Jingle all the way

The Myers family loves Christmas.  And I love that they love Christmas!  Walking into
 their home during this season is like walking into a winter wonderland... it is beautifully decorated with Christmas trees and snowmen and angels.

They also have quite a selection of holiday movies, from the classics like Miracle on 34th Street to some more recent productions such as The Santa Clause.  It is their tradition to try and watch each one during the Christmas season.

On Saturday evening, the Myers invited the "young people" over to kick off the Christmas movie marathon.  Becky 2, Erin, Rachel and Jordan, Riley who is one of our current volunteers, and I (glad that I still qualify, though I am the oldest of the group) all gathered at the Myers home.  Due to a malfunction with the original choice, we settled on "Jingle All the Way" with Arnold Schwarzenwhatever.  I had to google to see how to spell his name, so I am just going to leave it as that.  Funny to think that this guy is now the governor of California.  It was a merry evening of holiday cheer!

Graduation celebration

On Saturday, November 28th, Melanesia Nazarene Bible College held commencement exercises for the graduating class of 2009.  The theme for the program was from Isaiah 6:8, "Here I am, send me!"

I was in attendance to celebrate my friends Robert and Kauantz.  Robert had completed the 3 year certificate in ministry degree and Kauantz had finished the Kristen Wokmanmeri (Christian work man and woman) program.  What an amazing accomplishment for these two:  Robert who is mostly blind and Kauantz who had never attended school as a child.  They were so excited for this day!  I snuck to the line-up to take a couple of pictures for them.  Robert was dressed in a maroon shirt and graduation gown and cap.  Kauantz and her fellow classmates were dressed in beautiful green meriblauses that they had sewn as a part of their schooling.  And each uniform was topped off with a very bright smile.

The processional began to the words of "Here I Am, Lord," sung by the MNBC musicians.  Ushers lead the way with three flags:  Papua New Guinea, MNBC banner, and the Christian flag.  Bible College faculty followed behind.  And finally came the honored guests, the 43 members of the graduating class.

The ceremony opened with the PNG national anthem and a word of prayer.  Dr. Geneva Silvernail, president of MNBC, brought greetings from around the world:  Dr. Jerry Porter, General Superintendent; Verne Ward, Asia-Pacific Regional Director; Louie Bustle, Global Mission Director; and Dr. E. Lebron Fairbanks, Education Commissioner.  Commenting on the theme, Dr. Porter wrote, "'Here I am, Lord' is the testimony of our hearts at each stage of the journey.  That was your prayer as you came to MNBC and it is your prayer as you depart.  It is amazing what can happen when God finds a fully consecrated, totally available, radically obedient partner."  Reverend Harmon and Cindy Schmelzenbach gave the graduation address.  They expanding on the Isaiah 6 passage and challenged the graduates to commit their lives in service to God, to their spouses and families, and their ministries.

Following the formal presentations, the students lined up to receive their degrees.  Faculty directors from each of the programs presented the candidates.  Dr. Silvernail and Reverend Peter Kui, the MNBC Academic Dean, presented the graduates with their degrees:  9 received a Diploma in Ministry, 22 received the Certificate in Ministry, and 12 received Kristen Wokmanmeri certificate.  Together the graduates moved their tassels from right to left to signify their accomplishment.  In Pidgin this is called "tanim rop" or literally "turn the rope."  The ceremony concluded with the congregation singing "Mi Tok, 'Yes, God, Yes'" or "Yes, Lord, Yes" and the closing benediction.

It was a beautiful celebration in honor of these new pastors who will be taking the light of the Gospel across Papua New Guinea.  I want to share with you the words to the song "Here I Am, Lord" which was written by Daniel Schutte.  It is a special one for us missionaries, too.

I, the Lord of sea and sky,

I have heard my people cry.

All who dwell in dark and sin,

My hand will save.

Chorus:

Here I am, Lord.  Is it I, Lord?

I have heard you calling in the night.

I will go, Lord, if you lead me.

I will hold your people in my heart.

I, who made the stars of night,

I will make their darkness bright.

Who will bear my light to them?

Who shall I send?

I, the Lord of snow and rain,

I have borne my people's pain.

I have wept for love of them.

They turn away.

I will break their hearts of stone,

Give them hearts for love alone.

I will speak my words to them.

Whom shall I send?

I, the Lord of wind and flame,

I will send the poor and lame.

I will set a feast for them.

My hand will save.

Thanksgivings

My first Thanksgiving at Kudjip was a very happy one.  And actually, I had two!  But I shall get to that in a minute.  

The day started out as usual, because the 4th Thursday in November is just a regular ole day in PNG.  Good for me that Thursday is my usual afternoon off, so after rounds I headed home to bake some pies for our holiday dinner.  The pie crust was made from scratch using Aunt Naomi's recipe with a few adjustments because of a limited supply of shortening (you cannot buy shortening except at another mission station 5 hours down the road).  Taste tested and approved, it turned out well despite the substitutions.  The pumpkin filling was also from scratch with pumpkin that had been previously cooked, pureed, and then stored in the freezer.  Oh how I love the smell of Thanksgiving!

Thanksgiving evening I joined the Bennett and Schmelzenbach families at the Myers' home.  Jeff carved the turkey which he discovered was actually a very large chicken.  Susan finished making the gravy and set her corn casserole on the table.  There was stuffing and mashed potatoes and green beans and veggies and rolls and cranberry sauce and all sorts of wonderful dishes.  The kids helped me with one of

 my Hoke family traditions... little paper cups of candies and nuts that set at each place and

 serve as an appetizer for the meal to come.  Candy cup fixins came in a care package from my parents.  For dessert we

 had pecan and pumpkin pies with a spoon full of Dream Whip.  Eleven of us sat around the table and gave thanks by singing the Doxology.  We shared Thanksgiving stories and traditions, talked about where our families back home would be celebrating the holiday.  It was a wonderful time of feasting and fellowship!

Thanksgiving part 2 was the following day.  The Radcliffes invited me and the Riggins family and Jordan and Rachel Thompson to join them for dinner.  The main course was chicken and potatoes and gravy and stuffing.  Kathy made sweet potato casserole using "carrot kaukau" or carrot sweet potatoes.  Most of the kaukau grown in the highlands are more of a yellow color, but you can find the 

orange ones at the market if you look.  My contribution was green bean casserole, topped with french fried onions which were also from Mom and Dad's care package.  What a treat!  There were a variety of pies to choose from for dessert.  Jill's birthday is on Sunday, so we added candles to the pumpkin pie and sang her the 5 Kudjip birthday songs.  It was another wonderful meal!  

A few days before the holiday, Kathy had given each family pieces of construction paper.  We wrote some of our thanksgivings on strips of paper.  The papers were placed in a "Blessing Bag."  We passed the bag around the circle and took turns reading what was written and adding links to the chain.  Looking at the finished product stretched across the room, it is obvious that we are so blessed!

And finally, Thanksgiving really would not be complete without a game of football.  Jordan is from Illinois and is a big Bears fan.  His dad recently mailed the Bears vs. the Browns, so we all watched a few quarters before heading home to crash.

So what am I thankful for on this special day?  There are not enough strips of construction paper to hold all of my thanksgivings, but here are a few of them...

- my family back home, their love and support from so far away

- a new niece or nephew on the way and that I will get to meet her or him next summer

- Skype and email and cell phones that allow me to keep in touch

- the prayers of supporters, for supporting churches

- forever friends

- my Kudjip family, nieces and nephews

- a great roomie who will be back soon

- my boys Brutus and Pete, that they keep me company when my roomie is gone

- for Becky 2 and Erin, it is nice to have some other 10 toea girls about my age

- the pivilege of serving in PNG

- volunteers who give of themselves in service

- the nurses, CHWs, clerks, and other wonderful PNG colleagues

- the beautiful new hospital

- PNG friends:  Meti, Robert and Kauantz, Tua, and others

- God's love, His faithfulness, His promises

- for Jesus and the gift of His life

- salvation by grace and not by works

- and so many more!

Shout for joy to the Lord, all the earth.

Worship the Lord with gladness;

come before him with joyful songs.

Know that the Lord is God.

It is he who made us, and we are his;

we are his people, the sheep of his pasture.

Enter his gates with thanksgiving

and his courts with praise;

give thanks to him and praise his name.

For the Lord is good and his love endures forever;

his faithfulness continues through all generations.

~ Psalm 100