This is the blog for Gavin and Carrie Jones and family. We live in Papua New Guinea and are working to see lives transformed by the living Word of God through Bible translation. Gavin is a helicopter pilot. Carrie, who has her degree in Public Health, works in the lab at our busy rural clinic. Our son, Isaac, was born in 2004 and our quintuplets, Will, David, Marcie, Seth, and Grace, were born in 2012.

Let love and faithfulness never leave you; bind them around your neck, write them on the tablet of your heart. The you will win favor and a good name in the sight of God and man. Trust in the Lord with all you heart and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him and He will make your paths straight. -Proverbs 3:3-6

Saturday, June 28, 2014

Attempt at missionary humor, plus some serious stuff

You know you're a missionary when . . . 

while washing your gallon freezer Ziploc bag you groan over a ripped one because now your precious stash is depleted
it just seems right that a colony of ants has made their home in your cordless telephone while you've been in the U.S. "Ah, good ol' PNG!"
you watch an episode of Bonanza for a fun-filled evening
your baby son [David] gets covered in the engine oil used to dip fence posts to repel bugs
you're proud that your baby girl [Marcie] comes inside drenched, proving she's not afraid to play in the rain and mud - a nearly ever present reality here
a cloudy/rainy day means you can't wash the heavy blankets that desperately need washing
everything smells moldy, and the moldy smell makes it seem more like home
you spend $35 on 12 rolls of imported U.S.-made toilet paper (Yes, you read that right. I am ashamed to admit it.) because you calculate it down to the price per two-ply sheet - no mean math feat - and find it's the best deal at the store at the time. (I later found local-made toilet paper for 70 cents per roll, but not before I gave a passing thought to using dried banana leaves.) 
you are tempted to literally cry over spilt milk because a 25 kilogram bag costs $246 (Will dumped the huge milk pitcher.)
[Aside: You know you're a missionary mom of quintuplet toddlers when you buy powdered milk in 25 kilogram bags!!]

I'm sure I'll think of more of these. These are the ones that came to mind as I was washing dishes and Ziploc bags, and they made me smile. 

Seriously, now: All five babies are still really sick and frequently miserable and clinging. It's so hard to be "enough" for them! I feel like I physically can't be, so I am praying for wisdom and guidance from the Holy Spirit to know which needs to meet in what order. Thanks for praying for me and for Gavin. We definitely need prayer for endurance, patience and compassion. Here's an example: You FINALLY comfort and attend to Child A enough to help him stop crying, are starting to send him back to play reasonably happily so that you can clean up the kitchen, then he hits his head hard on the corner of the table on the way to the living room. Argh!! :}

Gracie sounds pretty bad and isn't satting well, but she isn't bad enough to need oxygen. She was actually tested for pneumonia today, but it's not bacterial even if it is pneumonia, so it can't be "cured" by an antibiotic anyway. Seth is doing a lot better, acting normal and eating a lot better, but he's still on a little bit of oxygen. He is tending to need more in the mornings when his lungs are all gunked up, less in the evening when everything has been cleared out. He has viral pneumonia in his left lung. We have a portable oxygen concentrator on the way from Australia. It should arrive Thursday or Friday (when Lord willing we won't need it anymore!), and in the meantime we're using the oxygen that a colleague from Aviation VERY kindly drove to the port city to retrieve! Gavin didn't have to go after all. Gracie woke up vomiting, so I was glad he could stay home. 

We are very blessed. We love this community. We adore our children. Gavin is excited to get back to work on Monday, and I am really enjoying my PNG friends (and their invaluable help!). There is nowhere else we would rather be. Thanks for lifting us up to the Throne! We desperately need it and feel it, as always.

Gratefully,
Carrie

P.S. Finance people, we could sure use you here!!! The Finance Department is really getting into a bind personnel-wise. Write us at our jonesquints@yahoo.com address for more details.






5 comments:

  1. Tried entering a comment on the above post but there was something amiss with it.....so.....So sorry to hear they now ALL have come down with the creeping crud...poor Gracie, prayers all around for health, healing, better moods, better appetites, parental rest and finding your minds that you are now out of! Loved reading the "funnies"......amazing at how much different life is there and how much we take for granted here! Prayers continue......

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  2. It is beautiful to see how even in the midst of the storm, you are at peace and at home in the place to which God has called you. Continuing to pray for you!

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  3. I'd love to send some of the modern conveniences we have here to you.

    Here's a list of things I think might help you:

    Digital Thermometer
    Chewable  or liquid Tylenol/or the generic equivalent for the babies
    Powdered milk 
    2ply poo paper
    Ziploc bags quart and gallon size..

    I'm not sure how to go about getting these shipped over but I'll work on that this week and see if it is possible from the U.S. side of things.  I'm praying for the babies health and for you as parents as you navigate this.  God will carry you through these tough times.

    Sincerely,
    Paula Thomps

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    Replies
    1. Paula, you're so sweet! Please don't worry about sending stuff to us. We actually just bought a digital thermometer (we can't find the one we had in Dallas), we can get Tylenol here, powdered WHOLE milk is difficult to find and would cost a fortune to ship (like $60 for maybe 10 kilograms), and I did find some nice toilet paper that is 2-ply and affordable. I told my parents to shove Ziplocs in the box they are sending us, so I think we'll be set for a while. And despite my initial shock at the price of milk and U.S. toilet paper, we don't have restaurants or movie theaters or "normal" stores here, so there isn't much temptation to spend money other than on groceries and necessities. :) Everything evens out! You are precious, though!! I can give you a list if you really, truly want to send a box, but we warned it will be expensive!! :( Love, Carrie

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  4. Saying my night prayers hoping Gracie is feeling better this evening and that Seth has continued to improve. Prayers continue...

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Gavin, Carrie, Isaac, Will, David, Marcie, Seth, & Grace Jones

Gavin, Carrie, Isaac, Will, David, Marcie, Seth, & Grace Jones

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