Fires, Meals, Fruit Bats
We haven't had internet for about 10 days. It's amazing how much you appreciate limited internet when you have none at all. : ) I'm thankful that it is back.
What happened in the past two weeks? Here are the highlights from February 4-10.
Learning to Build Fires for Cooking
Note up front: I don't particularly like fire! Okay, that being said. On February 5th we had a class on lighting our cooking fires and we each we given something to cook. It took way more matches than necessary and a bajillion puffs of air to get our fire 1) lit and 2) steady. I am not the fire whisperer! However, by the end of five weeks of cooking meals over a fire on the weekends and another five weeks of cooking every meal over a fire during village living, I hope that this will be a skill I own.
First Meals in Our Haus Kuk
Then on Saturday and Sunday (February 9 & 10), we cooked our meals in our haus kuk. For our first meal, my roommate and I made cabbage rolls, which were quite tasty.
The blue tint is from our blue tarp roof. It's been different having to adjust to the cooking time on a fire and needing to keep the fire at the right temperature. We've also had to modify recipes based on what ingredients we have available. And the smoke! Oh, the smoke is brutal. I've decided I just might try to wear my swimming goggles when I cook this weekend . . . and yes, I will take a picture. : )
It is very rewarding to eat food that you cook over a fire that you built, but so much work. One of our meals took at least 2-3 hours from beginning (fire lighting) to end (cleaning up). It takes so much effort that when the food is done, I'm almost too exhausted to eat. I'm sure that experience will make it go more quickly. For now, it's not something I eagerly look forward to each week. Although it is definitely an adventure.
Prayer
Last week we had a half day of prayer, which was a very sweet time of fellowship and opportunity to pray for the world, specific countries, PNG, the area we're currently in, those who work at the training center, and the other students in the course. What a blessing! Some verses that really struck me that day are:
Isaiah 25:1
O LORD, you are my God; I will exalt you and praise your name, for in perfect faithfulness you have done marvelous things, things planned long ago.
Isaiah 26:9a, 12
My soul yearns for you in the night; in the morning my spirit longs for you. LORD, you establish peace for us; all that we have accomplished you have done for us.
Colossians 3:15
Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful.
Even as I find comfort in verses like these, I am reminded of why I am here. So that all people can have God's Word and also find the same comfort.
Church & Bats & Miscellaneous
Last Sunday, February 10, we went to a church in town. We were sitting outside (and guess who forgot sunscreen?!) and there were three trees in the next lot full of fruit bats! They are so noisy that it was hard to hear a lot of the service. What a cultural adjustment, going to church with the fruit bats, or blakbokis as they are called here.
What happened in the past two weeks? Here are the highlights from February 4-10.
Learning to Build Fires for Cooking
Note up front: I don't particularly like fire! Okay, that being said. On February 5th we had a class on lighting our cooking fires and we each we given something to cook. It took way more matches than necessary and a bajillion puffs of air to get our fire 1) lit and 2) steady. I am not the fire whisperer! However, by the end of five weeks of cooking meals over a fire on the weekends and another five weeks of cooking every meal over a fire during village living, I hope that this will be a skill I own.
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| Yay! Fire! |
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| Cooking biscuits on a stick. The smoke is brutal! |
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| Finished product. It was tasty! |
First Meals in Our Haus Kuk
Then on Saturday and Sunday (February 9 & 10), we cooked our meals in our haus kuk. For our first meal, my roommate and I made cabbage rolls, which were quite tasty.
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| Cooking our veggies! |
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| Cabbage on the left and mashed kaukau and kumu (sweet potato and greens) on the right. |
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| Ready to eat! |
The blue tint is from our blue tarp roof. It's been different having to adjust to the cooking time on a fire and needing to keep the fire at the right temperature. We've also had to modify recipes based on what ingredients we have available. And the smoke! Oh, the smoke is brutal. I've decided I just might try to wear my swimming goggles when I cook this weekend . . . and yes, I will take a picture. : )
It is very rewarding to eat food that you cook over a fire that you built, but so much work. One of our meals took at least 2-3 hours from beginning (fire lighting) to end (cleaning up). It takes so much effort that when the food is done, I'm almost too exhausted to eat. I'm sure that experience will make it go more quickly. For now, it's not something I eagerly look forward to each week. Although it is definitely an adventure.
Prayer
Last week we had a half day of prayer, which was a very sweet time of fellowship and opportunity to pray for the world, specific countries, PNG, the area we're currently in, those who work at the training center, and the other students in the course. What a blessing! Some verses that really struck me that day are:
Isaiah 25:1
O LORD, you are my God; I will exalt you and praise your name, for in perfect faithfulness you have done marvelous things, things planned long ago.
Isaiah 26:9a, 12
My soul yearns for you in the night; in the morning my spirit longs for you. LORD, you establish peace for us; all that we have accomplished you have done for us.
Colossians 3:15
Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful.
Even as I find comfort in verses like these, I am reminded of why I am here. So that all people can have God's Word and also find the same comfort.
Church & Bats & Miscellaneous
Last Sunday, February 10, we went to a church in town. We were sitting outside (and guess who forgot sunscreen?!) and there were three trees in the next lot full of fruit bats! They are so noisy that it was hard to hear a lot of the service. What a cultural adjustment, going to church with the fruit bats, or blakbokis as they are called here.
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| Fruit bats hang on the tree upside down! |
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| A leaf moth that stayed on my door for a whole day! |
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| Interesting . . . |
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