What a DAY !!!

It is the 29th of February, isn't this a grand day just because it comes once in 4. Thank you for all who said hey...I need affirmation once in awhile to feed my insecure self :).

We found this little boy on a hike we took. He was sitting in the gardens all decked out with really no where to go. Just decorated and sitting waiting for us to arrive and take his picture or admire his war paint on his little innocent face.

He is in the Mbua, his teachers are sitting in Wamena waiting to get their money from the government but instead of coming back to teach, they keep sitting in Wamena. Meanwhile, this little boy has no one to teach him...he is waiting too. The Papuans get a lot of money from the government, this island is full of natural resources so to placate the masses...money is given but no responsibly to work is required. Money, but no power or responsibility. It is a lethal mix...but the question to ask, where is this little boy going to get his education if none of this teachers need to teach to get their pay? Multiply this island wide and you begin to see what a slippery slope this is becoming. So he waits for his teacher who is waiting for his money.

But on this day this wonderful day of the 29th...get all dressed up and go, eat a fresh garden salad with all the trimmings and a big fat steak with all the flavour just because you can and we can't. We'll get dressed down and walk in our shorts and eat rice with cooked greens just because we can on this the 29th of February.

So...

Why have I not heard from most of you? Mijo took this picture and I have no idea if the 'look' is because she was taking my picture or that I was contemplating some abstract thought...no, it was because she was taking my picture. It has been quiet out there in virtual space and don't really know what is going on with you who read this blog. So drop me a note, post on the site something...I am missing you.

Indolent...

Disinclined to exert oneself, habitually lazy, for those of us who have not used this word in a sentence recently. Harold, a Papuan from the Wissel Lakes area, an Ekari has been coming to our house on Sunday afternoons to practise his English. This is a word he chose to use in a sentence. He was talking about himself and his indolent behavior in practising his English. Ya...may I be struck with some of his indolence. He went on to ask us how to use the word embroil in a sentence. I am impressed with him...I think he has collected some words in a dictionary and is trying to figure out how to use them in a sentence. I keep forgetting how rich our language is and how many exceptional words there are at our disposal. Well, I only have to ask Harold... I am sure next week he will be his 'indolent' self and have a list of new rarely used words to practise in a sentence.
This man came up to us while we were using the bank and asked us if he could practise his English. He went on to say that he targets foreigners with the idea that maybe one or two will take the time to work with him. He was persistent and gracious all at the same time. He found Scott in town and again had asked to come to our house so that he could put his desire for speaking English into practise. He showed up at our house last Sunday...he is far from being indolent...I will have to be sure to let him know.

You guessed it!!!

Woke up this morning to the sound of the falling rain. Usually that is a wonderful sound, this morning it mocked us in our attempt to go to the beach. BUT...always a but, our internet works at home so we can paruse the net at our leaisure in the comfort of our own home. Mijo did walk up to the school to use the computers there though so she can IM her friends back home, she did not have the patience to wait for all of us to get off. Scott and Nick are going to the library I am sure to see if they can find more war books. We will again try for the beach tomorrow...

We went on Sunday..and we had a wonderful day of rest.

A collection

Every time we go to the beach we have collected shells. I am no great collector of things but I have become a bit over the top about collecting shells. Believe me this is just a smattering, I have jars full...and some of them are just like others I have collected. I like the hunt..I like the find...I like the trophy. What is nice...Scott seems to enjoy the collection as well so tomorrow we hope to add too. It has been a long time since we have been to the beach, I know for those of you in the throes of winter you are not feeling much of our pain, but we haven't and the collection seems much less because it has not been added too. So..if all are healthy, weather cooperates we should have a day at the beach. Wish you were here !

When you come...

A friend of mine said that there are three ways that you view a new culture, or that you view this Papuan culture specifically; scenery, machinery and finally relationally. I have found this true over and over again. Scenery..of course when you see men in all their war/celebration refinery you want to take a picture. When you first get off the plane you are taking pictures of anything and everyone you see.

After a while, the people are not so much part of the scenery but part of what can make living here more comfortable. They help in the home, around the house, at the store, they become part of the machinery of living here in Papua.

The next step is the hardest...interacting with the Papuans relationally. Would you want these men over for supper, hanging around your living room playing with your kids? There are two men we have built a relationship with here in Sentani. We interact with more but more often then not they either work for us or work for someone we know. These men do neither but one asks for money every time he comes over to visit, the other wants to practise his English. Both men are using us towards their own ends but you can predict who we like to have visit more often. We don't know the language yet but I find it hard to find any Papuan and Westerner just hanging out together. We minister to them...but do we relate with them? It is an interesting dynamic to watch, a love for the people of Papua but not a love that translates into an easy friendship.

Cross that bridge.....

I have always liked the phrase...we will have to cross that bridge when we get to it. What happens though if that bridge when we get there looks a bit like this one. What if the bridge we eventually have to cross is scarier then the road getting there? This bridge was a good 100 feet above the raging river and as you can see, some of the slats aren't quite joined. What happens when the bridge you have to eventually cross defines what you fear?
Getting older, getting sick, being insignificant, loosing loved ones, loosing your job etc, some bridges are amazingly scarier then the road leading up to it.
In our group of 19 students we had several who loved the challenge of these bridges and some who lay awake at night dreading when we would have to cross. Inevitably on that fateful day when we had to cross, as a group we applauded the daring, encouraged the fearful and all got across. The fearful amazed that they could and the daring wanting to do it again. I think what made the journey across successful was the company of both. Those who could encourage those who couldn't. Maybe thats the key, it isn't the condition of the bridge but the company of the travelers. It's all about community...the company you keep.
OK...I am waxing maybe not so eloquent. Maybe I realize that as a MK, I need to figure out my community and soon. I see a lot of bridges ahead.