June 26
Hey everybody!

Just got back from a 5 day milling trip!

We traveled all day Monday - Jesse and I were in a little dingy but everyone else (along with around 3000 lbs of milling equipment and fuel) piled into a 50 ft canoe. The "river" we were traveling on was only about 4 ft wide and 3ft deep or less. At one point, everyone had to jump out of a canoe and cut a path through 300 yards of swamp so we could push the canoe through. After about 5 hours of tedious travel through swamp and jungle waterways we finally arrived at the Keram River (an actual river). We went upstream about 2.5 hours to a village called Yar where we would be milling. We stayed in a bush house (I'll post pictures when we get back to Madang) which was very nice, but afforded no protection from mosquitos whatsoever. The house was on poles about 6 feet in the air, and the walls were 3 feet high. Other than the roof, and 3 ft high walls, the house was completely open air - almost like a giant square gazebo.

We set up tents inside the house so that the mosquitos didn't eat while we slept, but any time we were just sitting around, I wore my jungle-strength mosquito repellent. I was praising God that it actually seemed to work. I tested it the first night, I sat there and watched while mosquitos (probably malaria diseased blood suckers) swarmed around. Several of them landed on my legs, only to bounce around for a few seconds and then leave. After that, I didn't worry about the mosquitos very much - I just kept the repellent on.

Tuesday through Thursday were milling days. The villagers had hacked a trail back into the jungle (think The Jungle Book) about 500 yards to where the good timber trees were. We mostly milled Kwila trees - or Ironwood as it is called in the U.S. We milled giant posts of this stuff - 8 inch by 8 inch by 12 ft long - to be used as beams and posts for the new literacy center in Samban. It is difficult to describe the milling process, so I will do it via pictures once we are out of the bush. But basically we rolled 2-4 ft in diameter logs around through the jungle and onto a sawmill and cut them into timber - using nothing but pure manpower. Good thing Papua New Guineans are all ripped like 20 year old NFL players and work like oxen. The bush cut bush had bamboo and sharp thorns all through it but ALL the guys worked in bare feet. I helped move logs around, ran the sawmill, and sharpened blades for the mill and for chainsaws.

At night, we would pile about 25-30 people in the 50 ft canoe and haul them back to the village. We would bathe in the river and then go inside our house and eat and chill out. We cooked rice on our first night there, but then the village women came and brought us a ton of food. After that we would just go to our house and wait for them to bring us food. They mostly brought Ang - a nasty gelatinous substance that is apparently edible - I tried it once and then chose to abstain. We were also given yams (basically potatoes) bananas (also strangely like potatoes), and fish. Best of all..I had a whole big piece of bandicoot one night for dinner. Bandicoot is a sort of giant jungle rat and it is absolutely delicious.

Another really great thing about the trip was getting to know the milling crew. All of the guys were in their thirties and, like typical New Guineans, they loved to tell stories and joke around. My pidgin definitely improved from listening to them talk all the time. I was really sad I had to leave this morning because I definitely had a great time with them.

I definitely felt everyone's prayers. Hopefully I don't get malaria or another stomach parasite, but I'm pumping meds like they're going out of style.

Anyway, just thought I'd update everyone and let you know that I'm safe and sound! 10 Days until we can upload pictures!!!

Thank you for your prayers!!!

-C.R.