Debbie and I went to Rabaul after Christmas on the Chimbu Passenger Ship. The
ship was dirty and I think that is where I got bitten by a bed bug. More on
that in the next section of my summer vacation.
Fr Paul picked us up and took us to
the MSC Sisters Convent in Vunapope, the Archdiocese of Rabaul. The Sisters
were very hospitable and Fr Paul showed us around Rabaul. We went to the
market. We visited Rakunai, the place made famous by Blessed Peter Torot, his
martyrdom came when the Japanese killed him for doing the work for the church.
PNG wants to make him a saint of PNG. We also passed the Don Bosco School,
visited seminary schools for the women and the men. Their locations seemed
rather isolated, but self contained and peaceful.
 |
| St. Bartholomew |
The day
we were to leave Rabaul, we got to the airport at 6 am and remained there till
5 pm that night only to find out our flight was canceled and we were only on
standby for the next morning. What a boring long day at the airport. That
night, being one of Debbie’s last in PNG, we took Fr Paul to dinner at a resort
down the street from the Archdiocese.
Then,
we had another big ordeal at the airport that morning. The airlines confirmed
our flight for Sunday! (The day was Thursday) Debbie is leaving the next day
(Friday) for America, so there was no way that was okay! Even up to the
very last minute- we were told they did all they could do, but couldn’t get us
on the full flight. Almost panicking, I asked to see the supervisor who said
the same thing. At that point, I was literally begging- asking if anyone could
give up their seats or we can pay extra or anything to get us back to Kimbe.
She finally saw one possibility and we had two seats on that plane!! What an
ordeal. Then they were scrambling to get our seats, make our tickets and told
us our luggage we wanted checked would now be carried on. All in all, we made
it back to Kimbe. Debbie’s last night was celebrated with the
Caritas Sisters who prepared a delicious dinner for us. The Bishop joined us
and the Sisters that last night. Debbie sadly did make her flight the next day
for the US. Sr. Sara took her to the airport that morning. I felt the prayers
of everyone working at that moment. Thanks and Praise be to God!! 🙏🙏
This is the end of Part 3 of how I spent my summer vacation. Stay tuned for Part 4 when I tell you about my Missionary Seminar in Goroka in January.
Thank
you for your prayers and support and I, in return, pray for you as well.
Please
comment, I’d love to hear from you. Thank you and God bless.
I miss you but it seems like you are where you need to be. Debbie and I will be sitting together at Shamrock and I will catch up with her then
ReplyDeleteI love you!♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️
Hi Danita! I finally discovered your BLOG!! I hadn't known about it until I happened across it on FB (not a regular/routine FB user!). SO happy to have found it! I'm going all the way BACK to your First entry, & trying to "catch up" to get the continuity of your year there. WOW, Danita!! It is SUCH "another world" there in PNG, isn't it?! Is it pretty much what you'd expected, or WAY different?
ReplyDeleteI am SOOOOO impressed & proud of you for DOING this!! Especially with ALL those incredibly EARLY mornings you've got to do!! And just ALL the adjustments you have to make, all the "creature comforts" of home you've had to GIVE UP!! Girl! You ARE Amazing!!!
Goodness! What an ordeal at the airport with Debbie before she flew home! Again, I'm soooo impressed with your wits & strength to "fight for" your needed flight! Thank God it all worked out!! (And that you both are seasoned travelers enough that you had a Clue how to plead your case over there!)
LORD BLESS YOU & Continually Strengthen you, Danita! Sorry to hear you lost your friends from SoCal (fellow Lay-Helpers who left PNG). I pray you'll be able to find or create more "Community" among others who are there with you...
Sending you Cyber Hugs across the planet,
Laura