I have only been in PNG now for almost 14 months. In that time I think there has been seven families that have left PNG and we have gained four families. So saying goodbyes is quite normal in the MAF family, whether people are moving to another MAF program or finishing up with MAF.

1. Myself, Timon & Phillipp at work

The other week was the final week for one of my housemates in PNG, Phillipp. Who did his year of national service with MAF in PNG as an Engineer. He started the long trip back to Germany the previous Thursday. Since late October last year there had been three of us sharing a house together. One Swiss, one German and one Aussie, quite a mix. There was plenty of good times together and a few challenging ones with cultures mixing. It has been different to pass experiences sharing housing with others. Where here we live together, work together and socialise together.

2. Kalex & Kila cooking the BBQ lunch, PNG beef sausages

During Phillipp’s last week here two weeks ago. There were quite a few dinner invitations and farewell meals. Food and fellowship is where it is at, missionary wifes know how to cook. The last evening was a group dinner at Mt Hagen club. Later in the night before praying for Phillipp, the three of us would play Battlefield 1942 together for the last time. We made a good team. So it was great having another ‘young’ adult here in Hagen. A real servant and a young man after God’s heart. I ask that you would please pray for Phillipp and for God’s leading on his life. Maybe he will return to PNG. For now it is down to two of us in the ‘party house’ and will gain a new housemate tomorrow for a few weeks.

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1. The find of the year

Despite so many things being so hard to come across or find in PNG. You would not believe some things you might come across, whether it is clothing, books, food and any other item. Things that you think you would never find. When we had arrived in Wewak, for lunch we headed into town to do some food shopping and to get lunch. In one shop, I thought I was seeing things, I couldn’t believe my eyes. There in the refrigerator were Bundaberg Ginger Beer bottles. I started shouting in unbelief and in excitement. At first I thought they would be really expensive, but they were only 3 Kina each, which is $1.31AU! So I brought one, with plans to return to that shop. Then at another shop, there meat pies were imported from Aus too. This was a service station quality, but still a pie from Aus. It was 5 Kina. So we went down to the beach to have lunch before going for a swim. I tell you a pie and ginger beer on the beach in the tropics, oh man.

So later in the weekend I walked into town to grab a box of Bundaberg Ginger Beer to take back to Mt Hagen. I approached an employee at the shop and talked to him in Tok Pisin. The guy was so helpful, he went out the back and grabbed a box for me and took it to the manager to get a price. I thought even if I have to pay 72 Kina (3K x24) I would still get it. But he knocked it down to 62.50K ($27.38AU). So I paid for the box and walked out with 14kg’s of Ginger Beer. I carried the box all the way back to the MAF compound about 2-3 km’s in the hot sun. Timon and I were hassled for money by one guy in the process. By the time we got back my arms had almost fallen off. Come Monday morning, the box was able to fit on the plane. So it was an awesome find and to get it all the way back home to Mt Hagen. There is Schweppes PNG made Dry Ginger Ale or homemade ginger beer, but the Bundaberg is in another league of its own.

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Here finally is a video of our Hangar in Mt Hagen. You have to excuse me in this, as I was quite tired and made a few mistakes in what I said. I’m sorry too for the length, really tried to make it short and simple.  I think it’s the one video so far that I have not been satisfied with. But will have to do. Hope it gives a better perspective of our environment here.

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Thanks Bay for sending me these photos. If anyone has any photos of any farewell activities, please let me know, thanks.

Commissioning Service

Photos from my commissioning service at Western Sydney Alliance Church on the 04/05/08

9 Photos

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1. Mt Wilhelm - photo taken by a MAF pilot

There are quite a few mountains in PNG, the highest being Mount Wilhelm at close to 14,800 ft above sea level. From the end of the road leading to it, it is about three hours walk to the base camp and then another six hours to the summit (taking it easy). So there is around eighteen hours of hiking (only up and down) in about a day and a half. Last Friday the previous week, it was decided to try and plan to climb it this weekend. As it is a long weekend here and as one of my housemates (Philipp) leaves PNG in under two weeks. Last Friday I really thought that it would be very unlikely that I would be able to go with the way my knee had been after my stack. The last week it has really come a long way, a big answer to prayer. It is still not 100% (I don’t know how they rate a sportsman’s fitness as an exact percentage). There is still some swelling and bruising, but it is quite good. In the end I decided not to go, a decision that I was torn about. All week I had been taking it a day at a time to see if I would be able to go (if I had another week I think I would of been well). Leaving the decision till last night, I spent a lot of time this week in thought and prayer about it. I haven’t struggled with a decision like this for a long time. The main reason for not going was that I did not have peace about going. My two housemates were able to leave early this morning to start their adventure. I hope to be able to climb Mount Wilhelm later in the year, God willing, when the weather is better and my knee is good.

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I have struggled to output any videos in a few months now. So I thought in the mean time I could try and get this video uploaded. This is the latest video production made of MAF PNG back in 2007. We show this video when explaining about MAF when ministering with the MAF ministry team. It does make me laugh sometimes seeing friends and colleagues in this video. But hope it gives a good general perspective and reminder of MAF’s operations in PNG.

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1. Dedication service

Last week the new turbo GA8 came in for it’s first 100 hourly check. A few of us had the privileged to be able to work on it. Most of the check was taken up carrying out approved MAF mod’s to the aircraft. I really like the GA8, no plane is perfect. But it is a simple plane, built for the work MAF does and I enjoy working on them. It is a big blessing working on a new aircraft.

2. Committing it in prayer

On Tuesday this week we had the dedication service for the new GA8. Acknowledging God for His provision and giving thanks for it. Committing it and the work it will be doing to Him. The service was followed by lunch. It is a huge provision to be given a brand new aircraft, something we are really thankful for. All the money to purchase it was raised through fund raising from individuals, most of it coming from MAF UK from supporters in the UK. It was a special time recognising God’s provision and committing it to Him, but also the start of hopefully a new age of service with the Turbo GA8 (currently the only one operating in the world at the moment).

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I have a list of videos, photos and stories to hopefully post soon. I am trying to work through the list. So here are some photos from our time in Wewak the other week. They are up first so family can see them sooner rather than later, especially for my Dad. It was overcast most days we were there, so not very good lighting, enjoy.

Weekend in Wewak

Some photos of our four day break in Wewak.

71 Photos

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1. Bike crash

Last Wednesday I rode to work in the morning for the first time in two weeks. As I had been trying to get over some sort of cold or flu that kept coming back after a few weeks of feeling better. The difference now was that I had some new Michelin “all Terrain” tyres. Whereas before I had road tyres, that didn’t give much grip off road. The one thing that I was amazed by was how much better suspension the tyres gave me because of their bigger thickness.

So come the afternoon ride home, I am quite eager to get a good ride in and try and get back into form. Trevor and I decide to ride into town and then head down a road that takes us out to the old highway, which comes back into town. There is a lot of climbing and off road going this way. As we ride home we get to a climb on the Highlands highway which lasts for around 1-2 km’s. As we ride up we pass four PMV’s, over taking the fourth one off road. Briefly saying hello as I ride pass them. I love over taking slower vehicles, especially flying downhill, it is quite funny.

2. New tyres from Aus, cheap cheap

As we get to the top of the climb, it starts raining quite heavily. It is quite cold rain and being cold and heavy hurts a little. It is hard to see, so we decide to ride the short way home through town. As I ride past the market I am doing about 25km/h. I start to back off a little for warming down. The road is really wet, with water building up around the road. As I approach the second last corner, almost home, I realise I am going a little too quick for the corner. As I think about braking, I worry that I could lose the back end (which would of been a better option). So I decide to cut the corner sharply and run wide, which I have done plenty of times. But not in the wet. As I start to enter the turn, a Land cruiser is approaching. So I have to take the turn even more sharply. As I lean and turn into the corner, my front wheel skids and slips from underneath me. Before I know it, I am down on the road. It all happened so quickly, all I remember is putting out my hand. Before evening realising what had happened I jumped back up off the road. Realising what had happened I looked behind me and grab my bike which is 2m behind me. So I went over the handle bars. And  I quickly got off the road. There were quite a few witnesses around despite the rain, to their amazement. I don’t think they have ever seen a white man fall off a bike before, let alone someone.

The pain and stiffness really starts to hit me and what has happened. I had totally forgotten that I had lost handling on tarmac surfaces with these new tyres. The tarmac is not your nice smooth little graze friction burn stuff. It is the jaggered asphalt that you don’t want to fall on to. I try and get back on my bike, but I can’t raise my leg high enough. In the end I get back on and roll the bike home. As soon as I get home, I have a shower and clean myself up. My ankle, leg, knee, elbow and hand are quite sore (I thought I had a high pain threshold), grazed and start to swell up. Since then some grazes which were deep have become infected, but since been taking antibiotics and has cleaned up the infections. Seems that even in the tropics, treating yourself properly, it will still get infected.

3. The Michelin Man, I wonder if his tyres grip as well as mine

Since then I have still been working, I am still a bit swollen, still sore and bruises are starting to come up. I don’t bruise easily, must be all the fat on my body. But hopefully will mend quickly. over the next week. It is my first stack in thirteen years, last time was when I was thirteen and a Dog hit me (I didnt hit the stupid dog, it ran out in front of me) and I went over the handle bars. I have had a few close calls with the back end and considering how much riding I have done, I have had a good run. I am really grateful that I didn’t injury myself more than what I have and that no cars were involved. I am really thankful for God’s protection. So hopefully will get back on the bike soon and eventually go off road.

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