After two very long days of travel and a few very fun hours in Narita, Japan, Ryan and I are finally home and what an adjustment it has been already! First of all, we went from a sunny, tropical country right into the middle of a snow storm. I don’t know how many inches are currently on the ground, but the snow is still falling. Also, it’s amazing for me to realize now just how loud the United States is. We went out to dinner last night and were struck by the noise that made talking impossible. On the happy side, I can wear jeans again. : ) And of course it’s good to see friends. However, what I want to write about today is what I miss about PNG.
I already mentioned the weather, but I do love the sun, so I miss the intense sun and the brilliantly blue sky. I also miss the rain and the thunderstorms. The rain in PNG is the most beautifully relaxing sound to fall asleep to at night.
I miss walking to work in the morning. What a perfect commute!
I miss seeing the mountains on that walk to and from work. And I miss the view of the mountains from behind the pharmacy building. I always paused for a moment before I went in to check on the availability of whichever medication I was interested in using that day.
I miss seeing patients in the clinic, getting labs and x-rays, and having a follow-up appointment all in the same day.
I miss going to the market to get all sorts of fresh fruits and vegetables, but I don’t miss soaking them in bleach afterwards. : )
I miss the wild flowers, which were everywhere!
I miss all the doctors and other missionaries I worked with, and I miss the rest of the staff at the hospital, like Betty and Joe.
I miss speaking pidgin, or at least attempting to.
I miss all the geckos that kept us company around, and occasionally in, our apartment.
I miss how everyone said hi to us as we walked around.
And I miss the wonderfully quiet evenings….
Thank you again to everyone who supported us in this adventure through money, prayers, and encouraging words. We couldn’t have done it without you. God has certainly touched us through our experience in this beautiful corner of the world and we hope to touch you through what we have learned. With much love, Christine