A British Tea Party…Ukarumpa Style!

Ukarumpa International School is full of different cultures and nationalities! To celebrate this diversity, all of the primary grade levels study a different country each term. Term two social studies in my grade one class are devoted to the United Kingdom. To help us get the feel for this exciting part of the world, I asked a real British woman named Mrs. Alison Tute to come during this time. Each week, Alison has been teaching us something new about Great Britain. We’ve studied the geography of the country, the flag or “Union Jack,” and we have read a bit of Winnie-the-Pooh at the end of each lesson.

This week we had a special treat. Our first graders had an English tea party with scones and jam! Well, actually Alison and I had tea, and the kids had scones and jam. :) Here are some pictures of the event.

Here Alison is teaching the kids about how to do a proper tea. To get to England, we crowded onto the magic carpet, closed our eyes, and counted to three. When we opened our eyes, we were in the United Kingdom! First grade is so much fun!

Our charming British café with scones, butter, and jam along with napkins, tablecloths, and menus! The kids said later that “the café looked a lot like our classroom!” but they knew that it wasn’t the same place. I told them the owners of the café probably made it look like our classroom to make us feel at home!

Each child was able to get one scone with butter and jam. Shh! Don’t tell them that the butter is sitting in a petri dish from our science kit! It’s okay, I washed it. :)

Who would have thought my boys could be such charming gentlemen? They were very polite and proper…until we were called back to the carpet. One young man just couldn’t resist sticking his finger in the jam. *sigh*

This table of ladies could not have had more fun! Their voices barely concealed their excitement as they asked for a friend to “Please pass the butter,” while their napkins rested on their laps.

Being “Mother” means that you are responsible for serving each person at your table. Even the boys enjoyed being “Mother” and did a wonderful job!

These ladies had pleasant conversation while enjoying their scones. Couldn’t we stay in the United Kingdom just a little longer?

But alas, it was time to return to first grade in Papua New Guinea. We all came back to the carpet and again closed our eyes, counted to three, and voila! we were back in our classroom! This is a special experience we will be talking about for weeks to come! What a trip!

A Papua New Guinean Mumu

This past weekend I had the opportunity to experience a traditional Papua New Guinean feast called a mumu. These feasts are usually done for a wedding, funeral, homecoming, or going away. An ex-pat here from Ukarumpa Centre paid a national man and his family to do one for us waitskins so that we could taste this Papua New Guinean treat. Honestly, I didn't think I would like it but I was happily surprised! Let me see if I can explain what it was like...

First, the family grows all their own veggies and raises their own kakaruk (chicken) or pik (pig) for the event. Sometimes they can get items from a local market if they do not have what they want for the mumu. When they have all the ingredients for the meal, they must prepare them to be cooked. They peel the potatoes and the kaukau (sweet potato), trim the kumu (greens), and kill the pik or kakaruk, cutting it into pieces. When the food is prepared, they dig a hole in the ground and place hot rocks in the bottom. On top of the rocks, they layer the food to be cooked, starting with the potatoes and kaukau, then the other vegetables with the meat, and greens on top. They cover this with leaves from the banana tree and let it steam for over two hours.

The group I was with arrived during this part of the process. We went over to the mumu pit to see it and the women of the house started uncovering it. This is what it looked like when we first arrived.

The banana leaves were taken off until we saw the rest of the food underneath the leaves.

Here they are separating the different kinds of food into plastic and metal containers so that you only have to take what you want to eat. They then took all the food to another location and set it up in a buffet line for us.

I tried everything but the kakaruk (chicken) and enjoyed it all! Yes...EVEN the sweet potato! It must be a miracle!

After the meal, I played with some puppies that were too cute to pass up.

We then walked around the village and saw the houses, church, and school. I am so glad that I actually felt comfortable among the people today. I still can't speak Pigin very well, but I am getting better and better each week.

Our hosts’ house

Cynthia

Inside the church

The primary school

Hopefully you are enjoying your own “feasts” with family and friends this week. Treasure the people around you, love them with Christ’s love, and make some memories!

(Italicized words are written in Tok Pisin, the national language of Papua New Guinea)

Lessons from Nehemiah

http://www.harvestbradford.com/.

“Doing God’s Work in the Midst of Opposition”

From the Book of Nehemiah

Presented by Mr. Tommy Logan

“As you do God’s work in the midst of opposition…”

1.      Remember where your help comes from. (Neh. 2:20)

2.      Focus on your faith, not your fear. (Neh. 4:14-15)

3.      Come together with the Body of Christ around a unified purpose. (Neh. 8:1-11)

I just recently heard the above sermon, presented by a translator here named Tommy Logan. He shared from the book of Nehemiah. It’s been a while since I’ve visited this book and I am so glad God brought it to my attention again! This story recounts the Israelite’s miraculous rebuilding of the wall of Jerusalem after the Babylonian captivity.

What struck me first was how Nehemiah responded when he heard of the ruin of Jerusalem. Verse 4 of chapter 1 says that when Nehemiah heard these words, he “sat down and wept, and mourned for many days…fasting and praying before the God of Heaven.” This bad news deeply affected the man of God. So much so that his normal life came to a screeching halt and he went to his knees in prayer, asking God to intervene (1:5-11).

This is how I feel about the bibleless peoples of the world. It brings tears to my eyes to think of the millions of people who live without the transforming Word of God each day. Yes, some have rejected its message, but others have never even had the opportunity to hear of God’s love in their own language. I cannot continue with my normal way of life after hearing this devastating news. I must beseech the God of Heaven to intervene…and to use me, if He will.

By chapter 3, Nehemiah is in Jerusalem and work on the wall is well underway. Nehemiah lists each family who helped rebuild the wall, starting with the high priest, Eliashib. What a great picture of the Body of Christ in action! Just in my life alone, if I could list each person who has helped get me to PNG by encouraging me, partnering with me through finances and prayer, I would easily fill an entire book! And many of you continue to be an influential part of the work here with your timely prayers and gifts, your notes of encouragement, and your sacrifices of love.

Chapter 4 brings the first round of serious opposition from outsiders. Before acting, Nehemiah prays again, asking God to bring justice on their enemies. Then, this mighty leader equips his men with weapons to defend the work and reminds them to put their focus on the Lord, “great and awesome” (4:14). These faithful workers remained alert to attack while they build the wall, always being ready to defend the work of the Lord.

Often, when I feel attacked, I am blindsided. I have gotten lazy in my devotions, my fellowship with other believers, and I have forgotten what God has done on my behalf in the past. These faithful men did God’s work while remaining alert to the enemy’s schemes. Oh if I could be so wise! If I would be diligent to put on the whole armor or God each day and stand fast against the devil’s schemes(Eph. 6). May this be my reminder—and yours—to suit up and be alert!

Nehemiah was able to complete the wall in a miraculous 52 days. Don’t we all wish our Christian service could be completed in 52 days!! (Or even 52 years, for that matter!) But the truth is we are always going to be doing God’s work while we have breath in our lungs. As Galatians 6:9 reminds us, our harvest is coming, but we must not give up.

As Tommy Logan begins his third decade of translation work, as Wycliffe Bible Translators pushes to reach Vision 2025, as I walk through these very short two years as a teacher in PNG, and while you serve where you are planted, may God strengthen our hands to do His work while we stand strong against opposition! It is for His glory that we press on.