Friday, 30 May 2014

May 2014

Another month flown past. One of the highlights this month was a walk out to Alagula which is one of our remote health centers. Russell joined the carpenters and the medical students for a week of maintenance work and health clinics at the center. Girls have been busy at school and the odd birthday party and youth group activity thrown in for fun. 

Unloading the truck with cargo to carry on 3 hour walk to Alagula

The villagers are cutting this road out of the virgin rainforest down to Alagula (just starting)

A bed on the way down to Alagula - fortunately plenty of helpers (various levels of dress)

The Health Center at Alagula

Some of the little locals at Alagula

Hard to see birds of paradise alive, but no problems if you don't mind them dead

In the cook house

Pig for breakfast lunch and dinner every day at Alagula - a real treat

The bath tub at Alagula - had to go early in the morning to avoid an audience.

Rugby at Alagula (in the mud)

Half Time
Little Felix has finally left the hospital, but not before Nancy rocked him off to sleep in the hammock

The hospital cook Thomas retires after about 25 years

Home from Hagen with the veggies

Steel work up for the new maternity building

Spoiled little ducks and their pond

Girls off for a 3 hour joy ride

Balloon volleyball using their legs at Heather's sleepover birthday party

Pineapple hedgehog birthday cake

Capture the flag for youth group (at night)

Monday, 28 April 2014

April 2014

One highlight this month was a new addition to the family of three little ducklings. After spending their first 2 weeks in the bathtub, they now live happily under the house, being well feed by all the little kids in Kompiam - think we're running out of grubs and bugs. Other highlight was the kids club that the girls ran in the holidays and great experience for them as well as the kids involved.

Jemima, Phoebe, Cecilia in the bathtub

Russell's little puncture wound after falling off a deck onto a nail

Foundations in ready for the new maternity ward

Another addition - Green tree frog joined us for a few days

Building the duckies a new home under the house

Dodo and Sandy

Felix still keeping us company at the hospital and loves the trampoline

Highschool breakup - dressed up for a night at the movies (My Fair Lady)

Kompiam Kids Club

Kompiam Kids Club - Sketchboard talk

Kompiam Kids Club - Drama

Kompiam Kids Club - Wheelbarrow races (blindfolded)

Breeding butterflies

Zinnah and Reggie

Kompiam Kids Club - Rob the Nest

Kompiam Kids Club - Hot Cross Buns

Second container arrives

MAF plane broke down on the airstrip

Sunday, 30 March 2014

March 2014

March has just flown by and another busy but enjoyable month in the mountains. Been nice to get out for a few walks in the surrounding countryside and take in some of God's amazing creation. We walked up Yawali Manda which is about 2300m, and a few other shorter walks around Kompiam.  Russell went down to Lae for a week in the hospital truck to pick up some supplies. A 13 hour drive with magnificent scenery, but pretty rough on the "highway".


Crossing the "bridge" at the base of Yawali Manda

Big Hugs from Tomi whose village is at the top of Yawali Manda

Looking up toward the Kompiam plateau from the Sau River - our house on the cliffs at far right

Snake came off second best

Heather and her newly caught fish

Very full container arrives from Australia

Empty container arrives in Kompiam - amazing it made it up the road - truck had to be pushed out of the river with a 22t excavator

Unloading of the container in Kompiam - not easy without a crane
What a life - baby asleep on the fence
Our neighbors out for some play time

High school girls doing My Fair Lady

Another walk overlooking Kompiam - you can see the airstrip

Pigs joined us for lunch - baaaaccooooooooonnnn
Amazing rainbows

Coming down out of the mountains towards Lae

Drive to Lae
Another swimming hole
Little Felix who is spending some time here at the hospital with malnutrition

Amazing what fun you can have with (empty) egg cartons