Catching Up

Yes, we're back in Kudjip after a wonderful 3-month home assignment and 4 weeks of vacation in the US.  We had wonderful times with our kids extended family, friends and hundreds of Nazarene supporters.  Here are a few photos to catch up on the trip back and the first few days here.

In the morning of our departure day we stopped by to see my dad at Karcher Estates, where he has lived for the last 15 years or so, first in Independent Living with Mom, then in Assisted Living, and now in "Health Care".  Dad had a stroke in December, and is now unable to walk.  It was hard to see him so dependent, but wonderful to see how his spirit, his love for Jesus, and his indomitable humor are still fully intact.  We hope to see him again here on earth, but if that is not in God's timing we will plan on a big reunion in heaven.

My sister Cammi and bro-in-law Denny Ellis took us to the airport, along with Sam and Amy.  Here Cammi is showing the info sheet on their new sponsoree in the Nazarene Child Sponsorship Program.  He is Josiah John, the son of one of the pastors near Kudjip.  His family have been our friends from our earliest days in PNG.  He has a little brother who is my namesake.

Our return route took us through Fiji.  Because the Pacific Air did not check our bags through to PNG, we had to claim them in Fiji, wait in the very long lines for Fiji Customs and for Immigration, and then take them a distance to the arrival lounge to the Air Niugini counter and check them again. It took a long time, but went OK, and Air Niugini did not charge us for excess baggage, as Pacific Air had done (we're not feeling like recommending Pacific Air right now).

When we finally made it through to the departure lounge, we only had about an hour to wait for our flight.  In typical Fiji fashion, they had this group of musicians performing for the waiting passengers.

The big surprise was who we encountered among our fellow passengers: Harmon and Quinton Schmelzenbach.  Harmon is our Field Strategy Coordinator (fancy language for "boss").  They were booked on the same Air Niugini flight from Fiji, but only as far as the Solomon Islands (Fiji and the Solomons are both part of the territory that Harmon is responsible for).  They were actually in the flights immediately behind us on the plane, so we managed to have a good visit as we traveled.  (That's Quinton in the middle of the photo, using the free internet.)

We arrived back in Kudjip, 36 1/2 hours after leaving Boise.  It just took 6 flights (Boise-Phoenix-Nadi-Honiara-Moresby-Hagen).  The ride from Hagen to Kudjip was provided by Tim and Karla Deuel, new missionaries who arrived in Kudjip just a couple of weeks before we left.  At the house were the usual welcome signs.  It took a while to locate the keys to our house, but eventually we got in for quick showers before proceeding to supper with Randy, Joani, Emma, Alexia and Ethan Goosen.  They are new missionaries who arrived just days after we left for home assignment.  We met Joani's parents in the US, but this was our first meeting with them.

 

Emma and Alexia                                              Ethan              

Simon, Esther and Ishigel Tausi came by the next day.  Here they are looking at our album of photos of Baby Andy.

Our "old friend" Bobby is doing well!  He's now living with the Tausis.  He got some lollies from the bag of candy that Sam sent for his PNG brothers, sisters and friends.  Bobby's new favorite words are "choc", "o" and "late".  "Late is pronounced like "late at night".

***

We're now settled back into our Kudjip routine.  Each departure from the US is different than the others.  This time we were affected by the fact that we were leaving a new little grandson behind, as well as our kids, Dad and the rest of the family.  The veteran missionaries told us early-on that the departures don't get any easier as time goes on, and they were right.  But we love PNG, we love Kudjip, we love our family here, both missionary and PNG, and we love being in God's will.  We know that, for now at least, this is where He wants us, and we are happy serving him here to the best of our abilities.

AB

One Last Visit

We've been able to spend a few more precious hours with Drew, Andrea and Andy. 

After arriving here in Spanaway Sunday afternoon, we went with them to worship in a park with the church body they have been attending.  We enjoyed meeting their pastor and friends.  Then today, Judy, Amy and I went with Andrea and Andy and drove into Seattle.  We met Drew for lunch at a chowder place in the Pike Place Market.

By the way, that's apple juice that Judy is drinking!

Drew went back to work while the rest of us spent some time in the market.  At quitting time we went up to see Drew's office.  It's a new job where he's been for about 3 weeks, and he loves it.  Here he is at his desk.

I'll put up a new album of photos on Facebook, too.  Tomorrow Judy, Amy and I head back to Nampa for 3 days of last-minute tasks and packing.

AB

Friends of Nazarene Hospital

Yesterday, we spoke at Grandview Church of the Nazarene.  Technically our home assignment is over, and we are on vacation, but we didn't have any other time, and we have friends in this church.  Two couples, Steve and Linda Elerding, and Al and Carrie Fiedler have both been in PNG.  Steve is a surgeon, and Al is a family doctor. 

We enjoyed fellowship with them and the NMI council from the church Saturday evening, and then a good service Sunday morning.

After lunch on Sunday, we drove to Spanaway to have one last visit with Drew, Andrea and Baby Andy before heading back to PNG next Saturday.

AB

It may be boring for you, but we're pretty excited, and we're going to force you to look at more pictures of our grandson

This past weekend, we spoke in our home church in Marysville, Washington.  Before and after our time there, we have spent time with Andy, Drew and Andrea.  Here are just a couple more photos:

 Baby Andy with Drew and Andrea

The hands are Grandma Judy.

For even more pictures of Andy, go to this link.  You don't have to belong to Facebook to see the pictures.

AB

The Very Latest Very Biggest News

So, look at this:

Ain't that the cutest, sweetest baby you've ever seen?

That's Andy.

Andy Bennett.

Yep, that's his name.  More formally Andrew Raymond Bennett.  Born to our oldest son, Drew and his wife Andrea 2 days ago, May 26.  17 3/4 inches (that's an important 3/4 inch!), 4 pounds, 2.4 ounces.  His birth was induced about 4 weeks early because of some pregnancy complications.  He's small, but doing very well.  We were able to get to Swedish Hospital in Seattle within about an hour of his birth, and were able to stay around for about 2 days.

He'll be in the hospital for a few more days, just until he is growing, taking adequate nutrition and regulating his own temperature and blood sugar.

So, from now on, we respond better to the names "Grandma" and "Grandpa".  If you were wondering.

AB

On the Big Island

I don't really think that I need to blog every detail of our home assignment.  Really, I don't.  But here's a little more about our time in Hawaii before moving on to other things.  We went to the "Big Island" to speak at several events at the Hilo and Paradise Park churches.  We were also able to go to Kona for 1 day of delayed anniversary celebration, and then to speak to the youth group at the Kona church.

 Angel Falls in Hilo.

 With Pastor Rick Ragle at the Hilo church.

 At the Paradise Park church.  We had a combined service with the Micronesian and the English congregations.  Here the Micronesian people are doing a song with marching and motions.  Our PNG friends would have enjoyed this "drama".

 Some old family friends, the Birds, who were in our church in Kalispel, Montana, when I was a little kid.

 We spoke in the chapel service of the preschool at Hilo.

In a Starbucks in Hilo, we saw a poster for Kigabah Estate, the coffee plantation owned by our friends Billy and Joesa Gardner, just down the road from Kudjip.  They were the recipiants of the Black Apron Award in 2005, the award for the best green coffee that they bought this year.  We've seen the poster a few times in the US.

 Judy with Captain Jack, in Kona.

 Shave Ice, a Hawaii specialty.  Judy loved this.  I thought it was a lot like ice with flavor on it.

Speaking to the youth group at the Kona church.  We had a great time there!

Pearl Harbor

We did have some time for sightseeing while on Oahu.  Our priority was seeing the Perl Harbor memorial.  We were able to visit all four of the major sections (Arizona Memorial, USS Missouri, Pacific Air Museum, and the USS Bowfin/submarine museum), as well as several of the smaller exhibits.  Obviously, this was more of a moving emotional experience rather than being fun, but it was a good day together, seeing history, and remembering those who gave their lives, not only for the USA, but for the free world.

 I'm showing PNG on the giant map of the pacific in the entry area at the memorial.

 A long view of the Arizona Memorial and of the USS Missouri, which is now a permanent museum in Perl Harbor.

 One of the turrets of the Arizona is visible above the water.  I assume that this varies with the tide.  Other parts of the ship are vaguely visible below the water.

 Inside the memorial.  There is a large opening in the floor.  The structure blocks a lot of the glaring light, so you can see a little more of the wreckage under the water.

 

The memorial wall, listing the names and ranks of each of the men who died on the ship.  Most of their bodies were never recovered.

 One of those Wallaces was the uncle of our Dr. Becky Wallace.  Maybe great uncle.

 A conning tower of a WWI-era submarine that saw some service in WWII.  The periscopes work!

 The USS Missouri.  She has been de-commissioned, moth-balled at Navy Base Bremerton, re-commissioned, moth-balled again, and now is on permanent display in Perl Harbor.

 The plaque in the deck of the Missouri, marking the place where the Japanese surrender was signed, marking the end of the war in the Pacific.  Copies of the surrender documents are displayed nearby.

The mess in the USS Bowfin, a submarine that is displayed.

AB