Wednesday, August 21, 2013

First Time Visiting the Bena People

 We headed to Katagu to visit our village friends near Interface last week. It was strange to drive down the Interface road, knowing that Interface is no longer there. A year ago we left Interface for our home assignment completely unaware of the fact that we would never go back there. It was an emotional time for us as we headed down this road again to see our friends.

 We enjoyed the view all around us, one that we won't see too often anymore.


 I could barely get out of the car before the Bena ladies reached out to hold Jonathan. :)

 There were many tears and hugs, tears of Interface closing and tears of happiness because we got to see each other again.

 It was so good to see the ladies that worked in the kitchen with me. And they were so excited to meet Jonathan. Everyone wanted to hold or touch Jonathan. And he didn't know what to think of it all.


 After a few minutes of listening to many ladies excited loud voices and so many of them wanting to hold and touch him, he realized that he didn't like it too much.

 But the ladies still wanted to hold him!



 Eventually he calmed down if one lady held him for a while without a group around him.


 But another strange person would come by talking very excited and loudly and he didn't like that!

 Eventually I ended up holding him for a while!

 Peter was so excited to meet Jonathan, his "grandchild", and had to have many pictures with him.



At the end of our time in the Bena we found Sone, the lady who helped me in our home and a good friend. She started crying because she was so excited to see us, she thought she would never meet Jonathan. And so then I started crying and then Jonathan started crying. :)


Second visit to the Bena

 Our second visit to the Bena was bit easier for Jonathan because there weren't so many people around that wanted to hold and touch him. He was a bit more calm.




We also got to see Piku and little Beth! Piku was so excited to meet little Jonathan!

Sone came to visit

When we saw Sone in the village, Jonathan was quite overwhelmed, so we invited Sone to come to our house at the NTM Center to visit. I really wanted Sone to see Jonathan as his happy normal self, not overwhelmed and scared.


 They had a fun time together!

Sone spent the day with us, playing with Jonathan, eating lunch with us and helping out. It was so good to see Sone again!

Sunday, July 28, 2013

Typical daily life with Jonathan...

 Hanging out with Dad, watching Rugby...


 Jacob concentrating on computer work, Jonathan concentrating on his hand and wondering what it does.

 Jonathan turns 5 months old!!



 Jonathan wonders how he got inside the water filter.

 And watches mom do the dishes.

 Happy to have tummy time in the pack and play!

 Not long before he starts crawling. :)

 Even though it is very hot here, Jonathan still pulls this white blanket over him many times while napping!

 Although this time his nap only lasted 15 minutes, I think he was a bit too hot!

 Jonathan's first meal!

 I don't think he liked the texture! Now we have a food processor and we are able to blend it very fine... and he is eating it up!


 Jonathan loves to chew and suck on anything soft!

Jonathan meets Lisa, one of the workers that will be helping us out every week!

Jacob hard at work!

 Jacob really misses his four-wheeler!! A wagon just isn't the same. We hope to go to Goroka next week to pack up all our belongings and ship them here! We hear it takes 3 weeks to ship things via boat.

Jacob is fixing a huge leak in the bathroom ceiling of the apartment downstairs. He just has to watch out for the dust and mold so his allergies don't act up... we were able to track down some dust masks in town, so that will help a lot when he is working!

Fresh fish!

 Here in Wewak, Jacob enjoys filleting fish... here is a Red Emperor that was given to Nate for the Interface students.




Hanging out with the Interface Students...

 Playing games in our home with the Interface students!

Nate and Jacob relaxing... puzzling (aka doing puzzles).

View from our back porch...

 Every day we get to watch planes fly in and out of the airstrip here in Wewak.

 There are small mission planes as well as large commercial planes.


About Me

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Enjoying life where God has me... currently in Papua New Guinea cooking and loving life with my husband, Jacob, my son, Jonathan and my daughter, Naomi.

Nova Scotia

Nova Scotia
Amazing view from our back porch!