There’s just so much to write about on this adventure that it’s sometimes hard
to pinpoint what would not only be informative but also of interest. Sometime
I’d like to write about Beetle-nut, a local (and national) concoction that
really destroys their teeth, or the island we were just on where it looked just
like you might see in an ad for tropical islands and one of the guys told me in
response to a question about their Saturday market, “We don’t get many
tourists”!! But today I want to write about some of the amazing Island people
that I’ve gotten to know here and who have captured my heart in many ways.
I want to
concentrate on three that I’ve gotten to know a little better, Jamie, Jemimah
and Billy. They all have local names, but use their English names when working
outside their respective villages. They have come on board the PNG to serve the
people of their own nation and they are as hard working and gentle and kind as
anyone you would ever meet and I’m glad I call them friends.
Jamie
is 22 years old and comes from the Western highlands and really misses his home
where it’s lush jungle and cool at night! His parents are potato farmers and
here in PNG that is a cash crop, so they are rather well to do! They gave Jamie
a piece of land so he could start his own farm and perhaps someday he will, but
for now his heart is in serving his God and his nation. I’ve worked with Jamie
in both the galley and in optometry and he is a hard and consistent worker who
displays a servant’s heart in everything. He would love to do a DTS someday and
is looking forward to that! We have had many times of quiet conversation in the
evenings on the ship. I have a hard time understanding Jamie (and many PNG
people) because he speaks so softly! But I’m learning to listen with new ears,
tuned to the PNG pigeon accent. Pigeon is a universal language spoken
throughout PNG that uses a modified form of English and local words. At times I
felt I could almost understand it, but then would just laugh because I was
always lost. So Jamie, kindly spoke English with me. Here's a shot of Jamie and Jemimah when we were all part of the Galley crew. They are in the foreground.
Jemimah
is 23 and like Jamie, a PNG volunteer. She comes from one of the villages but her
family now lives in the capital city (Port Moresby). It is her vision to become
a chef and she has already completed courses in that direction. She came on
board the ship at the same time Donna and I did and has worked in the kitchen
the whole time. Galley work is hard work and yet Jemimah handles the long hours
with such grace. She was a little shy when I first got to know her, but she
gradually warmed up as we worked together in the galley. Like many young PNG
singles, she has vision for her country and wants to help PNG grow and mature.
She is serious about her career and fun-loving among her friends. She has
allowed Donna and I to speak into her life and hear her story. Here's a picture of her (on the right).
Billy
is a member of the ship crew and also part of Townsville’s ywam staff. He is an
Islander from Fiji and has lived for almost 2 years on the PNG. He is one of
the main deck hands and although he has never taken formal classes to be a
mate, he absorbs knowledge and has done extensive study, so much so that he
knows quite as much as any of the mates on the crew. Billy is unfailingly
friendly and hard working, he always has a smile and time to talk or pray. He
will be departing the ship soon to head back to Townsville to get married! I
spent a good deal of time with Billy on the zodiacs ferrying people back and
forth to villages. He is another example of a young islander with vision for
his nation and region!
We
have come to the end of our time in Papua New Guinea and started our meandering
journey back towards home. In another update I’ll give you a sense of our final
week in the beautiful waters and islands of the Central Province and Milne Bay
but for now I will say that we have departed the ship in the city of Alatou and
flown to Port Moresby where we spent the night. We visited with some friends,
finished some shopping and got a good night’s sleep! Today we fly to Townsville
and will spend two nights there before heading back to Sydney for one night
with some of our past students (thanks Emma and Hannah!) and hopefully will
catch a flight to the US on Thursday!!
One
last thought for this update about the city of Alatou. Outside of Port Moresby,
Alatou is one of the larger cities in PNG. It has a bustling business district,
markets, an airport and port. The one thing Alatou doesn’t have is access by
road! There are no roads in or out of this city, everything has to be delivered
by boat or plane! In fact, there are no roads in 80% of PNG!! The only way to
get around is by flying, on a ship or trekking!! As an American, I have a hard
time getting my head around this fact. I’ll let you ponder on that until…
Next
Time.
