Saturday at CLTC and Beyond

Our day started early when we met Jan to go to the produce market. As we walked to the CLTC gate we passed the lady with the bananas on her head and knowing her Jan asked her if we could take a picture of her and she agreed.

Just outside was the market place. Women were lined up on the ground with their produce that was for sale spread out before them on paper, blankets or cloth of some sort. I bought some tomatoes, a pineapple, onions, peanuts and some kaukau (sweet potato.) In fact we may eat sweet potatoes for a while! Quite an experience and Jan said this was nothing compared to the one we will go to next w/e in Mt Hagen.

Patrick had arranged to use one of the college vans and go to a nearby village which is home to one of the students, Mark and his wife, Margaret, who rode with us. His family did not know we were coming. We have a lot of pictures but unfortunately we cannot send them all. In the picture above I was giving Mark's mother a hug. She sat down on the ground and kept holding her hands up to shake our hands. She was severely crippled and very bent over but oh so sweet! I will let you read Duff's description of our trip into this village:

We left the CLTC compound by van and traveled about 7 or 8 miles by a road being prepared for paving, averaging about 15 miles per hour. We passed through tea and coffee plantations, and a village marketplace. We turned off the main(?) road to go to Mark's village on a narrow, very rutted trail, crossing a bridge/grate (prayerfully!!) on the way. When we arrived in the village, several children and adults greeted us heartily. They were in various states of dress or none at all, and several of the children had very runny noses! As we left the van, Mark's mother gave us a hug around our legs, and the adults gave us all a handshake, so most of the older children followed suit. We were then given a tour of the village, including their church, and were allowed into one of the homes to take pictures. The housing was mostly hut-like, one room, made of woven sides and thatched roofs. Inside the house, one corner was the kitchen area with fire in an open pit, one corner to eat, and the other two corners were sleeping areas.

The area was neatly landscaped, with flowers and gardens all around. They actually had two community outlets of running water that was piped in from a stream in a nearby mountain. We met one of Mark's relatives who had served in the Papua New Guinea legislature, and another older man who was the local magistrate. Some of the male adults were working on a foundation to build a new, larger church building. The children had marked off an area for a hop-scotch like game, upon which I showed a little of my youthful prowess! They laughed!

The village is located several hundred feet higher than CLTC and has a wonderful vista over the valley, and the surrounding mountains are a contrasting relief. Mother nature is a good handy woman.

As we left on our return journey, they waved good-by, and we were thankful for what we have, but at the same time somewhat envious of the simple, low-key environment we briefly entered. Sweet, family oriented, caring!

Mary's day has been busy......3 loads of clothes....takes me back a few years hanging them out to dry. But we got them all in before the afternoon thunderstorm which cut our walking tour of the campus short. I also baked 2 banana breads, and have a loaf of bread ready to go into the oven. Dinner today was leftovers, but a tasty concoction! :):) I have sorted, reboxed and labeled medical supplies and we will deliver 9 boxes to the hospital tomorrow when we go for a pot luck lunch there with Patrick and Jan's friends at Kudjip. The rest will be taken when we can get more boxes.

Check previous blogs for pictures which have been added...... and we will add more as we can.

Our Best to All.........

Mary and Jim

I managed to wash 3 loads of clothes today hang them out and get them in before the rain came!