View from my window

Many thanks to my delightful and helpful daughter Katie for posting the picture that is now my heading for me. This is the view that I look at daily. Sitting here at my computer, I am facing this view. However I look through the louvered glass panes, the screen, and the security bars. There is no good way to show you my view. So... on a sunny Saturday, I went down to the laundry room under my flat to look for a ladder. I found one and proceeded to set it up. Many thanks to my friend Susan, who was at the neighbors garden club meeting and called over to ask if I wanted her to hold the ladder. I needed that help. So the photo above was taken by me on the top of the ladder, holding my camera over my head, so that it would be at the height at which I sit and gaze. I am blessed to live in such a peaceful and lovely spot. I wake up and praise the Lord for His creation.

Marilyn and Kavieng

This is Marilyn waiting at the pmv (public motor vehicle) stop in Kavieng. It was quite safe and the people were very friendly. For less than forty cents you can catch a van and ride to Marilyn's stop. When I went alone, ladies asked me what my stop was and made sure that the driver stopped for me.

This is the store across the street from the bus stop. It is where I was standing to take Marilyn's picture in the above shot. It is quite a good store. Several different kinds of cheese, all the basics and even a refrigerated cabinet for Cadbury chocolate bars. This is my view of Marilyn's home and literacy center as I walked from the bus stop. Hers is the building on the right and to the left in the picture is a church. Marilyn's building has a classroom for literacy on the far left, an office in the middle and her one bedroom flat on the right. This picture was taken from the other side as I walked back from the beach. Here is the church with Marilyn's classroom, office and flat next door.

Her building is on a campus of the United Church. From the road this is looking toward the ocean at a classroom. It is so warm year round here that the classroom is made of cinder block, but has no windows. The walls go only half way up and then it is left open to catch the breeze for cooling. There are wide overhangs on all sides to protect from rain. If you look in the picture above, you will see that the church also only has half walls and is open above them. This is typical along the coast where it stays so warm.

Marilyn took lots of books with her to New Ireland. She had shelves built in her office and has them all carefully organized. Marilyn has told the people that when she is home the office door will be open and that means that they are welcome to come read. There are no libraries that I could find and very few bookstores, so it was quite a service to let people come read. I am trying to find a way to send more books out to Marilyn. When I came back from the beach these young men were all in the office quietly reading. They were delighted to have their picture taken.

This final picture I took from the office looking into Marilyn's flat as she was working on her computer. In all my pictures of Marilyn you might have noticed that she is wearing a meri blouse. This is what all the women wear. I also wore mine when on New Ireland. The people would always comment as we walked along the streets or they saw us in the stores, that we were wearing meri blouses. It was a way to honor them and their culture. Also a very comfortable way to dress!

At the Beach

This is the beach next to where Marilyn lives. We went for a short walk on the beach. I wanted to bring back a shell and looked for one. Marilyn told me that any shells she had found were occupied by small hermit crabs. I found one and she was right.

Jack and Anna, Josie and Caroline, can you see the little crab trying to hide all curled up in this shell?

I saw a group of people out where the water was deeper and wondered what they were looking for. Later I saw these boys around a fire cooking their catch. They were happy to see their pictures on my camera.

The beach was sandy, but right at the water line it was all pieces of coral. Large and small bits of coral made up this entire beach area.

I found a cozy spot to sit and listen to the waves. I even wrote some of you letters from the beach. The wind was blowing the palm trees.

I was right next to this big driftwood log.

I could have stayed all day, it was so nice and peaceful. However I kept looking out at the ocean and seeing the rain coming in. I kept thinking, maybe I can stay just a little longer, but the storm was getting closer. I just made it back to Marilyn's with a few drops falling. As soon as I was inside the storm hit. Heavy rain and thunder and lightening right overhead. The booms were so loud that I was scared.

One Vacation Day

I was not staying at a resort and there was not much to do in Kavieng, but I did have one special day. Marilyn and I took a boat out to a resort for lunch. A lovely little boat ride. Even had rain in our faces on the way out.

Here we are walking out to the boat. Our driver is waiting for us after we had someone put in a call out to the island.

I got this shot of Marilyn on the way out, before we were hiding our faces from the rain.

Approaching the island. Would you like to stay here?

Here's where we will dock the boat!

A nice welcome sign. This bird never moved much. Must be there for the pictures.

How's this for a dog's life. This is where we sat and had our lunch. The dogs were really taking it easy. don't they look like Sammy, Jack?Becky, this picture is for you. Isn't this a great place to keep a turtle? He has his own boat.

Time to head back to the mainland.

Vacation

We are on school break and it is time to get away for a bit. Since January 7th I have only been out of Ukarumpa for one day. I am adding a map to this post so that you can see where I am headed. My good friend Marilyn is now working in Kavieng on New Ireland. I will go to visit her. So, tomorrow morning good friends are driving me from Ukarumpa to Lae, 3 hours away, where I will catch a flight to Port Moresby. After an hour there, I will fly to Kavieng. I will be in Kavieng until July 7th and then fly back to Moresby and then up to Goroka in the Highlands. Goroka is only 1 1/2 hours away. Other friends will meet me there. We plan on spending the night in Goroka and then returning to Ukarumpa on the 8th of July. I am not taking my computer, so will be out of touch until I return. It has been cold here lately, so it will be quite a switch to be in the warm islands. Miss you all.

Blessing

I mentioned my van on Facebook. It has been in the auto shop 3 times and I haven't even used the first tank of gas. The other day I got it out of the shop, then drove it to school and back. As I was turning at the top of the hill to come down and park by my place, I got stuck in the mud. I just left it and walked home. Two days later I saw Dr. Jeff as I walked home. He said to call him when I finished dinner and we would get the van out. I drank some juice and went out. We looked at the van and I said it is still too muddy, so just left it. An hour later, Dr. Jeff called and said he would be down in 5 minutes for the keys. He and another neighbor pulled it out in just a few minutes. What a blessing to be helped without even asking for help. And they were right, just because one day was sunny was no guarantee the next day would be sunny. With the van out of the mud I was even able to go to the market in the morning.

Here is a picture of the ruts left behind.

And here is my van parked where it belongs!

Moving

No, not my home, but my classroom. I have been teaching Kinder and this next school year I will be continuing on to first grade. So... that means changing rooms. The kinder room is long and lovely. It is also on the second floor. First grade is right next door, but down those stairs. As any teacher knows, I have accumulated lots of stuff. Which meant multiple trips up and down those stairs to cart it all next door. I mentioned this to a friend and she spoke to some boys on her way to school. They arrived eager to work. I got a call from school, "Mrs. Miller, there are some children here to help you." I came right over and in a short time, everything was moved. Now I still have to put it away, but it is in the right room. Many thanks to Joel, Jeremy, and Reuben, my eager workers.

Here you can see the kinder room upstairs with the first grade room next door.

Last Day of School

It was a fun end to the school year with a special bunch of kids. After watching a video of Hairy McLary, a dog (we have been reading the Hairy McLary books so ended the year with the video), we cleaned our room and had a party. Then it was time for goodbyes, but first we sang some of our favorite songs. The kids have learned the hand motions to "Scotland's Burning." They were eager to try it with partners. You can see the fun we were having.

Then it was time to say goodbye, with a special goodbye to Volter as he was going "finish" and returning to Finland.