.

Eventually I hope to be able to put in some time at the clinic as well, but I'll be patient and wait! :) Clinton will hopefully be able to get one day off a week and then I'll go in the clinic for that day.

Last week sunday we had the immense pleasure of joining with Terry & Rosie and Pete & Lesley for lunch in Sobega. It was a great time of visiting and sharing. (and Rosie cooked a wonderful lunch!). We were able to get a picture of all of us to show our fellow Steinbach CMCers a shot of us together. It is largely because of our sending church that we are all out here. I've been missing church back home already, so many of you guys that went to church with us became great friends of ours, and we miss worshipping along side you guys. Tayah asks periodically about different people back home, usually people from church.

Tayah has tried talking to some of the nationals out here and she kind of just babbles nonsence to them, they look at her a little funny but she figures she's speaking their language because that's what their words sound like to her! It was really quite funny and then I had to explain to her that she's not saying anything, she's just babbling! Oh well, I'm sure she'll pick some of it up.

This past week they were emptying our septic tank in the back yard, and they had to leave it open over night to finish up the next day. Well let's just say the smell of sewage in the morning is not pleasant (or at any other time of day!). Besides it being offensive to my nose, the fact that they left the pit open made it a danger for my kids, so needless to say they stayed inside until it was all done! I went to open my back door to bring in the laundry hanging under my porch and there was a few workers taking an afternoon nap under my drying undergarments! Well I just closed the door and let them sleep, I collected my laundry after they were gone. Things are so different here in a lot of ways.

We've started language classes twice a week in the afternoons. So you can pray with us that we'll pick it up quick as Clinton & I both have a desire to be able to communicate with the nationals that work around us and also at the market. Clinton was able to take a short field trip into a neighboring village last week as part of the language and culture classes. He says it was interesting but a little boring as he didn't understand anything that was being said! :) This is another reason it would be nice to know the language!

Anyway, we just want to again stress how thankful we are to all our friends and family back home who are praying for us and encouraging us with emails or phone calls. (our phone number is 011-675-531-4425 just in case anyway wants to call and say "hi"). We would love to hear from you back home. Our mailing address is: box 1079 Goroka E.H.P. , 441, Papua New Guinea.

Love, Clinton & Rolanda (Tayah, Aowyn & Rorik)