I can see clerly now

Wanted to share the news that my cataract surgery went very well back in February.  I now need glasses only for reading.  My distance vision is clearer than it has been for years. Since cataract surgery is not common in PNG people are quite impressed.  One faculty member mentioned that I am like Bartemeus (healed in the Gospel of Mark).  He was joking, but it does show how it all impressed him.

Being in Brisbane AUS for three weeks (including some dental work) highlighted for me again the difference between a first world and third world country.  I did appreciate having reliable transportation (great bus system), consistent electricity and thus running water.  I also appreciated the variety of food and restaurants available.  I think about all the troubles of daily life that people here in PNG have to put up with. It can be frustrating to watch. I wish I could wave a magic wand and eliminate corruption and all the other issues here. However, I am thankful that God has lead me here to do what I can.  We always have to trust that God is control of things, not us.

It was also interesting to be in a majority white culture again.  In PNG I literally stand out from the crowd.  It is sometimes uncomfortable, but can also bring privileges.  For example my bags are never checked by the security guards at the doors in stores.  This was a good reminder of some of the changes I will experience when I am back in the U.S.  

My kitty Fiona (adopted from the Thumser family)

on campus children at Christmas

2016 school year

Well, we have finished the first term of the 2016 school year.  We are in the midst of a one week break and then will have another 10 week term and then semester break.

There are fewer students on campus this year.  The new first year class has only 10 students in it, while the class out on vicarage (internship) has 21 students in it.  However, this has not meant fewer children on campus.  The first year students have to leave their families at home, The year two class, who brought their families to campus this term, has lots of children.  It is not especially large class, 19 students, but has few single men and families with up to 5 children.  Considering how small the houses are, some people must be sleeping wall to wall.

This tradition of  the men coming alone for the first year may be changed.  It is supposed to have the advantage of giving the men more time to focus on schoolwork.  The families were able to stay with his family (most often) who would look after them.  However, times are changing and this is more difficult for some families.  Also, the drought in the highlands last year meant that many families were living in an area that had shortages of food.  This was then quite a worry for the men who were here and couldn't afford to go home and help.  The second reason for the men coming alone is a shortage of family houses versus dorm space.  However, we need to look at what is best for the families.

Another big change coming up is a change in curriculum.  The national curriculum passed at the National Synod said that we would have to switch to English only - perhaps as early as next year.  It is still playing out as to how quickly the change will really come.  Since I am leaving at the end of this term I am not part of the discussion.  It is hard sometimes to step aside on issues I feel strongly about, but the solution has to come from those who are staying.  Fortunately our new faculty members have good English, one having taught at the English language seminary.

The next term will be busy.  I am glad I have only 5 credits to teach.  There are a lot of things I still need to clean up in the library as well as train my replacement.  There are a lot of things I know, but have not written down.  I also need to hand over te bookstore.  Fortunately that is better documented.

Okay, time to sign out and makes my class outline for the coming term.

ch-ch-changes , not renewing my contract

Time to share the big change I am making.  In July my contract will be over and I will be coming back to the United States.  I decided not to renew as it seems time to come back to the US and look for a job in a congregation.  It was a tough decision as I have really enjoyed the work in PNG and have found it very rewarding.  However, after my father died I realized I felt the need to be closer to my family.  I also have been fighting nagging health issues that are more easily dealt with in the US.

I have had very mixed feeling and prayed a lot about it.  In many ways these last three and a half years have been both the most rewarding and the most difficult time in my life.  I have enjoyed the students very much and will miss working with them.  It is a rare privilege for someone with a MDiv to get to teach in a seminary.

I do plan to continue to give at least short bursts of sharing on this site.

Christmas in PNG

In my previous post I mentioned that Christmas is low key in PNG.  I got a few questions about it, so here are some more thoughts.

Reasons that Christmas is more low key.
1) Christams is seen as a religious holiday, not a cultural event.  Easter is just a big of an event or perhaps bigger.  Both may include a Bible Camp.  The equivalent of a synod will get together and have three days of Bible Study together.  A guest preacher (such as SFS faculty members) comes and gives around 6 hours of Bible study/ talks over a three day period.  There will be singing and dancing involved, but that is part of every church gathering, not especially tied to Christmas or Easter.

2)  Cultural history is tied to other events.  Christianity is quite new in PNG - 50 to 100 years in most areas.  This means community customs and celebrations have been tied to other events.  For many of us in America, Christmas has ties to our family history and may show marks of the "old country" our family came from.  In PNG your home town or "as ples" is your "old country".  So, even if you have moved off to the city to work, you are likely back home in your village for Christmas.

3)  Less distinct seasons.  Here in the tropics you have rainy season or dry season, but the timing of this  varies from location to location.  So, there is not the distinct visuals of North America and Europe.  Christmas is not tied to snow or even cooler weather.  Easter is not tied to Spring.  This not only affects the visuals but also the food available.  The main parts of your feast meal, such as pig and potatoes, will be the same whenever you feast.  Though one time you might have pineapple and another time you may have papaya. However, I don't hear talk of particular Christmas food.

4)  Lack of cash.  Many of our traditions, such as special Christmas decorations require some cash.  When you are a subsistence farmer, you decorate with flowers etc. year round.  Again, less special signs of Christmas.  I have heard that the Christmas pageant may be quite elaborately decorated, such a stable built and some sort of lights to stand in for the star.  The star is supposed to move across set to help guide the wise men.

5) life of a farmer.  Most people in PNg grow their own crops.  So, while you may take a few days off, you have to keep on working to have food ready.  Even our students that go home do a lot of work in their parents' garden or farm. Farming is year round here, with crops being planted and harvested on a regular basis.

In Lae, the bigger city in my area, I did some some decorations.  The stores would have a few strings of lights up.  I saw a few plastic Christmas tress.  It is a quiet time for many of the churches in the city, as many people travel to their home town for Christmas.

End of the old year

I have been lax in writing, so thought I would do some quick catch up on the end of 2015.

I spent the first half of December on vacation in Brisbane AUS.  I stayed in small apartment and enjoyed the city life.  I did shopping and did a lot of doctor/ dental appointments.  OK, I didn't really enjoy the medical / dental work, but was glad to get it done.  I was relieved that I got a bridge and no longer have a gap near the front of my mouth from where I had a tooth pulled around the time of my Dad's funeral.  Gaps are common in PNG, but I felt self-conscious about it.  I also got to the bottom of my vision problems.  My vision had been getting blurrier.  I had thought about waiting until I was in the US for treatment but it was bothering me too much.  I found out it was garden variety cataracts so scheduled surgery in Brisbane in February.

I spent the second half of December relaxing back home at Logaweng.  Most of the students go home, so it is very quiet on campus.  Christmas Eve we had a campus wide worship and party.  On Christmas Day a few of us went swimming and had a picnic on the beach.  Pleasant and SO different from the elaborate Christmases I grew up with. .Christmas tends to be low key in PNG. At first I missed all the decorations and bustle around Christmas, but have learned to appreciate the peace also.

I gave a sermon during the New Years Eve worship (in Tok Pisin so lots of work for me) and then we welcomed in the New Year by burning all the church decorations from Christmas.  Since the decorations are all fresh flowers and branches, they are dry by New Years.  Bon fires are a lot of fun!.  There was extra flames this year as our former principal, who will be moving,  burned his "haus win".  These are  detached from the houses and sort of like covered porches that many families use to relax and enjoy the breeze.  They have wood floors and walls about waist high.They often eat there and mainly go inside to go to bed.  Each family usually builds their own out of "bush materials" which includes local logs, branches and reeds.  After about 10 years they fall apart and you build a new one.  Traditionally a man did not get married until he knew how to build his own house.  Houses are provided for staff on campus but they are very small.  Most have extensive benches and haus win areas.. They also grow almost all their own food.  Quite a different set of skills than most American faculty have!
  

Graduation Preparations

Well, we have come to the end of another school year.  Graduation wil be this Sunday.  The classes have been over for a week and lots of prepartaion is going on.

Some of the highlights:

1) approval for graduation and "going vica".  At the end of the year the faculty makes final approval of students to graduate and those that will go out on their Vicarage (Internship).  We were relieved that all theYia 5 students (Seniors) passed their final test and were approved.  Some years it has been a close call, but not this year.  However, only one completed the extra research paper to get the Diploma of Theology (rather than the Certificate the others get).  There were more problems with students wanting to go out on vicarage.  All were doing fine academically, but there were behavioral issues.  Three were not approved, though all were given the chance to return at a later time.  They are sent back to their home districts and can return when the leaders of the district say the behavior has been corrected.  Some of the issues are things we would ignore in the US (like having too many overnight guests in your house without permission) but others (like infidelity) would be a problem both places.  I had been the advisor of Dickson, who had been put on probation due to his lack of speaking and preaching  skills.  Fortunatley his hard work payed off and he was approved.

2) Physical labor - in getting the campus ready all the students put in a lot of physical labor.  The guys spent up to 5 hours on Monday walking up and down the road cutting the grass on the side with their bush knife (like a machete).  Most Americans would have wilted after half an hour or so.  The women did a lot of weeding, raking and wall washing.  Since it is the hot season work starts at 5:30 a.m.  Morning devotions are held in the evening.

3) Family arrival - the family members of the graduating students have started arriving.  They stay with the students (motels etc are not availabe or affordable).  Since the houses are very small, some of the students have built bamboo shelter for family members to stay in. They also have been growing extra food in their gardens and collecting extra firewood.  We pray the electricity stays good because that is neccesary for a water system to work.

4) Buying gifts at the Bookstore - This is a busy time for the little on campus bookstore that I run.  Some finaly members buy as a gift some expensive book the student has wanted (such as a study Bible).  Others have come from isolated areas so like buying Bibles, hymnals, church calendars etc. while they can.

OK< back to work.  Hope you all are having a good Thanksgiving Day in the US.