Today, we had the best time as a family! We all hiked about 30 minutes to a believer man’s coffee garden. You can’t just go to anyone’s garden, you have to be invited. And most wouldn’t want you to go to their garden, because they are afraid of taboo! But Peter is a believer, and not believe in that anymore!
June and December are HUGE months for people here, because it is when the coffee trees are ripe! So they told us all about the trade, simply pick off the “berry” if it is red! Easy enough…even my kids got to participate! It was so much fun. BJ wished that the berries smelled like coffee!
I’ll teach you the coffee process…I bet you didn’t know all of the hard work that goes into your yummy cup of Starbucks coffee!
-The coffee beans grow on trees, and they are red when they are ready to be picked, green when they aren’t ready. If they look like red grapes, pick them!
-Next, Peter had a grinder machine, where you pour the beans in and turn the wheel, and it peels of the skin…leaving only the white bean (still no smell.) If the farmers do not have a machine (close your eyes if you love coffee!), their kids put them in between their teeth and bite the skin off!! …But I’m sure the coffee you’re drinking is from the machine 😉
-After this, they will lay the beans out on a big tarp, spread the coffee beans out, and wait for them to dry. It takes about 3-4 days for it to completely dry. If it rains, then they roll up the tarps so the rain doesn’t get to the beans.
-Last, they put the beans in a huge coffee bag and send them on an airplane when it gets full. A big bag of coffee is 50kg, and they will get about $100 for that. I know that doesn’t seem like not very much, but it’s a lot of money for someone in the bush…especially when minimum wage is about $1/hour!
We had a great time getting to help the believers, and hear them tell us their testimonies. Wow! And the way Peter quoted scripture from memory…it was very convicting. BJ and I said that they (him and his wife) challenged us to start memorizing verses in the national language! 
Super cool experience! So next time you see Papua New Guinea coffee at Starbucks or somewhere else…think of Peter and other guys here in Wusuraambya who have the Gospel and thank the Lord for them!
BJ looks like a giant! I can’t wait for him to teach about Goliath in their heart language!
Thanks again for yet another wonderful glance into the life of a real live missionary. I feel that I am experiencing this journey right along with you. I know it must take an incredible amount of effort to work these messages into your daily life there, but it means so very much to us back here. God is truly growing and stretching you as you are being obedient to Him. With love and prayers for you all, Sue Long
Mmmmm! I do love coffee! Must find Papua New Guinea coffee!