First weekend in Sentani

The past couple days have gone pretty much as planned. My 2nd trip to the Hypermarket wasn't quite so overwhelming. I had a list this time, because I had time to think about what I could make with what's available here. I got pancake mix and syrup (easy meals), more juice (guava and orange/carrot/lemon), some chocolate crackers to satisfy my sweet tooth, and a few other things. I split a bag of rice with one of the other teachers because they only come in two sizes: huge and enormous. She warned me to rinse it before I use it and pick out any bugs or pieces of wood. And Eve warned me that there were bugs and larvae in the pasta she got the other day. Ah, the joys of being in Indonesia. ;) We have to "PK" our fruits and vegetables - soak them in a purple solution to kill the nasty things that could cause intestinal problems. You have to keep everything sealed in containers and/or in the frig/freezer because the ants will get it. The meat isn't so reliable I've heard, so if you do buy it you need to cook it the same day. Those are just a few of the things I've learned while I've been here.

The wedding I went to with Eve yesterday was amazing! First of all, the couple met in Pakistan where his family lives and works, and the wedding was here because her parents are missionaries with Wycliffe here and this is where she grew up. The ceremony was simple, lots of people sharing stories and blessings. Then the reception was on the other hill at the Wycliffe Headquarters. It was beautiful! So many flowers and natural decorations. In the entryway were a bunch of leaves stapled to sheets that covered the walls and ceilings. You could smell the freshness of it all in the whole building. There were palm branches decorating the columns, and plants and flowers all over the place. I told Eve I wanted to roll it all up, ship it to ND, and unroll it to use for our wedding. Too bad that won't work. ;) The food was good - nothing too crazy. Some spicy fish that I avoided, and some mixture of soy and peanuts and peppers with a somewhat sweet sauce. the flavor was good, but the texture was interesting - kinda tough to chew. I got to see the Mathews family again - they had visited my church in Vermillion a couple months ago, and I was amazed when I found out they were from Sentani. And now we meet again!

Today I went to church at the school (it's English-speaking). The diversity even among the missionaries is wonderful! They had a time of sharing prayer requests, and after someone shared, another person prayed for that request right away. I loved it! And one girl who sang a song shared from her heart about an issue that she's dealing with now. It was so refreshing to hear her be so honest and humble with a whole group of people. Usually I don't share about struggles I've dealt with until after they're over - when I'm past them. So it was a good example for me. I had spinach lasagna and a papaya/mango smoothie at the Brooks' after church. Real fresh fruit is such a wonderful thing!

I had the afternoon to myself, so I did some journaling and took some pictures around campus. The internet was down most of the afternoon (not sure how often that happens). I made my first real meal for myself: grilled cheese and tomato sandwich with green beans. I had to have Joyce, my neighbor, come over and show me how to work my stove, though, because it's one where you have to turn on the fuel and then light it with a match. Eve and I met at the school again tonight to get ready for tomorrow. I think things are pretty well set. I don't feel completely prepared, but I don't know what else I could do to get more prepared, so we'll just see how things go. I'm starting a fluency evaluation and an articulation evaluation tomorrow, so we'll be busy. I'll be in touch again soon (hopefully with more pictures next time).