In November, I had the opportunity to join a team from Hume Lake Christian Camps to Papua New Guinea and put together a camp for the missionary kids who live over there. If you aren't sure of where Papua New Guinea is, think Indonesia! It's just north of Australia, about one degree off of the equator so the rain came like clockwork every night around dinner time. We spent most of our time in the Eastern Highlands in the city of Goroka, which is about 5,000 ft-ish in elevation, and absolutely gorgeous. I've never seen a place so lush and green in my life... and that goes for the whole island. But it's also very 3rd world, and can be a bit of a shock to your senses at first. Things I learned about Papua New Guinea:
~If you get in a car accident, don't pull over! Drive straight to the police station.
~Cultural hierarchy puts: 1. Men, 2. Pigs, 3. Dogs, 4. Women, 5. Children.
~When in the marketplace, watch out for rascals.
~Oh and when a local clotheslines a rascal for stealing your camera and gives it back, consider yourself VERY lucky, and don't be surprised when the whole market crowds around your van. You are now a spectacle. (It wasn't my camera, but still it was a bit scary.)
~Coffee in Papua New Guinea is probably the best in the world. Blue Mountain coffee at your disposal! Can we say heaven?
~Decaf coffee doesn't exist much. It's expensive.
~The nationals *LOVE* to have their picture taken! Just make sure to show them the back of your camera.
~The pilots that fly into the bush are the best in the world in my opinion. We landed on a grass runway on a mountain-side. AMAZING.
Speaking of planes, in order to get there we flew through Tokyo for a 12 hour flight, and then flew into Port Moresby for another 10ish hour flight, and then we finally arrived in Goroka after another hour flight. Sounds horrible? I SLEPT the whole way!! It was great. So anyways we left on a Friday and arrived on Sunday, and at what time that was I can not remember. Monday we just got adjusted and planned some stuff out for camp, but I was soo excited for Tuesday... our trip into the bush! That's what most of these pictures are from. We just spent the day there and it went by wayyyy too quick. These are some of the images I took as we were getting a tour around the tribe...
More of the boys from the last post, they were too much fun!
That should be enough for one post, the next one will be the meal they prepared for us. They were quite the gracious hosts!
4 comments:
Karey, these ROCK. So, so, so, so, so wish I could have gone, but the photos take me there. Great job (both in going and in the pics). You're aMAzing!
Thanks for bringing us along :)
kareykareykarey these are stunning. so moving....i keep looking through them over and over....incredible!!!
I love that you share these moments with us! And creative images too.
Post a Comment