HIGHLANDS CONFERENCE...

I am cooking up a "little" Beef Stroganoff for the Highlands Conference. We needed about 10 Gallons! The Highlands Conference didn't go quite as planned because of some unrest among the Tribal People around us. We had to move the location of the Conference to the Headquarters, 45 minutes away. But they didn't have a kitchen that we could use to cook for 110 people. So we decided to cater the conference. It was my first catering experience so I was relying on God more then ever to help me think through everything that needed to happen. We didn't decide to do this until 6 hours before the first meal, so it was quiet an overwhelming thing at first. But it was neat to see how God worked out all the details. I got to work with my "ITF Family" as we cooked for the many people that weren't here. :) By the way, there is no more unrest among the Tribal People around us. Thank you for praying!!

Caught in the act of licking! :)

Chris isn't quite sure why there is no meat in the soup. :)

The Boat with our Commercial Mixer still hasn't arrived so we resorted to using a drill with an bit for mixer dry wall mud. It worked beautifully! Plus Mike had a bit of fun! Much easier than mashing 30 kgs of potatoes by hand!

Licking the "mixer" attachment. :)

I didn't actually mash any potatoes, but I thought it would be a good picture :) ... my arms are still too weak for a powerful drill.

Ninike and Julie have just a few dishes to wash... everything that came back from where we were catering to...

Ninike, washing dishes...

Banquet for the Highlands Conference...

We prepared all the food for Banquet at INTERFACE and then loaded it all into the truck with warmer and headed out to Lapilo to serve the Highlands Missionaries, who we hadn't seen yet, but we had been cooking for them for 4 days. :)

Lapilo Dining Hall ready for the Banquet...

Yummy Carrot Cake!

Highlands Conference Kitchen Crew - Rich, Doug, Elissa, Me, Chelle, Mike and Chris... Ready to serve the Banquet!

The Buffet line went right through the Kitchen, which was a bit unusual, but at least we got to see and talk to the people that we were cooking for! :)

INTERFACE Students

January/February INTERFACE Students arrived on January 18, 2008 for a 4 week exposure missions trip at INTERFACE. It is an amazing time for them as God challenges them in many ways!

Heading to the Village Market...

The local people are setting up a artifact market for the students.

Bilems (string bags) for sale, 40 Kina tasol!

Bow and Arrows for sale.

I got to sit with all the ladies in the village and sell the bilem that I made at the market that they had for the Interface students.

Cooking again...

Making tortillas for the students with my co-workers Janie and Tammy.

Heading on Side Trip with the INTERFACE students to an island...

The students went to an island where NTM works to learn first hand how God uses the missionaries to establish churches and translate the Word of God into their own language. And I got to go and cook for them! The best part was that it is the same island where my good friend, Sarah, works. And she has been bugging me for a few years now to go and visit her!

Sarah, missionary on the island, surrounded by the people she is there to share the Gospel with. It was a priveledge to see God working among these people through Sarah and the other missionary family on the island.

When the students and the islands people met they become instant friends!

Relaxing on a deserted island.

I finally got to visit my good friend, Sarah, on the island where she works translating God's Word into the tribal language!

The Guys learned how to climb coconut trees.

The girls learned how to weave baskets, a very long process!

The Tribal people loved looking at the students' pictures!

Some die hard crazy volleyball players decided to play beach volleyball in the 95 degree heat and 60% humidity!

We really enjoyed being able to sing and worship with the believers in the tribe. They asked us to sing in English to them as well. But we enjoyed hearing them sing praises to our Lord in their tribal language.

We traveled back to the main land by boat for 1 1/2 hours then we flew back to INTERFACE.

INTERFACE team and leaders (Randy, Emerson and I) waiting for our plane back to the cool mountains after having a wonderful time sweating on the island. Front: Stephanie, Lois, Stephen, Mark, Rich; Middle: Me, Chris, Kara, Mike, Elissa, Viviene, Rachael, Trixy; Back: Randy, James, Andy, Emerson, Chris

Christmas Morning at Beth's house...

The Christmas Morning Mess

The Guys in their new ties.

Decorating Christmas Cookies...

We had fun making Christmas cookies! Then we went Christmas caroling at all the staff homes and delivered some goodies.

Elissa decorating ginger bread men.

Taking a Break on the Coast of PNG!

Mike, Chris, Rich, Elissa and I took a 20 minute flight to Madang. And enjoyed a relaxing time by the coast. Sarah, my missionary friend from the islands region, met us there for a fun time too!

The Beauty of Madang.

Madang Resort Hotel

Carvings around the hotel.

Madang Resort Dining Area.

Salt water pool at our Hotel.

Elissa and I were dropped off on this island to do a little swimming and snorkeling.

Game Night!

Serious Game Players! :)