Edumacashun...

The boys and their remote controlled Altoids tin creation – a work in progress.

So, what kinds of things do you include in curriculum in the bush…

While not quite a typical day for us, Thursday exemplified the diverse opportunities that our life here in the bush affords  our kids. Not only did they get a fairly healthy dose of the three R’s, but they also got to get a little mud and grass stain on themselves as they applied their growing botany knowledge to work in our garden. They are well on their way to becoming top notch recyclers and engineers– a side benefit of the fact that life in the bush makes for the certain and untimely death of all things electronic – their specialty is taking things apart. (Tim always asks: “can we make a remote control helicopter out of that?”) Thursday, we added some motors to what is shaping up to be the Altoid’s Spybot… I’ve got a sneaking suspicion that I know who they’ll be spying on too  (hint: its not going to be mom….)

This is a sunala. It experienced a rare form of capture – death by sitting.

Later in the afternoon…

In the afternoon, our boys were out playing soccer with some Pal friends when the unfortunate marsupial in the picture above wandered into the midst of the game. One minute, the game was happily progressing with kicking of shins, kicking of knees, and even a few well aimed kicks at the soccer ball itself, and the next minute there was the ball hanging lazily in the air over the once full chopper pad.  The whole crew of children in hot pursuit; (our own kids  -whose meat mostly comes in cans - were more or less caught up in the chase in the spirit of participation rather than purpose) followed the sunala down the hill until the boy in the picture above clubbed it with his backside. His dad, in the background, was really really proud and insisted that I get the camera out to document the occasion.) So, we had the chance to learn about exotic wildlife (and food) at the same time (tastes a little like chicken – but then again, doesn’t everything?)

Please pray with us that our kids will grow and mature well in the Lord and that we are able to lead them both in deed and in word.

Our landowner, playing the guitar on my phone. We definitely need to start a band.

New Partners

You who have been praying for us for a while know that we have for more than two years sought a third family to join the work here. Well, in a direct answer to your prayers; this week that third family will be moving into the village here and beginning to share life with us and our friends. This is a pretty big deal for them as they are coming in sight unseen and within a month of finishing their orientation program at our highland center. To put it in perspective – it is like committing to a wife, a city, and a job for the next 20 years after only a few weeks of interaction with said wife, no prior travel to the city, and a job description that includes at least twice “work divided according to gifting”. Honestly, when we were moving into Pal, I don’t think I’ve ever been so stressed, frightened, or excited in my life (OWWW!,  - okay except just before our wedding…) I know that Chris and Maggie and their kids are probably right there too – only more so. Would you please pray for us and them – Monday in the States – as they fly in to begin life here with us.

Thanks so much for the care and support that you all give,

Nate for the family

Posted via email from PNG Time