So nice and early on Friday morning, 5 bright eyed chickens arrived at our door. Their legs bound and beaks somewhat squawking, we paid them little mind as Linna and I started the fire (well, ok, maybe Linna started the fire, but I was there!) As our crew arrived back from the town market, they presented their gifts of local greens, bamboo, onions and ginger. All the ladies of the E2 class and I got to work separating the leaves from the stalks and washing them. Our pile was probably 8 inches high, and at least two feet in diameter, so this was going to take a while! Meanwhile, the sad and no-so-unsuspecting chickens met their fate at the hands of our E2 men and I must say, it was really a great day to be a woman! Plucked, cleaned and chopped, we mixed said chickens in with the greens and spices, shoved the mix into the bamboo (subim mambu) corked it with lemon grass, and onto the fire our bamboo went. All the while, every instruction, demonstration and explanation and question are all being done in the trade language, Melanesian Pidgin. This was the last day of official “class” before some of our students continue into their 2 months of independent study. They did great, we were so proud of them all! Half an hour later, we were enjoying a very tasty meal with all of our language helpers. The class even presented gifts to our main language helper and gave a little speech. In Pidgin, of course. It was a wonderful day!
Now most of our students have headed off into their various ministries, although some will continue their study independently. They are nurses, accountants, pilots, teachers and computer technicians, each giving their gifts back to the Lord in service to the missionaries here in Papua New Guinea. Can I just say, I love this job!
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