Nathan & Jennifer will be in Malakula (another island in the island chain that is Vanuatu) for two weeks, so there will be no new posts until they return. Hopefully, by the time they return, the computer cord I sent last week will be there and they will be back in business. Keep them in your prayers!!
Trica
Thursday, April 15, 2010
Friday, April 9, 2010
My Ni Van Friend
Her name is Harriett. She is tiny in stature, but has a smile that can quickly light a room. She is not loud or boisterous. She has kind eyes and a friendliness that does not hesitate to reach out.
She is the closest Christian neighbor we will have when we move into our house that is being build on the school campus. I liked her instantly and secretly hoped that we would become friends.
A couple days ago, Nathan and I went out to the land to start digging our septic system. Some men had volunteered and Harriet had come with her husband. I was beside myself that she had come and there was nothing for us to do. There were not enough shovels to go around.
We left the dirty work to the men and walked through the garden where she pointed out to me the tarro, and kamala which she said were Vanuatu's potato. I proudly told her I had already been cooking kamala and was delighted with the taste. We walked and talked and I began to feel as if I were back home again, spending time with a close friend! We chatted about normal things like cleaning up after our husbands, how many siblings we have, the children she has and the children I plan to have. We were talking for twenty minutes at a time, with me hardly realizing we were conversing in Bislama, until inevitably a sentence would come to mind that I couldn't figure out how to say.
This went on for a while, and just when I began to feel as if I were back home, it was time to make lunch for the men. We gathered wood and I watched the unique way the Ni Van women start a fire, then throw whole bananas on the open flame.
To her, we were the same - just two women sharing our pasts and our dreams for the future. It was a good moment for me. In a world where I can sometimes feel so different, I realized that we are really all the same. We all have hopes, fears, pain and joy. We were two sisters in Christ just sharing precious fellowship.
Later, when I was sharing my experience with Bryan Webb, he informed me that her marriage was arranged. She was purchased by the Visitation Pastor at Pastor Dick's church. Her husband prayed her through to salvation on their honeymoon night and she received the Holy Spirit the next week. Bryan went on to say that he has never seen anything but good Christian character in her. She and her husband still walk around like newly webs, very much in love.
In a culture so very different than mine, I am glad to have found a friend. She has offered to teach me to cook Vanuatu style and while I doubt Nathan and I will ever cook it in our own home, I am honored to spend time learning along side this beautiful little Godly woman. I am so thankful God sent me a friend and I look forward to many more 'girl' talks.
Jennifer
She is the closest Christian neighbor we will have when we move into our house that is being build on the school campus. I liked her instantly and secretly hoped that we would become friends.
A couple days ago, Nathan and I went out to the land to start digging our septic system. Some men had volunteered and Harriet had come with her husband. I was beside myself that she had come and there was nothing for us to do. There were not enough shovels to go around.
We left the dirty work to the men and walked through the garden where she pointed out to me the tarro, and kamala which she said were Vanuatu's potato. I proudly told her I had already been cooking kamala and was delighted with the taste. We walked and talked and I began to feel as if I were back home again, spending time with a close friend! We chatted about normal things like cleaning up after our husbands, how many siblings we have, the children she has and the children I plan to have. We were talking for twenty minutes at a time, with me hardly realizing we were conversing in Bislama, until inevitably a sentence would come to mind that I couldn't figure out how to say.
This went on for a while, and just when I began to feel as if I were back home, it was time to make lunch for the men. We gathered wood and I watched the unique way the Ni Van women start a fire, then throw whole bananas on the open flame.
To her, we were the same - just two women sharing our pasts and our dreams for the future. It was a good moment for me. In a world where I can sometimes feel so different, I realized that we are really all the same. We all have hopes, fears, pain and joy. We were two sisters in Christ just sharing precious fellowship.
Later, when I was sharing my experience with Bryan Webb, he informed me that her marriage was arranged. She was purchased by the Visitation Pastor at Pastor Dick's church. Her husband prayed her through to salvation on their honeymoon night and she received the Holy Spirit the next week. Bryan went on to say that he has never seen anything but good Christian character in her. She and her husband still walk around like newly webs, very much in love.
In a culture so very different than mine, I am glad to have found a friend. She has offered to teach me to cook Vanuatu style and while I doubt Nathan and I will ever cook it in our own home, I am honored to spend time learning along side this beautiful little Godly woman. I am so thankful God sent me a friend and I look forward to many more 'girl' talks.
Jennifer
Saturday, March 27, 2010
News Blackout!
Nate & Jen's computer cord that they purchased from Best Buy just before they left has decided to quit! So, their lifeline to us has been severed, so to speak!! I'm going to Best Buy today to see if they will do something about it, which I doubt, since I don't actually have the cord to take back. So until I can get another one to them, they won't be able to do much blogging.
The last box I sent took nineteen days to get there, so if I can get if off by Monday, it will be about three weeks before they are up and running again. I'm sure they will try to post on facebook whenever they can borrow the Webb's or the Jaeger's computer.
If any of you happen to have a power cord to a Toshiba laptop lying around that you're not going to be using, let us know!!
Trica
The last box I sent took nineteen days to get there, so if I can get if off by Monday, it will be about three weeks before they are up and running again. I'm sure they will try to post on facebook whenever they can borrow the Webb's or the Jaeger's computer.
If any of you happen to have a power cord to a Toshiba laptop lying around that you're not going to be using, let us know!!
Trica
Friday, March 26, 2010
Where We Live
Here are a few pictures of the apartment where we are living as of now. If you are on facebook you may have already seen these. But, since some of our readers avoid facebook (yes, Uncle Bill, we're talking about you!! jk) we decided to post them here as well.
The apartment is furnished. It is actually in the downstairs part of the Webb's house. They use it for any visitors who come this way.
The apartment is furnished. It is actually in the downstairs part of the Webb's house. They use it for any visitors who come this way.
We will most likely be living in this apartment until our house is built on the new campus, hopefully by August. Our house will be much more native than the apartment, so we will enjoy living here while we can!! At last report, about one-fifth ($3,000.00) of the funds needed for our house has been raised.
Nathan & Jennifer
Wednesday, March 24, 2010
A Bat Experience!
I had to go outside to get a signal on the phone to talk to Nate and I kept hearing this hideous screaming noise. Then, out of nowhere, a bat flew up and dipped down right in front of me! I love my husband, but it was time to get off the phone!!
When Nate gets back, I'll post a picture of a Vanuatu bat. Nate, Bobby & Steven actually ate bat on one of their trips here.
Jennifer
When Nate gets back, I'll post a picture of a Vanuatu bat. Nate, Bobby & Steven actually ate bat on one of their trips here.
Jennifer
Monday, March 22, 2010
Hurricane In Vanuatu
Here's something funny!!
We have had horrible wind and rain here and the apartment flooded at least ten times in one day. We had a tree blow over and some of the nattangora (thatch) flew off our roof. We kept checking, but couldn't find anything on the Internet about it, so we didn't worry. Well, come to find out, two days later, it was a hurricane and we didn't even know it!! We heard it was a category five, but found out later that it was only a category three when it went over us.
I'm thankful I didn't know at the time, with Nathan gone! It's not nearly as bad when you find out afterwards!! I guess that explains why we didn't have Internet for two days!
Nathan is going to be so upset that he missed it! It was like an extra windy-rainy, nonstop thunderstorm in the Midwest.
You want to know something even crazier??? I had our two bedroom windows open during the night and I told Nate that the wind was so bad it was shaking the bed. He probably thought I was just exaggerating! I guess next time I won't trust the news and will at least shut my windows!!
Jennifer
We have had horrible wind and rain here and the apartment flooded at least ten times in one day. We had a tree blow over and some of the nattangora (thatch) flew off our roof. We kept checking, but couldn't find anything on the Internet about it, so we didn't worry. Well, come to find out, two days later, it was a hurricane and we didn't even know it!! We heard it was a category five, but found out later that it was only a category three when it went over us.
I'm thankful I didn't know at the time, with Nathan gone! It's not nearly as bad when you find out afterwards!! I guess that explains why we didn't have Internet for two days!
Nathan is going to be so upset that he missed it! It was like an extra windy-rainy, nonstop thunderstorm in the Midwest.
You want to know something even crazier??? I had our two bedroom windows open during the night and I told Nate that the wind was so bad it was shaking the bed. He probably thought I was just exaggerating! I guess next time I won't trust the news and will at least shut my windows!!
Jennifer
Nate's Trip To Tanna
Nate went on a 15 day trek with Bryan Webb to Tanna, another island in Vanuatu. Tanna is more of a mountain type island and is a lot cooler. Nate has been taking bucket baths and he says the water is freezing!
On the first leg of the trip Nate stayed in a house (it's spelled 'haos' here), with six other men. However, he did manage to get his own bed complete with a blanket, which he says smells like dog, but he is thankful for the blanket with the chilly night air. He hadn't even got his sleeping bag out, and when I asked him why he didn't cover himself with his sleeping bag, then put the blanket on top of that, he said it hadn't even occurred to him! Men!! He hasn't said much about the food there, though he did say that they've been eating mostly 'laplap'. I think he's afraid to say too much in case someone overhears him!
He says his Bislama is getting better everyday and he will either be speaking it after this couple of weeks or his head will explode!! They have been having classes all day and services at night, so I can imagine how bad your head would hurt trying to take it all in!
They are going to visit a waterfall and of course, before he leaves, he wants to go see the volcano (I told him I don't want him to!).
He says he is taking his supplements and silver and promised me he is taking good care of himself!
I think Nathan will be happy to get back to my cooking (bet you never thought you'd hear me say that!!). I think this has been a great experience for him! We are learning so much working under the Webb's.
Here is a weird thought: I asked if his beard was growing way out and he said he didn't know because he hasn't seen himself! I guess this is a girl's way of thinking, but can you imagine??? Those women have never seen themselves outside of seeing their reflection on water, and you have to walk down the mountain to get to that!! (They have some sort of homemade pipe system to get their water). Anyway, I'm definitely taking a MIRROR with me when we go to Malakula!! Glad he told me that or I might have come back with a beard!!
Keep us in your prayers.
Jennifer
On the first leg of the trip Nate stayed in a house (it's spelled 'haos' here), with six other men. However, he did manage to get his own bed complete with a blanket, which he says smells like dog, but he is thankful for the blanket with the chilly night air. He hadn't even got his sleeping bag out, and when I asked him why he didn't cover himself with his sleeping bag, then put the blanket on top of that, he said it hadn't even occurred to him! Men!! He hasn't said much about the food there, though he did say that they've been eating mostly 'laplap'. I think he's afraid to say too much in case someone overhears him!
He says his Bislama is getting better everyday and he will either be speaking it after this couple of weeks or his head will explode!! They have been having classes all day and services at night, so I can imagine how bad your head would hurt trying to take it all in!
They are going to visit a waterfall and of course, before he leaves, he wants to go see the volcano (I told him I don't want him to!).
He says he is taking his supplements and silver and promised me he is taking good care of himself!
I think Nathan will be happy to get back to my cooking (bet you never thought you'd hear me say that!!). I think this has been a great experience for him! We are learning so much working under the Webb's.
Here is a weird thought: I asked if his beard was growing way out and he said he didn't know because he hasn't seen himself! I guess this is a girl's way of thinking, but can you imagine??? Those women have never seen themselves outside of seeing their reflection on water, and you have to walk down the mountain to get to that!! (They have some sort of homemade pipe system to get their water). Anyway, I'm definitely taking a MIRROR with me when we go to Malakula!! Glad he told me that or I might have come back with a beard!!
Keep us in your prayers.
Jennifer
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