Sunday, December 25, 2016

Christmas Day in Goroka

Christmas Day in Goroka was an awesome experience for my daughter and I.

My Japanese mate Russell Deka Harada, a longtime resident of Goroka who speaks fluent Tok Pisin, dropped by for a visit.
We took a short walk next door to join the St Andrew's Lutheran Church congregation for Christmas Service.
Catching up with a good friend, Joe Kaupa, the faithful church usher at St John's Lutheran Church at West Goroka for the last 32 years. He was a good friend of my missus and me when we were here in Goroka. A good time too on this Christmas Sunday which is the last for 2016.
It was an unexpected honor and privilege to be asked by Pastor Grahamme Baital to address the St John's Lutheran Church congregation at West Goroka today. I told them of my relationship with the church going back to 1975 as a child, and later from 1998-2002 when I was here with my wife...



Church usher Joe Kaupa was a good friend of my wife and I...today he met our daughter...
After church, we drove up to Mt Kiss overlooking Goroka, taking in panoramic views of the town and valley.
Goroka panorama.
Next stop was North Goroka where we had mumu corn, sweet bananas and barbecued lamb heart for Christmas lunch...



Goroka Water Supply at North Goroka.



The saddest thing for me in Goroka is to see the sentinel-like pine trees at Peace Park forever gone...so many precious memories...






Memories of public phones and sending and receiving letters and Christmas cards.
The admirable thing about Goroka is that its Public Library still stands...from the 1970s...


 Lazy Christmas arvo waiting for pizza. The  weather is cool and lovely as always...for the December rain to fall would be excellent...




More pictures to come...

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