We live in Wamena, and here is an update.

Hello friend, good day to you. =) 

Heading off to his FIRST day of work here! 

We have been living in Wamena for one month.  Wow, time goes fast!   Our home is set up, and Matt has started working for Helimission!  This is exciting!  about 12 years of work leading up to this.  This is not an accomplishment we take for granted.  There have been a lot of blood, sweat and tears to get to this point, there has also been a lot of excitement, joy and laughter as well! 

Finally here.  The IDEA of living in Wamena and being settled in is no longer an IDEA.  It is a reality.  It is a little bit of a mind trip sometimes.  =)  

Leaving out our gate for his first day of work!

We like Wamena.  It is different than Sentani, and there are things and people that are dear to us in Sentani that we miss.  But we are happy to be in Wamena, and we feel that this place will make a wonderful home.  We love the people here.  There is a real and rugged feel to this place and one can’t help but fall in love with the people here.   

The weather in Wamena is amazing.  Much cooler than Sentani , which is a breath of fresh air….literally, and there are no dengue or malaria mosquitos here! =) 

I am now riding solo on the motorbike around town.

Matt is still grounded from flying FOR NOW.  The government is not recognizing the waiver from the states for Matt’s colourblindness.  Some days, some moments this is hard…like a punch in the gut.  But, we know this is a piece of cake for our God.  He’s got this, and He has a reason for this.  We are learning….learning to have long term vision, not just look at current circumstances and give up.  There is a bigger picture here that we can’t yet see, and sometimes you have to lay down your dreams and plans and expectations in-front of Jesus and just trust Him.  He knows.  =)  And you know what….we are growing from this.  

Matt goes to work each day now, which is an adjustment for us all.  (he didn’t go to a normal 9-5 job for over a year)  but we are adjusting well.  And it is SO nice to put down some roots and set up “normal” life here.  

Thank you SO much friend for praying for us.  We love your prayers.  

Here is how you can currently pray for us.  

Amanda is homesick.   I never felt the ache of homesick in Sentani, sure I MISSED you all….but never felt that gut wrenching ache.   I feel it now.   I think it is because things are changing at home, and I am feeling like I am being left behind, things won’t be, feel, look the same when I come home again.  

Grace and I about to head out for first ride on motorbike with mom driving.

Joining a team.  We are joining a team here in Wamena.  And there are lots of really great people.  Pray for unity, pray for real life giving friendships.  Pray that we will find our “nitch” 

Pray for the Papuan people here.  The HIV statistics here are unreal,  pray for knowledge for the people, and this nasty virus won’t continue to claim so many.

Pray for the teams of missionaries working to translate the Bible into the mother tongue of tribes here in Papua.  They have a huge job, and most of them live in the tribe with the people.  They are amazing, and need your prayers.

Pray for Matt.  He has an AMAZING attitude about not flying, even though it is really what his heart desires.  Pray that He will continue to be encouraged, and for protection against discouragement.  There is another colourblind pilot here as well, he is in the same boat as Matt at this time.  Pray for him as well!  

Riding the becuk with some new friends!

Pray for protection, for guidance, for encouragement, stamina, courage, truth…..and whatever you feel you should pray for us. 

We love you guys.  

Much love, 

The Meeuwse’s 

IBM's (momma's) selling buah merah (red fruit) at the pasar (local market)

Grace and her kitty.   buds

We went to a lake and there was a group of high school students who invited us to be a part of their bakar (local style BBQ)

photoshoot.  They took LOTS of pictures of us. =) 

.......so we took a few with them. =) 

The food we ate at their batu. 

It is beautiful here!!! 

Traditional attire.

We have had a few adventures too! =)   

Change is Coming...

Hi friend!

Our time is coming to a close in Sentani. We move to Wamena in 9 days!!  Appropriately so, it is time for a little reflection.  

Sentani.  This place.  I am going to miss it.  

Flying to Indo for the first time.

Sentani, the place I thought I wouldn't be able to bear the heat, but I have survived quite nicely. 

Sentani, the place where fantasy merged with reality. The fantasy and wondering of what life in Indo would look like, and Sentani showed me.  It showed me how to live here.

Sentani, the place where I thought culture shock would hit me like a ton of bricks, but instead it stuck up from behind when I wasn't looking.  

Sentani, the place where I struggled to learn more patience for the little things you can't control. 

Learning you must filter all your drinking water.

The place I have had countless adventures and many struggles.  The place where I did things I never thought I could.  Like learn a new language, jump in a lake that has crocodiles, catch a massive ocean fish, be able to live, not only live, but THRIVE in a new culture. 

Sentani, the place that has seen me through the very first baby-steps of this journey.  It is almost like this place has seen me take my first wobbly steps, then learn to walk, but occasionally fall down and scrape my knee, then learn to get up again.  

Here I learned how to navigate a taxi by myself with 3 little phrases in Indonesian written on a napkin.  Here I didn't drive for 6 whole months.  Here I learned to cook from scratch in a box oven.  Here I learned the in's and out's of air drying your laundry.  I learned how to make friends with the ant armies that relentlessly are trying to take over our house.  I learned that I can survive a cockroach crawling all over my face.   Here I went to the local market (Pasar) for the first time and thought there was NO way, NO WAY any of the food in my house would come from there, and it is here that I now have most of my food come from the Pasar.   Here in Sentani I learned that street food won't kill me. 

Here in Sentani I watched Grace and Matt become extremely sick with dengue fever, and here I learned that God is capable and bigger than dengue fever.  

Discovering the Pasar! 

Here I learned how to survive being the "show" because whenever we are out in public people stare....it is rare, odd, unusual, exciting.....???  to see us  foreigners "bule" folk around town.  

Here I made friends with my neighbors and watched as Grace became friends with all the neighborhood kids and now calls them "all my friends", even though they can't speak the same language. 

I have built some deep friendships here that are lasting.  

Here I have watched my husband flourish in his language skills, and I have watched him place his hearts desire in God's capable hands.  I have watched him release control of something dear to him, and give the controls to God.   I have watched Matt's faith, and it has encouraged my own.  

Here, I watched my heart be changed, challenged.  I have never been so tired somedays, or so excited others.  

Sentani has seen me through a million "firsts" and in many ways, this town, these people have been my teacher.  Teaching me I CAN live here, I CAN learn not only a new language, but a new CULTURE.  I CAN not only live here, but FLOURISH here.  

I can have FUN here.  And most of all showing me that God CAN and IS using us here.  

I will genuinely  miss this town, and the people in it.  I am thankful we spent this time in Sentani. And I know that God has more awaiting for us around the corner.....so while it is ALWAYS hard to say goodbye to one chapter closing....I am eagerly waiting to see what the next one contains.

Much love,
Amanda.  

Ps.  Enjoy some pictures of our time here in Sentani! 

Let it begin. 

Grace and one of her friends.....Daya

My english speaking mind had a hard time with this one. 

jumping in lake sentani

eating a grub

I ATE A GRUB!

Movie and dinner night! 

Learning about culture! 

Wahoo! 

Matt met an old friend who cared for him when he was little and lived in Papua!  It was a beautiful moment. 

The jungle is leaking! 

A day trip on the river in the jungle. 

Met a carpet python in the jungle! 

While walking through the jungle we stumbled across this...a bakar batu! 

We sold our car in America and our only wheels for the foreseeable future....motorbike...or scooter. 

With the wild traffic....sometimes this is how driving on a motorbike makes me feel...... haha

The worst sunburn of my life.  If you look close my nose and chin are a giant blister

Walking around Sentani......discovering lots. 

My first time on the taxi alone....I celebrated with coffee!!!  

Our team and friends, heading off to the lake

My FIRST time getting motion sickness......it is no joke. 

Making friends

Grace is making friends too! 

The tops of lots of fences....glass...or nails

annnnnd then Matt got dengue fever and was more sick than I had ever seen him

And in that same week Grace got diagnosed with reactive airways.  Tough week

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At the beach making friends. 

Coming home from a fun day at the beach. 

On a field trip, we had to speak to people at the pasar

fruits and veggie stand

the beauty is breathtaking.  Mt. Cyclops in the background. 

Matt and his buddy, Septi

Our first time in Wamena......surreal

Falling in love with the locals

Clash of cultures. 

No matter the country, we love to fish!  

We are blessed

boat to the beach. 

our first Christmas in Indo.....in Sentani

Our first bakar batu

Our first Indo New Years.....in Sentani

LOVE beach trips with our dear friends.  Jared showing grace his monster fish

Our dear friends. 

Kittens in Sentani!!!!  

Fishing in the ocean! 

Success fishing in the ocean!!!! 

She fishes in pink pajamas! 

Learning about culture! 

I love Silvia! 

Hiking around the lake

 

Ohhh what adventures we have! Snorkeling to a secluded cave. 

We love snorkeling 

And we love adventure!!! 

My first ever night snorkel spearfishing trip.  I was nervous...but I loved it! 

jungle shower

Our bathroom.  

cutie bug