The visitation team on their last day in Sydney, Australia riding the ferry through Sydney Harbor to Manly.  From left to right, Gary Teske, Dan Lilienkamp, Eli Truhe, Amy Truhe, Grace Vannoy, Emily Greble and Noah Hornbeck.  Alex Lang is missing from the picture.

It is Sunday back in the states and I think that everyone who was on the trip to PNG is home by now.  Unfortunately, Amy and Eli Truhe who were flying into Wichita by way of the Twin Cities got stranded for a night in Minnesota when their flight into Wichita was cancelled.  I am battling some serious jet lag as I suspect is the case with the rest of the group.  For some reason, it seems that jet lag hits me harder coming east than going west.  I'm not sure why.  I am also still feeling sort of an afterglow from the trip.  Everyone on the visitation team participated so well and with so much heart and each in their own way.  Dan and Alex battled the difficulties of the poor internet situation and kept working to help the circuit communicators get more comfortable with their computers.  And, perhaps more importantly, they used the time to build stronger and deeper ties to the Papua New Guinean communicators who they had first met in 2014.  Eli and Noah kept breaking the ice with the youth by pulling out their frisbees and introducing the young people to those flying discs.  Emily and Grace cuddled every little kid they could get their hands on and found a new friend in Natasha, the daughter of the local doctor.  They, together with Amy also joined wholeheartedly in donning some "bilas" (body decorations) and dancing with about 100 women from the Kotte District who were gathering for their biannual "bung" (meeting).  I just enjoyed seeing a lot of dear old friends from Finschhafen, and seeing more friendships established and cultivated by everyone there. We came back with plans for the future.  We would like to find a confirmation class or two who would like to become pen-pals with a confirmation class in Papua New Guinea.  We are also planning to bring youth from PNG to our Synod next summer.  For some reason, I think I was more aware than in the past of just how long and hard it is to get to our CoSyn Christians in Finschhafen.  20+ hours of flying followed by 3-4 hours in a speedboat and another hour on a very bumpy road.  Just to survive the trip is an accomplishment.  However, the intensity of the relationships that we encounter there, the warmth of the hospitality and the appreciation on the part of our hosts for our willingness to make the journey just to spend time with them is very moving and I think that I can speak for everyone in saying that it certainly makes it all worth while.  We thank God for safe travel, good health and for encountering our risen Lord in remarkable ways in the land of Papua New Guinea.  Gary.