Village Kids

I love this picture. For some reason I never expected to see winter clothing in PNG.

More village clinic pictures

One of my main conerns was making sure they understood how to take their medicine, how many tablets for how many days. Most Papua New Guineans understand Tok Pisin, however we had the village elder also translate to the people in their Tok Ples (vernacular) the instructions also.
This little boy had a deep tropical ulcer. He also had no parents, so the we instucted the village elder (sitting beside the boy) regarding his care. Tisi, the PNG lady helping him, was going to be in the area in a few days, and said she would be able to come and check on how he was doing.
When we were done with our medical care, the village elder used this opportunity to give a Tok Save (Informational Talk) about medical care. He talked in Tok Ples, so I couldn't understand most of what he was instructing them on. The Papua New Guinean women I was with had a different Tok Ples, so they didn't understand all of what he was saying either.

Assessments and Treatments

Tisi and Sylvia reviewed their medical books to see what immunizations they needed yet, and also addressed other concerns that parents had regarding symptoms of malaria or worms or nutritional deficiencies. They wrote what treatment was needed and I helped with administering injections and giving out oral medications.

Weighing Infants and Children

First, the mothers stood in a line, waiting for their children to be weighed. The scale was a sling hanging on the side of the clinic van. Some of the children liked it and some screamed. Every Papua New Guinean has their own medical book that they keep themselves where medical people record any assessment and treatment given. This is the extent of their medical records.

Greeted by villagers and Setting Up

The clinic visits approximately 10 villages a month, administering immunizations, malaria medication, dressing sores, and giving out antibiotics for many respiratory illnesses. Education is also a big part too, instructing them on keeping sores clean and covered, completing their antibiotics, worm medication, and HIV/Aids awareness.

First Trip to Village Clinic

This past Thursday, I had the opportunity to go on a village clinic. We went in the clinic van. It had rained the night before, so the roads were pretty sloppy, through winding hills. We met many people walking along the roads carrying bags of coffee beans on their heads to a PMV (Public Motor Vehicle) station, where they could catch a ride to town to sell their coffee. What took us probably 1/2 hour to drive, would take them 2 hours to walk.

Tulip Time in PNG?

At this time of the year, our family remembers Tulip Time back home in Pella, Iowa. We think of all the tulips, the parades, and of course the food: funnel cakes, cotton candy, poffetjes (the small Dutch pancake), etc. etc. We wanted to show you a food stand in PNG. This wasn't a Tulip Time celebration, though. This was on Independence Day in September.

Those back home will have to have an extra funnel cake for us!

Medivac to Cairns, Australia

Part of the job of being a nurse in PNG is to evacuate patients via plane to other medical fascilities where patients can get further medical care. Usually the medivacs are to Cairns, Australia, but sometimes go to Port Morseby (capital of PNG), or Lae.

Dr. Tanya (from Switzerland) and I arriving home from a medivac to Cairns, Australia. We were pretty exhausted. We were going to leave at 545am, but ended up in the runway for an hour due to fog. The flight itself took about 2 1/2 to 3 hours, but we were home by 6 pm.

What was so amazing to me when we were in Australia it seemed like we were in such another world. How in a couple hours time could you be in such a different world?

Time to Leave!

After visiting for awhile, it was time to go. It was such a meaningful day for us to see the work of Bible translation in progress. Alex and Lois have had many challenges over the years that they have been here, but God is faithful and His work continues despite it all.

Visiting With Alex and Lois

Alex and Lois have been working with the Tairora people since 1960. Here they are standing in front of the school/church where they do their classes and translation work.













Inside their home with Alex and Lois, Gavin, our pilot, and Doug, talking about Alex and Lois's courtship days.
Lois, showing the kids some of the printed materials that have been translated into the Tairora language. They have the New Testament completed and 50% of the Old Testament. They are an amazing couple. We felt it such a priviledge to meet them.
Cole, Leif, Noah and Tia sitting in the school room where they hold classes for the villagers and work on translation work.

Scenery from the Helicopter

Village houses
Village garden plots
Landing!

Helicopter Trip to Visit Translation Team

Last month we had the opportunity for our family to go by helicopter to visit a translation team in their village. Due to the bad conditions of the road, they needed supplies brought to them by helicopter: food, fuel, and such.

The helicopter picked us up in the highschool soccer field.
This was the first time the kids had been in a helicopter, so it was pretty exciting for them.

The road to Alex and Lois' village was deeply rutted and wet, due to all the rains.

Book Festival Day!

At school the boys had book festival week, and one day they dressed up as book characters and were in a parade.




Leif - dressed up as Prince Caspian
Noah dressed up as Trumpkin, the Dwarf in "Prince Caspian"



















Cole dressed up as Puddleglum from "The Silver Chair". Can you tell we're all Narnai fans?