Two years – I have lived in Papua New Guinea for two years. Can you believe it? I can’t. In some ways it feels like it was just last month. But it’s been so full, it also feels like a lifetime.
It’s been two years to the day from when I got my first glimpse of the beauty of Papua New Guinea. I flew in to Port Moresby (the capital of PNG) on a sunny, hot, Monday morning. I saw the blue-green ocean, the amazing coral under the water, the big city (which isn’t big at all), and the lush green that frames it all. And it took my breath away.
I flew to the town of Madang that afternoon, where our 3-month orientation course was held. I arrived in Madang, rode up a 1,000-foot mountain in the back of a truck over a ridiculously bumpy road, hugged a few people I had known from training in the States, and crashed in my [not-so-comfortable-but-never-felt-so-comfortable] bed. I never knew how bad jet-lag could be, until that moment.
The next day I got to meet new people, being half-alive again. God blessed me with friendships beyond anything I could hope for in those next couple months, including the Papua New Guinean family who gave me their home for 5 weeks, loved me, and taught me so much about themselves and how they live. They are etched on my heart forever.
And the rest of these past two years have been full – lessons learned, amazing friendships made, lots of laughter and tears, unwanted goodbyes, new beginnings. I even got to go back to the States for a month to spend some much-needed time with family and friends. And God has provided through it all, beyond my wildest imagination.
So here’s to another year, which I know will be abundantly full of amazing things. May I “behold as in a mirror the glory of the Lord” as I live in His wonderful grace. (2 Corinthians 3:18) I can’t imagine what might be in store, but I know this…
“From of old no one has heard
or perceived by the ear,
no eye has seen a God besides you,
who acts for those who wait for Him”
Isaiah 64:4
It’s going to be a beautiful journey!
a beautiful journey 
Congratulations Brandy, even though we miss you so much we know you are doing
God’s work where He wants you. From the pictures you post it really is a beautiful place.
We always enjoy your blogs.
We had the most beautiful snow we have had in years. I made snow cream, but we had to eat it at once because the power was off, and I couldn’t put any in the freezer. When the power finally came back on the snow had started to melt so I couldn’t make any to freeze.
Granddaddy say’s to tell you hello and that he loves you.
Love you,
Grandmother