This afternoon I got back to Ukarumpa after my first language survey trip!
The team (Bonnie, Dan, and Juliann) and I spent the last 10 days traveling around the Benabena language area in the Eastern Highlands Province of PNG. A New Testament in the Benabena language was completed in the early 80s, and the purpose of our trip was to find out how it's being used today.
In each of the villages we visited, Bonnie did a questionnaire with a group of people from the community to ask about their language and how they use the Benabena New Testament, Juliann transcribed a list of words in the local language, and Dan and I interviewed local pastors or church elders. At first, I watched Dan do the interviews (conducted in the Tok Pisin language), but by the end I was able to do the pastor interviews by myself!
We spent the night in almost every village we visited. We'd arrive in the early afternoon and find someone who could give us a place to sleep and some food. People in every village were friendly and helpful. It was fun to meet so many new people and see a little of what their lives are like!
I had malaria the week before we left for survey, but I was feeling much better by the time we left. I did have a head cold for the whole survey, but was surprised by how much energy I had nonetheless! Thanks for your prayers!
I'm going to write more about this survey later, but if you have any questions, please write to me! It'd be helpful to me to know what you're interested in hearing about. Thanks!
Friday, January 30, 2009
Monday, January 19, 2009
My First Survey Trip
Tomorrow I'm leaving for my first survey trip - 10 days in the Benabena language area. The other team members and I (Bonnie, Dan, and Juliann) will be driving about 2 hours to the language area tomorrow morning, where we'll conduct interviews (Bonnie, Dan, and I) and write phonetic word lists (Juliann).
For the first few days of the trip, I'll be watching Dan do interviews with local pastors and then I'll be doing the interviews myself.
This trip is a continuation of the first Scripture Use survey undertaken by the survey team here. They started it last October, but had to end early because of health reasons.
This survey is very important because Scripture use is so important. In some places, the Scriptures have been translated, but no one is using them... this is a big problem! We're hoping to understand this problem better by the work we're doing on this survey.
The reason that I'm so late in writing about this trip is that I wasn't sure I was going until this morning. Last week I had malaria and this week I've been having some lower abdominal pain. The doctor isn't sure what's causing the new pain, but doesn't think it's anything serious, so I'm planning to go on the survey.
Prayer Points
- Pray for the pain in my abdomen to go away completely, and for the rest of the team to stay healthy too.
- Pray that the right people will be in each village we visit, to interview and have conversations with.
- Pray that we'll be able to discern before and after this survey whether the questions we're asking really get to the heart of the issue concerning Scripture use.
Thanks! I'll write about how the survey after I'm back in early February.
For the first few days of the trip, I'll be watching Dan do interviews with local pastors and then I'll be doing the interviews myself.
This trip is a continuation of the first Scripture Use survey undertaken by the survey team here. They started it last October, but had to end early because of health reasons.
This survey is very important because Scripture use is so important. In some places, the Scriptures have been translated, but no one is using them... this is a big problem! We're hoping to understand this problem better by the work we're doing on this survey.
The reason that I'm so late in writing about this trip is that I wasn't sure I was going until this morning. Last week I had malaria and this week I've been having some lower abdominal pain. The doctor isn't sure what's causing the new pain, but doesn't think it's anything serious, so I'm planning to go on the survey.
Prayer Points
- Pray for the pain in my abdomen to go away completely, and for the rest of the team to stay healthy too.
- Pray that the right people will be in each village we visit, to interview and have conversations with.
- Pray that we'll be able to discern before and after this survey whether the questions we're asking really get to the heart of the issue concerning Scripture use.
Thanks! I'll write about how the survey after I'm back in early February.
Thursday, January 15, 2009
My Malaria Experience
Usually I don't have a good excuse for not posting on my blog as often as I mean to, but this time I do: I've had malaria.
Malaria is a serious disease - this is all many people know about it. However malaria is also easily diagnosed and treated. (One man I know who worked in PNG said he'd rather have malaria than a cold because malaria can be treated effectively and its recovery time can be short, compared to a lingering head cold!)
Sunday morning, I woke up feeling vaguely sick and spent part of the day sleeping (although I spent another part of the day running around playing ultimate frisbee!). On Monday I still felt sick and left work mid-morning to come home and sleep. In the afternoon, I realized I had a fever and suspected malaria. By the time my first round of chills had come and gone, the on-center clinic was closed, but the on-call nurse met me there and did two tests for malaria. However, both tests came back negative.
Tuesday morning I was feeling tired but not running a fever, when a doctor came to my house to tell me I did in fact have malaria. (A lab technician had rechecked my tests from the previous night and found malaria parasites in them.) I started my medicine immediately and within the hour was comfortably resting at the house of some kind neighbors, as arranged by the "member care" department.
This compassionate couple looked after me in their home for the next two days, while I mostly felt better but also had one more bad cycle* of the malaria. I came home this morning, feeling better except for being tired and weak, probably a lot due to the fact I haven't been able to eat much for the past few days.
For those of you who heard about me being sick, thanks for your prayers! I'd appreciate continued prayers for my health as I regain my strength, and for wisdom as I consider what to do about going on a survey next week.
*Malaria comes in cycles. Between fevers, people with malaria often feel much better, or even completely well (like I did Sunday afternoon when I played frisbee).
Malaria is a serious disease - this is all many people know about it. However malaria is also easily diagnosed and treated. (One man I know who worked in PNG said he'd rather have malaria than a cold because malaria can be treated effectively and its recovery time can be short, compared to a lingering head cold!)
Sunday morning, I woke up feeling vaguely sick and spent part of the day sleeping (although I spent another part of the day running around playing ultimate frisbee!). On Monday I still felt sick and left work mid-morning to come home and sleep. In the afternoon, I realized I had a fever and suspected malaria. By the time my first round of chills had come and gone, the on-center clinic was closed, but the on-call nurse met me there and did two tests for malaria. However, both tests came back negative.
Tuesday morning I was feeling tired but not running a fever, when a doctor came to my house to tell me I did in fact have malaria. (A lab technician had rechecked my tests from the previous night and found malaria parasites in them.) I started my medicine immediately and within the hour was comfortably resting at the house of some kind neighbors, as arranged by the "member care" department.
This compassionate couple looked after me in their home for the next two days, while I mostly felt better but also had one more bad cycle* of the malaria. I came home this morning, feeling better except for being tired and weak, probably a lot due to the fact I haven't been able to eat much for the past few days.
For those of you who heard about me being sick, thanks for your prayers! I'd appreciate continued prayers for my health as I regain my strength, and for wisdom as I consider what to do about going on a survey next week.
*Malaria comes in cycles. Between fevers, people with malaria often feel much better, or even completely well (like I did Sunday afternoon when I played frisbee).
Friday, January 9, 2009
Merry Christmas (again)!
Merry Christmas from Ukarumpa! Yes, I know that Christmas has passed, but today seems like Christmas for me all over again.
When I checked my mail today, there was more than the usual bill and occasional card from home… much more! I got 10 Christmas cards, a postcard, and another card!
From my experience here so far, mail can take anywhere from a week to a month and a half to get from the US to me in Ukarumpa. Of the mail I got today, the earliest was sent on December 3rd and the latest on December 20th! (Mail can get bunched up at different points on its long journey, like waiting for a flight that only goes once a week.)
Sitting at my kitchen table tonight, opening card after card, reading the encouraging and newsy notes, and seeing the pictures and other creative things people included, I was encouraged and uplifted. I really enjoyed reading notes from my home church’s 7th and 8th grade girls group, as well as hearing from family and church family.
I want to say a BIG thank you to all those of you who have sent me cards, letters, or emails! I know many of you faithfully pray for me (thank you!) and I always enjoy being reminded of that in your notes.
Thank you!
When I checked my mail today, there was more than the usual bill and occasional card from home… much more! I got 10 Christmas cards, a postcard, and another card!
From my experience here so far, mail can take anywhere from a week to a month and a half to get from the US to me in Ukarumpa. Of the mail I got today, the earliest was sent on December 3rd and the latest on December 20th! (Mail can get bunched up at different points on its long journey, like waiting for a flight that only goes once a week.)
Sitting at my kitchen table tonight, opening card after card, reading the encouraging and newsy notes, and seeing the pictures and other creative things people included, I was encouraged and uplifted. I really enjoyed reading notes from my home church’s 7th and 8th grade girls group, as well as hearing from family and church family.
I want to say a BIG thank you to all those of you who have sent me cards, letters, or emails! I know many of you faithfully pray for me (thank you!) and I always enjoy being reminded of that in your notes.
Thank you!
Thursday, January 1, 2009
Birding in Papua New Guinea
Did you know that December 21st was the winter solstice?
I didn't until I heard about an event my friends from the website Birdstack were running on the solstice.
They encouraged people all over the world to go birding on the solstice and record what they saw. Lists, pictures, essays, and more were sent into Birdstack and are now nicely displayed here.
I enjoy birding, so I spent part of the solstice outside with my binoculars (for the first time since I'd arrived in Ukarumpa) and saw many beautiful and interesting birds.
You can view something I wrote about birds in Papua New Guinea as well as find a link to the list of birds I saw that day on this page.
Enjoy!
I didn't until I heard about an event my friends from the website Birdstack were running on the solstice.
They encouraged people all over the world to go birding on the solstice and record what they saw. Lists, pictures, essays, and more were sent into Birdstack and are now nicely displayed here.
I enjoy birding, so I spent part of the solstice outside with my binoculars (for the first time since I'd arrived in Ukarumpa) and saw many beautiful and interesting birds.
You can view something I wrote about birds in Papua New Guinea as well as find a link to the list of birds I saw that day on this page.
Enjoy!
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