Well, yes, I was going to post something in August when I arrived in the US. Obviously, that didn’t happen. I have lots of reasons, but no excuses. So here I am catching up.
July: I left my house in Ukarumpa a week early and got some excellent training on the ultrasound machine. It was an incredible and very profitable week. Someone there in Goroka is “keeping” my truck, with full use of it. It is an arrangement that is a blessing to both of us.
August: I arrived in the US on the first, and settled in to 14 days of quarantine. No one anywhere told me I had to do this, so I looked up the recommendations on the CDC website. I kind of thought someone in immigration would have said something, but nothing really was said. It was OK, I figured it out with the help of Dr. Google. I used those 14 days to finish studying for the NP exam. On the 15th we celebrated my Dad’s 80th birthday party by helping him hold a yard sale (one of his all-time favorite activities).
On the 17th I took the national APRN certification exam. By the end of the 4 hours I felt like I knew nothing at all about medicine. But the Lord was gracious and I passed the exam. Since then I have also regained my license to practice as an APRN in the state of SC. It’s nice to have all of that done. It will be much easier to maintain than regain! A few days later my family (6 of us ranging from 52-80 yrs old) drove up to Wisconsin for 2 days then drove back again. We’ve decided to fly next time. But we did have a good visit with some relatives.
September: On the 11th my Mom and I drove to Charlotte, NC and picked up the new ultrasound machine. Within 3 weeks, the Lord raised every penny for that purchase, and then some. I was also able to purchase new photovoltaic plates for the xray machine, and an LED eraser array for the digital xray reader. Because of the amazing provision of the Lord by using His people, I have also been able to purchase a few other medical supplies, and an electronic medical records package designed for 3rd world applications. My suitcase is beginning to look like it belongs to an electronics or IT sales person. Please pray for its safe arrival with me in Port Moresby.
Starting in September I began to work on tickets to return to PNG. As soon as one was found, it would just as quickly go down. Too many borders, too many airlines, too many rumors. After 5 other attempts, I finally purchased a ticket for the 28th of October. But on the 18th that carrier also closed down their Pacific flights, so I had to start over. My travel agent and I looked and looked, and I was beginning to despair that I would ever get back to PNG before 2021. So I asked my church to pray about it on a Wednesday night. Literally within hours a good (and reliable) route that had been all sealed up on Wednesday afternoon opened up 2 more flights/week, with immediate availability!! I was thrilled at the Lord so obviously answering prayer. So as it is now, I leave here on Nov 7th, arriving (local time) in Port Moresby on Nov 10th. I will be staying in a hotel for a mandatory 14-day quarantine. Don’t worry, I have lots to do.
There have been so many other little projects that I have done while being in the US: catching up on correspondence and financial reports, visiting a few friends, refinishing a dining room table and chairs for my Mom, working in the yard for my Dad, spending time with my sisters, and helping out a dear sister in the Lord with cancer (she graduated to Glory just last week). There are lots of other things, but that kind of list can be tedious to read, so I’ll skip it. My Aunt, Uncle and cousin (with her husband and children) drove up a couple of weeks ago, and we went to an apple orchard in NC. It was chilly but absolutely beautiful!
So I will try not to let it go so long next time before an update! Thanks for your patience!!
