More Vision Testing

Students waiting to be tested.

The teacher wrote down names of all the students for us.
Some students watching through the windows, waiting for their turn.

Vision Testing at an Elementary School

This week Tuesday, the clinic and other volunteers went to a primary school nearby to do vision testing on the students. It was a large school, with over 300 students up to grade 8. If we detected problems they would get referred for further evaluation.

This boy (an 8th grader) was deaf, so the man standing by the chalkboard did sign language with him.
Waiting outside to be tested.

The Kodiak has landed!

Last Friday our family went out to the airstrip to watch the new Kodiak airplane arrive in PNG. It was exciting to be part of this great event. The Kodiak has many benefits over the planes we are currently using. It uses regular jet fuel, versue Aviation gasoline, which is getting hard to get, it can land easier on the shorter and rugged airstrips here in PNG, can hold more cargo to assist translators in getting to their remote locations, and will also be used in medical evacuations.

Noah and Tia standing in front of the Kodiak.

Washing by the River

For many Papua New Guineans, the river isn't just a fun place to play, but to bath, wash dishes and wash clothes.
This boy still has soap in his hair. He didn't want to miss being on the picture.
This little girl was so cute. She worked so intently as washing her clothes and then she called the other little boy (below) over to come and help her.

Mud Slide/Mud Hole?

Getting the slide ready!
Noah and Jerad
Tia had to try it too.

Fun at the River!

Saturday was a good day to go cool off in the river. Tia (on the left) and her friend Katie love to play together.
Cole(standing), passing a football.
Leif, and his classmate, Jerad.
Leif, Noah and Jerad making a fire. The water is quite cool (about as cold as Lake Michigan), so despite the heat, a fire feels nice when you get out of the water.

Outpatient Clinic

The outpatient clinic is usually quite busy. Some patients walk as far as 2 hours to be seen at the clinic. There are a variety of illnesses in PNG, but some of the major ones are: malaria, tuberculosis, asthma, pneumonia, various sore and skin diseases, typhoid, and HIV/AIDS.

The clinic has a program set up by the government to diagnose, treat, and follow up all tuberculosis patients that come in. The clinic also follows antenatal mothers through their pregnancies, provides tetanus and malaria prophylaxis for them, and provides education and counselling regarding HIV/AIDS.

Sports Day at the Primary Campus

Tia's class doing the sack race (just the girls). Tia is the third from the left.
Noah is in the green hat.
Leif doing the sprint. He's second from the left. The whole school is divided either into red or yellow teams.
Leif and his good friend, Freddi getting read to do the 3 legged race.

John Calvin AKA J.C

Our puppies were born July 6th, and John Calvin celebrated his 500th birthday on July 10th, so we aptly named him John Calvin, but call him "J.C".
J.C is a fun addition to our family. He reminds us of our black lab, Jet, whom we left back in Iowa. Jet also loved tennis balls.

Back to School - July 22, 2009

School is year round for the kids, so after a 5 week break they started their new year July 22. Tia is in Kindergarten, Noah, 2nd grade, Leif 5th grade and Cole 7th grade.
Tia's kindergarten class.