Tyler and Emily in PNG

If there is one thing that does not belong in Madang, it would be covers or blankets. Madang is located on the ocean just 6 degrees south of the Equator. Temperatures rarely go below the mid-70s, ever. I might use a light sheet to cover up with overnight but never have a need for a blanket or heavy cover.

This past weekend I attend the PBTPNG branch spiritual retreat at Madang Lodge. I opted to stay at the hotel and enjoy the comforts of using air conditioning as I wish. Being in a third world country, you experience and witness a lack of development and amenities everyday. Once I stepped in that hotel room, I had visions of stepping back into America. Nice clean tile floors, big beds with real mattresses, curtains, balcony, white towels, a small sink, refrigerator, and microwave. I felt like I was staying at Hilton. Then I looked out the window and saw I was still in Papua New Guinea. I quickly turned around to step back into America.

That night as I ran the air conditioning to the lowest setting of 18 degrees Celsius or about 65 degrees Fahrenheit, I joyfully slipped under my covers. As I got up during the night and then came back to bed I had a very weird feeling that I have not felt in over 9 months. My bed was warm. The temperature from my body was warming me under the covers. Wow…what a sensation and awkward feeling. On a normal night, I lay there without a bed sheet and I am still warm as I lay under a fan.

Even though the spiritual retreat was a great blessing to the branch, I enjoyed the small comforts of a hotel room. From the covers of a bed to the glass doors of a shower. Has it really been that long since I have experienced common amenities of home? Even having hot water on demand is another small token that one can appreciate. It may also be that factor that I can use such amenities and not have a guilty conscience as I would at my own flat. No water to worry about running out or electricity that I have to monitor and pay for every unit.

PS – Sorry I did not get this posted yesterday on the normal blog post update. The retreat spilled over onto Monday as the branch had extended meetings which were very profitable.

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Once again, I took the opportunity to rent a kayak and paddle out to beautiful Krangket Island. I hope you can enjoy the views as much as I could.

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This past week I started to read a popular book and a very much recommended reading by John Piper, Don’t Waste Your Life.

I have read the first two chapters and now need to pause, reflect, and mediate over the words of Piper. Here is a brief quote from Chapter 2:

God created us to live with a single passion: to joyfully display his supreme excellence in all spheres of life. The wasted life is the life without this passion. God calls us to pray and think and dream and plan and work, not to be made much of, but to make much of him in every part of our lives. Piper (Chapter 2)

One of the driving and repeated phrases Piper uses is: to bring honor, glory, value, and magnify the name of Jesus Christ. Piper recalls Paul’s ministry to the church:

So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God. 1 Cor 10:31 ESV

While searching for information on John Piper, I found this full length free sermon titled, Don’t Waste Your Life. John is a very passionate man and has an urgency to live a life not wasted, spun out of control, or spinning down the toilet. Rather, choose a life that is not wasted. What is a life not wasted? A life that displays the supreme value of Jesus Christ. John draws our attention to the works of Paul again in Philippians.

What does life mean to Paul?

Whether I live or die, I always want to be as brave as I am now and bring honor to Christ. If I live, it will be for Christ, and if I die, I will gain even more. v 20-21 CEV

Above all else, you must live in a way that brings honor to the good news about Christ. v 27 CEV

I look forward to spending the next few weeks and months, reading this book which challenges me to live a life not wasted but live a life to the glory of God in whatever I do.

Resources:

Full Sermon – MP3 Link You can download by clicking on the MP3 button

Desiring God blog

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This date marks the Independence Day for Papua New Guinea. The 36th year of Independence from the Commonwealth of Australia. As PNG still remains a young, and developing country it has placed precedent on being called a Christian nation.

On Friday, I attend the Madang Technical School’s Cultural Show. It was very similar to the cultural show that I attend last month. However, this show was not as well organized. It was neat to observe how local people here celebrate their independence day. On Thursday, I saw many small PNG flags around town. Some were on car antennas, others on bikes, and some even stuck in the ladies thick black hair. I wanted to get a small flag so I went to Papindo the store apparently selling the flags. When I got there, they told me they just sold out. I went to two other stories and the same thing. No flags.

As I walked the streets, many of the businesses were flying flags, some had balloons and independence day sales. On Friday, as suspected businesses and the market was closed in observance. It seemed to me that people were taking time to celebrate and were proudly displaying their country colors (yellow, red, and black).

As I reflect, being outside the confines of the USA, you come to realize pretty fast that USA holidays that you once celebrated are not celebrated here. It gives you a sense of loneliness or abandonment. However, I strive to embrace the local culture and the host country’s national holidays.

Continue to pray for this country and for the national leaders. Currently we are in limbo between Prime Minister’s and next year is an election year. Pray for God to raise up Christian leaders who will stand strong against deceit and corruption.

Extras:

For your viewing pleasure: Wan Kantri. This is a hit song about PNG becoming one country, one nation, one family, one people. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MEMBUrczQGs

US Dept of State releases diplomacy statement: http://www.state.gov/secretary/rm/2011/09/172465.htm

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There are some days where I just can’t wait to bust out of the office and do anything but IT computer related stuff. (Yes, shelling peanuts would be an alternative in the anything else category.) Well, last Thursday I turned to Tech Services and offered my help for the day. Tech Services is responsibility for all maintenance and grounds of all PBT property either vehicles or homes.

Bob, our head Tech Services man who oversees two national workmen had a job scheduled on Thursday to wash a house that was very long overdue. I met Bob and the guys at the workshop, got our gear ready and headed over to the Modilon house. This house is located along the main road/highway in town. It is a two story, white house most recently turned grunge and filthy.

Gosel and I got our brushes, water bucks, and hose along with ladders positioned to wash the house. I let Gosel, a national workman, climb the ladder to wash the upper half while I washed the bottom half. We started with bleach water but soon found out we were washing off the paint. We then just stuck with water and a brush. The house was plenty dirty and a good brush job was going to be just fine.

Once we finished one side, we broke for lunch, then after lunch we started on the backside. One particular spot was nearly completely black. I decided to capture a few and rather disgusting pictures of the house and project. I told Bob, I am ashamed and embarrassed to represent the Kingdom of God in this manner. What an embarrassment to Kingdom work.

As I washed and washed, I had a sense of accomplishment for that day. It doesn’t matter if I am serving missionaries and national translators by supporting computer issues or if I can lead my hand and energy to create a clean and representable atmosphere for Christ, the bottom line is helping others with a humble and contrite heart.

I find pleasure in the simple things. I also enjoy getting dirty from time to time and joining the workmen. As the labor is light and the demand is high for repairs, I will try to offer assistance to the Tech Services team once a week. On the mission field there are many needs and it seems less and less helping hands. Please continue to pray for me and the team based in Papua New Guinea to be the hands and feet of Christ no matter where they may go.

If you or a team from your church would be interested in helping one of the many ongoing projects here in Papua New Guinea, please let me know.

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The past two weeks my dear friends left me to go teach at Gandep Bible College in the bush of Papua New Guinea. Before they left, they plugged a project idea in my mind. They (Bethaney and Emily) wanted a shelf unit built for their house. They have overflows of kitchen items and gadgets which have no home. They wanted me, Mr. IT Man to make them a shelf. Well, I told them I would think about it.

After they left I started to ponder and draft ideas for this shelf. I thought it would be a good surprise to them if I did somehow make this shelf. Then I heard that there was an undisclosed bet under the table that I would not make the shelf. This is what really set off the desire to build and complete this project before the two got home from the bush.

I drafted my plans, I consulted with others, then I went to the hardware to buy the materials. An experience in itself to go buy 3/4” plywood 8×4 sheet. In the metric world, a true 8×4 sheet of plywood is not 8×4 but 120 cm x 240 cm. 3/4” is 17 mm. The conversion from the English system to Metric takes adjustment from buying 1.5” screws to a sheet of plywood. Nonetheless, all materials were purchases and ready for assembly.

Bob, our Technical Services handy man of sorts, helped me measure, align, and cut the wood to various dimensions with the table saw. We pre-drilled and counter sunk all holes then I wanted to paint before final assembly of product. I got very intimate with all sides and corners of these boards. I paint four times, twice on each side rotating and flipping them over a course of two days.

I had one modification to make as the two of the shelves were not pre-drilled on center so I had to re-drill and properly align in process. Nothing that a little wood putty would not hide afterwards. I got the shelf finally put together after working many evenings in their house during their absence.

Emily was very excited and surprised to see the finished product when she came in the house. I think Bethaney will be just as surprised also once she comes back to town. One thing I did learn during this two week undertaking was I am not skilled in this particular trade. I did enjoy making it however I would not enjoy it as my career.

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A 5 minute video of the cultural show I attended on Saturday at Divine Word University. Enjoy!

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This past Saturday was the annual Divine Word University Cultural Show. I heard about this day about one month ago and heard many good things about it. I heard there would be singing and dancing PNG style.

To make the day more exciting, on the way there I had a flat tire on my bicycle. Rather than turn around and go home to get a vehicle I just pushed the bike onward to the event.

Nonetheless, I arrived and I heard beforehand that there was an entrance fee. One cultural observation was the disorganization at the ticket booth. In PNG, there are no such thing as organized lines. It is everyone rush to the front, push and shove your way to the counter. Well, I joined the crowd of nationals and got my 3 kina ticket purchased. I chained my flat tire bicycle to the chain-link fence and off to the show I went.

The show was on a big grass field with the perimeter surround by 12 – 15 different cultural groups. Each group has their own distinct cultural dress, paint, head dresses, and chants. As I walked around I stood and watching their demonstrations. I tried to interrupt some meaning but came to no conclusions. I simply watched and enjoyed their culture demonstration.

I did notice one group had a tall horned satan figure on a board which they were dancing around. I suspect this had to do something with village spirits. Another group had a very sexual connotation dance and thrusting of the hips. It didn’t matter if it was male to male or female to female.

One thing I knew before I went to this event was PNG is very rich in culture. Over 700 different cultures to be truthful. Every language group in this country has it’s own defined culture. You may not understand or agree with every aspect of their culture, but you have to learn to respect and appreciate their traditions.

I have learned to be accepted, you have to accept them as who they are. You have to show respect for their land, people, and culture. Once you accept them, they are more likely to open up to you and listen to your culture. Say the culture of Christ and the kingdom perspectives which I live by.

Prayer Requests:
Pray for Papua New Guinea –
Last Friday, the government declared a national holiday “National Day of Repentance” Pray for the people and government of this country.
Pray for the government and officials. PNG has a new Prime Minister and newly appointed officers.
Pray for the national elections next year. PNG is changing and the government is under much pressure due to corruption.

PBT-PNG is having a Spiritual Retreat at the end of Sept. Pray for the branch as we are called to mediate and study Ezra and Nehemiah.

God to sustain me with good health.

God to give me clear plans for my future and role with PBT in PNG.

To maintain strong spiritual warfare maintenance

Pray for rain, our water tanks are starting to run empty and we will have to rely on town water soon.

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The excitement builds as I found a little yellow slip in the PO Box. Last Friday, I had this same excitement in anticipation of a care package I was expecting. However, it turned out to be for another team member. I checked the mail in the morning, and nothing there. I went back little after 3 PM to check, and I found a little yellow slip, could this be for me? Sure enough, as I signed the release paper my name was on the paper. It was for Tyler Jon Hewitt. I told the clerk, ‘dispela bilong mi.’

I came to the office which is across the street, eager to open the package from my sister. I grabbed my camera to capture the precious moments. I noticed the package was heavy and I read the label, it was 10 lbs. Wow, must be a lot of good things in this box. Probably the wisest move in preparing the box for international delivery was duct tape. I assume my brother-in-law sealed all corners with man’s best friend. Or as in PNG it is called, silver sticky tape.

As I opened the package I see it was stuffed with the recent local newspaper, a hand written letter from my sister, and many good candies. Gummy worms, sweethearts, popcorn, slim-jims, summer sausage, plus more. I am surprised some of it made it through customs. (Note: Duct Tape is an awesome deterrent)

I also got what I ordered: laptop cooling fans, USB thumb drives, and 3 way prong connectors. And yet the package continues…see picture for table display of goodies.

I am anxious to go home and watch the DVDs and other goodies that were included.

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The local newspaper in Madang is called the, Wantok. Wantok means friend, mate, or close friend. It costs K1 or about $.44 which comes out once a week on Thursday. One of my favorites is to read the local comic section and their odd sense of humor. There are three comics and I selected ‘Toro’ from last week’s newspaper.

Let me translate from Tok Pisin to English:

Square 1: A car ran into Toro and he got really messed up. They took him to the hospital.

Square 2: The hospital nurses pass and give Toro dog blood (K9)…now Toro is ok and goes home.

Square 3: After one month Toro’s well being has altogether changed. Scratch! Scratch!

Square 4: He went back to the hospital for a checkup. ‘Toro you look ok, are you feeling okay?’ Doctor, I am okay but when i go bathroom, I lift up my leg and scratch myself.

So the moral of this comic, beware of the blood you receive as you could turn into the behavior of a dog. I am surprised Toro isn’t barking at the doctor.

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