I have just recently returned from the Pacific Orientation Course (POC), held in Madang, Papua New Guinea. The purpose of this course is to introduce volunteers and mission workers to the language and culture of the Pacific region they will be serving in. This course is held twice a year (beginning in August and January). While I was apprehensive about the challenges of the course, I enjoyed my time in Madang immensely. In addition to learning Melanesian Pidgin and many cultural aspects of this country, I fell in love with the people I have been called to serve. My heart has been forever impacted through my time at POC.
Daily POC Schedule:
6am – Optional Morning Walk
In order to get in shape for the weekly hikes, many of us chose to get up a bit early to walk down the mountain and back up. This was good for me as I am NOT a morning person! The beautiful walk helped me shed my grumpiness, wake up, and be ready to start the day. J
7am – Breakfast in the Dining Hall
Call me crazy but I loved meal times in the dining hall! All the noise of people eating and children screaming made it feel like we were one big family!
8am – Tok Pisin Classes
By 8am it was time to learn! We all gathered in this classroom for Tok Pisin worship and then split into small groups for instruction. Mipela bin lainim planti samting! (We learned a lot!)
10am – Tea Time/Break
Tea time is very important in the Papua New Guinean work day. Twice a day everyone stops for tea, coffee, and crackers. This was a time to talk, relax, and refresh. I think America could benefit from this custom!
10:30am – Lectures on Anthropology, History, etc.
After our break, it was time for more learning! What do Papua New Guineans believe about the world? How to they view the spiritual realm? How should you respond if you are asked to give someone money? What do Papua New Guineans think of these white-skinned foreigners? What is PNG’s history of government and how does this affect us today? We discussed all these topics and more during this time. Goodness, there’s a lot to learn!
12:15pm – Lunch in the Dining Hall
1pm – Rest Time
This was one of the best parts of the day! Many Papua New Guineans take a nap during the hottest part of the day because it is too hot to work in their gardens or cook food during this time. So, of course, we took advantage of this custom and slept as well! I chose a comfy couch underneath a fan each day and was out like a light.
2pm – Hiking or Lectures
Most days, we had more lectures after rest time but on Mondays we hiked. We all slopped on the sunscreen, slapped on hats, slipped on relatively cool clothing, and sipped lots of water. National men led us through the deep jungles on what they considered an easy walk up and over high mountains. Many of them walk these trails each day to get to their gardens or to come to work at POC. We needn’t worry about the rain because our bodies were drenched with sweat anyway. Although challenging, these two to three hour hikes were worth every step!
4pm – Free Time
Living with 60-something other people can be a lot of fun! When we were not doing our reading assignments, memorizing Tok Pisin dialogues, or listening to lectures, we found ways to have fun with each other. Card games became a fast favorite way to spend some afternoons or evenings.
5:45pm – Dinner
7:30pm – Evening Activities or Homework
9pm – Bedtime!
Weekends
Starting a few weeks into the course, we were expected to “fend for ourselves” on the weekends by building a haus kuk (cook house) and preparing our own food. This was similar to camping as we built our own shelter and table, and then cooked on the fire with the food we purchased at a local market or in town. All of this was to prepare us for the village living phase of POC when we would be on our own for five days with similar resources.
Sunday morning – Church at a local assembly or as small groups at POC
Many of us had the opportunity to worship with our Papua New Guinean brothers and sisters at local churches while at POC. I felt particularly blessed to praise the Lord in both English and Pidgin (Tok Pisin). God is moving in the churches here and He is raising up people to follow Him wholeheartedly. I was so blessed to join with them for a few short weeks!
Sunday afternoon – Trip to Jais Aben for swimming and refreshments
We all looked forward to Sunday afternoons at POC. After church, our staff members took us to a resort called Jais Aben for swimming and refreshments. This was a nice change from our camping-style life. We were able to sit outdoors and sip a Coke, go swimming, or snorkel in the Pacific Ocean. Sometimes we even forgot we were in PNG…well, maybe not quite. J
Jais Aben Restaurant
Well, does all of this make you want to come for a visit? J As I said, I really enjoyed my time in Madang at POC and wish it could have lasted longer. Now I am back to business in Ukarumpa and settling back into life here. Please check my blog again for more information about this adventure! I will be adding more posts over the next few days.
Learning and Loving,
Melissa
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