 |  |
INTEGRITY COMPASSION
 |
Prospective | Prep | Senior | OKGA | Public Info. | Hot Items | Knox News | Knox Net | Great Hall Campaign | Contacts | Email Sign-up |
Senior : Outdoor Education : Papua New Guinea - July 08Papua New Guinea - July 08 Knox Grammar School Milne Bay Trip 1-12 July 2008 Updates: Saturday 12 July (received Monday 14 July, 8.48am): The party arrived home into Sydney via Cairns this afternoon. All are well and feeling very blessed by this experience which has been a great moulding experience for all involved. Thursday 10 July, 11.00pm: Today was spent around Port Moresby seeing some of the local sights and preparing for our journey home. All remain in good spirits and excellent health. The villages have renamed our group the " Sons of Leilhudi", which is a great honour. We are counting our blessings from this trip. Wednesday 9 July, 10.48pm: Today's highlight was our big boat trip to an island in Milne Bay. We had a wonderful time seeing much wondrous natural beauty, but sadly some heavy rain prevented us from attempting a landing at any point. The pioneers on the trip have been amazed by the surroundings and spent some of this afternoon bargaining with locals at the markets for local craft articles. Tonight we are going to hear a talk on local health issues delivered by an experienced local health care worker, after dinner. Tomorrow we will visit the "timber milk" before commencing our formal debriefing and then flying back to Port Moresby late in the day. All remain in excellent spirits and the finest of health, except for some minor sea sickness on today's cruise. Everywhere we have gone the boys have been excellent ambassadors for both Australia and Knox, and have attracted a fabulous reputation already. Tuesday 8 July, 5.00pm: Last night's feast in the Village Square was an amazing experience and extremely moving. We arose to say our sad, but warm, farewells and returned to Alotau where we enjoyed a shower for the first time in days. All remain in great spirits and health. Monday 7 July, 5.05pm: Another wonderful day in the tropics where we spent the morning harvesting yams and taro for tonight's feast, along with the preparation of a pig. This feast is in our honour to mark our departure tomorrow. Sunday 6 July, 8.08pm: Another wonderful and fulfilling day in the paradise of PNG's Milne Bay area. After rising early we lead the morning Church Service which was packed out the doors, with all making a great contribution. We followed this up with a journey up into the Owen Stanley Ranges to see first hand the area's gravity fed water project. All in all another great day. Everyone is well and healthy and quite overcome with the beauty of both the people and natural beauty of the area. Plans are well underway to spend tomorrow preparing for our farewell feast which will take up most of tomorrow and will include harvesting yams and catching a pig. The weather remains picture perfect and clear save fro one twenty minute shower since arrival. Saturday 5 July, 10.34am: Saturday is best described as "another day in paradise". The weather was again superb after an early morning brief and light shower.Our party spent the morning completing the construction of the pit toilet facility to much acclaim of the village. Friday 4 July, 11.39am: Today has been another very full but very rewarding day where we were blessed with absolutely magnificent weather. After rising early we helped dig a pit toilet and learnt how to weave floors and walls for buildings in the morning. After lunch we visited the local school where the village attends. It has 97 students and we were greeted most warmly and with great enthusiasm. Mr Michael Ova, the Principal Education Advisor for Milne Bay, was present and made a speech to the gathering stating that through Knox Grammar's on-going support this school would remain open. Our welcome included traditional singing and dancing in our honour. We exchanged our gifts of library books, which were very much appreciated by the students and teachers for traditional gifts which they had prepared for us. it was a very uplifting day where all who were present felt very blessed. Thursday 3 July, 4.52pm: After a three hour visit to the West Cape Medical Centre we have finally made our way to the Village. We were recieved in spectactular fashion with an overwhelming welcome including leis, dances and songs, guards of honour, speeches and a feast. Everyone in the group remains healthy and happy and looking forward to starting our work on the water project which is scheduled for Saturday. The weather remains pleasant all the time with clear skies and balmy nights. Wednesday 2 July, 11.00am: The expedition is enjoying perfect weather and spent time today visiting war memorials and local produce markets, banks and a supermarket. In the evening they attended a Youth Group where they sang "Amazing Grace" and presented a parable re-enactment. A big welcome is anticipated when the party visit the village tomorrow and much excitement has built in the group at finally arriving in the village itself. Throughout the group there is a wonderful spirit amongst both staff and students and all are healthy and happy. On Friday, visits are planned to both the East Cape Medical Centre and the school where boys will participate in an open learning program, sport and make the donations of the books for the library. The building project will commence on Saturday. Tuesday 1 July, 8.53am: All arrived safe and well into Alotua just before 5.00pm where we were met by Sharyn who was a welcome sight. Weather is high 20's with some scattered cloud around, and a chance of a shower or two. Everyone is very excited, but tired from the flights. Looking forward to tomorrow and the work begining.
Itinerary
PNG Pioneers - Newsletter
|
