We’ve wrapped up our language/cultural training and are getting ready for our 3 week village stay (yikes!). Some highlights from our training:

Visiting nearby villages & churches

Spending time with our Papua New Guinean mentor family – Josi and Sally and fam

Our Tok Pisin group with our awesome teacher, Shadrach

And all things food-related: Matt scraping out a coconut, and a cassowary we really wish we could eat

Village Living

We got to see pictures of the village where we’ll be staying and the family that will be looking after us there – our “wasfemili,” or literally “watch family.” Just knowing where we will be, it feels a little less daunting!

Praise

• We’ve learned a lot through our training and feel at least somewhat prepared for village living
• Elijah has been doing well considering a full preschool/daycare schedule while we have been in class
• We were gifted (!!!) plane tickets to Australia to visit with our dear friend, Kelly (Cole) Alexander! The timing is insane, but we’ll be spending time with her in Cairns shortly after village living. We’ll see how culture shock treats us

Prayer Requests

• Our health and safety
• For peace about the above prayer point...
• That we’d be open to whatever God wants to teach us through this experience
• That we make true friendships in the village and that we’d be a good witness
• That Elijah would do as well as possible with the transition to the village – we don’t know what to expect. He could think it’s the best thing ever or the worst thing ever