A day in the life.......

So what do we do everyday.
We start early every morning, about 6-6:30 with some coffee, waking up isn't a problem here. There is a little bird the locals call "3 oclock" because that is the time the bird likes to sit next to your house and sing its songs. Matt uses the morning time to read. Then after checking email, facebook, etc. we spend some time in the office (kids room when they are not here) practicing phrases, listening to recordings, reading material on PNG. After some time in the office we go out to get some "exposure", visiting with the people, doing things with them and recording stories from them to listen to later. When we are not out with the people we are doing more office time taking any notes or recordings we have and "processing" them. Putting them into the computer and talking about new things we learned or mistakes we made (we make plenty). Christine uses the evening time to read and do her bible study. Forgot to mention we often change clothes a couple times throughout the day after they get soaked with sweat. One day a week we go to town shopping which ends up being most of the day. We usually grab a bite to eat in town either from a little restaurant or from a kai bar (PNG fast food). Saturdays are usually open for us to relax and do something other than learning language. Sunday we go to church in town with another family (pidgin service). Soon we will be able to speak well and hold good conversations in Pidgin, and hopefully be given opportunities to share our own beliefs instead of always asking them about theirs.

Here is a picture of a "Kundu Palai" a lizard whose skin is used to make a kundu drum. The workers found it in our trash bin outside and insisted it needed to die because it is dangerous.


Here is a picture of our friend Malai helping load the helicopter with supplies for a family in a remote tribe.

We will have our second to last language check today (Friday the 17th) and then will be spending the next 3 weeks with the kids while they are on Christmas break. During this time we will only do minimal language study so as to take advantage of the short time we have together as a family again. Thanks for all your prayers and support.