Orientation antics

This week has been another busy one. We packed our bags again and attended an orientation course run by MAF Australia up in a beautiful little town called Marysville, in the mountains east of Melbourne.

It was a really good week. We were able to meet and spend time with those in charge of our HR department, members of the MAF Australia board and Bill Harding, the CEO of MAF Australia.. And of course, we had time to get to know some other families on their way to PNG and North Australia with MAF. We are so privileged to work alongside these wonderful people.

We had lots of meetings and discussions regarding MAF Australia policy and protocol and also had lectures on all sorts of topics regarding life on the field… conflict management, budgeting, health issues, spiritual warfare, and depression. It wasn’t nearly as miserable as it sounds! We were given some excellent advice and spiritual tools for the road ahead.

The culture and language lessons were probably my favourite time. We are learning ‘Papua New Guinea Pidgin’ (we are not allowed to call it Pidgin English – “it is not English!”)After struggling to learn just a tiny bit of French for the months while we were in Madagascar and Chad, it was positively thrilling to be able to string together full sentences after just a few lessons of New Guinea Pidgin. This week we learnt some handy saying such as …’Mi painim pik bilong yu’ (…’I am looking for your pig’) and, ‘Mipela no passim buk bilong yu’ (…’we didn’t bandage your boil’). I certainly hope to advance my Pigin beyond conversation about pigs and boils. J

Whilst we were neck deep in manuals and lectures, Rachel and Megan had a ball with the other MAF kids. Lots of arts and crafts, videos and fun times outdoors in the bitter winter chill (there was snow close by) making bush houses.

Today we had another meeting with a supporting church in Melbourne – only three more before we are finished our deputation run. This week we are back to our home-school program with the girls, and trying to finish off our list of things we need to purchase, and start packing our drums. Please keep praying with us that our visas will be processed in good time. We would like to be on our way to PNG by the end of August.

Thanks and love to all!