Journal entry from 4.9.-14.9.22

Finding my own path

This is my blog for eleven days from Sunday the 4th to Saturday the 14th. My 5th week in the country. This week has been full of so many more engagements and positive vibes.

1. Fire at church

On Sunday, I was nice and early. First at the church grounds as always. Ps Lindsay had opened the doors and was working on his own preparations for the service. I asked for a wreck. He showed me where it was. I hanged my bilum on a tree branch and began wrecking all the rubbish around the entire front of the church building which faced west. Papers, bottles, cans, plastics, leaves and all. I pulled out weeds as well. I threw bottles, tins and cans in the rubbish bin nearby. And burnt the rest. One of our congregation members were inside the kitchen. I asked him for a lighter and he gave it to me. I made a huge fire outside the church and burnt all the rubbish I had collected. People started walking towards the fire from different directions. One of them was a teacher who worked at the school. He came and gave a hand. A branch had fallen off the tree and was hanging high but wouldn't fall off easily. We got a small boy to climb the tree and moved the hanging branch so we could pull it down. It came off loose and we pulled it down easily. And added onto the fire. The fire grew big and glorious. The entire front of the church looked free of rubbish. I wrecked the entire southern end of the church and around the toilets. Then it was time for church service. The fire was a great idea to gather the congregation on time! We should make fire at 10am every Sunday I thought.

2. Dinner party

After church I headed to the house and started on the dinner party. I had asked my friends Suzy, Jaleen and Melly to come to mine for dinner that night. I had told them that my dinning table inside the house could only fit two people. Hence, I would make fire outside my back yard and we could sit around the fire and have dinner. This was the first time I took my fire dish out from the shed. I got two plastics of my rocks I brought with me for Mumu. Mumu is a PNG way of cooking food in the earth.

I had taken the car to my place after our Ceduna trip on Saturday. After church I drove to the main road towards the caravan park and collected some beautiful firewood that I had seen on my daily walks. I collected a good heap and drove back to the house. I prepared food the whole afternoon. I made my favorite green salad, coleslaw, potatoe salad, roasted pumpkin and yellow flesh sweet potatoe salad, crackling pork, roast lamb, tandoori chicken and fried rice. I brought out my picnic table and the coffee table that was inside the house initially which I had put away in the shed. I laid out my favorite PNG fabrics over the tables. I had collected some beautiful yellow flowers on my way to work the other day and had filled my vase. I brought that out and placed it on the table over the fabric. It looked beautiful, full of color and life. All my dishes were ready. I made fire. It was glorious. I collected Suzy from her place. Suzy loves fire and adventure as I do. I roasted a corn over the fire for on tray. It was sweet, warm and delicious. We left half the girls. After about half an hour, the girls pulled up. I was very sure I made so much food, more than enough for four of us. So I suggested to Suzy that we invited Walter and Benny from across the road. Suzy called them and there was no response. So she called Walter and he answered. He wasn't home but Benny was unwell and so was resting. Not soon after, there was a knock at the gate. Walter was somewhere in community so he came to join us. The weather was glorious. The atmosphere was warm and friendly. Everyone sat around the fire and yarned. It was a very happy evening. The fire brought so much life and laughter.

I got Suzy to help me bring the food out. All that food filled the tables. Everyone was stunned at the dishes. I brought out water, glasses and dinner set. Everyone self served. My green salad was popular, then the pork and a mushroom sauce I made with sweet chili sauce. Everyone enjoyed the food. And fire. And friendship. I made coffee afterwards and served fruit salad. They left around 10pm. They each took a container of left overs. I was left with some potatoe salad and pork. I did dishes and cleaned. Whole day of serving I thought!

3. Bilum

I had a couple of PNG bilums. I divided them and left some in Adelaide and had brought some with me. Since I came to the country, I gave several of them away. I gave one to Narbi, the other to Jaleen and the 3rd to Suzy. I got one replaced through the mail. My friend Annie in Brisbane posted one to me through the mail. It was a kundu design, I guess one of the latest models. I thought, giving is receiving.

4. Dinner out

Friday after work my friend and Suzy and I decided to go over to Nundroo for dinner. She drove her car. I shouted fuel, drinks and dinner. It was a great time of drive out for once. It was a beautiful afternoon. We enjoyed the food and drinks. I had Indian butter chicken with two stubies of coopers pale.

5. Yarn

Sat I stayed at home and worked on my study almost the whole day. Towards the evening I received a phone call from Angelina. There was a gathering in the community at one of the homes. I quickly got ready and walked up. It was cold but beautiful afternoon. A bus from Oz Harvest Ministries had come. In fact there was a big group of outreach team that had traveled here. They brought food, BBq and drinks. Music and band. The community gathered from all corners. There was fire. Music. Singing. fellowship. It was a happy afternoon of yarn. I helped with the BBQ. The community took part in singing. I stayed on until midnight and got a lift home with Melly.

6. Sunday Camp Fire lunch

I didnt go to church on Sunday because I was full from last night. There was no church as all the people were meeting again with the outreach team. Suzy sent me a text that she was making lunch on a camp fire oven and if I wanted to join her. I hurried down with the left chocolate bar I had left since I got it from Ceduna last week. Eloise, the other RAN came and joined us. The beef stew in the camp oven over the fire was delicious. We sat around the fire, ate, drank and talked for hours. Eloise went to do her med rounds as she was on call. I went home and Suzy went to rest. While her adopted dog Sydney kept her company.

7. The week 5.9-9.9.22

This week was the most rewarding of my time. I mobilised the women to attend GP appointments on Thursday and Friday. Lauren and I made out bags of little goodies. We made tea, coffee and fruits. As they came, they could yarn. Melissa did a painting of my left hand. There were 23 women all together. I was fulfilled. And I am sure they were too.

8. The kia

I had the kia parked at my front gate the night of the 8.9.22. My camera had gone blacked out since the Sunday dinner party as I had encountered a power outage when the kettle blew out. Anyway, someone had thrown rocks on the front drivers glass and completely shattered the window. The ambulance trooper parked opposite also had shattered windscreen. Oh well, things happen. Move on.

8. Photo gallery

The following photos are of the Sunday 4.9 dinner party I hosted with my friends at my place by the fire