Workin' Hard (PNG)

Here's a glimpse into what has been keeping Ben and I busy here in Papua New Guinea the last week and a half:

Ben has:

-Done several runs to town to pick up last-minute things

-Helped pack up things

-Helped to carry and move things

-Took a 4 day trip into the Pei tribe (1 hour plane ride, 2 hour boat ride) to begin clearing trees and settings post for 3 houses

To give you an idea of what this process looks like... imagine moving your entire life to a new location, but the only way you can get things in is by a boat, a small plane, and a small boat. Nothing can be bought on location at the new home, so everything must be sent in. First, the cost is incredible to move things this way. Second, it takes a LOT of thought as to how you will get everything you need into the location. This is no small task! 

THEN once you get there... you have to clear trees out, build high enough so water won't get into the house when there is a lot of rain, learn how to build with a new type of wood, build a home that is culturally not too far out from the tribal people but comfortable enough to be able to live life in still (that's a tricky task!), and build fast because it's too costly to continuously be flying/boating in and out (which means, you'll be living in a half-built home for a while). We totally respect these missionary friends of ours and are thankful for the realistic view we are getting.

(packing up the truck with things for the boat trip)

(clearing out trees to make room for 3 houses)

 (the 4 guys who went on the first work trip)

And because I know some of you wonder what I (Alisha) am up to (and because I need to prove to our good friend Aaron that I'm actually doing more than just blogging ;)), here is what I have been up to:

-Took a trip to town for fruits and veggies (cultural experience! Can't just go to walmart)
-Have taken several trips to the base store for food
-Have taken several trips (by foot) to a lady's house to try to get a meri blouse (the tops the ladies wear here) made for me.... but she's never home. Getting some exercise, I guess :)
-Making food! Besides cooking for our regular meals, we've been making food for the next few weeks for when the work teams are in building (we've made bread, ham and cheese rolls, granola, a bisquick master mix, and cooked and shredded 2 chickens)
-Laundry (takes a little longer than at home... first, there's more laundry because of it being so hot here. Then, you must hang EVERYTHING up to dry. Also, you have to turn everything inside out to hang it up since the sun is so hot and you don't want everything to fade).
-Taking care of little Soph Soph :) ... who is adjusting really well, by the way

And just to toot my own horn a little more (because let's be honest, we all know Ben is really doing more work than I am), I'm doing all of this at 6.5 months pregnant!

(Sophie and Evie with the unfinished ham and cheese rolls) 

(Sophie cheesin' it by the oatmeal bread)

We've also really enjoyed meeting the other people here on the Wewak base. Several of these missionaries have already lived in tribal locations... some are currently working on translating the Bible right now! We're so thankful to be able to meet these people- just normal people doing some very COOL things!