Happy New Year!

I can finally post properly again! Thanks to my bestest friend P for posting my last post for me. Our internet guardian is really rather fickle...
Where do I begin!! New Years Eve of course...
We celebrated with our Canadian friends and let off fireworks at around 8:00 in the evening, before the kiddies went to bed. We've combined our funds to enable us to purchase some larger more impressive fire works. And they didn't disappoint. It's so much fun here! No pesky laws regarding the purchase of fire works... :-) At least an hour before midnight the celebrations began in earnest. All of Sentani was letting off large fireworks. It was non-stop for that hour! Unbelievable! Unfortunately, due to our location and the surrounding trees, we didn't have the best view. The power wasn't so continuous. It went on and off a number of times and eventually stayed off until 11:00 the next morning. It was oliebollen for breakfast!

On Sunday we were forced to meet as a church in the bottom (spreading to outside) of our pastors house. The lock on the door of the building we meet in was broken and refused to open. At the bottom of our pastors house (an old ZGK home) are double doors opening to a small room. Outside and above that room is a deck so the people outside were shaded from the sun. That's where all the early-comers sat of course, more airflow out there. We ended up inside... As our pastor was recovering from malaria we had asked a guest to preach. He had a nice sermon on grace. On the wall behind him there were two anti-HIV posters. Keep Papua free of HIV they proclaimed... As our collection bags were in the "locked" church, we used one of those little store bags made from recycled goods. This one was from some salon. Afterwards we had a nice time talking with the church members. One of them had just come back from a trip to Israel. He is a videographer and was asked to go with a group of 150 people. Groups like these receive government grants and use them to go to Israel and Palestine to see the places Jesus lived and worked. The majority of the people on this trip were Papuans, many from the interior. The only non-Papuans along were those with jobs like, nurses, a doctor and our videographer friend. They stayed in 4 star hotels the entire time. It was rather comedic at times because many of the Papuans from interior had no idea how to run a bath or flush a toilet as such luxuries are not usually found in the interior. I have mixed feelings about these trips. Straight-hairds from other islands also get government grants and come here and start businesses and make a living. I wish Papuans would do this too! There are precious few Papuans who actually have businesses here.
We as a family have had a very blessed year this past year. We had the opportunity to go to Canada and see many family, friends and supporters. Our children could experience their homeland and get reacquainted with it again (or for the first time!). We were able to spend time in Holland with family and friends also. Hugo was able to complete his studies for his mechanics license and also pass all his government exams. He also began a new challenge as the Maintenance Operations Manager for MAF here in Sentani. We as a family were blessed with good health for the most part. Never something to be taken for granted! We were also able to grow in our knowledge and love for the Lord. We wish you all the Lord's blessings in the New year!