On my way out……

……… I have finished from PNG and on the first leg back to the UK.

Had the farewells from School, UC Refional office/ Bible school and said goodbye to fellow volunteers/expats . Left Kavieng on Sunday. My friends saw me off at the airport with tears. Stayed with at my Wantok’s at Ela beach in POM where the sea front has changed. There is now reclaimed land from the sea with the main structure being the new APEC building.

Leaving the place I lived in for 3 years

With friends at Kavieng airports

UC Assembly office, the HQ, had a farewell program for me showing gratitude for my 6-year placement. Quite a touching event. Spent the rest of the day quietly looking at the seafront as my friend had to work late. It was a nice way to end my time in PNG.

With UC Assembly staff

Today, Tuesday, started my trip back to the UK. As am leaving, dignitaries such as leaders of China, Australia, NZ, and other Asian countries are flying in for the APEC conference.  Roads will be blocked at certain times in the capital. Civil setvants are told to work from home for the next week and there is a two day public holiday declared this weekend.

View of Ela Beach POM from Wantok’s place- APEC building at the top right.

I do feel emotional leaving a country I have come to love. There is a lot potential for the country to be great.  The resources are there and the cultures are still intact. Please pray for good leaders to lead this beatiful country aright in ways to impact the world and still maintain their identity.

Looks like am leaving a very hot country to a cold a very cold one weather wise. Anyway, life goes on.

Transiting at Singapore Airport

Thanks for all your support and encouragements in reading this blog with your prayers. May God continue to bless you and your household in Jesus name.

This is probably my penultimate post on this site. My last may be to inform you of the next step.

Till then…….Shalom B-)

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Getting to the End……..

……….of a Chapter.  My time in PNG is drawing to a close. In 3 weeks time I will be off the shores of an interessting country after a six year placement. It’s been good and I thank God for His, Grace, Mercies, Protection, Favour, Peace, Enablement and Wisdom. I have gained new skills and family. It’s been a privilege and a pleasure to be of service. Thanks to Methodist UK for the opportunity.

By the way, we did get eggs in the shops in abundance.  However, no onions at the moment. 🙂

Two Thursdays ago, Manggai Secondary had its Graduation ceremony for the Grades 10s and 12s. It was a simple and nice event. Got the opportunity to encourage the Graduands to ‘Think Big and Start small’ to make positive impacts wherever they go. After the ceremony, the Chaplain asked me to preach the following Sunday which is just before the external exams started. I peached on the enabling Power of God in us. Also got everyone to dance to a couple of gospel tracks as well. 😉

With the Manggai Sec Graduands

With the Former Rigional Bishop

The week commencing 8 October, the Grade 10s took the national exams. The following week, last week, the Grade 12s had theirs. Staff at Manggai Secondary organised a farewell dinner for me last Thursday as it was my last week in the school. It was touching. Even the support staff turned up with their families. Stayed the night at the school in order to say final goodbye to Staff and students. Quite emotional as I may never see any of them in this life.

With some of my students

At the school Farewell event

Nice cake saying ‘Thanks’ for service rendered

With Staff children

By the school 50th anniversary monument

My corner in the staff room

On Friday with my Advance Maths students

Last farewell to colleagues

Last weekend, a Wantok of mine came to visit from Port Moresby. We studied at Uni around the same time. Her flight to Kavieng was returned to POM due to weather condition. She mentioned being ‘in the air for 3 hours and going nowhere’ :-(. She did land in Kavieng the next morning along with a local friend of ours. We travelled to see the eels and tree house (I must have done these trips a dozen times in my time here). The next day, Sunday, was meant for a trip to Djaul island but we did not feel comfortable going. My friend being a UN representative/diplomat  had to abide by the UN rules of travel safety. Anyway, attended the local church and had good fellowship with each other. Come, Monday, she was meant to fly back, discovered the flight was postponed from 6am to 2pm. The plane took off at 12.30. Could have missed it but, friend got on…Phew!!!…considering she’s meant to travel to Bangkok the next day.

Wantok at the Eels place

Every now and then, Tiggy the cat, is let out for the night. Around 3am, she comes to my bedroom window, meowing loudly, to be let in. Tend to go to the front door to let her in. Well, the night I stayed at Manggai, she came by the window. When she did not get any response, she climbed through the window net into my locked bedroom. My neighbour went searching for her breakfast time. Luckily, I returned that day to release her. Wonder what she will do after l’ve left.

The next couple of weeks will be spent sorting out my house and tying up loose ends. There are also farewell events being planned. This Friday is the one from the UC regional office. My adopted Bubu(grandson) will be 2 next Sunday and my neighbour want to tie the day with a farewell party.  UC Assembly in POM also has an event for when am travelling out. Need to make time to say goodbye to my volunteers/expat friends. Oh well…..So help me God.

Hope I have fulfilled the purpose God has sent me here for.

Shalom…B-)

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No Eggs……….

……….It is funny when things we take for granted are not available. For the past 3 weeks and going into the fourth week there had been no eggs for sale in the shops at Kavieng town. This is most unsual since being in PNG the past 6 years. Well live goes on and we substitute with other produce. In times like these you get to be creative, even bake cakes without eggs.

We are now in the third week of Term 4. Students are preparing for national exams. Grade 10 next week and Grade 12 the week after. Last week the Grade 12s at Manggai had their final mock exams. My Advance Maths student did very well and I pray that they continue into the real exams.  Also the school will be having it’s graduation ceremony tomorrow. This is to prevent students misbehaviours after exams. I was just informed yesterday, I’ll be giving a 5 minute speech to the graduands. Oh well, God is my wisdom.

Playing games at a friend’s

Farewelling the family volunteers at recently reopened Malayan Resort

Cuscus at the resort

Birthday gathering

Since my last post, I’ve attended 3 volunteers/expat gatherings. The first on was for a dinner with a volunteer friend where I learnt how to play ‘take 2’ with scrabble tiles and ‘Phase 10’ card game. Have since downloaded the ‘phase 10’ which am playing a lot. The second was to farewell a family volunteer. Met their replacement who used to be a missinary worker. The last gathering was a belated birthday for an expat. It’s all good. Soon it will be my turn to leave. 😦

My living room was turned into a training centre last weekend. My neighbor upstairs brought the girls living with her to teach them sewing. She needed the space. Though a nurse, she learnt how to sew from her mum at a young age. This help her to generate income on the side. She now passes on the skills to the young girls. This is a good thing and need to see more passing in of skills.

From cutting……

……to sewing

Animal Farm…:-)

The new addition, Agent 11, is quite exuberant, jumping on anything and everything. Tiggy, the younger cat, doesn’t understand the puppy being playful and she’s quite scared of him and hisses at him. Ginger the other cat is quite chilled with him. Archie, the dog is quite tolerant of Agent till he oversteps his boundarys by going for Archie’s food or being over playful. Will miss these animal antics.

Wonder what Ginger is dreaming of ..

Oh well, I hope we get eggs this week 😉

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Ceeeleebrate Good Times………

…….. Come On!!!…….

Manggai Secondary School celebrated its 50th Anniversary last week Thursday and Friday. After one year of preparation, it came to pass. On the first day of celebration, Guests were led to the open area with ex-students behind followed by comminuty, staff and students. There were lots of speeches from the UC regional Bishop, Principal, one of the pioneer students and Government Rep. One of the sister schools, UTU, came with busloads of students to sing at the event. A monument signifying the milestone was unveiled. During lunch, guests watched the video I put together – going through the history of the school. The weather was good till lunchtime when heavy rain came down.

Manggai students with sister school, UTU and some ex-students of Manggai

 

Unveiling the monument. Regional Bishop with one of the Pioneer students now a Provisional Administrator

The Monument

Current Principal in the middle who is also Ex-Manggai

With some teaching staff in our Manggai uniform

With some students – current and recent past

The next day show-cased talents, mostly dance and live bands performing. Mr & Ms 50th Anniversary did a walk and winners of the logo and theme competition were awarded prizes.  There were lots of games such as being blindfolded and try to cut open a coconut, kicking or throwing ball through a small tyre hole, try to hit a ballon from a distance, try to catch a greased up pig and try to climb a tall greasy pole. Some of the events I saw for the first time and the greasy pole one was quite interesting. Celebrations went on through the day with spurts of rain coming in between. Had to leave around 5pm to prevent driving in the dark alone. It was a good – worth the preparations.

 

The monument in full

Mr & Ms Manggai 50th

Presenting to the winner of logo design

Presenting to the best theme writer

Students preparing the Greasy Pole

Other games preparations

Dance item…

…another dance presentation

Chaplain and a teacher serenading the crowd.

The greased pig.

See how high the greasy pole is…

With pure determination, one of my students won all the prizes on the greasy pole. 😉

The celebration also rounded up Term 3 nicely. Students were informed to go home on Saturday for a week term break. I found out that a couple of school had also closed up for holidays. There is the tendency for schools to close up a week early in Term 3. Term 4 then starts a week early for Grades 10s & 12s to be prep for National exams in weeks 3/4 into the term. This will be my last break in school. As I teach only Gr 12s, I will be finishing when they take their final exams. This will be around the third week of October. Will take a couple of weeks to tie up loose enda and then my second mission term ends. By then I would have spent almost 6 years in PNG.  I thank God for the privilege to serve.

A new addition…

A puppy was brought from a village as second dog to the house. Quite cute but he kept us awake its first night  missing his mum. Anyway, seem to be settling in. He is called ‘Agent 11’ after the protecting dog in a film.

The new addition to our animal kingdom – Agent 11

It’s all good IJN.

Shalom B-)

 

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Senis Basket……..

……….. This in English means ‘Change Basket’ .  This is a traditional way of raising funds.

What happens is that 2 groups of people , probablly from 2 different villages are paired up. On the day of the event, each pair are called up and they exchange ‘Baskets’ which could contain anything such as bags of rice, garden foods, other kinds of gifts. In addition to that, the pair make a set donation to lets say for village1 project (of some sorts). A few months after, the same is done for village2.

This event happened at Manggai Sec school to raise funds for the Golden Jubilee. Members of staff were paired with people from Kantubu village which is about 2 hours drive from Maggai. The list was put up to show who the partners days before the event. This is my first time of knowing about the event in my six years in PNG. I got paired up but did not know what to bring for the person I was paired with. Thought anything small will do only to discover that the gifts are huge. The villagers came with loads of garden foods with woven mats and baskets. My car trunk was full of all sorts. Gave most away to my neighbour upstairs whom I invited along. Still have lots of fresh food to last me the next couple of weeks inclusing my facourite plaintain. The villagers have agreed to just raise funds for the school. So there won’t be a return event. A substaintial amount was raised at this event. We thank God.

Villagers from Kanyumi village gathered under the tree for the ‘senis basket’ event.

Typical gift exchange from staff to villagers…

……..my small offerings…..compared to ….

………What villagers gave to each person

Where the gifts were exchanged

Exchanging gifts with partner when called up.

Before the event, there was a Thanksgiving Service in school. This year’s was on a low scale due to so many activities going on. Learnt the invited preacher didn’t turn up due to having toothache. One of the students preached. I was surprised to see this quiet Gr12 student preach. He was really good. Very articulate and straight to the point. Later learnt he is an orphan who has been a special student since Gr 9.  One of the top students and very respectful. So there is hope for the young ones. Need more like him. :-).  For the Thanksgiving, groups of students in their New Ireland Divisions, came up sang and gave their offerings.

Mini Vartabar (Thanksgiving) service in the school mess before the ‘senis basket’ event

By the way, made sure the car was on the road last Friday. Battery from POM still hasn’t arrived due to being on a list of dangerous good to go through the process of declaration. Anyway, mamaged to locates a slightly larger battery with terminals the right way and got the mechanic to hook it up. So far so good. The car is well.  In the two weeks I took the PMV to work, was pleasantly surpised to hear lots of Nigerian gospel music being played. The most mopular ones are ‘Under the Canopy’ by Frank Edwards and ‘Waymaker’ by Sinach. Even staff at school now have Nigerian music I don’t know. Basically, PNG id going Nigerian through the internet B-)

This 7th week of Term 3, the Gr 10s are having their final mock exams. Time is really going fast and it’s serious countdown to the end of my Second Mission Term.  Pray all goes well.

 

Shalom

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Things happen….

………..Yep…….Early last week I was meant to observe a teacher trainee in class. Due to a Gr 12 external exam taking place in the mess nearby, the teacher’s class had to be moved elsewhere with half the students on the floor. In a way, it’s good it happened to show the teacher to prepapre for any eventuallity.  Have backup plans…..because Things happen.

Next day, i got into the car only for it not to start. Tried to jump start the batery to no avail. Left the key at the service place and got on the PMV bus on a 45 min trip to Manggai. Came back to be told the car battery has backed up. It is of the type that cannot be recharged. Went around town to get a replacement but there was none. Had to call someone at UC Assembly POM to get me one. Still waiting.

On Thursday, Manggai principal commented I was looking happy despite the fact that my car has broken down. Students were wondering if I was in school since am the only staff with a car and the Trainee Teachers were amazed I could get on PMV bus. My message to all was that the car was not my life just a means of transport. If it breaks down I still need to do my job :-). This is being professional.

So……….Things happen……….and ……….life goes on.

Blessings

B-)

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Autonomy……

……..Two weeks ago New Ireland, East New Britain and Enga provinces signed an autonomy agreement with the central government of PNG.  What does this mean? Automony means freedom or independence. In this case it refers to freedom to govern themselves not independence from the country as Bougainsville wishes to do. This agreement is the start of a process to decentralise some operations. The main focus being Finance and Administration. For example, schools such as Manggai will collect their TFF funds from the province rather than the central government. If processed correctly, it will benefit the provincies with the central government releasing some of its powers. Two fridays ago was New Island Day and opportunity was taken to celebrate the agreement.

Oval Ground at Kavieng where New Ireland Day was celebrated.

Vehicle decked in New Ireland colours

Couldn’t watch the celebrations as I was under the weather. This also affect my being unable to attend the UC regional synod which took place this past week. Am ok now by God’s mercy. My upstairs neighbour, who is the UC Regional Health Secretary has been extemely busy – first with the synod and this week with the New Islands Nurses Christian Felowship. The conference starts tomorrow at Ligga and she’s the host. Nurses from five regions around (New Ireland, East New Britain, West New Britain, Bougainsville and Manus) will be attending, most coming by boat. I pray for journey mercies especially those coming from Manus, the furthest – about a day trip by boat.

Nurses for the Nurses conference attended the local Sunday service and introduced themselves.

Manggai Sec is gearing up for its Golden Jubilee taking place in 5 weeks’ time by God’s Grace. Staff and students have been assigned duties, mine still being videoing and photo gallery. Got some students to help. In the mist of all these, just about completed an online course in Python Programming.

Students helping out with videoing

Five Trainee Teachers are assigned to Manggai for teaching practice. One of my jobs this coming week is to observe each one teaching and write report. I do love working with new teachers.

Am amazed at the strength of people and how they can make their money stretch. My neigbbour has e teenage children plus a grandson living with her. In addition, wantoks on shour courses or in transit to Kavieng stay with her. Also her nurses working at the Aid Post drop by every now and then. Some stay for a short while and some for quite a while. Here is a widow who feeds on average 10 mouths a day only on her salary with no one to support her. She’s very accomodating and doesn’t complain. She also sends money to her parents in the village.  Recently, she’d had to expand her garden to plant kaukau. Amazing lady.

Neighbour planting kaukau

Couldn’t resist taking this picture which I name ‘ Young from the Old’

God-grandson who is fascinated by magazines – barely 2

God is Good.

Blessings

B-)

 

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Time……

…………really does fly 🙂

Just finished the first week of Term 3 and going into the second week already. The first few days of last week was used to conference with parents on how their children performed in the last assessment period. The Principal at Maggai informed staff that the body processing postings into higher education intend to go online. This means the Grade 12s will receive their postings using emails. So in the later part of the week, made a powerpoint presentation about email to the Gr 12 students. Afterwards took the students out of school to the beach and Kavieng town, where there is good connections, to help create email accounts.

Initially creating email accounts for Gr 12 students but the sea not fat from school .

Creating email accounts for students in Kavieng Town with good internet connection 

This term is quite crucial for Manggai as the 50th Anniversary will be taking place in September in addition to preparing the Grs 10 & 12s for National Exams. This term is also my last term to to teach as I’ve got 2 gr 12 classes. Counting down to exit PNG, thereby completing my second Mission Term.

Two Saturdays ago, in the middle of the holiday period, Manggai staged a corporate dinner to raise funds for the anniversary. Companies and individuals bought tickets. The event included a fashion parade by students, judged by some guests and the winners crowned Mr & Miss Manggai 50 Anniversary .  Nice crowd.

Students presenting Pacific wear at the Corporate Dinner Event

Parenting evening wear

The winners crowned

With one of the teachers at the event

Yesterday, I got to meet a number of new people at a social gathering of expats, volunteers and residents , celebrating a lady’s 50th Birthday. Met 3rd generations of Chinese families who own shops and hold important positions in the province. Lots of nice food from different nationalities including mine.

Dishes from different nationalities at the social gathering

Celebrant with husband and children

Lovely handmade decorations.

Well with time flying past, need the descipline to document as much as I can although most of the things have fallen into a sort of routine. Will keep you posted.

Blessings B-)

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Agent 11……..

………thats the name given to the dog that strayed to our home a couple of days ago. The name is based on a dog in a movie (neighbours children watched recently) who aided the police to catch criminals. Anyway, we fed the dog thinking to adopt him but on the third night he upped and strayed out again . Strange. Didn’t get the chance to take a picture.

By the way, I discovered the name of the seafood shown in my last post. It is called Trochus but locally named Lalai. Found come smoked ones in the market yeaterday after long absence. 🙂

Trochus Sea Snail shell

Starting the second week of holiday. One of the things done was to take silvers of soap collected for months to make a bar soap from it. Managed it but I guess More liquid than usual was put in it so it wasn’t strong. Placed it in the frezzer to harden and in the sun to dry but melted. Oh well, this was a first attempt in trying to contribute to the environment. It’s all good.

First attempt at soap making from scraps.

Blessings

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How many men does it take………….

………… to change a tyre? Find out later 🙂

Two Sundays ago, I was invited to Nago Island by an NZ volunteer to celebrate Mataariki. This signifies the start of Maori New Year. Mata Ariki means ‘Eyes of Ariki’ ,a Maori god, which forms 7 stars known as Pleiades.  These group of stars come out at the start of NZ winter. The celebration fell on June 15 this year. There were a number of volunteers/expats  and locals at the gathering including a Maori, who is a Project Manager for the Australian Doctors.

We had Hangi, which is similar to Mumu in PNG. This is food cooked in the ground with hot stones on and below it. The Maori gentleman blessed the food in Maori language. There was quite a good spread including steamed pudding. We were supposed to dance the Haka and learn other dances but it didn’t happen. I guess partly because it happened on Sunday (postponed from Saturday) and we had to prepare for work the next day. One of the volunteers has a boat which took us to the island and back later that night. It’s about a 10 minute trip from the mainland. Had a lovely time and got to meet new people.

Removing the top soil from the Hangi

Digging out the Hangi

Having a Maori Blessing

Eating like the locals – on banana leaves

Feeding our faces 🙂

A cute puppy was not left out of the celebration

Last Saturday, on our way to the early morning market, we branched at the dumping ground to drop bags of rubbish. On coming out, one of the car tyres picked up a nail. We still managed to get to the market. I had few things to get from the market. While waiting for my neighbour to complete her shopping a number of people informed me I had a flat tyre. After a while 2 men asked if there is a car jack for them to change my tyre. Before long more men joined in. A couple of them changing the tyre while other gave out instructions while chewing betelnut. It was amusing to watch. Anyway, the tyre got changed without my having to lift a finger. The joy of being a woman at times B-)

The men who changed the tyre.

Term 2 ended last week and we are now on a 2 week break. This time last year, I was preparing to meet up with other Mission Partners in Thailand.  This time, no travels planned. Am getting towards the end of my second mission term which would be in 5 month’s time. So it’s consolidation period for me – handover and plan my exit.

Cats are doing ok.  Archie, the dog, is guarding us well although his itching is getting bad due to the heat. 

So…………..to answer the question: How many men does it take to change a tyre – Count the men in the picture although I might have cut of one or two. 

Enjoy counting B-)

Saw this seafood in the market (don’t know the name). Cooked and enjoyed it. Haven’t seen it in the market again since the first time.

 

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