The Chapman’s in PNG

Last Sunday Diane and I were enjoying lunch with visitors to our home, James & Joy Johnson, Harmon Schmelzenbach, Bill & Marsha McCoy and Kevin Brunk. We had a wonderful time visiting and talking stories. Soon we were wrapping up as some of the gang was going to the door we discovered that there was a small piglet in the yard!

Mike jumped for his shoes, put them on, out the door he went and looking for the pig. Well little piglet saw there was company coming and decided to be shy AND RUN!…….under the bushes’ he went. So a couple of us quickly surrounded him like an army - Mike on one side, James on another and Harmon on the other. Quick as a lightning bolted out of the bushes the piglet headed up the road. I briskly followed thinking that I can catch this critter of destruction!! Ah ha I just know I can catch him. Besides the station makes the owner pay a fine of 50 kina for their pig when on the station.

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Hi All,

Warm Greetings from PNG!

Well sorry that I have not been able to get the email out sooner. There has been a lot going on. The Hospital did open last Thursday after some apologies and other things lined up for it to happen. Workers seem to be happy at the moment after todays meetings with the tribal line today. We seem to be on track again at a great pace again. Worked on site started a little last Friday and has been going full speed since yesterday.

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January 21, 2008

Today, it has rained buckets of rain off and on all day. This morning walking to school, I got soaked even with my umbrella and raincoat. As soon as I arrived at the school house it stopped raining. The sun came out for awhile. When the children were ready to go out for recess in the morning and afternoon it was pouring rain. They played hide and seek inside for recess. Right now as I write this it is raining buckets of rain again. We have a catch water system from the roof to the water tank so it is a good thing to get rain. It helps keep the tank full and water running in the house. We have a ceramic water filter for all the drinking water.

Hello Chapel teens from PNG,

Well earlier this week we experienced our first situation with an unhappy birth line from one of the local tribes. They seem to get jealous and mad at each other for what ever reason at different times.

When I arrived in Kudjip the Hospital was closed because of a birth line stopping concrete trucks from coming on the project to pour concrete. Dr. Bill has to use the closing of the hospital to get their attention and calm things down with that line. During this closer we heard that 2 people had died that needed medical attention. (this is not good) The Dr’s here do this as a very, very last resort. after 4 days the elders put enough pressure on the line soon the line came to apologize to Dr. Bill for the problems they have caused. (this is a shame society so the line was embarrassed) Dr. Bill opened the hospital and tensions calm down. All of this was because they wanted a subcontract for mixing concrete that he was told he could not have.

There really is no court system here so people settle it on the own with the elders taking charge and settling the dispute or incident. In fact last night our missionary bible study Dr. Bill said the Dr. Mimi and Dr. Jim Radcliffe today are to trying and repair both hands of a man that had the chopped with a machete. It was a family argument and he may loose use of both hands or have limited use.

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Guys,

I am pleased to tell you that Our God is a big God and can do anything. We have finished our 4th set of meetings in three days this afternoon and the line has agreed to come along side Heduru Contractors to accomplish the electrical work with no angriness or argument.

Thanks to the team, Michael, Sialas, and Nick with Heduru came together to see what we could put together to offer them that would work for both the PNGIF grants and give the line some work. They have agreed to work with Heduru!

At this point Heduru will hire them as employee’s and give them some cement work filling the block walls. Then they will work with some Heduru employee’s from Port Moresby to accomplish the electrical work.

I feel that Nick with Heduru came up with a great idea giving them the extra work doing the cement work.

I do not even want to think of the things that would have happened if we would not have come to an agreement. All we can say is the God was in it and gave the wisdom to accomplish his work not only for the project but for the hospital and every individual that comes for services.

When listening to them talk and as they talked I could hear their frustration that no one would listen to them and let them ask for jobs. After hearing this and told them that they should come to the NHM project manager of management team to discuss important subjects not to let frustration build.

Thank you for your prayers from all of you! YOUR PRAYERS WORKED!

Michael

Hello Gang,

Well I have settled it, I think time goes as fast here and in the states!

The hospital has had it’s ups and uppers since I sent out the last update. We have foundations and block walls 7 courses high on almost 4 of 7 buildings now. Praise the Lord we keep moving ahead!

Prayers are still needed and especially at this time. I have been working with a local tribe that is upset because they are not getting the electrical work and are threatening to stop any electrical contractor that comes to the site to work. They have paid money under the table to some one that they thought was going to get them the electrical contract and he could not get it for them. Now they want the work. Myself and the head of security Sailas Wuksik have been in meetings almost all day the past two days trying to sort out a compromise with the situation. (my pidgen is getting much better after all this!)

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Family and Friends,

Soaking vegetables in one cap full of bleach to 1 gallon of water does not leave a taste but it does bring out the bugs (if there are any) and sanitizes the bacteria that is lurking unseen. Talking about bugs last night in the bathroom I about had a heart ache when a big cockroach came running across the sink and counter. I yelled for Mike to get something to kill it. He was successful. We have sprayed for cockroaches and ants. Hopefully that will help with the ants and cockroaches.

Yesterday, we went for a walkabout and I got sun burned on my neck in the front so I have this pretty red v shape shining brightly. I forgot to put on suntan lotion. My arms are getting darker for no more than I have been outside. A little here and a little there will be the safe way to go. Temperature Saturday was in the 90s. Everyone was out enjoying the water. We walked to the Catholic Church on top of the mountain. Mike got some beautiful pictures. When we got to the church we continued up the mountain for awhile. We saw all kinds of gardens - pineapple, banana, kau kau, cabbage, passion fruit, etc. Walking along the river people were bathing, swimming, washing clothes, and filling containers to carry home. We saw some of the most unusual flowers. I don’t have a clue what the name was. The people just call them flowers. I want to look them up on the Internet and figure out what they were. We were gone with Lena (our language tutor) for 3 hours. When we got back to the house we ate lunch then went to the market. Saturday is the huge market day so lots and lots of people. We were making her nervous so we walk home. I think that she didn’t want us hurt was the main reason.

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Language lessons[image:7:l:s=1]Who is the Tisa? (Teacher) We had our language and culture lessons at the house with Lena before our walkabout.

[image:13:l:s=1] While on our walkabout we meet a young Boy (Pikinni) taking sugar cane to the Kudjip market today. The Kids just love for you to take there picture.

More Beautiful Flowers [image:8:l][image:9:l][image:10:l]

See 1/12/08 Language Walkabout for more Great Pics