20230214

The teachers of PIM schools finished their 2 weeks training last Friday. Some of them teach in the PIM School in Ambunti. A lot more of them left by boats last Saturday for the other PIM schools in the remote villages in the basin of East Sepik River. And the students are finally able to be back to school after a very long summer vacation.

PIM學校的老師們上週五完成了為期兩周的培訓。他們當中的一些人在安布恩提的PIM學校任教。上週六，他們當中的大部分人乘船前往其它東希比克河流域偏遠村莊的PIM學校。經過了漫長的暑假，學生們終於可以回學校上課。

However, there was some irruption on the school starting day in Ambunti: Teachers were fighting for classrooms. One of the grades were over signed up with 57 students. It’s hard for us to understand how this could be unknown to the school until the starting day or why a problem like this required fighting instead of sorting out. Douglas went up and sealed the fighting. Before the new classroom is built, the school needs to make 2 lower grade classes share one classroom: One class are to come in the morning, and the other in the afternoon. Through this I have learned that missionaries need to be mentors of local staff, working side by side with them, in order to have them change their mindset through sorting out the problems that happen to them. This cannot be achieved by preaching or running training courses.

然而，在安布恩提開學的那天，出現了一些小插曲：老師們在為著搶教室而吵架。其中一個年級今年超額報名，有57個學生。我們很難理解學校怎麼會直到開學那天才知道這件事，或者為什麼這樣的問題需要吵架而不是好好解決。道格拉斯前去停止爭端。在新教室建成之前，學校需要讓兩個低年級的班級共用一個教室：一個班級在上午來，另一個在下午來上課。通過這件事，我瞭解到宣教士需要成為當地同工的導師，與他們並肩工作，以便讓他們通過解決發生在他們身上的問題來改變他們的心態。這不是一味地教導或培訓可以達成的。

There was a public high school in Ambunti. When I came last year, I saw the students came to school from other areas in their canoes. That was a very beautiful scenery on the river. However, the school shut down due to the big fights among villages and the government hasn’t restarted it yet it is a lot harder to restart than to shut down. The PIM school in Ambunti is up to grade 8 this year. Therefore, some parents have to send their children to the boarding schools in other parts of East Sepik Province.  

安布恩提原本有一所公立高中。去年我來的時候，看到學生們划著獨木舟從其他地區趕來上學，那是非常美麗的河上風光。然而，由於部落間的惡鬥，學校關閉了。關閉容易啟動難，政府至今還沒有重新啟動這所學校，而安布恩提的PIM學校今年僅升至8年級。因此，一些家長不得不將孩子送到東希比克省其他地區讀寄宿學校。 

The ladies in my sewing class finished their projects last Thursday. When I was doing the review for them, I was amazed by the progress God had made them achieve. For Level Two, they finished making the basic pattern, a sleeveless top, a pair of skirt pants, and a pencil case. I know it is hard work for them, and I am considering to make the skirt pants a project of Level Three in the future instead of Level Two. For cheering them up, I made different snacks for them each day they came to the classroom under my apartment. That was also to give the ladies new ideas of what they can sell for their business in the market. When they finished their work, we took a group snap, wearing what had been made by themselves. They were so satisfied and couldn’t wait to share the photos to others.

縫紉班的婦女們上週四完成了她們的作品。為她們做複習時，感到上帝使她們進步的程度真是令人驚訝。在第二級，他們完成了基本原型圖的製作、一件無袖上衣、一條褲裙和一個鉛筆盒。我知道這對她們來說頗為繁重，正在考慮將來將裙褲從二級改為三級的作品之一。為了讓她們振作起來，在她們來到我住處樓下教室的日子裡，我每天都發揮創意為她們做不同的點心。這也是為了給這些婦女們提供創意，讓她們知道在市場上做生意時還可以賣些什麼東西。當他們完成作品時，我們穿著自己課堂上製作的服裝合影留念。大家非常滿意，迫不及待地想與他人分享照片。 

Surviving in the mission fields makes missionaries a lot more creative than we are in our home countries. As the rice and noodles Douglas and I brought from Wewak are going to run out though we at times buy sago from the locals, it is time to take out the flour and use it. We can hardly buy any ingredients here for making the stuffing of water dumplings and steam buns. Last week, I made some steamed buns that were stuffed with sago worms. The juicy worms made so perfect gravy inside the buns that Douglas who doesn’t normally enjoys worms couldn’t stop eating them. I made water dumplings with some smashed long beans today, and that tasted good, too. When I was in Taiwan, I never thought of making vegetarian water dumplings with long beans, and of course, not steamed buns with worms. Enjoy the pictures with me and give thanks to God!

在宣教禾場存活使得宣教士們比在家鄉時更有創造力。即使我們也在當地買西谷粉來食用，道格拉斯和我從威瓦克帶來的米飯和麵條即將用完，是時候拿出麵粉了。在這裡幾乎買不到任何製作水餃和饅頭餡料的原料。上周，我用西米蟲當餡料做了一些包子。多汁的蠕蟲使包子裡面吸收恰到好處的肉汁，以至於平時不喜歡吃蠕蟲的道格拉斯忍不住多吃了好幾個包子。我今天用一些搗碎的長豆當餡料做了一些水餃，味道也不錯。在台灣的時候，我從來不沒想過要用長豆做素餃子，當然也不會想到要用蠕蟲做包子呀！跟我一起享受相片，也一起感謝神吧！ 

Please remember us in your prayers. 

敬請繼續在禱告中記念我們：

1. May God bless us with continuous good reception of cellphone signal and network.
求神繼續保守我們在安布恩提有穩定的收訊及網路。

2.  May God bless our participants who attend the Level Two training course of sewing and Bible story devotion, and give them divine love and courage to be able to conducts Dorcas Fellowship in their own churches.
願上帝保守參加縫紉和聖經故事靈修二級培訓課程的學員，並給予他們屬天的愛與勇氣，使她們能夠在自己的教會中進行多加團契。

3.   May God strengthen all PIM school teachers as they start the new semester with their pupils and put His love into their hearts.
此時所有PIM學校的老師與學生一起開始新的學期，願上帝賜力量給他們，並將祂的愛放在他們的心中。

4.   Douglas is having a swollen ankle on his right leg again. May God heal Douglas’ swollen ankle and my gum.  
願上帝治癒道格拉斯腫脹的腳踝以及Sandy的牙齦。

5.  Operating a mission organization, Douglas is busy working  with all the needs in all different departments of the organization, in PNG and in the USA, every day. May God give him the strength needed.
要運作一個宣教差會，道格拉斯每天忙著解決差會中在新幾內亞以及在美國所有不同部門的種種需要。求神賞賜給他所需要的力量。

6.   May God guide us with the preparations and the trip planning for going back to Taiwan in March.
願上帝引導我們三月回台灣的準備工作以及行程安排。

7.  I was recently informed that my old papa who takes care of my mom who suffers from dementia also appears to have problem with mental degeneration. But he refuse to have a checkup in the hospital. May God take care of my old parents, grant them salvation, health, peace and joy.
最近家人告訴Sandy，爸爸(照顧Sandy患有失智症的媽媽)也開始出現智力退化的現象，但他拒絕就醫檢查。願神看顧Sandy年邁的父母，賞賜他們救恩、健康、平安及喜樂。

All for Him

願神得榮耀

主內末肢

In Christ

Sandy 

Line ID : sandytw2014

IG: chao.sandy.png

20230214

The latest update of Douglas 道格拉斯近期通訊