Coming back to PNG, I have had a list of people I would like to visit. On top of that list was to visit my wantoks at Goroka serving with CRMF, Dan & Shannon and family. I had the privilege of doing POC with them back in 2008. Due to the amount of overtime built up in past weeks, my work completed on the C check. I was able to take a few hours off to travel last Friday and Monday. The last time I visited them in Goroka was October 2008. Since then Ella was born early last year in Australia and I have not had an opportunity to visit.
1. Some of the view from our hike
I flew down to Goroka late Friday afternoon. I needed time away from Hagen just to recover a bit from the five weeks of the C check, so the timing of it all worked out really well. The weekend would be a busy one. Friday afternoon there was a MAF and CRMF BBQ gathering for staff and families. Saturday included second hand clothes shopping with Shannon and Lucy, I picked up a few bargains including an Australia Lonely Planet book for 1 kina. Followed by the girls swimming at a local hotel called the Bird. Later in the afternoon Dan and I headed out to the New Tribes compound out of town and went for a walk along a ridge line. Our destination was an abandoned power line tower, but took a few alternate routes to find the right route. One way involved scaling a ridge on hands and feet only to find a barb wire fence up top marking off a property, so we had to go around the fenced off area. But it was so nice to get in the open outdoors, catch up and walk without anyone hassling us. Sunday morning we had church and went out for lunch afterwards. In the afternoon Dan and I got to check out Adventist Aviation’s new PAX 750 at the airport. Later in the afternoon/evening was a combined dinner night for the families from Shannon’s ladies bible study, it was an Italian theme night.
2. Tired at the end of the weekend – Dan, Lucy, Shannon, Ella, Emily & myself
So there was plenty on over the weekend, but a real blessing to spend time with Dan, Shannon and the girls. To catch up with them was my highlight, to see how the girls have grown and meet Ella for the first time, she is quite adorable. I look forward to more visits in the future and will have to be in shorter intervals than my last visit. It was really nice to spend the weekend with a family.
August 24th, 2010 at 9:48 pm
Matt, it is really good to read your encouraging blog. I’ve still not met the Perretts
It is good to know they are back safely. Hope this week is less hectic, workwise. Michael has arrived safely this morning 
August 29th, 2010 at 7:41 pm
Thanks Nicki, good to hear Michael arrived safely. Hope you guys have a good time back home and hopefully some rest too.