Well, the past few months I’ve written several posts… in my head. They never got here. As always, I’d like to remember to do this more often. I’m thinking I may choose a day every month to do this and write it in my planner. Maybe that would work. Maybe not.
The power company here in this section of the highlands works from a hydroelectric dam about 30 miles from here. They have been doing a good bit of work installing new towers and transfer stations. Needless to say that has led to frequent power outages. Rarely does it last more than 8 hours, except once when it lasted a bit over 2 days. What that means is that the lab at the hospital pretty much just shuts down, because they don’t have light for their microscopes. The fact that only 2 of their tests require microscopes, and the rest are rapid tests that require nothing at all doesn’t seem to matter. Several weeks ago the changes and flickering of power caused the fuse box in the procedure room to burst into flames: terrifying the patients there for treatment. Instead of replacing anything, they chose to drill holes through the walls to run extension cords to portable lamps. Of course, that only works if the public power is working. Around the same time my co-workers made a comment about how even the college-educated folks in the hospital still believe in the local form of witchcraft. What confused me is that these same co-workers make offerings to a little shelf of brass gods every day. Just a lot of darkness around here.
In most of the churches in PNG, the ladies in the church grow flowers year-round to be used in the church on Sundays. It is one of my favorite customs here, because it means planning and dedication and personal involvement. Since it is now early summer here, the flowers at church have been particularly amazing. The picture at the heading is a recent arrangement at church.
Finally, I would like to close by pasting this year’s Christmas poem. I mailed out my Christmas cards in October, because I had an opportunity to go to the capital city, and it meant better access to Post PNG. Because of that, I did not have time to work on the yearly poem. I have recently given attention to the book of Micah, so the poem comes from that. I have been singing it to the British Folk Tune “O waly waly”- a common tune sometimes used to sing “When I Survey the Wondrous Cross.” Once again, the format is Long Meter (8.8.8.8), and the Hymn Time site lists over 600 melodies to fit that meter, so you can take your pick. I hope you all have a very blessed Christmas season.
