Top: The hut we lived in for three weeks. It’s made of woven bamboo walls, sago leaf roof, and a rough cut board floor.
Bottom: Our “haus kuk/haus win” translated means house cook/ house wind. This is where we cooked over a fire, rested in the heat of the day, did dishes, read books, did school work… and much more!!
So…. we’ve been in country now for nearly three months now. We’ve done a month of training, a month of village living, and now we are trying to settle in.
We really want to share our experiences with you all. There are many things to share so I think I’m going to try and do a series on Village Living. This is part 1.
Q: What is village living??
A: Time spent in a remote location in the rain forest of PNG.
Q: Why village living??
A: To immerse us in the language and culture of PNG and to give us a better understanding of what our language/translation bteams experience on a regular basis.
Q: Was it worth it?
A: I tell myself yes and no on this one. No, because I won’t have to live like that. Because of the support roles Fred and I have here we will never have to experience living in a remote area on a regular basis. But then I remember my “was brother’s” (watch brother) face when he heard the Bible in his heart language. And with that picture in my mind I can say YES, God was there, He is at work! Even if I never see the end result I believe it was all still worth it.
Q: What was challenging??
A: Everything! Hot and humid temperatures that were never ending. Cooking over a fire in said heat. Washing clothes, dishes, bodies, hair in river or rain water for three weeks. Not knowing the language or culture. Having four children to parent in said culture. These are just to name a few.
Q: Did the kids enjoy it??
A: They loved it! They loved the swimming! They loved the people! They loved the adventure! They loved the toys that were made with materials from the jungle around us!
Q: What did God teach us?
A: That there is a need for consistency even when everything else around you is completely foreign. There is a need for God and daily devotion with Him even when it can only be for a few minutes at a time. There is a need to be consistent in parenting even when the culture you are in parents completely different than you do. There is a need to be consistent for our children in our family time together even if it means sitting on a wood floor in the dark with two solar lanterns as your only source of light and bugs are flying all around.
So in summery we are thankful for the experience. It stretched us in ways we never knew we could stretch. We truly felt God’s presence with us every step of the way! We could see His hand all around us! Our Tok Pisin skills improved and now that we are back in Ukarumpa I find myself missing having the opportunities to use it more.
“May the God of endurance and encouragement grant you to live in such harmony with one another, in accord with Christ Jesus, that together you may with one voice glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.” Romans 15:5-6
In Christ’s love, Jodi
P.S. More pictures to come!!
Frodi's Flight Log 