Getting Closer - Wapenamanda

On July 30, 2013, I boarded a plane travelling from Port Moresby, PNG to Mt. Hagen. At last I was getting closer to the land of my father and fore-fathers. The coastal city of Port Moresby was hot and humid and one would break into a sweat just walking the distance over the tarmac to the plane. It was just about a 90 minute flight to Mt. Hagen, a busy commercial hub right in the middle of Papua New Guinea in the Western Highlands District. Stepping out of the plane at the Mt. Hagen airport I was greeted to a pleasant surprise of temperature of about 65 degrees with a beautiful crisp breath of fresh mountain air. Ahhh, it was so good to breathe it in. After a quick lunch our party made it's way towards Wapenamanda on the famous Highlands Highway. It was a beautiful drive around and through cloud covered mountains and lush green valleys. It almost appeared as if earth met heaven right in that location. As we made our way towards Wapenamanda (by the way...I found out "manda" means mountain), I begin to sense that I was getting closer to a place that had been for so long just a dream in my mind. I took in all the sights, sounds and overall atmosphere of my surroundings and it still seemed somewhat surreal to be so close to home. Arriving at our destination, the town was found to be in a scurry or frenzy of excitement as it was beginning to prepare for the Prime Minister's visit to this town laying right between Mt. Hagen and Wabag in the Enga Province of Wapenamanda. I took refuge in the thought that the Prime Minister was coming to visit so I could just fly below the radar of the busyness of the event and not even be noticed so I could quietly walk around and take in the countryside and people. The team I was on had very little time to prepare for the upcoming visit so we all "hit the ground running" with lots of things to do and preparations to make. I was grateful for that because it gave me a little more time to process all the events of the past several hours and days. So many changes! Anyway, here is pic from the event. I'm not sure of everyone's names but I do know that the Prime Minister was not able to make it and one of his staff members came on his behalf. The event went well and as an observer I couldn't help but get excited over all the development programs that the Wapenamanda's District Member of Parliament had obtained funding for and was implementing. In addition, to large financial commitments from the PM's office there are some really innovative development programs being piloted in the District ranging from renewable energy through the building of mini-hydro electric schemes, to schools and health centers being built or rehabilitated, transportation infrastructure, emergency disaster relief and all kinds great efforts that will make a positive and measureable impact on the people in the District. It was really cool to be a part of something like that. There was a strong spirit of unity among the leaders present and it was clearly evident to anyone in attendance. Even past differences were set aside and many were able to witness reconciliation and oneness of Spirit & Vision. I guess you had to be there :)