Switching Back

Ok everybody, I'm going to be switching over to my regular blog for the time being. The address for that is www.crazyjf.blogspot.com. Enjoy!

Man Down!

I'm back home, and I'm enjoying spending time with my family. Brent and I were in the backyard this morning playing airsoft, and the battle was pretty heated. We were in the midst of a 2-man firefight, and I had just finished putting more bullets in my clip. Sitting with my back against the big tree stump, I cocked the shotgun, and got ready to expose myself to the gunfire. I stuck my head and the gun around the side of the stump, and fired! But, I was too slow. Brent was ready and waiting for me, and he got the first shot in. He got me right in the mouth, blowing a piece of my front tooth to bits! No joke, he blew off about a sixth of my left-front tooth! I'm heading out to the dentist in about an hour. No pain, but I kinda need to get that fixed! And I'm probably going to drive there, which is awesome, and I biked up here, which is the library! It's been fun to get back into my American comforts!

95% Finished...My Work Is Done!

Teaching in Gavimas

Hoping to get back in the bush!

It hit me yesterday that I have yet to update my blog since being in Papua New Guinea! I've been in town a bunch of times, all of which I used the internet, but it was mostly just for e-mail updates. Oh well, I'm updating now!
It's about 6:30 PM right now, and I"m eating some spicy Indonesian Ramen. I'm staying at a guest house run by Christian Books Melanesia. It's got ceiling fans, window screens, electricity & running water. It's quite nice, although. I wouldn't mind having a Little Caeser's pizza on the table...
You might be asking why I'm living in relatively paradise-like conditions here in Wewak when I signed up for a trip that involved living out in the middle of nowhere in New Guinea. The answer is two-fold. Supplies & visa. I wasn't able to get an extension on my 60-day visa when I was at the airport in Port Moresby, so right now I'm working with a guy at the Prime Minister's office to get that taken care of. I'm waiting for that to get taken of before I head back out to Chambri because I'm not planning on coming back into town until right about the time my 60-day expires. So I'm just biding my time here.
Ok, enough with the trivial stuff! Work on the Center is progressing well. The main part of the floor is laid, the windows are all framed, the stairs are in, the shower is done, most of the paper on the ceiling is up, and the outhouse is built. Gabby & his boys also framed the interior and exterior walls. They also put on a bush-material ridgecap, and worked on thatching the last parts on the roof.
Kyle, Roger, and Ron are back in the States as of last Friday. They did an incredible job with the construction, but also with the different ministries we did. We did 12 days of VBS, with Ron doing the teaching. I think there were under 20 kids the first time, and by the last time there were 65! That was pretty cool. We went all the way from Creation to Christ, with all of the lesson's being Christ-centered. We also did a few Sunday services, with Kyle preaching & Roger, Jeffrey, and Gabby doing music. Japheth also helped a lot with music in VBS and in the church services. Josie was our translator for everything, and she did a fantastic job with that. Josie also had the opportunity to teach some of the ladies in the village farthest from Krimbit. There are 3 villages on Chambri Island. Woomboon, Indingai, and Krimbit, where the Center is. God has really blessed this trip. He has given us favor in the eyes of the people, which has been a huge encouragement.
As soon as this visa situation gets worked out, I'll be heading back to Chambri for a couple of days. After that, I'm going to Gavimas, which is the place we went to in March that is 6 hours away by canoe from Chambri. I"m pretty sure that the gospel had not been preached there before we came in March. Paul, my contact from Gavimas, tells me that the people are hungry to hear the word of God. He says they are also very anxious to be educated so that they can read the Bible. Josie is going to be training trainers for a literacy program there, and I'll be doing Bible teaching and building relationships.
We'll be spending a week in Gavimas, and then we'll be heading back to Chambri. I've still got quite a bit of work to do on the Center before it's bug-proof. We decided not to put in running water and solar power on this trip.
I plan on doing VBS on Wednesdays and Sundays, a Bible study on Wednesdays, and then worship service on Sundays. I've also been given the opportunity to speak at a couple of islands near Chambri. I'm hoping I'll be able to squeeze those in.
To sum up, God has been doing some incredible things here for his glory. Pray that he would continue to pave the way for us to do his work. Pray for our safety, both physically and spiritually. This is front-line ministry, and the spiritual warfare is pretty intense. Pray that God would bind the evil one, and all who follow him. Pray that we would glorify God in all that we do. Pray that God would prepare the hearts of the people we are going to come in contact with, so that they would be turned toward him.
I look forward to updating again! I should be able to update sometime during the 2nd week of September. I hope this update finds you serving God with your life!
-KB

I'm in Brisbane, Australia!

I'm in Brisbane, Australia right now! The adventure has begun! The flight over was pretty uneventful, but once we got over here customs tossed my slim-jims and beef jerky. I'm looking forward to a good meal and a good bed tonite, and then some more adventure tomorrow. This is going to be a fun trip!

Bike Ride!

Tomorrow we leave for Papua New Guinea! I woke up this morning & that just hit me. This is really going to be quite the adventure! I got a chance to explore Long Beach City quite a bit today. I rented a bike while Greg & Terri were at a homeschool conference. It was a pretty sweet ride, right alongside the beach & Marina. I rode about 10 miles. I tracked down a kayak rental place also, which we're going to hit tomorrow. I also went to the aquarium for a few hours, which was really cool. I got to touch stingrays and everything! We tried to go rent kayaks at the place I found, but it was closing, so we went home and got some dinner instead. After a quick dinner we did a relatively short hike up a small mountain near Saddleback. That was a sweet hike, complete with switchbacks!

Surf's Up!

I woke up nice and late again today, which was awesome. The three of us just chilled around the house, kind of taking our time getting out the door. We hit LLL Reptile today, which was a pretty neat store to visit, especially since I've ordered animals from them before. We also went to In-n-Out burger, which was really great. We tried to rent some kayaks, but it was pretty expensive, so we decided to hold off. It was a nice drive back to the house from Oceanside. When we were checking out the reptile store we decided to go to the pier also, which was cool because we could see surfers up close. We spent some time in the pool this afternoon, which was very relaxing. I used my new goggles, breaking them in for the ocean at Wewak.

The Hike to the Cave

I had a fantastic day! I slept in until 9, without feeling guilty because of school, and then got up to start the day. I had a nice breakfast, got to catch up with Greg & Terri, and then we headed out for a walk around their apartment complexes. They showed me the pools & stuff, and then we headed out to the beach. This beach was way different than a regular swimming beach like the one I was at yesterday. We went on a cool hike along the rocky shore, right up against the cliffs. We came upon a cave at the end of our hike, which was awesome. I climbed around a bit & got a little wet. Then we came home, rested, and then ran to Target. I picked up some last-minute gear there. It was a great day!

Fully Funded!

I just got a text from my dad this morning that informed me I am now over my funding! Praise God! It's really cool to have the funding taken care of. It's like a confirmation of God's hand on this trip; I'm ready and willing to go and God provides the means.

Watch Out L.A.!

My flight to L.A. leaves at 2 PM tomorrow! I am really excited and definitely ready for this adventure to begin. And yes, In-And-Out burger counts as an adventure! I can't wait to experience that! Not to mention the pool time. These 4 days in L.A. will be a great time to kick back and gear up for minstry. I'm also hoping to work on some more basic pidgin. TETM got a call from Gabby today because he is wanting to know when we will land in Wewak. It really gets me excited to know that people are already preparing for us to be down there! As I thought of this, it really hit me that it is such a God-given privilege to be a part of this ministry down on Chambri. The adventure begins!

The Long Road Home

I had a great time of fellowship with Roger & Kyle over breakfast this morning. We were there a couple hours, and then Kyle took me to the campground where my family was staying. We were there for an hour or so, and then we began the journey home. The car ride seemed like it took forever! In reality, it was probably 5 or 6 hours. I hopped on my bike within 20 minutes of getting home & headed to the library. There was a bit of wind, but I was still able to average a little over 15 mph. I updated my blog & checked e-mail. By the time I was done it was almost 8 PM, which is not a good time to be hanging out in Round Lake. I booked it back home & finished a couple of movies that I started on Friday. I am going to have a killer 4 days. I have to finish all of high school by Friday night.

More food, and some teaching

New Guinea is getting so close! I start twitching every time I think about it in any sort of depth! Church was really fun today! I did 2 5-minute talks about who I am & what a helpful place this center is going to be. I also did part of a Sunday school. I told bits & pieces of my testimony, and taught the Sunday school material on the fly. I took the boys and the real teacher took the girls. It was quite a bit of fun to have that teaching time. I guess I did ok because one of the kids came up to the teacher & told them I had inspired them or something like that. The team had dinner together at the Swarts. That was a great time to build relationships & get details worked out. The spouses were there also, which was good. I answered lots of questions, and we had lots of laughs.

"1st Day in La Crosse", or "The First of All the Food"

After getting 4 hours of sleep last night, we started out for La Crosse at 6:00 AM. We made pretty good time, and then I hooked up with Kyle pretty easily. We headed out to his place & then on to Olive Garden. The four of us had a nice lunch with some good PNG conversations. Then Kyle & I did some details stuff back at the house. After that we headed over to the Napoli's for dinner & fellowship with the missions committee. I really, really liked the Napoli's house, along with the piece of property it's on. It had all kinds of outdoors stuff decorating it, like pelts & antlers & stuff. It was a log-cabin style house. What was even cooler was to hear how excited people are about this trip to New Guinea!

My headdress!

One of the Chambri boys gave this to me right before we left. I can't wait to see all of them again!

Praise!

Kyle gave me a call this past Saturday and let me know that his church was going to be paying for my ticket! Needless to say, I was pretty excited about that! I sent out a small stack of “straggler” letters yesterday; maybe I’ll end up getting some more support from them.

This trip is really coming up fast! I’ve been squeezing in research for the construction of the missionary center between my hours and hours of school. Right now I’m reading a book on cottage water systems, which has a lot of material that is applicable to this missionary center. I’m really excited that Japheth and Josie are going to Chambri with us. They’re nationals from Wewak who were with us during the trip in March. They’re both really cool people who have a heart for glorifying God.

Well, time for me to get back to school!

Life in General

Getting sun-burn all over, even my head. Working through conflict. Admiring the massive downpour of rain. Cruising along at 55 mph with the windows down, as the sun was setting. Dropping the light into the fish tank.

This was one of my “slow” days. 1 day out of the week I blow off most of my schoolwork and spend the day mowing lawns and doing other landscaping. It was a pretty cool day, although not as productive as it could have been. I only made like $30. We need to put fliers out in Skyler’s neighborhood for landscaping. I’m getting closer and closer to my goal of paying for all of my gear for Chambri!

I found out today that $50.00 has been raised for Chambri so far. That’s 1 % of the money that needs to be raised! I’m not really worried about it though. After all, this is God’s trip, and I know that He will provide the funds if He wants me to go. If it comes right down to it I may end up talking to some churches in my area about supporting me.

My excitement continues to build for Chambri, although right now I’m about ready to fall over from exhaustion. It looks like I won’t be done with school for another couple of weeks. Oh well.

Concentration...

As the day draws to an end, I am finally able to let my mind rest for a bit. I am swamped with school right now, not to mention landscaping jobs and PNG trip preparations. The thing is, I’m having a really hard time concentrating on my schoolwork because my mind is constantly thinking about Papua New Guinea! It’s frustrating, yet at the same time exhilarating. I am trying very hard to serve God in the day-to-day tasks right now, honoring & glorifying Him in everything I do. That said, I’ve given up trying to contain my excitement for serving God full-time in PNG. Right now, “full-time” means all of my time for 3 months, but hopefully I will be over there for good in a few years.

I sent off the bulk of my hard-copy support letters today. A lot of the people that receive my updates are on e-mail, which is nice because it’s not nearly as time-consuming. My support goes straight to TETM now, so I don’t have as good of a feel for how much has been raised and such. I’m really curious to find that out. Maybe I’ll give Tommi a call tomorrow morning.

Well, it’s about 10:31 PM right now. I need to prepare the gear for a little bike ride early tomorrow morning, and then get to bed. I’ll probably end up doing a bit of reading before I actually go to sleep. Chuck has me hooked on a sweet book. After I get back from my ride tomorrow I’ve got to work on some school, and then pack for the weekend. We’re heading down to my grandma’s house to stay while we hit the homeschool conference. That should be pretty sweet, especially since Phillip Telfer’s going to be there. I taught his book on holiness to my small group, so I feel like I already know him. Mark my words, I’m going to meet that guy…

Big Praise!

As some of you know, I've been looking for a partner to head to Papua New Guinea with me for 3 months. Well, God has provided for this in a magnificent way! There are going to be THREE guys going down with me for the first month! I also got a call earlier this week from a guy that is very interested in going with me for the remaining 2 months! I also found out that Japheth and Josie, 2 PNG nationals, are going to be with us for some of the trip! I'm realizing more and more how this trip is all God's!

I'm Going Back!

Hey Everybody!

I’ve made some decisions regarding college and other future stuff recently, and I wanted to fill you in on those. God’s been doing some pretty cool things in 2009!

To start off, let me tell you a bit about what I wanted to do as far as missions before I went down to Texas this February. This part is very simple to explain, because I had no idea what I wanted to do! To back up a bit, I felt God leading me to full-time missions in February 2008. This meant that I was changing my whole life plan, because at that point I was planning on starting my own small-business with exotic animals. This would have involved getting a small business management degree online. After a lot of re-arranging of priorities according to God’s standards, not my own, I realized that I could never be satisfied unless I was serving Him in full-time ministry. It was really a time of re-dedicating my entire life to Him. I had really shut God out of certain parts of my life, and I realized that’s not how I wanted to live. I want God to govern each and every area of my life, and I want to follow hard after Him in everything I do.

Anyway, I started looking at different options for getting schooling for full-time ministry. I really had no idea what I would actually do in full-time ministry so I just started looking at getting Bible training. I was basically planning on getting a biblical studies degree and then going down to David Sitton’s missionary training school. The only real change to this plan was deciding to go to Covenant College instead of Kuyper College to get the biblical studies degree. This plan didn’t really change at all between February ‘08 and February ‘09, although I was still very curious where God was going to use me in ministry.

Then I went down to David’s school which is called the Center for Pioneer Church Planting (CPCP). I was able to sit in on a bunch of the classes there, both for Bible and missiology. I was very impressed with the solid, reformed teaching. I also found out that the school was going to be changing to a 2-year school instead of just a 1 year school. I had a chance to talk through my plan with David, and he gave me his advice and wisdom about that plan. We also discussed my gifts and talents. The main ones we discussed were these: I’m very hands-on, although I do enjoy learning by reading. I enjoy talking at churches overseas and sharing the gospel, but I don’t know that I want to be teaching full-time. Finally, I really like working with my hands and working hard.

Then we went on the trip to Papua New Guinea. I had many opportunities to discuss ideas and opportunities with David. I actually went down thinking that I would really enjoy the trip, but that I wouldn’t end up there permanently. As David and I got to know each other better, and he realized that I like challenges, working hard, and adventure, he told me about these missionary houses that New Tribes builds. These houses are built with lots of bush materials, but also incorporate things such as electricity through solar power, plywood floors, fans and lights, screens, and e-mail through shortwave radio among other things. These houses enable the missionaries to live quite comfortably in the harsh environment of Papua New Guinea.

I had a chance to see one of these houses when I was in Gavimas. One of the New Tribes missionaries gave me a complete tour of all the different aspects of the house. At this point, I was very interested in what I was seeing. After I got back from seeing this house I sat down and had a long talk with David over dinner. We talked over what my job description could be if I decided to be a missionary with To Every Tribe Ministries (TETM). (They do not yet have anybody to build houses for their missionaries, yet they have missionaries that are going to be graduated and heading to Papua New Guinea in January 2010). I was very fascinated with this missionary house-building idea, so I began discussing scenarios with David. If I decided to go with TETM, I could be their house-builder, and then when I’m not building houses I could be researching new areas. These new areas would be potential places for planting churches similar to what we did in Gavimas. These places could be 6 hours away by canoe, or 3-4 days hike through the mountain-that sort of thing. As you can probably imagine, this idea got me pretty excited, besides the fact that I was already excited about the house-building idea. To sum this part of the story up, I began doing some serious praying and thinking about building these missionary houses.

David has been going to Chambri Island for 20 years now. Because of this, the people have started building a center for TETM. This center has 3 rooms: 1 for guys to sleep in, 1 for girls to sleep in, and 1 big room for cooking, eating, and such. David would like to make a sort-of hybrid house; a hybrid between bush house and missionary house.

David presented me with the opportunity of coming back to Chambri and helping finish the construction of this center as part of a path towards becoming TETM’s house-builder. This was pretty fascinating to me, so I told him I would do some thinking and praying about it.

At this point I was very excited about these new ideas and opportunities that were in front of me. I told David and the Chambri people that I wanted to wait to make a decision until I got back to the States. We still had a week or so before our trip ended, so I kept learning more and more about these opportunities, while still keeping an open mind. I got back home and talked to my parents about these ideas, along with discussing it with other people who would come from different viewpoints as far as college. I listened to wisdom from my parents, my relatives, David Sitton, admissions counselors, and various other people. I also wanted to put some time in between my trip and making a decision because I realized that I’d be on a “mission trip high” for a couple weeks. I spent a lot of time thinking and praying during this time period, asking God to give me wisdom in this area.

After examining the various paths and opportunities I have in front of me, listening to wisdom from those who are older than me and know me well, and doing lots of hard thinking and praying, I made a decision about a week ago.

Of course, I don’t have every single detail worked out, but I do have the main goals hammered out. Here is my plan:

I’m going to be using this next school year to work on an accelerated bachelor’s program. I will be getting a bachelor’s degree from this program, probably in construction. I’ll also be learning to install the specialized parts of a missionary house in New Guinea, such as solar power systems and water supplies. I will also be going back to Papua New Guinea in July or August of this year. I’ll be staying there for 3 months with a partner. We will be finishing up this TETM Center.

Fall of 2010 I will be going down to David’s missionary school. For the next 2 years I’ll be down there getting missionary training. I’ll also be working on my bachelor’s degree online during these 2 years (mostly over the summers).

By the time all is said and done I’ll have my bachelor’s degree, I’ll be fully competent to construct a missionary house, and I’ll have received missionary training from the Center for Pioneer Church Planting. At that point I will be commissioned by To Every Tribe as one of their missionaries, I’ll be raising support, and then I’ll be going back to PNG for good.

I really feel God leading me in this direction, and I am very excited about it! My dad & mom are also excited about these opportunities that God has brought about. I am discovering how fulfilling and rewarding it is to follow hard after God and allow Him to govern every area of my life. Nothing compares to the greatness of knowing Jesus Christ our Lord. I hope this letter finds you serving Christ with your life! I’d love to hear your thoughts about what God is doing in my life!


In Christ,


-Kelly Bryant

E-mail: kellyandhogs@yahoo.com

Part 3

3/14/09

(Night)

We’re sitting around the room in Wewak, making sure we have all our supplies for the bush trip into Chambri & Blackwater. We’re going to get a few hours sleep & then head out by PMV to Pagwi. We should be out of here by 2 am, Pidgin time. I awoke this morning to the sound of Scott telling me that Josie needed a couple of guys to go to the market with her to carry her stuff. I immediately volunteered, slapped on some deodorant, changed my clothes, and donned my hat. We walked for about 15 minutes. The market was similar to Goroka, though not quite so muddy. The stuff available was a bit different. There was a lot of cooked fish, and some raw fish that was still fully intact. I was really hoping to get a pineapple for breakfast, so I told Josie “Mmm! They have pineapple!” I got my wish! We also picked up some green bananas & a papaya for Chambri. I’m pretty excited about this trip into Chambri and Blackwater. David & I talked about having me be the guy who can make bush houses for TETM missionaries & also go to different new areas to do research on unreached tribes. That’s a pretty sweet job description. Other than that, it’s pretty much been dead around here. Actually, we went up to Wewak Hill & ate a really nice lunch at the Boutique Hotel. I got a steak sandwich with fries, chocolate cake, and ice cream. Let me tell you, it hit the spot! Scott’s calling for lights out here, so I need to engage the fingers of fury to get the rest of this day written out. After lunch we saw some of the different buildings & points on Wewak Hill. We saw where David & Tommi used to live on the way to lunch. After we got back I worked on my “Discoveries” book a bit and then headed to the beach with Matt & Caleb. I borrowed Scott’s Keens in the hope that I wouldn’t get another sea urchin barb in my foot. Nevertheless, one of the urchins found a chink in the armor and pierced my heel. I pulled the whole thing out right then and there, so at least I didn’t have to do any digging. It stung for a bit, but it wasn’t bad. Other than making ramen & studying James & other books tonight, not much has been happening. Signing off.

3/15/09

(Morning)

We’re sitting on the banks of the Sepik River in Pagwi right now. We spent about 6 hours traveling by truck last night. The sun has started to shine, and the day is heating up. We’re waiting on oil for the motor of the dugout canoe. Supposedly there is some in the village across the river, but we have to wait for the owner to get back. The truck ride was pretty adventurous. We drove through mountains on mostly dirt roads. I leaned forward & set my sleeping mat on my knees. I was able to rest like this, and just barely sleep. After about the first hour I leaned my pack up against one of the fuel drums and lay down on the floor. I was able to sleep pretty well there, especially when I was able to kick back and extend my legs all the way. We’re on the move!

3/15/09

(Mid-Afternoon)

We’re cruising downriver towards Chambri Island! We’re in a dugout canoe with a 15hp motor. Chambri Island is in view right now. The total trip time is 2-2 ½ hours. We’ve been going almost an hour & a half. As we initially started out the canoe was rocking around a bit, which was pretty fun! My eyes got real wide under my sunglasses & I started laughing. We’ve been traveling through straight-up jungle. The river varies from very wide to quite narrow. We’ve only gotten stuck once. I’m starting to get used to the feel of the canoe now. The 6-hour trip to Blackwater should be pretty sweet. A village is in sight on Chambri Island!

3/15/09

(Night)

We’re in a hut in Chambri right now! Although, you really can’t justify calling it a hut because it is a beautiful, full-fledged structure. There is a little ladder that you climb up onto the porch with. Then you climb another ladder into the house. There are 3 rooms in the house. Michelle, Josie, & Deborah are all sleeping in one room, and Scott, Matt, and I are in another. The other room is for cooking & eating & that sort of thing. A bunch of us guys donned swimsuits & went to wash-wash this evening, which was quite refreshing. We bathed in this pool of water that is a about 2 ½ feet deep, and is fed by a mountain stream. I was pretty hot and sweaty by dinner time. We had ramen noodles with corn beef mixed in & rice. I had a nice big plateful. It is pretty hot & humid here. I was definitely not drinking enough water today. Now that we have access to mountain streams, I plan on staying hydrated. I’m sitting cross-legged on my sleeping mat, under the protection of my mosquito net. I’m writing by the light of my Mag-Lite in candle mode. I haven’t experienced the mosquitoes too bad yet. There are a couple of other bugs in my mosquito net, but nothing vicious; nothing major. Conditions here seem to be pretty harsh. You have to be tough just to survive. The water is lapping at the shore. It’s very peaceful. I think I’ll sign of for tonight.

Part 2 of Trip Journal

3/10/09
Morning

Woke up around 7:30 or so this morning. I had a couple of cups of coffee and a Cuptea biscuit with peanut butter & honey. I just finished doing my “discoveries” book and a bit of my James study. We’re sitting around waiting for the PMV (truck) to pick us up and take us to the church opening ceremony.

3/10/09
Night

We waited for quite awhile down the road from the compound before we were able to get a truck to take us to Magitu. It was probably an hour and a half plus. Hey, it’s Papua New Guinea! Finally we got a Toyota Land Cruiser to take us. We were packed in there real tight. On the way there we had about 12-13 people in the bed. On the way back there were about 20-25. I was standing with a few other guys near the cab, holding onto the metal bar. On the way back I stood up and held on to Mark’s backpack. I also had a bit of a hold on Matt’s backpack for safety. Mark is much bigger than I am, so even if I jerked on the backpack strap pretty hard nothing would happen. It was quite an adventurous ride! Up and down big, muddy hills. Sometimes they had to gun it to get up some of the hills. Yesterday Steven & I rode in a PMV with Pastor Mark. We only rode for 30 minutes, and we didn’t get very far because we had to keep stopping to get up hills. Sometimes we had to put rocks in front of the tires for traction and pull the truck with a big rope. Other times they just went in reverse for a bit, stopped, and then gunned it up the hill. It was pretty crazy. We were only actually driving and making progress for about 15 minutes. The guys were razzing me yesterday about driving in a truck when I had just told them about my big hike. Anyway, today we had a chance for everybody to experience the adventure of a PMV ride. The ceremony at Magitu was kind of like the ceremony on Saturday, but much shorter, for which I was glad. We didn’t have lunch before we left, so I was pretty hungry by the time we sat down for the ceremony. It only lasted like an hour and a half or so. Then it was out to the mu-mu! David and all of the pastors got in front of the church that was being dedicated and David prayed. Then David cut the pink streamers that were across the door, opened the doors, and proclaimed the church officially open. Then we all filed in and lo and behold, there were tables laden with food inside the church! I piled my plate high with all kinds of great stuff. Cucumber, pineapple, some sort of chicken stew, on top of rice, potatoes with sliced vegetables, a hunk of sheep, an even bigger hunk of pig, a cooked banana, and a Coke to wash it all down. After the ceremony we talked with people for about an hour and then we left. I talked with Manasseh and Pastor Albert at the mu-mu and he broke into a big smile. He was very happy to see us again. He talked about how he had walked 3 ½ to Magitu and how that was his sacrifice. He said how little of a sacrifice that was compared to the sacrifice that Christ payed. I also took a bunch of pictures with the kids. They all laughed & thought the pictures were funny. Caleb & Scott did a couple of songs during the ceremony. They did a really great job, except for the fact that they weren’t 100% on the same page with the words. I’m just sitting here journaling right now; beginning to get sleepy. We didn’t really do anything after we got back to the compound, although I did practice shooting Caleb’s bow. We’re supposed to be going back to Goroka tomorrow at 8 am. I just finished eating a fruit roll-up. I think it’s time for bed. Hopefully I’ll be able to get on the internet tomorrow & update my blog.

3/11/09
(Night)

Caleb, Matt & I got our exercise this morning hauling everybody’s bags out to the junction. David dared me to take his 60 lb+ bag down, so of course I did. I’m chowing down on some coconut cookies from the grocery store down the street. They’re pretty tasty! Anyway, I ended up getting out of bed before everybody this morning. I asked Mark to show me how to use the kerosene cooker when he got up and started making coffee. I got a chance to have a good, solid time with God and studying His word. Our PMV was supposed to be there at 8 o’clock sharp. I packed all of my stuff up and drank a cup of coffee. 7:45 rolled around, and we were packed & ready. 8:00 came and went. By 8:20 a few of us decided to start moving bags to the junctions. We did eventually flag down a PMV to take us, but it took a couple hours. Once we got to Goroka we got situated in the Lutheran Guest House and the rest of the team took showers. I didn’t feel like it, so I didn’t. We went to “Kim’s Restaurant” for lunch. I got chicken & chips, and finished the whole plate. It was amazing! After lunch a few of us went to the Christian bookstore. I bought a bible in Tok Pisin. It cost me like 32 kina, so roughly $8-$10. After that Caleb, Alex, and I walked with Pastor Mark & picked up our black bag. Caleb & I carried it back to the guest house. My hair is starting to grow back…a little bit. I’m really beginning to like it short. After we took the bag back to the guest house Matt & I went down to the internet café. I updated my blog, but I couldn’t get into e-mail because it was so slow. After that Matt and I went to the grocery store across the street & got some ice cream. I also got another one of those fantastic donut-things, some toothpaste, candles, and a bag of coconut cookies to snack on. We decided to go for a walk, and get quite a bit further down the road that the market is on. We made it back with about ½ an hour to spare before dinner. Dinner was chicken (again!) with a bunch of other good dishes. David talked with a bunch of people form the Church of Christ and got to talk about mutual friends and churches he’s planted. It was a very emotional time for him once we got upstairs again. He planted a lot of the churches that they were talking about. These churches are thriving, and that was a tremendous encouragement to David. After that bit of happenings we had a de-briefing, which was good. Now I’m just journaling on my bed. Matt fell asleep with his journal & Bible open on his bed. I’m starting to nod off also. To Wewak we go, tomorrow.

3/13/09
(Night)

We’ve spent the day pretty much just preparing for Chambri. I didn’t take a shower or change because I didn’t have any clothes, or luggage at all for that matter! I’m having a hard time concentrating on what I’m writing because David’s got me laughing so hard. Anyway, we went out and about shopping a couple of times. I went with Josie, Japheth & one of the Blackwater guys. There are a lot of Asian-run shops here, mostly stocked with bulk lots of wholesale stuff, but some was just straight-up cheap junk. Wewak is pretty much like Goroka, except for the fact that it’s on the coast, it’s super hot, and very swampy. We went to a sweet Christian bookstore that was down the street. It was quite big, and they had all kinds of good stuff. We just had peanut-butter & jelly for lunch, along with an apple, some pineapple juice, and some barbecue chips. David & Japheth talked about Japheth being the first TETM international student. That would be pretty sweet. After they talked for awhile Japheth took Matt & I to the beach. I had to run to the store & buy a swimsuit first, because I still didn’t have my bags. It only cost me like $2.00. The ocean was pretty awesome. Off to our left was Wewak Hill, which was pretty awesome. Scooter & Matt haven’t been feeling so great. Matt & I both got stuck by sea-urchins while we were walking around in the water. I got a 2 ½ inch long spine in the side of my right foot, & Matt got 4 in his big toe! That was pretty crazy. Japheth was telling me about this place called “Chips Master.” That sounded pretty awesome to me! I was going to try to go tonight, but we got back too late from swimming. Maybe I’ll head over there tomorrow. Most of the other people in the group were not interested in greasy food, because of their upset stomachs. I really, really, really like the plates piled high with fried chicken & chips! There’s been a change in our Chambri plans. We are only going to be in Chambri a few days instead of 6. We are going to spend time researching at a new place called Blackwater. One of the natives from Blackwater has been trying to get missionaries to come to the Blackwater area for quite some time, like 5+ years. It’s a 6-hour canoe ride from Chambri Lakes to Blackwater. That will be quite the adventure! We’re supposed to be leaving for Chambri Lakes Sunday morning at 2 a.m. by PMV. This trip has been quite the adventure! I think I’m going to sign off for the night I want to spend a good long time with God tomorrow morning. I’ve been journaling, doing my “discoveries” book, and working on studying James. I’d like to have James chapter 1 memorized by the time we get back. We’ll see.

Part 1 of the Never-Ending Saga (Or you could just call it my trip journal, it's up to you)

3/4/09

I'm sitting in the airport in Brisbane, Australia. The travel here was quite nice. I was expecting the 14 hour flight to be pretty nasty, but it was actually quite nice. We all had video monitors in the seats in front of us, which enabled us to watch movies at will. We could also listen to radio stations, play games, listen to CD's; all kinds of stuff! I had an empty seat on one side and the window on the other, so I was quite comfortable. I as loose like a goose last night, so the airplane komode was quite a relief. I wasn't really sick, just a little...loose. Anyway, it was a great flight. We've got a 6-hour layover here in Brisbane before we head off to Port Moresby. I'm sipping on an energy drink called “Mother”. Its supposed to be the mother of all energy drinks. It's quite tasty. The only thing I have against energy drinks is that they leave your teeth feeling like they are totally coated with sugar. It's nice and warm in this airport, and a bit humid to boot.

3/4/09
(Night)

We made it safely to Port Moresby! The people here are very nice. We ate pizza at a nearby hotel. I'm rooming with Matt. The check-in was outdoor, and there were all kinds of geckos on the walls. That was pretty cool.

3/5/09

I'm sitting on my bed in our hotel in Port Moresby, listening to a bird squawk in the distance over the hum of the air conditioner. It's nice and warm here, and very humid. I'm lovin' it I'm sipping instant coffee that I made with the rather dirty looking hot water maker.

3/5/09
(Night)

We've made it to the guest house in Goroka. It was pouring rain when we arrived, and the rain is still coming down in sheets. We're just sitting around in the common area eating energy bars and journaling. We got here too late to get in on dinner here or at restaurant, so the only option was to raid our energy bar supply. The guest house is pretty nice. The mountains looked absolutely amazing as we flew in. We saw a bunch of farms that were right on the mountainside. A few of the guys were talking to a guy outside of the airport who ended up tracking us down at the restaurant. He gave a couple of the guys gifts. Scott got a sweet carving.

3/6/09
(Afternoon)

I got up after all the rest of the guys in my room. The guys in my room were Scott, Matt & Caleb. I rolled out of bed after Mark came in and shot a “Good Morning Sunshine” my way. After showering I packed up my stuff in army pack and headed downstairs for breakfast. I had some cereal with bananas, a slice of pineapple, a passion fruit, a wheat bar, 2 cups of coffee, a bunch of apple juice, and then something super-special. Alex dared me, no, went so far as to say that I had to eat this if I wanted to keep up my reputation for adventure! What is this mysterious food item, you might ask? Toast with a thick spread of vitamine! I started out with a paper-thin layer, but then Alex bumped it up to a thick layer. I ate the whole thing, but I seriously almost puked on the last bite! After breakfast we were allowed to roam the city in pairs or groups, as David & a couple other guys had to sit in on a meeting. As we were walking down the street, (Me, Matt,& Caleb), we met one of the locals who was very friendly and showed us around town. I bought a blanket, coffee, toothpaste, and a coffee mug. While we were there at the supermarket Matt & Caleb met a guy named Michael. We walked with Michael and the other guy we met, Robert, all the way back to Michael's house. That was a very cool walk. After we talked with Michael and Robert for a bit Robert led us back to the Lutheran Guest House. We checked in and then headed off with Michael & Robert to the rendevous point: “The Chicken Place.” Unfortunately, nobody seemed to know which place was the chicken place! We ended up in a little restaurant in the corner of a supermarket called Best Buy. We (Me, Matt, Caleb, Robert, Michael, & a guy named Frank who is an assistant pastor in Bena. We sat in that restaurant for several hours discussing different spiritual issues and also learning about tribal killings. We learned that there were 3 sorcerer killings in Robert's village. The community as a whole does not like the sorcerers and will kill them if an issue arises. Michael also had some very probing questions about the implications of sin upon salvation; our opportunity to get into heaven. We think that maybe God wanted us to be delayed so that we could help thresh out some of these issues for Michael & the other guys. After we were done talking we headed back to the Lutheran guest house, said our goodbyes to Robert, Michael, and Frank, and then tried to locate the rest of the group. We tracked them down and got correct directions to the chicken place. Since Caleb had gotten bad sunburn, just Matt & I went to the chicken place. We realized that we had been right past it already that morning! Oh well! The food was absolutely amazing, as was the atmosphere. It was a bright yellow building called “Follow Me.” We ordered boiled fish and chips. We split one order. The food was amazing! I had a pineapple Fanta with my lunch, which was pretty good. Then Matt & I walked around the market, which was awesome. We bought some passion fruit and carrots. The market was very muddy. There were many old ladies fanning away the flies. The people have strikingly large, rough feet. Their toes are sometimes quite far apart. We went back to the chicken place & picked Caleb up some food to-go. We're back at the guest house right now. There are dark clouds looming overhead, even though it was bright and sunny earlier. This is the rainy season nationwide, from what Robert told me. It's about 5:00 PM right now. I'm thinking about heading over to the Internet cafe with Matt to update my blog. Today was awesome to say the least. I really enjoyed the adventure of getting out and about and interacting with the people. I also liked the different foods we were able to buy. The views around Goroka of the mountains are amazing! There are big mountains looming in every direction. Goroka definitely gets my thumbs up!

3/7/09
(Morning)

We're chillin' at the guest house right now. David is meeting with some of the Bena pastors right now. Ron, Alex, and Mark are with him right now. Matt & Caleb are discussing Christ with a couple of Jewish guys. Scott, Michelle, and I are listening to their conversation. Well, I'm halfway listening. I've been bit by the wanderlust bug and I'm thirsty for adventure. Matt and I went for a walk last night and bought some baked goods at the supermarket. I got some sort of coconut-donut frosting deal. It was amazing! Matt got a pink coconut stick that looked like a long john that has been split open & filled with frosting. We found a path up one of the mountains on our way back and followed it. That was really cool because we got to a road that was about halfway up the mountain. We walked along this mountain road until all of a sudden the view opened up and we could see all of Goroka with the beautiful mountains in the background. We met a man along the way who showed us a couple paths to get even higher on the mountain. He offered to guide us up there this morning. We told him that we weren't sure when we were leaving, but we would like to pull it off if we could. He's going to show up around 10 AM. If this meeting takes much longer, we may see him after all. The ceremony at Bena was supposed to have started already, 25 minutes ago. I would really like to take my camera up to that mountain & get some pictures. I might go sit outside just to get outside. It's so beautiful out there. It sounds like people are moving around upstairs. Hopefully that means we are getting ready to go. I doubt it...

3/7/09
(Night)

We are in a building on the To Every Tribe compound. We are nestled in the mountains of the Benibena. We drove here from Goroka, which took about 40 minutes. Me, Mark, Caleb, Matt & a couple of nationals rode in the back of the truck. It was a super awesome view! We had mountains on both sides of us, gigantic muddy ruts to splash through, and a bit of a drizzle to boot! Like I said, it was awesome! It was quite the adventure. We stopped at the bottom of this steep hill with a muddy road. At the top of the road were men (and women) in full tribal gear! We got into some sort of ordered line and tried to walk up the hill without slipping. As we got up to the top, one of the men, who was wielding a bow and several arrows, let out a whoop that was loud enough to remove the sunscreen that I didn't put on. We followed these guys as they danced their way to where the transition ceremony was to take place. I'm writing this by Maglite (as opposed to candelight). We don't have lights in this room of the compound. Besides that, the generator goes off soon anyway. Back to the events of today. There were 500-600 people there at the transition ceremony. All but the dancers were in Western dress. There were a lot of people. They (the New Life pastors) led us to a hut which was where everybody spoke. We sat for over 3 hours doing absolutely nothing, just sitting there until we felt like if our rear ends hurt any more, we'd have to yell. At least, that's how I felt! I ended up re-situating myself so that my rear end was hanging off the back end of the bench. Much more comfortable! Anyway, the ceremony finally ended and the real fun began! We ate a fantastic meal. It was a pig roast with all kinds of other side dishes. It was quite amazing. My drink with this meal? Coca-Cola! After the meal I suddenly found myself wanting to track down the ball that I packed, so that I could interact with the kids. I had the kids make a big circle and we played hot-potato. It was pretty awesome 'cause there were 25+ kids. After I played ball for awhile I started interacting with other people. I talked to one guy specifically who said that he was very happy we were here and very happy that they were finally getting a missionary to live with them. I had to explain that TETM was all about working ourselves out of a job, not staying in one place like that. I also talked to a guy named Manasseh, who showed me around the compound. There were pictures of last years team in the church. He is going to be leading us to the church tomorrow, and hopefully grabbing one of his pineapples along the way. He told me that he grows pineapples & coffee and told me that he'd get us a pineapple. After I talked with him I played a rough game of catch with the older boys, a lighter game of catch with the younger boys, and then everybody started heading home. I probably shook 20 people's hands just at that point of saying goodbye. I headed into the building where we're staying, we had de-briefing, and here I am. It has been a really good day; a day full of adventure.

3/8/09
(Morning)

I went outside to use the bathroom by the hill last night and something ran through the bush and startled me me. It was probably a dog.

3/8/09
(Afternoon)

We awoke this morning to the sound of bugs making some sort of screeching noise. I rolled over but couldn't get back to sleep. It was a very foggy morning. I changed under my sheets and headed off to the outhouse. I didn't really have to go #2, but I figured I'd try anyway. I've used squatty potties before, but never for #2. I ended up not needing to go anyway. #2 that is...I definitely had to relieve my bladder. We had Manasseh as a guide to the church. Matt, Caleb, Scott & I all went to the same place. It was a beautiful hike up the mountains! It took about 1 hour to get to the church. The church was perched at the very top of one of the bigger hills/smaller mountains. The church was filled with 30-50 people. We sung songs with them, Matt shared a message, and Scott, Caleb & I shared versions of our testimonies. It was a fantastic experience! I really loved getting up in front of people and speaking about Jesus' work in my life. After we finished the church service we talked with the people for about a half hour. As pastor Albert got us ready to leave were served a bunch of food. I had guava (with the peel, no less), pineapple, sweet potato, and a passion fruit for the way. That food was absolutely amazing! It was funny because I was getting really hungry during chrch and started craving a pack of PowerBar gel blasts that were in my backpack. Then I got all this food! That was pretty awesome. The hike back was even better 'cause we got off the road and hiked some sweet trails up & down mountains. Pastor Alber took us to his house and showed us his goats and the rest of his farm. He is such a humble man, it is amazing. He was so happy to have us there at his house. He wanted us to make footsteps all over the area that his house was on because our feet were beautiful because we were bringing the good news & encouragement. He was overjoyed in a very quiet, humble sense. We hiked back to the compound and said goodbye to the pastor and the other guys who were with us. They were going home to gather their stuff, and then they were going to hike 5 hours to were we're going to be on Tuesday. Pastor Albert said that he would be there at the entrance of the church opening ceremony to greet us.

3/8/09
(Night)

On the way back from church Manasseh asked me if I could tell him Bible stories and give him some words of encouragement. I had to quickly gather my thoughts, thats for sure! I told him the story of Daniel & the lion's den. I also told him the story of Shadrach, Meshach, & Abed-Nego. It tried to show him the courage of these me to stand for God no matter what. That was a really cool experience. Walking bush trails through Papua New Guinea, right behind a PNG Christian, talking about the things of God...simply amazing! I smell pretty bad right about now. Of course, we didn't shower today, although there was talk of going to the river to wash. Never happened. I played some more rugby this afternoon. I also got a chance to hear about marriage and funerals from one of the older girls. Matt & I were able to listen to her talk about these subjects & the death of her father for about an hour. She had an amazing story. She told us how before her father died She would care for him and tell him about Jesus. It sounds like she was an effective witness & he gave his life to Christ before he died. I think I might have to use the bathroom tonight, which will be quite the adventure because it's raining, and it's dark. Oh well, it will be a cool story to tell. This evening Ron called me away from rugby to eat dinner. Alex & Mark made dinner for us on the kerosene cooker. They made a really tasty pasta. I had only just begun eating when Mark located me and asked if I would like to try a hot pepper because somebody had told him I like hot stuff. I said “sure!” (of course!), and popped it in. I chewed for a second, and my mouth turned to FIRE! IT was hotter than anything I've had in awhile. Actually, it's probably hotter than anything I've had in my entire life! I drank tons of water and ate tons of bread. It took about 15 minutes before the burning was completely gone. Even now under my tongue is a little...charred, I guess! Other than that, dinner was pretty normal! I finished all of my pasta and had a slice of pineapple. The pineapple is so amazing here, probably because it's so fresh. It's roughly 8 PM right now. Ron, David, Matt, & I were discussing a couple of experiences that I had today, one of which was my talk with Manasseh. David & I also resumed an earlier conversation about me being the TETM “Bush-Hut Builder.” Definitely something to think & pray about. That would be pretty dang sweet. Seriously, when I was eating that pepper, I was sweating and tearing up like crazy. It was pretty awesome. I'm feeling like I might not go #2 tonight. I don't mind going in a hole or behind a tree, but I will only go when I need to go! I have no aversion to the bathroom here, but why trek all the way down just to try?

3/9/09
(Morning)

Going on a nice hike with Matt!

3/9/09
(Morning 2)

We decided to hold off on our hike until after lunch. Matt, Scott and I went down to the river to bathe. Alex led us down there, with Caleb in tow. It was a very slippery hike! Straight up and down in some of the spots. I slid down, kinda surfing, the whole way down. Alex said that I would be ok walking in flip-flops. Now I kinda wish I would have worn my hiking shoes, because I ended up having a lot of trouble keeping the flip-flops on. I ended up just taking them off and walking barefoot through the mud. It was about a quarter of a mile. Matt just alerted us that he has a fever, so he won't be going hiking this afternoon. Maybe I can snag one of the locals to hike with me. I just asked David & he said he's sure I could. The bathing area was awesome. True tropical paradise. I put on my swimsuit & got into the river. The river was running pretty fast. The deepest it got was about 2 ½ feet deep. I got in and lay down and went completely underwater. I felt super clean while I was down there, but then I had to hike uphill through the mud. At least now I feel clean. I washed off most of the mud on my legs with water from the rainwater bin. We're about to eat lunch and then I'm going to try to track down a national to go on an nice long hike. I want to come back super tired.

3/9/09
(Night)

Mepla go up top of mountain Kaiufa runrun now come back. I hiked right about 5 hours hours today. I couldn't find anybody in the compound to hike with, so I packed up my gear in Scott's backpack and headed outside of the compound. I set up with David to go find a guide down the road and to be back by 6:30. Other than that, he let me do my own thing. He said “Because you know I'll be worrying!” That was pretty funny! The he went on to say “Well, I would probably worry...on Saturday.” Hilarious, simply hilarious! Anyway, I grabbed my gear and headed down the road. I hadn't been walking for 5 minutes when I came upon a PNG man. I greeted him and asked him if he spoke English. He said he spoke a little bit. I asked him where he was going, and he told me he was going to go work in his garden. He then asked me where I was going. I told him I was looking for somebody to take me up a big mountain. He said that he would take me. That was pretty awesome. I told him I wanted to climb a big mountain. I got exactly what I wanted! We climbed a stinking big mountain! We hiked through Kaiufa which was kinda at the base of Mehelugo mountain. We picked up about 5 local boys who led us through the bush. It was very slippery. A lot of the hiking was straight up, like 4.11, 4.12, 5.0. It was insane! Some of the rock climbing I've done was easier! There were only small to tiny footholds in the mud & brush, like about the size of the holds when Frodo & Sam are climbing above the fortress with all of the orcs walking along the bottom. It was a beastly awesome time! I think I stopped them about 3 times for not more than 5 minutes to rest and grab some Sharkies. We also took a rest on the way back that Steven orchestrated. It was jungle the whole time we were on the bush trails. I really loved it. I got a chance to see a bunch of guys harvesting pandana nuts. They gave me a bunch of them to stick in my pockets. I was having trouble getting the inside out of the shell, so one of the boys bit the shells off a bunch of them and gave me the insides. Steven did this for me also when we roasted them in Kaiufa. I ate them, of course. We got to cross several streams and rivers. About 2:30 or 3 it started raining. Since we were in the jungle I didn't get very wet, but by the time I got done hiking, I was soaked from the combination of getting rained on, crossing streams, and sweating profusely. I was also quite muddy. Steven started chewing betel nut while we were walking. He also pointed out marijuana plants in somebody's garden. I told him a bit of my story and then went on to tell him how betel nut and marijuana give you a little happy, but Jesus gives you a big happy, not because he makes life good, but because of the peace and joy that we have in Him because of what He has given us; the gift of eternal life. That was a pretty cool opportunity. It has been a fantastic day! I had to explain what the word “amazing” meant because I kept saying it when I was describing what I saw around me. Then I started singing “Amazing Grace.” After I sang a couple of lines I explained what they meant; what the amazing grace was. Yet another opportunity! On the way back to the compound Steven taught me how to say that I climbed the mountain, in pidgin. As we met people on the road I greeted them & told them that I had climbed the mountain & was coming back. I couldn't understand their replies, but the Kaiufa people we met were very proud & very glad that I had climbed their mountain. Everybody was amazed that I was strong enough. One woman at the entrance of the compound was very amazed. Her eyes got real big and she said “You fit man!” That was a pretty sweet compliment! Steven and I talked a bit about health, hygiene, & living conditions during our first 20 minutes or so of the trip. His view on the living conditions of the people in Bena? “We live like animals.” He seemed to be pretty knowledge about the travel of germs & sickness and that sort of thing. On the way back we stopped at Kaiufa and ate some sugar cane & pandana nuts at one of the villagers homes. We sat outside and watched them make a mu-mu. The dug a pit and put hot rocks that had been in a fire at the bottom. Those were super hot. Then they made a little enclosure of leaves around the pit. They the put down banana leaves on top of the hot rocks. Then they put their food, which was the whole pandanan fruit quartered, on top of those banana leaves. Then the covered that with more banana leaves and dirt. They cut a hole in the top banana leaves and poured a big pot of water in. The steam cooks the food. The then made sure all the holes were covered with dirt. Thats how a mu-mu is set up. I have no idea how long it cooks, but probably a couple of hours. It has been a very awesome day! I am super tired now, so I think I'm gonna hit the hay.

Pics, Part 2