Simulator Flight Training
This week Ryan is doing flight training in the new Red Bird C208 Caravan simulator with fellow pilot, Corné, from the Netherlands. Because of COVID, the MAF trainer based in Cairns isn’t able to come to do the training in person, so a couple of the pilots have managed to rig up cameras, speakers and a microphone. It’s a great set-up, until power or the internet goes wonky, as it is often inclined to do in PNG. But the training is progressing and Ryan should be back in a real cockpit at the start of next week!
Manual Writing
Whilst we may be stuck in Mt Hagen for longer than we wanted, this is giving me (Shiv) the opportunity to work closely with some of the Mt Hagen Ground Operations team to get some headway in writing the manual I’ve been working on for far too long!
Pictured are Levis (left), a Senior Traffic Officer, and John, the Cargo Officer, who have kindly given up some of their time to measure the C208 Caravan for me so I know the maximum dimensions of cargo that we can carry, and they explained the cargo registers, which they are holding up.
Back at Church in Mt Hagen
Today we had the privilege of singing praises to God in the local language, Tok Pisin, at Kiminga Baptist Church in Mt Hagen. We were the only expats in the congregation, but it felt so comfortable and familiar.
Family Afternoon Out
On Saturday afternoon we borrowed a MAF vehicle (ours is waiting for a part) and drove up to Ronden Ridge, about half an hour outside of Mt Hagen. There are beautiful views of Hagen and it’s very peaceful up there. But our main reason for going was to visit the spot where we first said “I love you” about 4 years ago. 😍 The rock in the stream where we had a picnic is still there, pictured just over Ryan’s right shoulder! Happy memories!
Ray the dog seemed a little confused with his new backpack, but he’s an old man now, he can’t keep up with us on walks like he used to. The backpack means he can still come with us for a bit of fresh air and exercise!
Ryan also found an empty Cicada shell, click below to see the pics.
First visit back to Telefomin!
Ryan got to visit our home and friends in Telefomin yesterday, as part of his observer flying before he gets back in the Captain’s chair.
Sadly, he couldn’t stay, he only got an hour on the ground, just long enough to pop to our house and pick up a few things to bring back to Mt Hagen, but he was so encouraged to be able to see the village which we call home!
Shiv has to wait until October to see Telefomin again.
First day back in the “office”
Today was our first day at the base & HQ in Mt Hagen. Ryan spent the day studying and Shiv had several meetings with Ground Operations staff to work on her manual.
There were 3 MAF C208s sitting on the tarmac waiting for a pilot! We hope to be able to take one back with us to Telefomin before the middle of October!?
Catching up with PNG Friends!
To celebrate our release from quarantine (and Mandy’s birthday, pictured right, centre) we went out for dinner on Wednesday evening with some very dear PNG friends.
At the top of the table are pictured Brandon & Sharlene who have been looking after our dog, Ray, for 5 months!!!
Half way through Quarantine!
We’ve been in quarantine for a week, just 7 days left until we can go for a walk outside and Ryan can start flying again!
We left Canada a week ago!
And what a busy week it’s been, traveling around the world!
We are now comfortably in quarantine where we will stay until midnight on 1st September. We’re still suffering from jet-lag, despite staying in hotels en-route, but Ryan has started studying for his flight tests and Shiv has started some of her work too.
Thank you all again so much for your amazing support and encouragement over the past couple of months!
Peter & Grace make a Difference
Peter & Grace Make a Difference is a movie filmed in Arawa, Bougainville, by kids and youths from 'Voice in the Wilderness.' The film addresses 'Sorcery Accusation Related Violence' (SARV) and follows two kids, Peter & Grace, as they find out more about SARV issues in their village and community.
This movie is in Tok Pisin (Melanesian Pidgin) with English subtitles. It is suitable to watch as a family to learn more about the topic of sorcery and sanguma (witchcraft), its threats, and how to respond. Sorcery Accusation Related Violence is sadly still a significant problem in areas of PNG.
MAF PNG’s partner and our friend Anton Lutz was part of the production, in front of and behind the camera!
We have our plane tickets!
This morning we got our plane tickets through, so on Sunday 12th July, almost 8 weeks later than we had originally planned, we will be leaving Canada and starting the long journey back to our home in Telefomin, Papua New Guinea.
We will be traveling for approximately 60 hours and flying for just over 33 of those hours, a lot longer than usual! But we are so relieved to finally have our tickets in our hands!
There are so many new procedures and regulations as a result of COVID-19 so we would REALLY appreciate LOTS of prayer over the next 2 weeks. Thanks so much!!!
Permission to return to PNG!
After weeks of waiting we have just received word that we have permission to enter PNG! What a huge relief! But we still have practical hoops to jump through, can we find a flight that will work at a reasonable price, can we get there within our allotted time frame, can we get a COVID-19 test before we go, will we have to quarantine in PNG for 7 days or 14 days?
Please continue to pray for the logistics to work out, all the way until we reach Mt Hagen, where MAF PNG has our HQ, where Ryan will do his flight tests and we will buy 3-months’ worth of groceries before we can head all the way home to Telefomin.
Click on the picture, left, to watch a video of our friend, Nurse Rhema, one of the local health care workers who MAF supports and we fly out of Telefomin.