Building a Jungle Home [PNG]

The internet has been slow (and at times not working at all) since coming back from the tribe. Was finally able to get blogger to cooperate, so here's the first of a number of posts about our times in the Pei tribe. 

Our main reason for coming to PNG for this month was to help our friends, Chris and Evie Jones, build their home. They will be moving into the Pei tribe to work as missionaries... they will learn their language, teach the people to read and write their language, teach the Bible, translate the Bible, and leave the tribe in 10-20 years with, Lord-willing, a functioning church that is a PEI church and not an AMERICAN church. 

Building a home in the jungle is a little different than building a home in the states. While Ben has a lot of building experience, he learned and experienced many new things. He much prefers building in the states :)

First, you must clear the ground of the many, many trees.

Then you have to go hunting for your lumber and wood (unless you want to spend an outrageous amount to have it all flown and boated in... and believe me, it's an OUTRAGEOUS amount to do it that way). This was Ben's least favorite part. First, you must cut down GIGANTIC trees. Then you must carry them through the swampy jungle where it's sweaty and the swamp comes up to your waist. Ben says the tribal people are efficient at this but that he and the other white workers struggled to carry the heavy trees, let alone to do so without falling into the swamp water 100 times.

 Once the trees are back and cut, then posts are set, bearers are set, and floor joists are set.

Then the floor boards can be set!

 And once the saw mill is working properly, trees can be cut into lumber that is used to build walls. And then walls can go up!

 While we were in Pei, we were able to get to the walls. Another work team is in right now, so the roof should hopefully be going up today!

And here's my handsome husband working hard in the blistering heat!