A Funny Thing Happened at the Supermarket!

It was the first Saturday. We were having coffee at the Supermarket and the lights went out (black-outs are regular). We had noticed the Aussie guy about my age sitting at the next table. The place fell into complete blackness - all we heard was the voice "Get your hands off me, Barry!" The generator kicked in - the lights came back - and he was still there alone at his table with his paper, but a wry smile on his (and our) face. We noticed him the next week as well - same table, reading the paper. We had coffee then did the trolley thing up and down the aisles. Thats when we bumped into another Aussie. Our trolleys met - he said he was ''Angus". I said "you must meet my wife with a name like that - she too has Scottish heritage". I mentioned our recent bike trip to Scotland, and before we knew it - he went and brought the other Aussie (the one reading the paper) - they were the nucleus of the Port Moresby cycling group! I found a new group. The bike would see the roads of Port Moresby after all.
The group is about 8-9 quite excellent cyclists. They mostly ride Mountain bikes, but one has a road bike. I missed the following week because my gear hadn't yet arrived (just the bike that came with me on the plane) but from the following Monday I was on my way in the dark just after 5am to the meeting point at the POM Yacht Club. Its a brisk 26k around the outskirts of Port Moresby with a security car in tow to keep an eye on us. We ride three mornings each week, with usually a Sunday ride to places much
further afield which doesn't always suit me. However, two weeks
ago we cycled out to Rouna Falls on the Sogeri plateau - the photo looks back to Port Moresby - a punishing climb over the final 1-2k on steep hills not meant for ordinary bikes. The group that day was Phil (from the Supermarket), Steve, Annie (an excellent cyclist!) and her partner David. It was a taste of the beautiful surrounds of Port Moresby, which is also the road out to the Kokoda Track - thats to come.
We have decided to make the Boroko Salvation Army 'our' church even though it is pigin speaking. It is also on the Boroko SArmy compound and only minutes walk from home. The people are so lovely. The singing is magnetic and uplifting - its in both english and pigin. The place is full every Sunday, made out of timber with glass louvred sides to allow the breeze. The 'pews' are hard, the weather always hot - there is no such thing as air-conditioning - but somehow it feels wonderful, comfortable and regrettable when its all over. The photos show John (our next door neighbour) with two precious people, the church building amidst the palms and trees at the front of our compound, and two precious girls - Julieanne and Gladys who are also our neighbours and whom we have easily come to love and embrace.

It All Begins.........

It was not until Wednesday 9 January 2008 that we finally had the call to say our Visas were approved. They were delivered from Canberra Thursday, and we were at Sydney International Airport on Friday 11 January en route to a new land (well, new to us) - Papua New Guinea. The night before, Sarah-Jane and Doug took us to dinner at Circular Quay - a most fitting way to celebrate our departure not just from family, but from our country as well.

The flight went to Brisbane where we had the last chance to see Julie's Mum, Dad and brother John. With yet another teary goodbye, we boarded Air Nuigini with people who put it beyond doubt that we were headed to a completely new and distinctly different culture. We landed in the afternoon, curious about a lot of things. It wasn't quite as hot as we expected. We were met at the airport and taken to our home - The Salvation Army compound at Boroko, some 4 miles from Port Moresby docks. The streets were full of the local people. We passed markets that were a gathering place for people from the city and especially villages from miles around. The Salvation Army Headquarters is a modern building at the front of the compound which is surrounded by an 8ft fence strung with razor wire. Its the size of a city block almost, and also contains the Primary School where Julie is Administrator, the High School, a College for distance and flexible learning, a Driving School, and quite a number of residences for Officers. Our house is attached like a siamese twin to the identical School
Administration Block. This picture shows our front door and joining verandah to the school block. Our bedroom is far right window which looks directly into Julie's office off screen to the right. Stairs go down to ground, and we have lots of covered space under the house for clothes line. The verandah is lovely in the evening for breezes (but also mozzies that love Julie - so she can't sit out there!). The next picture shows the two buildings - our house is ar right with bedroom window just showing. Its a four bedroom house (tiny bedrooms) but quite comfortable.

We were shown around town on Saturday by
Captain Margaret McLeod with whom we have developed a great friendship - a Canadian. See the first shopping of veges at the local market. Our work started on Monday 14th at the office - we were welcomed formally at morning tea by Headquarters staff at the Monday 'Prayers' with coffee and lamingtons, and then Julie went one way (to the School) and I went another (upstairs to the top floor to my office to begin the long haul of working out what we were meant to do. Julie has a great team of women in the office - some 4 very competent and pleasant (they laugh, laugh and laugh!) national women. The school has almost 800 students - one of the best in the country. I (kelvin) look after the Program
Department for the SArmy in the conutry - which includes vast numbers of 'Churches' all over, Health posts, the Schools, the social welfare work, HIV/AiDS projects, and a vast array of significant projects that are funded by donors such as AUSAID, UNICEF, World Health, European Union and the Japanese Government to name many but not all. My first week ended with an invite to a settlement just outside Port Moresby called ATS (Air Transport Squadron) which takes its name from the Airport Training Squadron just nearby. It was a bone shaking drive alone in my little 4x4 Suzuki on roads

that would be closed if they were in Australia. It was hot, dusty but wonderfully welcoming as I shared a most uplifting time in a timber shack on a hillside with a group of mothers from the settlement who had been together all week as part of a Salvation Army outreach/teaching program. The final worship time was superb, only exceeded by the beautiful celebration meal that was turned on to bring the week to a close. Sadly, Julie had to stay at the school to prepare for the onslaught of 800 students only days away. It was a great week. My only quandary was - would either of the two bikes I brought with me ever get out of the house. There were no signs of bikes on the streets, and the advice given me since arrival was not to venture outside the compound. I fell the Lord had other considerations in mind. More next time. We are grateful for even small mercies - but ever so grateful to be part of God's purposes for the growth of His Kingdom in this most wonderful nation. We send our love.