Grace Chew’s Blog

The journey in…

So I’m here in Port Moresby, sitting in the little corner of Mapang Guesthouse where the computer is, while warm air condenses around me. To get here, I’ve been in a plane from London-KL-Kch-KL-Gold Coast, bus to Brisbane, then another plane from Brisbane-Port Moresby, discounting the numerous car rides in between. Onwards is another plane ride from Port Moresby-Baimuru, then a boat rid from Baimuru-Kapuna Hospital.

My journey so far has been dotted with millions of tiny blessings and coincidences (or God-incidences). The expansive generosity of the Lee family in KL was heartwarming, fellowship with various friends met was heartlifing. Even in the short time in Australia en route to PNG, a kind Chinese lady offered to help me find my way from Gold Coast airport into Brisbane, and I had the happy surprise of seeing a familiar face in Gold Coast airport who pointed me on my way! In exiting the airport in Port Moresby, we were gladdened to see our names held by an English man with a tinkling smile and an enormous heart who took us around his adopted hometown and shared his family’s stories with us, even gifting us some of his cartoon books to read (and maybe learn pidgin from!). If only this has happened, what more could happen in the next 6 weeks, I can only imagine. We’ve been told a few times that PNG is known as the land of the unexpected, so I’ll just prepare to be surprised.

Coming from Malaysia has prepared me somewhat for coming to this place. It’s not as bad as I thought it would be, but that may perhaps be because we haven’t ventured out alone and we’re still in the city, shelthered from the “real” life out in the country. All that will change when we board that plane tomorrow which will bring us to the swamps that is Kapuna. As for now, we will sit in the shade of the guesthouse, reading, watching TV (when we still have the chance) and tinkering on the lovely piano that we have here. Even now Ruth is entertaining me. ;>