March 3. A quiet, relaxing day. I cooked some carrots and peas for breakfast this morning. Was so hungry for veggies. Ate a bowlful of apples with pecan pieces while I was waiting for the veggies to cook and finished my quiet time. Afterwards, I got the next set of journal notes ready to send to C&C. Daddy and I listened to a message by Adrian Rogers from I Peter 3:15,16. Then I started writing an e-mail to C&C. Took a break to get a pot of rice on to cook for dinner, and then sent off the e-mail with the journal notes attached. We ate dinner, and afterward, I tried to send a few picture files. Only one of them sent, however. So I put the other three in draft and got ready for nap. After nap, I did the dishes, washed my hair, prepared another set of journal notes to send to the girls, and started writing today’s journal notes. This evening, I worked on notes for music lessons.
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March 1. I was so tired yesterday evening, I did not feel like doing one thing on the computer. I wrote a few notes in my journal and then sat and looked at the computer for a while. Finally decided to shut it down and go take a shower and get ready for bed. Prayed for a while after that and played a couple short computer games. Started getting a migraine so got ready to get into bed for the night. Then I thought about the boiled eggs that we had in the fridge. A good source of protein. I’ll eat one of those. Crawled right into bed after eating one. I’m not sure what time it was, maybe 8:30 or 9:00 or somewhere in between. Today has been a long day too. We were up around 6:20. Had breakfast and plenty of time for quiet time as Michelle would be using their vehicle before we would have a chance to use it. Packed up so everything would be ready to move over to CRMF after lunch. I started getting another migraine shortly after breakfast. I knew there was a pack of pecan halves in the package that had come from the states (another good source of protein) so opened up that box and ate a few pecans. When Michelle got back from town, she called us, and we got the car and headed out to do shopping. Went to Goroka Food Mart first. There was hardly anyone around. It was pleasant shopping there as they had a nice Christian radio station on, probably the one from Mt. Hagen. Next we headed on over to Seng Da. Looked around next door in their hardware store first to see what they had available and what the prices were. Then went back over to the department store. Went all the way up to the third floor today to see what they had in their furniture department. Most of it was way beyond our price range. So we went back down to the second floor, the dry goods department. Spent quite a while looking around there and picked out several things to buy. There were more things we needed, but Daddy got so caught up in his exciting new “toy” that he didn’t even seem to know I was there and that we needed to look at this and that. He just went ahead and bought his solar powered “toy” – 6 short wave plus am/fm portable radio, plus MP3 player and a number of other special qualities including a high quality lamp. And it was only a little under K50 (about $16). Well, I guess we’ll go back another day and get the other things we need. We did also make a stop on the main floor to get a few groceries. By the time we got done at SengDa, it was going on noon so we headed over to Papindo’s café for lunch. Then back to the little MAF house to load up our personal things and take everything over to CRMF. Once we got everything unloaded and a few things put away, we lay down for a short nap. After nap, Daddy went downstairs to get internet tickets and I put away my clothes and other things while he was gone. Then we went back uptown. Looked around Goroka Stationery, but their prices have gone way up since we were last here so we didn’t buy anything there. Then we went to Bintangor and bought some fresh carrots and tomatoes and a few other grocery items. By the time we had checked out, rain was coming down pretty hard. We waited a while until the rain let up. There was quite a river of water running along the curbside (a little wider than I would be able to cross) so Daddy hurdled the stream and brought the car over to the curb so I could get in. From there we went to do some shopping at Papindo and spent a large number of pennies there. It was now about 5:00 so we came back to the house. Enough shopping for one day. I sorted things out and put away things we would be using here. Left other things in the plastic bags. We will need to find boxes for packing everything. Then I cut up tomatoes, cucumbers, and cheese for our supper sandwiches. In the mean time, Daddy took the car back to MAF and then walked back here. When he got back, supper was nearly ready. Didn’t do much at the computer again this evening. Just wrote journal notes and sent a short e-mail to C&C. March 2. Went to bed somewhat early again last night, but not as early as the night before. Enjoyed a nice shower first. It was about ten ‘til 6:00 when we got up this morning, thankful to the Lord for a pretty good night’s rest. Heard people talking off and on during the night, but it didn’t keep me awake. Also heard the faint sound of boom boom music off in the distance. Around 5:00, I heard a female voice singing, “I’ve Got a Mansion.” Around 8:30, Daddy went to the MAF compound and got the car, and then we headed out once again to shop. It was a hot day. Our legs were still hurting from all the walking yesterday, but we managed to get through the morning. I kept remembering Isaiah 40:31. We are thankful that the Lord gives extra strength when needed. We came back to the house just before noon and had lunch. Then we enjoyed a nice nap before going out again. We weren’t out long this afternoon as most of the stores close by 3:00 or 3:30 on Saturday. We helped close the last store we went to—the new Hot Spot. Found that they have good prices on bulk items so will most likely be going back there later. We actually have made a pretty good dent in the shopping yesterday and today. We praise the Lord for that as we don’t know how many days next week we will have the use of a vehicle. Got back to the house around 3:45, and I wrote a quick e-mail to C&C to ask them to get me a couple things at Trader Joe’s. Then I taped together a large cardboard box that we had gotten at Hot Spot, and started packing it. While I was packing, Daddy took the Land Cruiser back to MAF and then walked back here. When he arrived back, I had just finished filling up that big box. Taped it shut and labeled it, and Daddy put it on the floor in the corner. It is amazing how many things fit in that one box. After supper, I taped together the other box, not as large as the first one, and filled it up. There are heavier items in it than are in the larger box. Now everything that can be packed is packed. Two smaller boxes are about half full of heavier items, and two large plastic bags have other items in them that can’t go into boxes. That done, I worked for a while on writing music lessons for school.
February 27. Up before 5:45 this morning. Daddy started the generator at 6:00, and Sunny came shortly to do the laundry. It took a long time for the fog to lift this morning, but we were thankful to see sunshine after that. SIL came in several times again and took out plane loads of coffee. Tomas led the singing in lotu, and Daddy preached a short three-point message from John 3:16 on three gifts of God—His love, His Son, and eternal life. After lotu, the students came and had their Bible quiz. We divided some leftover food among them that we wouldn’t need to cook here, but we don’t have room to carry to town, and it wouldn’t be any good by the time we got back. After everyone left, I made corrections in the new Bible lesson and then made the student copy so it is ready to print out. Started looking through school files that were saved on a flash drive and was happy to find files of music to many of the songs I had written before. I had looked and looked for those files and couldn’t find them anywhere, so I was quite excited to find them within the list of school files. The afternoon was spent packing. Finished as much of that as we could for now. This evening, I started revising some music lessons I had written a long time ago and writing them in English for the grade 9 students. Also printed out the list of things to take to town and the students’ copies of the new Bible lessons so they are ready when we get back from town. February 28. We woke up to a foggy world, but it didn’t take long for the fog to disappear. Then the Lord gave us a hot, sunny day. Didn’t get up until 6:15 this morning. No rush for anything in the morning, and the plane wasn’t due in until about 3:00 in the afternoon. Had breakfast and quiet time. Packed things that weren’t yet packed, except for a few food items that we would need for lunch and my computer which I would use during the morning. Computer time was spent finding and adding verses to the MTP course for missionary wives. Praise the Lord, I was able to complete that course before the morning ended. After lunch, we packed up the rest of the food, and I was starting to do dishes when we heard the twin otter coming. Why was it coming now? We weren’t ready to go, and there was nobody around to carry our cargo. Nobody had communicated with us about MAF’s schedule. I rushed to finish the dishes and do a couple other little things, pack my pillow, change my shoes. Lewis taped up the box of food and did a couple other little jobs. By then I was stressed out from rushing around. But nobody came to carry our cargo so we just waited. Finally somebody came by and said that MAF was taking a couple loads of coffee to SIL and then would come back to get us. Well, maybe we would have time for a little nap. So we started taking a nap when someone else came and said that MAF was only making one trip to SIL. Hmmm, that wouldn’t take long. Better get up and get ready. Got up and ready again, but I was too tired to just sit there so lay back down until we would hear the roar of the plane. I could hear my heart beating in my ear and head and knew I needed to relax. As I lay down, I prayed for the Lord to calm my heart, both the physical and the spiritual, and claimed His promise in Isaiah 40:31 that “they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.” I thank the Lord for His giving me a little rest until the plane came back. Coffee had to be loaded on the plane so that gave us plenty of time to get up the hill. Several people came and carried cargo. The Lord sent a cloud to block the sun most of the way up the airstrip and also sent a welcome breeze. He also gave me extra strength to make it all the way to the top of the airstrip without having to stop and catch my breath. They were still loading coffee when we got there so we had a short wait. There were no coffee bags left for me to stand on to step onto the ladder and go up into the plane so two men gave their hands for my first step. I was very grateful for their help. They flew the plane low through the valleys on the way to Goroka so Glennis could have practice flying low in case of bad weather so she could get used to it when flying the caravan. Oh, how I wished I had brought my camera! Such clear, close views of so many villages! I don’t know what time we arrived in Goroka, but we had to wait a while there until a vehicle was available to take us to the MAF compound. Since we had to come out a day early, we had to find a place to stay for one night. MAF has a little apartment available with a very small kitchen area, a small bedroom, and a bathroom. We are thankful that it was available at short notice. February 25. Although the Lord sent us rain yesterday afternoon, the sky was full of bright stars by bedtime and through part of the night. Fog came down early morning, but lifted soon after the sun was up. Another rain shower this afternoon. School started a little late this morning as the students came with their new desks, and Daniel came along with them. They had asked Daniel to make school desks for them, which he did for a price. He used nice lumber and plywood that he had bought so it was right for him to charge for his supplies and labor. Took a picture of Daniel standing behind the students as they sat at their desks. (Sorry, I don’t have a copy of this picture) Since we got a late start, we didn’t sing an extra song. I did have the students copy John 6:37 in Owena, and we started learning that together. Then we went ahead with the new lesson and finished a little over half of that. So we should be able to finish up tomorrow, and they will come Wednesday after lotu for the quiz. After a short break, they sang “Aleluya” and “Sing Hosanna.” The rest of music class was spent learning the parts to “Papa God I Stap.” They did a great job getting their parts down and then putting it all together to sing the whole song with and without accompaniment. We even got a little start on the English “Happy I Am His.” After school, they practiced more on their own, and then ate punkas (a type of bananas). I started up the computer to do some work. First I transferred the three pictures I had taken and showed them to the students. Daddy got word that MAF is coming Wednesday so he called them to see what was up. Learned that they have changed our flight back one day to Thursday. not Wednesday. Then we stood around and talked for a while with the students before they left. I went back to the computer to start doing some work, and Nuka came to the door. This was our first time to see her since we came back so we sat down and talked for quite a while. I was encouraged to hear of her quiet trust in the Lord through all the trials she has endured. It was already going on 12:00 when she left so only had a few minutes to make a couple notes in the computer before warming up dinner. Must have been tired as I had an extra long nap. After nap, I cut up a popo and we had some for snack. Practiced keyboard after that. Then came to the computer, got files ready that need to be printed this evening, and then started writing in my journal. After supper, there were dishes to wash as usual. Did a little walking while the dish water was heating. When dishes were done, I set to work doing the printing—Bible verses for Mata for the ladies’ class, a song to write tenor and bass notes on, Bible quizzes for Wednesday, and the shopping list to take to town. Took the song to the keyboard and planned out the tenor and bass notes. Came back to the computer and added all the new notes, lines, etc. to the song. Took a break in the middle of that and had a snack. Right back to the computer again to finish the song before my bath and lights out (generator off). “Howbeit many of them which heard the word believed….” Acts 4:4a Faith comes through hearing the word of God. February 26. Another hot, sunny day. SIL came in several times today to get coffee. The people were hard at work cutting grass on the airstrip. It is a good thing they were, as the pilot said he would have closed the airstrip. That would have prevented us from getting out to town on Thursday. We finished up the Bible lesson in school today, and they will have their quiz tomorrow after lotu. We took time to review the flash cards in music class and had plenty of time to sing too. They know the two songs pretty well and are hoping to sing them as specials in church. Will try to sing one the Sunday after we get back from town. After school, they each cut up a sheet of Bible verses for Mata to use in the ladies’ meetings. Anna Jean stayed and filled the washing machine with water so it is ready for tomorrow morning. The second half of the morning, I put a list together of things to take to town and started gathering some of those items. We cleaned up an old box to use for carrying food. After dusting it off well, I sprayed it inside and out with disinfectant spray. Around noon, we discovered that the water supply was cut off. Did somebody cut one of the pipes when they were cutting grass on the airstrip? Thankfully, water was running again in about an hour. I zonked right out at nap time and slept soundly for about an hour. This afternoon, I did a little more packing, practiced keyboard, and hemmed up another dress that was a bit too long. There was one raw egg left in the fridge so I hard-boiled it to take to town. After supper, however, a boy brought four more eggs so I put them on to boil, too, and now we have five boiled eggs to take to town. Cleaned up the kitchen and washed the dishes (only a few this evening) and then it was time to sit down and get busy at the computer. While I was doing dishes, Mandah came by to see us. It was nice to see her, and she seemed happy to see us too. She brought us a small pumpkin and three cucumbers. Just before supper, I had been thinking how nice it would be to have some cucumbers again; and then the Lord granted that desire. Thank you, Lord. This evening, I did some printing and also copied e-mails out of the ACER so I can answer them when we are in town.
February 23. Dallas and Mike and several of the teenage boys, cut firewood. Benson cut the grass. Praise the Lord for giving us another lovely, dry day. Daddy cut a piece of plywood to put under the freezer, and there is a small piece of it left just the right size for a printer shelf. Matthew came and worked on the roof, replacing several pieces of roofing iron with new ones. It was past noon when he finished, and I’m sure it was quite hot up there on the roof. So we are very thankful for his work; and, Lord willing, we won’t have to cover the section of the floor underneath that with rags every time it rains. There is one more little spot in another section that needs to be done, and something also needs to be done around the chimney because water leaks down the chimney quite badly. But he will work on that another day. And we’ll need to get more hydroseal for the chimney. While Judy (Bonita) was washing clothes, I hemmed up a dress that was too long. There were three loads of wash today as we hadn’t washed since last Saturday. When Judy was ready to hang clothes out, I helped her hang up the large bedsheet. Talked briefly with Mata regarding a concern that she had. Helped Daddy get the freezer set up on the piece of plywood. Made oatmeal raisin cookie bars. Strained the boiled water and put it into its jug. Warmed up leftovers for dinner. Ate dinner, made the bed, and had a nap. This afternoon, Daddy and I brought the clothes in and hung up shirts, etc. in the closet. Then Daddy went out to try to send e-mails, but was only successful in bringing some in. While he was out, I put eggs on to boil for our supper sandwiches for the next few days, and cut up a small popo and fixed a fruit snack. Daddy had his snack after he came back in. After snack, I practiced keyboard a while and can’t remember what else I did before getting supper. This evening, I did the dishes, got the shopping list made up and ready to print, started writing in journal, talked a bit with Apekio who came to get yarn and soap, got memory verse cards ready to print for the next four ladies’ meetings, transferred photos to the computer and edited them. This evening it is raining so that will be a good test of how well the new sheets of roofing iron will keep the roof from leaking. February 24. Today marks one month since we arrived in Owena although it seems much longer than that. Praise the Lord for His goodness! The Lord sent us only a little bit of rain yesterday evening and none through the night. There was fog this morning, but it lifted quickly, and the Lord blessed us with a warm, sunshiney day.. Then the Lord blessed us with a somewhat heavy rain this evening. Praise the Lord, no rain leaked in under the areas where Matthew worked on the roof. After making pancakes, eating breakfast, and having quiet time this morning, I worked until lotu time on some ideas for teaching the ladies to read and write Pidgin. It was a good day in the house of the Lord. After the singing led by Tomas, there was confession of sin by the three pastors and Dallas. Then Daddy preached, mainly on being likeminded and of one mind, including having the same mind as Christ Jesus and humbling oneself and being a servant, esteeming others better than ourselves, and loving one another. He didn’t finish his message in the first meeting and did not give an invitation. He continued and completed his message in the second meeting, and then gave an invitation. It brought tears to my eyes to see many respond, and several expressed to Daddy afterward how much the message helped them. We thank the Lord for each one who allowed the Lord to work in their hearts and for the good number in attendance today who were able to hear the message. Quite a few came from the village of Marivo today. After the meeting, I spent quite a bit of time with Mata, answering questions, giving counsel, and seeking to encourage her heart. It is a blessing to see that she has a hungry, teachable heart. It was already 4:15 when she left and time to start supper. We had had sandwiches at noon because there wasn’t time to cook a main meal. Although cooked vegetables were in the pressure cooker, there was no grain so I cooked a pot of rice and added spices and tuna. The leftover pumpkin had only a little pumpkin and lot of broth in it so I made that into soup. We ate the soup first, and then Daddy had some rice. I was too full to eat rice so ate what was left of the soup (most of what was left, that is—I was too full to eat it all). Cleaned out the pressure cooker that the pumpkin was in and put the rest of the rice dinner in a small dish in that pressure cooker and brought it up to pressure. There is cooked pumpkin greens and onions in the other pressure cooker, and I brought that up to pressure too. I’m very grateful that we have two pressure cookers—one we brought with us in a suitcase and one that we left here three years ago. When we first came back, the pressure regulator to the old one was missing. Then one day it appeared on the kitchen shelf. We have no idea where it came from, but we thank the Lord that it came. After supper, I cleaned up the kitchen, played keyboard until the dish water was hot, washed the dishes, then played keyboard some more.
February 22. We do thank the Lord for answered prayer, for giving us a rainless night and a dry, warm, sunny day. Up to 80º this afternoon. The students had a quiz this morning in Bible class, and everyone did an excellent job, getting 100 on the quiz plus five points bonus for writing John 6:37. Then they started a new lesson, following the same procedure we’ve been following at the beginning of each one—reading the Scripture passage and answering questions that go with the passage. While they were working on that, I had time to cut up a popo and divide it into four dishes for the students to eat after school. Also had time to make the bed. After school, Judy filled up the washing machine so it is ready for her to wash clothes in the morning. And Anna Jean prepared some pumpkin and some pumpkin greens with spring onions. I cooked both, but the pumpkin greens and onions were left in the pressure cooker unopened, and we ate pumpkin with our dinner of leftover tuna patties and a handful of leftover uxai. While the girls were working, Daddy and I checked the book of Philemon. We were thankful that this portion went fairly easily and quickly. Some portions take a lot of pondering over and extra prayer. Then I set Philemon up in the print file, made a title page for Hebrews with a short description of the book, and added the English for chapter one. Before nap, I set a bunch of dirty rags to soak in a bucket of bleach water; and after nap, I wrung them all out; Daddy emptied the bucket; I put them back in to rinse and wrung them out again; Daddy wrung them out after me to get more water wrung out since he has more muscle power 😊; and then I hung them out to dry in the wonderful breezy, sunny air. Then I had a snack, washed my hair, and put Daddy’s shirt in the bucket to soak as he had spilled diesel fuel on it, wrote in journal, rinsed shirt and hung it out, made a file with several verses to print out for Daddy to use on Sunday for preaching. I was quite tired this evening and couldn’t concentrate on brain work so didn’t do much. Washed the dishes. Played a few computer games. Esau came by for some counsel from God’s word. Then I had a bath and a bedtime snack. “7Be strong and courageous, be not afraid nor dismayed for the king of Assyria, nor for all the multitude that is with him: for there be more with us than with him: 8With him is an arm of flesh; but with us is the LORD our God to help us, and to fight our battles.” II Chronicles 32:7,8 Lord, help us to be strong and courageous and not fearful. Thank you that you are with us to help us and to fight our battles.
February 20. It rained and rained and rained all night and the first part of the morning. Rain leaked in through every leak in the roof and filled up the bucket under the wood stove chimney as well. I was thankful that Daddy was feeling a little better this morning though he is not very strong yet. He did get up and make a fire and eat breakfast. But he went back to bed before lotu. There was just a small group of people here this morning, people who desired to come and worship together in spite of the rain. After lotu, I spent time working on lessons for the missionary wives’ class for MTP, and Daddy and I also checked the last chapter of Titus. Then I made the corrections in the computer and set that chapter up in the print file. Also made the title page for Philemon and inserted the English text into the print file. After nap, I practiced keyboard. Glennis and Brad (pilots) dropped by to get coffee, and came down to the house to see us while they were waiting for someone to come with the key to the coffee house. They said they could take an empty diesel drum out for us so we had someone carry it up the hill. After the plane left, strong winds came up again, and the air went from cold to colder. Here I sit this evening with a sweatshirt and a jacket on, trying to keep warm. The wood stove is going too, but it doesn’t seem to be producing much heat. I am thankful for the Lord’s help in completing the missionary wife lessons this evening, except for adding a few more Bible verses. “But these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through his name.” John 20:31 Thank you, Lord, for giving us Thy written word so that we might believe and have life through Thy name. February 21. Rain, rain, and more rain, most of the night and off and on throughout the day. Anna Jean was the only one on time for school this morning. The two men came about 8:10. Can’t really blame them for not wanting to get out early in this chilly, damp weather. While Anna Jean and we were waiting for the others to come, the Lord blessed us with a big beautiful rainbow all across the western mountains and sky. Went out on the front porch to take some pictures. Couldn’t see the whole rainbow from there because of a tree blocking part of it. What a lovely sign of promise the Lord chose to give Noah! And us! We finished our Bible lesson this morning so will start a new one tomorrow and hopefully will finish it by Tuesday. That will be our last day of school next week. On Thursday, we will need to wash clothes and start packing for town. After school, the students cut up sheets of memory verse cards and game tokens for Sunday school and memory verse cards for the ladies’ meeting. When they were done, they had punkas (a type of bananas) to eat. Then the girls went home, and the two men cut some firewood. With these cold, rainy days, the wood stove has been eating up a lot of firewood. While they were cutting firewood, I made tortillas; and while the tortillas were cooking, I made tuna patties for dinner to go with the leftover uxai and a few bits of leftover potatoes. A little before 1:30, the tortillas were finally done cooking, and we got ready for nap. After nap, I practiced keyboard and then got the students’ copies of the Bible quiz and the next lesson ready to print. Then I went for a little stretch outside to soak in some sunshine while it was there. This evening, I printed the quizzes and new lessons and started working on future lessons. Then I had a snack and took a bath. Lewis is meeting with the men again this evening. “….Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me?...” John 21:17 Perhaps this could be made personal and read “Judy, daughter of Howard, lovest thou Me?” A very heart-searching questions. Oh, that I may learn to love Him more and more! February 18. No rain during the night and sunny the first part of the morning. Then light gray clouds came and covered the sky, hiding the sun from view. This afternoon, the rain fell out of the sky with gusto, creating a deafening noise on the roof. And late this afternoon, the sun came back out. It was a busy school morning for the students. We started learning a new verse. Actually it was the same verse we learned last week—John 6:37; but last week we learned it in English, and this week we are learning it in Pidgin. Next they had a quiz on last week’s Bible lesson. It was a little bit difficult for them, but they all did well. Then they had a Bible passage to read, with questions to answer. In music class today, we drilled flash cards and stirred up their memory of names of musical parts, notes, etc. They also learned about two new things—flats and ties (slurs). In the few minutes that were left, we sang “Aleluya” and its English counterpart “Sing Hosana.” Before they went home, they had a snack of cucumbers and peanuts. Judy (Bonita) stayed to cut up a pumpkin for me. I wrote down my teaching schedule for tomorrow and started making up the next Bible quiz. Then I started the pumpkin cooking and prepared kaukau and potatoes while it was cooking. When the pumpkin was done, I added it to the soup, and then cooked the kaukau and potatoes in the same pot that the pumpkin had been in. After lunch until nap time, I finished the quiz and started on next week’s Bible lesson. Enjoyed a nice nap and then boiled some eggs to use for supper sandwiches, filtered the water that had boiled on the wood stove this morning, emptied the water out of the Pur pitcher into its jug and refilled the pitcher, practiced keyboard, had a snack, worked more on the Bible lessons. Daddy went up to Matthew’s house and was able to get e-mails sent just before the rain came. Praise the Lord that the e-mails went out. Maybe cloudy days are good for sending e-mails?! This evening, I printed out Sunday school lessons and memory verse reminders to go with them. I finished next week’s Bible lesson. Then had a snack and a wash-up. February 19. At 1:00 a.m., the moon was shining brightly, and likewise the planets and stars. At 4:00 a.m., the sky was dark and cloudy. When we got up this morning, the world was enshrouded by fog, and a light rain started falling. The Lord gave us a couple short periods of sunshine, but mostly He has given us clouds today. After school today, the students helped us remove the freezer from the box and foam it was sitting on and place it on a couple boards. We have been wondering if the freezer has been affecting the generator because there was no way for air to circulate underneath. Rather it was embedded down into the foam and cardboard box. When that was taken care of, Daddy and I sat down and checked Titus chapter 2. It is the first time we have been able to get back to translation in a while. There have been so many other things going on and many interruptions. We actually had several interruptions this morning, but were still able to finish the chapter in about an hour and a half. It was a short chapter, but there were a number of words we had to study out, besides the interruptions. I still had a few minutes before getting dinner on the table to make the corrections in the computer and get the chapter set up in the print file. After nap, I spent time proofreading Hebrews and revising grammar where needed to try to get it ready for the final check as soon as we finish Titus and Philemon. This afternoon, Daddy wasn’t feeling well, so a little before 6:00, I went down by the fence to call out to Amos and let him know that he needed to let the men know that there would be no meeting this evening, and also to ask him to start the generator at 6:30. Then the rains came, and it has been raining quite hard. Have also had to look after the fire in the wood stove. We kept it burning because we could see storms threatening throughout the afternoon. Before I did the dishes, I cut up the popo that Mike brought us a couple days ago. Also answered the door a couple times—a couple girls came with onions for us to buy, and Erisa’s boy Tera came with a couple eggs. Some of the men also came because they hadn’t gotten word yet that there would be no meeting. When the dishes were done, I saved the dish water and washed out several hand towels or dish towels. Now at last, I am sitting down. It is already 7:45 so it will soon be time to get a snack and have my evening supplements. After snack, I printed out a copy of the next Bible lesson so I could proofread it and make the student lesson. My quiet time reading this morning was John 19 which brought deep gratitude to my heart and tears to my eyes as I thought on the suffering that the Saviour endured because of my sin. It seemed strange to me that it says He bore “his” cross, when it was my sin that He bore. I see that He took my sin and made my cross His own. “17And he bearing his cross went forth into a place called the place of a skull, which is called in the Hebrew Golgotha: 18Where they crucified him….” John 19:17,18a
February 17. What a lovely day the Lord gave us! Yes, it was quite chilly when we got up—52º outside and 56º inside, but it didn’t take long for the world to warm up. After breakfast and quiet time this morning, I looked through the music flash cards and picked out some to use tomorrow in school. About 9:00, we called Christy and Connie. It was good to talk with them again. It seems like it has been a long time although it has only been a couple weeks. Lotu was pretty much on time today. Amos and family had gone to the cry last night so he preached in Marivo before coming back for lotu here. There was a good attendance in church even though there were quite a few missing as they had stayed in Marivo for the burial today. The second meeting was actually on time too. Daddy and I had lain down for a nap as last week there was a long stretch in between meetings. Today, however, we only got about a twenty-minute nap before the bell rang for afternoon lotu. Following afternoon lotu, I practiced keyboard. Then I made some visuals for Sunday school lessons so they would be ready to print this evening. Also got memory verse cards ready to print for Sunday school and one for the ladies’ lesson. As soon as supper was over, I filtered the boiled water and poured it into its jug and then washed the dishes. Shortly after that the generator was turned on and I was able to do some printing. Printed the copies of students’ Bible quiz for tomorrow as well as copies of the new lesson, and printed visuals for the Sunday school lessons. February 15. The Lord gave us a little more sunshine today than we’ve had the past couple days. The chilly winds still blew, however, and Daddy kept the wood stove going all day again. Everyone was here quite early for school this morning. I still started at the scheduled time so I could have time for prayer. We finished the Bible lesson today and they are to study for a quiz on Monday. They did very well singing “Aleluya” today too, so then we practiced it in English—”Sing Hosana.” We went slowly at first so they could get a good hold of the English words. After a few times, they were able to get it up to speed. They all stayed and worked on it together after class was dismissed. I went and had a drink and snack and then started work at the computer making an attendance sheet. About 11:00, I prepared a pot of rice with onions and seasonings and put it on the wood stove to cook. When it was nearly done, I added the contents of a can of tuna. Daddy went out while the sun was shining so he could try again to send the e-mail with the other newsletter page. Praise the Lord, this time the e-mail went out. Now we can try writing other e-mails. This afternoon, I practiced keyboard for a while and used the rest of the time to find Bible verse visuals and picture visuals to go with the Sunday school lessons I’ll be printing. Need to make a few visuals in the computer. This evening, I finished making up the attendance sheet and also made a grading sheet. Printed those out and the new song sheets, plus copies of the quiz and next Bible lesson to proofread “9As the Father hath loved me, so have I loved you: continue ye in my love. 10If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father's commandments, and abide in his love. 11These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full.” John 15:9,10,11 The way to continue in Christ’s love is to keep His commandments, just as He kept His Father’s commandments. He told us these things so that His joy might remain in us and so that our joy may be full. We will be filled with joy as we are obedient to Christ’s commandments. February 16. Rained all night, or at least whenever we woke up and heard it’s pitter patter clatter on the metal roof. The morning started out cold, foggy, and windy as it has been for the past several days; but the dreariness soon turned to sunshine and the air became warm and pleasant. George and his wife came early this morning to ask for a bedsheet to cover the body of an uncle in Marivo who died yesterday. We were sorry not to have any extra bedsheets. In lotu, Tomas shared that he had been over there last night to be with the family. The man was unsaved, and many of his relatives are unsaved. They wanted a preacher to come talk to them, but there was no one to come. It is sad that they had no preacher even though there is a Baptist church in the village. So they asked Tomas to preach to them and he did. He did not mince any words, but made it clear that the unsaved man was suffering in hell, and there is now no way for him to be saved. He laid out the Gospel to those who were present and told them that they need to be ready when death comes to them. He said that many of the people began weeping, not for the loss of their loved one, but because they themselves are not ready if death should come knocking at their door. They asked that preachers please come over to Marivo and tell them about God and help them know how to be ready when their time comes. After prayer lotu, Anna Jean stayed and did the laundry, prepared some veggies, cut up a popo, and swept the floors. We were very thankful for her help. While she was working, I had a snack, soaked a stained handkerchief in some bleach water and then added it to the clothes that were washing, cleaned a very filthy ring binder notebook with bleach solution, and worked on next week’s Bible lesson. I am thankful to have that lesson all ready except for the printing of the student copies. After lunch, I brought the sheet and pillow cases in off the clothesline and made the bed. Then we had our nap. I took a bit extra long nap today, being pretty wiped out after a busy week. This afternoon, I practiced keyboard and found an oops. I had put three notes (actually six—soprano and alto—on the spaces instead of on the lines so I had to take my copy and the four student copies, white out the notes, and draw the notes correctly. Didn’t finish that job until after supper as I wanted to take advantage of the warm, sunny weather and get outside for a change. Took the camera out and took some pictures of flowers. There was a little time left afterward to start an e-mail. Then it was time to get supper. Right after supper, I filtered and bottled the boiled water, did the dishes, and cleaned the bathroom sink. Then I wrote a couple e-mails, had a little snack, and enjoyed a refreshing bath. |
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