I realized many of you have no idea what is like over here as we didn't either till we got here. So here is a typical day for us. It starts early as the sun and heat are in full force filling the house by around 6:30 am. By then you are just too hot to stay in bed any longer. After a quick cold shower (there is no hot water) with a handheld shower head to get rid of the stickyness it is time for breakfast. At up to $20 a box for cereal that is out and yogurt although less expensive at $12 a container is also not an option. Fortunatly we have a great variety of fresh fruit so we usually start our day with papaya or passion fruit or if it is available mango. Avocado and coconut are other options. We also have acces to some 1/2 whole wheat bread we usually buy. I haven't found any whole grain flour or whole grain bread yet. Oats are also out at $7 a small bag. We are learning to adapt to new foods. Protien is harder to get cause of the cost and for whatever reason Chicken and fish seem completely ellusive outside of the restaurants. SO we have found peanuts and peanut butter. Laundry is usually next on the list. We don't have a washer or dryer so we use our little laundry sink outside and hand wash and hang. This part is a bit time consuming as our clothes get so dirty so fast here. Josh is great at it and a big help. In the kitchen we work with out appliances as well except the luxury of a very small fridge. We also have a rice steamer, wok and hot plate. Electricity is made here from a diesel fuel plant so it is VERY expensive. We try to really cut down on our usage, but we do run fans at night cause with out them you couldn't sleep. We are gratefull for a friends advice to bring a bug net as that has been a life saver. WE are covered in mosquitio bites from during the day but it is alot less than with out the bug nets over each of our beds. n the mornings we usually scrub off our tile veranda as well to keep the ants at bay. The black ones aren't so bad but the fire ants we could DEFINETLY do without. They seem to be making a beeline across the inside of our house so I find the cleanser spray very helpfull. they aren't big fans. Most weekday mornings we head to the base (15 minute treck in the HEAT!!) to the base for morning worship with everyone here. We absolutly love that part. We meet under a new shade building they just filnished with a grass or palm frond roof called natting goring. It is cool under there the breeze comes throught the open sides and the worship is really wonderfull. When it is really hot and we are free for the day we pack up our stuff (guitar, books, toys lunch) and head to the beach to lay in the shade. The kids take naps there and play and we all stay cool and out of the way of the bugs. During this time I usually make the 15 minute jungle walk to the base and get on the internet. And then leave the computer here and head into the market. I take a "bus" which is really a small mini van with the letter b on the liscence plate. You flag it down when they come by and pay $1.50 each leg of your trip. To save money you want to consolidate your trips otherwise it can get pretty expensive by the end of the week since not all the shops are in walking distance. The market is an open air affair that is open 24 hours and all the villagers come to town with their produce to sell. By Sat (today) you are buying the leftovers that have sat out all week and on Sun it is closed so the villagers (from all the islands) acn go home and get more. It reopens on Monday. It is really pretty cheap. We love it as a great source for the delicious fresh prganic produce you can get. But the other part of shopping for any protien, stapeles like bread, pasta, rice sauces etc all that is available anyway is in a few "super markets". These are HIGHLY expensive so we pick and choose carefully. Bandaids can be $11 and cheese can get over $50 a kilo. But you can find some things like bread and noodles. This is where we would also try to find any plastic wares like a trash can etc.. But for any electronic things you go to the other end of town to the Chineese shops. bear in mind whatever you buy in one place needs to be carried across town while you get your other things on the list and then all needs to be carried back to the bus stop and once you get off the bus we have a 5-10 minute (depending on how much stuff you have and who you have with you) walk through some pretty big mud puddles to the house. The vehichles won't go there cause it is too full of giant holes/puddles. By evening we are at home with the fans blaring making a dinner of rice and veggies in the steamer or pasta or bits of whater we have which may be peanut butter and jelly if I couldn'g get what I needed at the store. Peanut butter is very important to us for protien as we have yet to find how to get fish and chicken. Josh bought a spear gun but got an infection and crazy sun burn last time he went out so he has to stay out of the water for a while. the coral spores get in any open wounds and they really get bad. The fllies as well really get into any open wounds so mosquito bites that have been scratched or any other little cut need to be seriously doctored and covered immediately! All of our feet are pretty tore up and I think I need to find some better band aids as the ones we have don't stick so they don't do much good and the flies are still infecting them. Josh and I got a few cuts from barbwire on our legs and those are taking FOREVER To heal. SO in the evenigs after dish and porch clean up to keep the ants away we read stories to the kids or watch a dvd on the computer. Some days we have been out for quite a while though and by dinner it is close to the kids bed time. We LOVE the beach and the breeze there is so nice that we try to get there as often as we can. We can't wait to own our own piece of beach. It is really expensive to do so as the Australian tourist buy up alot as do resorts that cater to the Australians. Please pray for this. We would really enjoy the cooler bug free beach atmosphere. For the meantime though we are blessed that the beach isn't too far. Life as you can see if really quite differant than the US. It is a 3rd world country so it isn't exactly like being in Hawaii. We do love it though and look forward to what God has for us. I am posting a few mini videos and photos on facebook so check there to see them. Thanks for all your Prayers!! Love Kristy Josh Pierce and Dahlia
Friday, February 20, 2009
A typical day for the Neeleys in Vanuatu
I realized many of you have no idea what is like over here as we didn't either till we got here. So here is a typical day for us. It starts early as the sun and heat are in full force filling the house by around 6:30 am. By then you are just too hot to stay in bed any longer. After a quick cold shower (there is no hot water) with a handheld shower head to get rid of the stickyness it is time for breakfast. At up to $20 a box for cereal that is out and yogurt although less expensive at $12 a container is also not an option. Fortunatly we have a great variety of fresh fruit so we usually start our day with papaya or passion fruit or if it is available mango. Avocado and coconut are other options. We also have acces to some 1/2 whole wheat bread we usually buy. I haven't found any whole grain flour or whole grain bread yet. Oats are also out at $7 a small bag. We are learning to adapt to new foods. Protien is harder to get cause of the cost and for whatever reason Chicken and fish seem completely ellusive outside of the restaurants. SO we have found peanuts and peanut butter. Laundry is usually next on the list. We don't have a washer or dryer so we use our little laundry sink outside and hand wash and hang. This part is a bit time consuming as our clothes get so dirty so fast here. Josh is great at it and a big help. In the kitchen we work with out appliances as well except the luxury of a very small fridge. We also have a rice steamer, wok and hot plate. Electricity is made here from a diesel fuel plant so it is VERY expensive. We try to really cut down on our usage, but we do run fans at night cause with out them you couldn't sleep. We are gratefull for a friends advice to bring a bug net as that has been a life saver. WE are covered in mosquitio bites from during the day but it is alot less than with out the bug nets over each of our beds. n the mornings we usually scrub off our tile veranda as well to keep the ants at bay. The black ones aren't so bad but the fire ants we could DEFINETLY do without. They seem to be making a beeline across the inside of our house so I find the cleanser spray very helpfull. they aren't big fans. Most weekday mornings we head to the base (15 minute treck in the HEAT!!) to the base for morning worship with everyone here. We absolutly love that part. We meet under a new shade building they just filnished with a grass or palm frond roof called natting goring. It is cool under there the breeze comes throught the open sides and the worship is really wonderfull. When it is really hot and we are free for the day we pack up our stuff (guitar, books, toys lunch) and head to the beach to lay in the shade. The kids take naps there and play and we all stay cool and out of the way of the bugs. During this time I usually make the 15 minute jungle walk to the base and get on the internet. And then leave the computer here and head into the market. I take a "bus" which is really a small mini van with the letter b on the liscence plate. You flag it down when they come by and pay $1.50 each leg of your trip. To save money you want to consolidate your trips otherwise it can get pretty expensive by the end of the week since not all the shops are in walking distance. The market is an open air affair that is open 24 hours and all the villagers come to town with their produce to sell. By Sat (today) you are buying the leftovers that have sat out all week and on Sun it is closed so the villagers (from all the islands) acn go home and get more. It reopens on Monday. It is really pretty cheap. We love it as a great source for the delicious fresh prganic produce you can get. But the other part of shopping for any protien, stapeles like bread, pasta, rice sauces etc all that is available anyway is in a few "super markets". These are HIGHLY expensive so we pick and choose carefully. Bandaids can be $11 and cheese can get over $50 a kilo. But you can find some things like bread and noodles. This is where we would also try to find any plastic wares like a trash can etc.. But for any electronic things you go to the other end of town to the Chineese shops. bear in mind whatever you buy in one place needs to be carried across town while you get your other things on the list and then all needs to be carried back to the bus stop and once you get off the bus we have a 5-10 minute (depending on how much stuff you have and who you have with you) walk through some pretty big mud puddles to the house. The vehichles won't go there cause it is too full of giant holes/puddles. By evening we are at home with the fans blaring making a dinner of rice and veggies in the steamer or pasta or bits of whater we have which may be peanut butter and jelly if I couldn'g get what I needed at the store. Peanut butter is very important to us for protien as we have yet to find how to get fish and chicken. Josh bought a spear gun but got an infection and crazy sun burn last time he went out so he has to stay out of the water for a while. the coral spores get in any open wounds and they really get bad. The fllies as well really get into any open wounds so mosquito bites that have been scratched or any other little cut need to be seriously doctored and covered immediately! All of our feet are pretty tore up and I think I need to find some better band aids as the ones we have don't stick so they don't do much good and the flies are still infecting them. Josh and I got a few cuts from barbwire on our legs and those are taking FOREVER To heal. SO in the evenigs after dish and porch clean up to keep the ants away we read stories to the kids or watch a dvd on the computer. Some days we have been out for quite a while though and by dinner it is close to the kids bed time. We LOVE the beach and the breeze there is so nice that we try to get there as often as we can. We can't wait to own our own piece of beach. It is really expensive to do so as the Australian tourist buy up alot as do resorts that cater to the Australians. Please pray for this. We would really enjoy the cooler bug free beach atmosphere. For the meantime though we are blessed that the beach isn't too far. Life as you can see if really quite differant than the US. It is a 3rd world country so it isn't exactly like being in Hawaii. We do love it though and look forward to what God has for us. I am posting a few mini videos and photos on facebook so check there to see them. Thanks for all your Prayers!! Love Kristy Josh Pierce and Dahlia
I realized many of you have no idea what is like over here as we didn't either till we got here. So here is a typical day for us. It starts early as the sun and heat are in full force filling the house by around 6:30 am. By then you are just too hot to stay in bed any longer. After a quick cold shower (there is no hot water) with a handheld shower head to get rid of the stickyness it is time for breakfast. At up to $20 a box for cereal that is out and yogurt although less expensive at $12 a container is also not an option. Fortunatly we have a great variety of fresh fruit so we usually start our day with papaya or passion fruit or if it is available mango. Avocado and coconut are other options. We also have acces to some 1/2 whole wheat bread we usually buy. I haven't found any whole grain flour or whole grain bread yet. Oats are also out at $7 a small bag. We are learning to adapt to new foods. Protien is harder to get cause of the cost and for whatever reason Chicken and fish seem completely ellusive outside of the restaurants. SO we have found peanuts and peanut butter. Laundry is usually next on the list. We don't have a washer or dryer so we use our little laundry sink outside and hand wash and hang. This part is a bit time consuming as our clothes get so dirty so fast here. Josh is great at it and a big help. In the kitchen we work with out appliances as well except the luxury of a very small fridge. We also have a rice steamer, wok and hot plate. Electricity is made here from a diesel fuel plant so it is VERY expensive. We try to really cut down on our usage, but we do run fans at night cause with out them you couldn't sleep. We are gratefull for a friends advice to bring a bug net as that has been a life saver. WE are covered in mosquitio bites from during the day but it is alot less than with out the bug nets over each of our beds. n the mornings we usually scrub off our tile veranda as well to keep the ants at bay. The black ones aren't so bad but the fire ants we could DEFINETLY do without. They seem to be making a beeline across the inside of our house so I find the cleanser spray very helpfull. they aren't big fans. Most weekday mornings we head to the base (15 minute treck in the HEAT!!) to the base for morning worship with everyone here. We absolutly love that part. We meet under a new shade building they just filnished with a grass or palm frond roof called natting goring. It is cool under there the breeze comes throught the open sides and the worship is really wonderfull. When it is really hot and we are free for the day we pack up our stuff (guitar, books, toys lunch) and head to the beach to lay in the shade. The kids take naps there and play and we all stay cool and out of the way of the bugs. During this time I usually make the 15 minute jungle walk to the base and get on the internet. And then leave the computer here and head into the market. I take a "bus" which is really a small mini van with the letter b on the liscence plate. You flag it down when they come by and pay $1.50 each leg of your trip. To save money you want to consolidate your trips otherwise it can get pretty expensive by the end of the week since not all the shops are in walking distance. The market is an open air affair that is open 24 hours and all the villagers come to town with their produce to sell. By Sat (today) you are buying the leftovers that have sat out all week and on Sun it is closed so the villagers (from all the islands) acn go home and get more. It reopens on Monday. It is really pretty cheap. We love it as a great source for the delicious fresh prganic produce you can get. But the other part of shopping for any protien, stapeles like bread, pasta, rice sauces etc all that is available anyway is in a few "super markets". These are HIGHLY expensive so we pick and choose carefully. Bandaids can be $11 and cheese can get over $50 a kilo. But you can find some things like bread and noodles. This is where we would also try to find any plastic wares like a trash can etc.. But for any electronic things you go to the other end of town to the Chineese shops. bear in mind whatever you buy in one place needs to be carried across town while you get your other things on the list and then all needs to be carried back to the bus stop and once you get off the bus we have a 5-10 minute (depending on how much stuff you have and who you have with you) walk through some pretty big mud puddles to the house. The vehichles won't go there cause it is too full of giant holes/puddles. By evening we are at home with the fans blaring making a dinner of rice and veggies in the steamer or pasta or bits of whater we have which may be peanut butter and jelly if I couldn'g get what I needed at the store. Peanut butter is very important to us for protien as we have yet to find how to get fish and chicken. Josh bought a spear gun but got an infection and crazy sun burn last time he went out so he has to stay out of the water for a while. the coral spores get in any open wounds and they really get bad. The fllies as well really get into any open wounds so mosquito bites that have been scratched or any other little cut need to be seriously doctored and covered immediately! All of our feet are pretty tore up and I think I need to find some better band aids as the ones we have don't stick so they don't do much good and the flies are still infecting them. Josh and I got a few cuts from barbwire on our legs and those are taking FOREVER To heal. SO in the evenigs after dish and porch clean up to keep the ants away we read stories to the kids or watch a dvd on the computer. Some days we have been out for quite a while though and by dinner it is close to the kids bed time. We LOVE the beach and the breeze there is so nice that we try to get there as often as we can. We can't wait to own our own piece of beach. It is really expensive to do so as the Australian tourist buy up alot as do resorts that cater to the Australians. Please pray for this. We would really enjoy the cooler bug free beach atmosphere. For the meantime though we are blessed that the beach isn't too far. Life as you can see if really quite differant than the US. It is a 3rd world country so it isn't exactly like being in Hawaii. We do love it though and look forward to what God has for us. I am posting a few mini videos and photos on facebook so check there to see them. Thanks for all your Prayers!! Love Kristy Josh Pierce and Dahlia
Tuesday, February 17, 2009
HAPPY BIRTHDAY DAHLIA! She is 2 yrs old today! Thank you Lord for our wonderful girl! We bought two pieces of cake (all decorated) to celebrate with and balloons a beach toy set and we will get her a few needed dresses. We don't have an oven to bake anything in so I am glad we found a cake shop! She isn't feeling too well today. Josh is home down and out and Pierce & and I are also mildly sick. Please pray for all of us. We will celbrate Dahlias bday later today.
Tommorow we get together with a group that is planning all the youth ministry the preschool, after school care, and youth group type stuff. So that will be good. I am looking forward to getting started on something. Just sitting around the house gets old so this should be fun. Well keep in touch! Kristy
Tommorow we get together with a group that is planning all the youth ministry the preschool, after school care, and youth group type stuff. So that will be good. I am looking forward to getting started on something. Just sitting around the house gets old so this should be fun. Well keep in touch! Kristy
Monday, February 9, 2009
From the Land the time forgot! We are here finally!!
Wow we are here! WE finally made it! We arrived yesterday morning from New Zealand, and are so blessed to be here. We took a 3 hour trip on a smaller plane that disembarked on the tarmack to a small simple 2 story cement building (the international airport). Our first day we got moved into a very cute little 2 bedroom place with a great veranda and a simple little efficiency kitchen with a hot plate, sink and a frigerator will be coming next week. For the Islands it is quite nice and we feel blessed. Our hosts at the Ywam base arranged it for us before we got here. Once we get our bags in the house we went for our first view of the closest beach. If we walk just a block or so around the corner we have a coral beach. I will have to get a photo to show you what that is like. It has no sand where the water hits the beach. It is just this amazing coral everywhere. Big jagged coral reefs all over.Dahlia and Pierce both got scared (plenty of crying) just looking at it with its huge crashing waves coming in loud and forceful, but the 20 or so native kids seemed to love it as they splashed around! After that we walked over to the base and with in a short time Josh was already hard at work on the large wood and palm meeting hut with the other ywamers. They heat really takes it out of you and wow was Josh ever tired that night! They worked long and hard and just got it done tonight for the start of the Melanesian YWAM leaders confrence. Josh and I got some serious coral shoveling in today getting the floor (coral bits) laid. As all my muscles were screaming I was thinking of what I deal I was getting getting such a great work out for free! Afterwards we ran for our first vist to the sandy beach just a few blocks away. There is a beach resort just around the corner from us and it is a really nice place. It is amazing we get to go use the same beach for free that people pay big money to come to. WE love it. I should clarify that Dahlia is still terrified of the waves (even from a safe distance in the sand ) and cried the entire time and didn't want me to put her down. She kept saying "Water scary me" and worried about any of us that went in. SO we will have to pray she gets used to it as we think she will and come to love it. The water was the perfect temperature. The views are just amazing! Dahlia prefered the rubbermade tote that we turned into a bath tub for her and she spent over an hour in it and refused to get out! Granted it is VERY VERY hot right now. She was probably very wise! She even had bath toys in there! The tote is only an 18 gallon tub, so it was certainly cozy, especially when she and Pierce got in it after returning all sandy from the beach. Pretty sure we will need to come up with a fun mini pool solution. Shoot we would like to get in and cool off too!
I woke this morning with Dahlia before Pierce and Josh and had a great time to just be with the Lord, and enjoy a quiet time out on the veranda with the early morning breeze and the beautiful music of the island birds thinking how amazing it was to be here and how lucky we were. I must admit to having found the price for paradise...I paid it at the supermarket last night! I looked at a box of cereal but quickly declined once I saw the $14.50 price tag!! For real! A gallon of milk is $8, and I accidently paid $4 for 4 oranges after thinking they looked cheap next to the $18 ( I am talking american dollar) a kilo nectarines. The other toll we paid was in the serious heat that comes this time of year. It is only about 85-95 but the humidity feels like 100%. Josh and I started laughing as we looked at our clothes this morning to get dressed and EVERYTHING even t shirts looked too hot! I have decided that in order to make it all work we will definetly need to adopt the ni-vanuatu's (natives) way of eating and dressing. You can buy produce from a large open market where all the locals and other islanders come to sell thier goods. There is no haggeling and no bargaining so it makes it really easy. All the locals buy whatever they don't already grow in their own gardens there. So after discovering that coconuts were only .40 a piece and avocados were only .45 each for big ones...we changed breakfast menus! So coconuts, avocados and bread it is! I am really looking forward to the market to see what is available here. One of the neighbor ladys here came over to meet us and brought a wonderful bunch of green bannanas that were the sweetest bannanas I have ever eaten. Especially excited about the passion fruits, mangos, and guavas. Fruits not native to Alaska or Colorado!
The kids are doing wonderful. They enjoyed their time in New Zealand as we did as well, and are loving it here. There must have be 20 kids in our yard today playing football, frisbee and just running around. ONce Dahlia and Pierce start playing out there they all come around. Its great. We played with them quite alot as well before we went over to the base to work on the building project. At the actual YWAM base ( a 10-15 -20 minute walk depending on how tired the kids are) has a few kids and lots of fun young adults that play with them so they enjoy it there and Josh and I have a chance to help out around there. Tonight we just got back from the opening night of the leadership confrence and that was just a great welcome and celebratory dinner with all these other missionarys from other near by YWAM bases. There were people from Solomon Islands, Papua New Guinee, Fiji, other parts of Vanuatu, New caladonia, Austrailia and soon some from Hawaii and New Zealand will arrive. We really feel like it is Gods supreme timing that we got to be here just before it started so we could be a part of seeing what God is doing all over the area and be encourged to hear storys of His goodness and see what the others feel God is speaking for the coming year. The Base leaders here Amanda and Jeff have been fabulous and so warm and hospitable. Just loving us and being excited for us and really taking good care of us. We feel very blessed to immediatly feel at home and amongst people of like heart so quickly. The Ni-Vanuatu are really wonderful as well and very friendly and kind. We have already met several of our new neighbors, and probably ALL the village kids!
I will take some more photos and get things posted on face book soon. If you missed my last batch of photos (the ones from New Zealand) you should check them out on facebook. I also want to start a photo blog as well for "the land that time forgot" as they call it ! When I get that up in a few weeks or so (after this weeks confrence and we get moved in at least for a while) I will let you all know where it is. This place is filled with wonder, mystery, primitive cultures, over 150 languages not at all familiar to each other and even active volcanos! Not to mention the Island of Tanna has the worlds most accessable active volcano. WE have a lot to explore and we are excite to do it. we did discover that you can't exactly buy a little boat and hit all the islands. One of the missionarys told me the fastest boat can make the trip to the island of Santo in 12 hours and the longest route they ever took to that island took 5 days!! So that gave us something new to think about! Anyway we love you guys and just wanted to let you all know how it is going. Please be praying for us. We really have felt Gods blessing in even the smallest details as things that very likely could have been trouble like extra baggage, and overwieght baggage fees were all waived, customs issues were quickly resolved and we have just felt that God has been clearing the path for us, so we really appreciate all your prayers. We do continue to need them as after this week we will settle on what we are going to be doing etc... Thanks!
Blessings, Josh, Kristy, Pierce and Dahlia (recent island transplants- wa-hoo!!)
I woke this morning with Dahlia before Pierce and Josh and had a great time to just be with the Lord, and enjoy a quiet time out on the veranda with the early morning breeze and the beautiful music of the island birds thinking how amazing it was to be here and how lucky we were. I must admit to having found the price for paradise...I paid it at the supermarket last night! I looked at a box of cereal but quickly declined once I saw the $14.50 price tag!! For real! A gallon of milk is $8, and I accidently paid $4 for 4 oranges after thinking they looked cheap next to the $18 ( I am talking american dollar) a kilo nectarines. The other toll we paid was in the serious heat that comes this time of year. It is only about 85-95 but the humidity feels like 100%. Josh and I started laughing as we looked at our clothes this morning to get dressed and EVERYTHING even t shirts looked too hot! I have decided that in order to make it all work we will definetly need to adopt the ni-vanuatu's (natives) way of eating and dressing. You can buy produce from a large open market where all the locals and other islanders come to sell thier goods. There is no haggeling and no bargaining so it makes it really easy. All the locals buy whatever they don't already grow in their own gardens there. So after discovering that coconuts were only .40 a piece and avocados were only .45 each for big ones...we changed breakfast menus! So coconuts, avocados and bread it is! I am really looking forward to the market to see what is available here. One of the neighbor ladys here came over to meet us and brought a wonderful bunch of green bannanas that were the sweetest bannanas I have ever eaten. Especially excited about the passion fruits, mangos, and guavas. Fruits not native to Alaska or Colorado!
The kids are doing wonderful. They enjoyed their time in New Zealand as we did as well, and are loving it here. There must have be 20 kids in our yard today playing football, frisbee and just running around. ONce Dahlia and Pierce start playing out there they all come around. Its great. We played with them quite alot as well before we went over to the base to work on the building project. At the actual YWAM base ( a 10-15 -20 minute walk depending on how tired the kids are) has a few kids and lots of fun young adults that play with them so they enjoy it there and Josh and I have a chance to help out around there. Tonight we just got back from the opening night of the leadership confrence and that was just a great welcome and celebratory dinner with all these other missionarys from other near by YWAM bases. There were people from Solomon Islands, Papua New Guinee, Fiji, other parts of Vanuatu, New caladonia, Austrailia and soon some from Hawaii and New Zealand will arrive. We really feel like it is Gods supreme timing that we got to be here just before it started so we could be a part of seeing what God is doing all over the area and be encourged to hear storys of His goodness and see what the others feel God is speaking for the coming year. The Base leaders here Amanda and Jeff have been fabulous and so warm and hospitable. Just loving us and being excited for us and really taking good care of us. We feel very blessed to immediatly feel at home and amongst people of like heart so quickly. The Ni-Vanuatu are really wonderful as well and very friendly and kind. We have already met several of our new neighbors, and probably ALL the village kids!
I will take some more photos and get things posted on face book soon. If you missed my last batch of photos (the ones from New Zealand) you should check them out on facebook. I also want to start a photo blog as well for "the land that time forgot" as they call it ! When I get that up in a few weeks or so (after this weeks confrence and we get moved in at least for a while) I will let you all know where it is. This place is filled with wonder, mystery, primitive cultures, over 150 languages not at all familiar to each other and even active volcanos! Not to mention the Island of Tanna has the worlds most accessable active volcano. WE have a lot to explore and we are excite to do it. we did discover that you can't exactly buy a little boat and hit all the islands. One of the missionarys told me the fastest boat can make the trip to the island of Santo in 12 hours and the longest route they ever took to that island took 5 days!! So that gave us something new to think about! Anyway we love you guys and just wanted to let you all know how it is going. Please be praying for us. We really have felt Gods blessing in even the smallest details as things that very likely could have been trouble like extra baggage, and overwieght baggage fees were all waived, customs issues were quickly resolved and we have just felt that God has been clearing the path for us, so we really appreciate all your prayers. We do continue to need them as after this week we will settle on what we are going to be doing etc... Thanks!
Blessings, Josh, Kristy, Pierce and Dahlia (recent island transplants- wa-hoo!!)
Made it to New Zealand
Well we made it! To new Zealand anyway. WE have a few days here before we arrive the 7th in Vanuatu. GOd really blessed us with no baggage fees. WE had 3 bags that were 70lbs (we know cause we carefully weighed them). WE knew the limit was 50 lbs and got all 5 other pieces of luggage under that (or exactly to it!) But there were 3 three that should of cost us $30 each. I had jokingly and half seriously been praying for a scale miracle (broken scale or light wieghing scale...) Would you know it we got in a seperate line cause we had paper tickets and as we tried to sort out other details they just grabbed our bags and put them on the conveigher belt without weighing them! Then toward the end they grabbed one and only one to weigh it and it weighed exactly 50 lbs! I suppose he is Lord even over the tiny details of life! What an odd miracle but we needed it and we will take it!
Pierce had a little difficulty on the trip over as he was so tired that he started to seriously hallucinate and for a long period of time (over a span of 3 hours!). He would lay down and then sit up eyes wide open and say wierd things like "Where is the hook it was just right here?" Then he would lay down and start talking with his eyes closed "Dahlia its mine, give it back!" Then wake up crying he couldn't get comfortable and do it all over again. It lasted several hours and we just kept praying he would fall asleep. Once he finally did all was well. Dahlia did good and we were able put here in a bassinet thing that attaches to the bulkhead wall. So she got plenty of sleep. Thank you all for your prayers!
We only had one other mishap in that someone accidently took our bag at the airport cause theirs was an exact duplicate but they realized later that day and we got ours back. Strange, I buy a duffel style suitcase at a thrift store and its exact twin shows up in New Zealand on our flight! They were probably surprised to get to their destination open their bag and see a bunch of kids clothes. Anyway we were glad to get it back. We are at the YWAM base here in New Zealand and are headed out with some friends of my parents today to do some sight seeing. It is windy but warm. Anyway just wanted to let you know we made it safely!
Pierce had a little difficulty on the trip over as he was so tired that he started to seriously hallucinate and for a long period of time (over a span of 3 hours!). He would lay down and then sit up eyes wide open and say wierd things like "Where is the hook it was just right here?" Then he would lay down and start talking with his eyes closed "Dahlia its mine, give it back!" Then wake up crying he couldn't get comfortable and do it all over again. It lasted several hours and we just kept praying he would fall asleep. Once he finally did all was well. Dahlia did good and we were able put here in a bassinet thing that attaches to the bulkhead wall. So she got plenty of sleep. Thank you all for your prayers!
We only had one other mishap in that someone accidently took our bag at the airport cause theirs was an exact duplicate but they realized later that day and we got ours back. Strange, I buy a duffel style suitcase at a thrift store and its exact twin shows up in New Zealand on our flight! They were probably surprised to get to their destination open their bag and see a bunch of kids clothes. Anyway we were glad to get it back. We are at the YWAM base here in New Zealand and are headed out with some friends of my parents today to do some sight seeing. It is windy but warm. Anyway just wanted to let you know we made it safely!
Sunday, February 1, 2009
In New Zealand!
Well we made it! To new Zealand anyway. WE have a few days here before we arrive the 7th in Vanuatu. GOd really blessed us with no baggage fees. WE had 3 bags that were 70lbs (we know cause we carefully weighed them). WE knew the limit was 50 lbs and got all 5 other pieces of luggage under that (or exactly to it!) But there were 3 three that should of cost us $30 each. I had jokingly and half seriously been praying for a scale miracle (broken scale or light wieghing scale...) Would you know it we got in a seperate line cause we had paper tickets and as we tried to sort out other details they just grabbed our bags and put them on the conveigher belt without weighing them! Then toward the end they grabbed one and only one to weigh it and it weighed exactly 50 lbs! I suppose he is Lord even over the tiny details of life! What an odd miracle but we needed it and we will take it! Pierce had a little difficulty on the trip over as he was so tired that he started to seriously hallucinate and for a long period of time (over a span of 3 hours!). He would lay down and then sit up eyes wide open and say wierd things like "Where is the hook it was just right here?" Then he would lay down and start talking with his eyes closed "Dahlia its mine, give it back!" Then wake up crying he couldn't get comfortable and do it all over again. It lasted several hours and we just kept praying he would fall asleep. Once he finally did all was well. Dahlia did good and we were able put here in a bassinet thing that attaches to the bulkhead wall. So she got plenty of sleep. Thank you all for your prayers! We only had one other mishap in that someone accidently took our bag at the airport cause theirs was an exact duplicate but they realized later that day and we got ours back. Strange, I buy a duffel style suitcase at a thrift store and its exact twin shows up in New Zealand on our flight! They were probably surprised to get to their destination open their bag and see a bunch of kids clothes. Anyway we were glad to get it back. We are at the YWAM base here in New Zealand and are headed out with some friends of my parents today to do some sight seeing. It is windy but warm. Anyway just wanted to let you know we made it safely! Neeleys
Friday, January 30, 2009
MOVING to Vanuatu today!! Looking forward to Aukland too!
Here we go! We fly out at 4pm today from Denver. We arrive in San Fran and go dirrect from there to New Zealand. That will take over 20 hours in flight time,so Lord help us with the kids!! Please be praying! We are excited to see what God has for us since we don't know what we will be doing. What a big move for us. We have a big stroller a tote of tools and 6 pieces of luggage including a guitar and that is it. It is alot to travel with but not a ton to live with. We plan on enjoying Aukland and we will let you know how that goes. I just got this new computer (thank you office depot for a sweet deal!), so we can update photos soon as we arrive and I have a chance to load them all on. I plan on having new ones of the beach in New Zealand as well! Keep us in your prayers and we will update soon! Pray we don't have to pay too much overage for our luggage! Blessings, Kristy
Sunday, January 4, 2009
Moved to Colorado & moving to Vanuatu Jan 30th!!
We did it finally! We moved to Colorado (Trinidad, had a great Christmas in New Mexico with my sisters in laws and bought out tickets to head to Vanuatu! We leave Jan 30th and we will spend a week in Aukland New Zealand on our way. That should be a great time. I will get some photos posted some time here when I have access to internet and my camera. ( We live in a canyon with no internet, phone or tv). I guess that will just prepare us for Vanuatu! We will let everyone know our new address in Vanuatu. Meanwhile our new address in Colorado is 13901 CR 67.3 Trinidad Colorado. My parents will still be there and able to forward any mail for another month after we are there. They are coming to join us after a month or so. What an exciting adventure! Gotta say I married the right guy! Not too many guys would be up for moving to a remote Island in the South Pacific to do volunteer work and look for a job! Anyway, we love you all. Please keep in touch and pray for us. We are also planning on adopting and we will see who the Lord brings along to join our little family. Lots of Love and Happy New Year! Kristy
Tuesday, October 28, 2008
WE SOLD OUR HOUSE!! CLEANED IT, CLOSED ON IT ! THANK YOU JESUS!!
We did it! THank you Lord we completed the sale on our house with out a hitch, and moved our stuff into the shipping container & moved our family to my parents house till the 5th of November!! We sold our house, our 2 cars, tons of our furniture (kept everything special or antique)and are ready to just hop on the plane with our two kids & Petey!! Thank you Jesus we never thought we would get to this point. We had a lot of help from a few amazing friends that we are so gratefull to!!
We are currently at my moms house at 745-4232 and then we are keeping our cell phones 907-841-3630 for me and 907-841-2974 for Josh. Right now we are doing the whole moving thing at my parents. Josh is loving that! Poor guy we literally finished our house Sun evening and started on theirs on Mon. SO I need to go get packing!! My parents have been so good to us and always helping us so we actually don't really mind. We are just excited that they are coming right behind us. They leave here around the 15th of November and will be driving. Our stuff should show up around the 19th in Colorado so then we unpack for a few months over the holidays and set off for Vanuatu sometime in Jan or possibly Feb after our taxes are done. WOw I am tired just reading what I wrote or maybe I am just still tired... the kids have both been really sick the last few days as well with fevers and flus so we are trying to nurse them back to health in the midst of it all. THat plane ride is going to feel so good compared to a 2 week driving foray with 2 kids and a dog that don't like to sit in the car! Again, THANK YOU LORD for airplanes and frequent flyer miles! Blessings to you all and we will write as things progress. Keep us in your thoughts and prayers and keep in mind once we hit Colorado we will have VERY limited email access as we will be at my parents house in the canyon that has no internet available. Hope to hear from you all soon. Kristy
We are currently at my moms house at 745-4232 and then we are keeping our cell phones 907-841-3630 for me and 907-841-2974 for Josh. Right now we are doing the whole moving thing at my parents. Josh is loving that! Poor guy we literally finished our house Sun evening and started on theirs on Mon. SO I need to go get packing!! My parents have been so good to us and always helping us so we actually don't really mind. We are just excited that they are coming right behind us. They leave here around the 15th of November and will be driving. Our stuff should show up around the 19th in Colorado so then we unpack for a few months over the holidays and set off for Vanuatu sometime in Jan or possibly Feb after our taxes are done. WOw I am tired just reading what I wrote or maybe I am just still tired... the kids have both been really sick the last few days as well with fevers and flus so we are trying to nurse them back to health in the midst of it all. THat plane ride is going to feel so good compared to a 2 week driving foray with 2 kids and a dog that don't like to sit in the car! Again, THANK YOU LORD for airplanes and frequent flyer miles! Blessings to you all and we will write as things progress. Keep us in your thoughts and prayers and keep in mind once we hit Colorado we will have VERY limited email access as we will be at my parents house in the canyon that has no internet available. Hope to hear from you all soon. Kristy
Sunday, September 28, 2008
WE all got to go into Denali National Park Mid Sept
Great Camping trip into Denali National Park with My parents and Tyson and Ailsa and the whole fam. We went over a few days and had a great time saw some ptarmagin (birds) and Moose and had a wonderful time around the camp fire! Josh even built a mini ropes coures for the kids to climb up and down and over. they also danced alot, chased bubbles, picked berries and my dad much to the delight of Pierce taught the kids the art of finding and using a pea shooter with berries. Everyone had a GREAT TIME. Good food, good fun and good friends. I posted a set of the photos. I need to take more photos. I forgot to take any on my birthday! OOPS. My kids are too cute to not take photos so I will have to get on that. HM.. between the packing!! :)
HOUSE UNDER CONTRACT!! WE are MOVING OCT 27th!!
Sorry I haven't updated in a while. BIG NEWS!! We are under contract for a sale on our house for Oct 27th!! What a great bday present Lord! We had a great day at an indoor water park today for my bday. I am 31 now!! We brought my dad and sister and of course the kids. Alot of fun. Especially since it was only about 45 degrees out today. It was a beautiful clear fall day. Gorgeous views today. Sat morning it was only 28 degrees and everyone had frost on their cars. Not mine since I now have a great warm garage that I love! Thank you Josh!
So the packing begins!! WE have alot to do in a month, but we are excited to do it. Thank you LORD!! We need to get my parents house sold as well so keep praying for that when you think of it. We are wanting to share a shipping container and wanting to drive down together so we need theirs to get under way soon. God is big so we are trusting Him.
So the packing begins!! WE have alot to do in a month, but we are excited to do it. Thank you LORD!! We need to get my parents house sold as well so keep praying for that when you think of it. We are wanting to share a shipping container and wanting to drive down together so we need theirs to get under way soon. God is big so we are trusting Him.
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