Home Assignment Commences

Finally, it came to pass: On Tuesday, April 1st after having been in PNG for more than 2 1/2 years and having travelled for 24hrs our feet touched Swiss soil again. After a journey that started almost a week earlier in Rumginae and led us through Kiunga, Mt Hagen, Port Moresby, Singapore, to Zürich we could embrace family and friends. Very exciting (as Canadians would say and Swiss only think). The weather, too, welcomed us with friendly temperatures and spring all around. We're looking forward to a great time.

The beginning of The Journey: Early in the morning and with a sad heart we let our turtles loose. Better, however, than to leave them for our neighbour's supper.

First stage of The Journey in the MAF Caravan: Rumginae – Kiunga – Mt Hagen

On the go: Madeleine's birthday celebration in Mt Hagen

Visiting Ebels and Swalms on the second stage of The Journey: Mt Hagen – Port Moresby

Intermittent stop at midnight during the third stage: Port Moresby – Singapur – Zürich

Spring is waiting for us in Switzerland

Our cosy home for the next 4 months

Unrequited Love

"The request came for MAF to pick up a critically injured person from Pyarulama and fly them to a Baptist Mission Hospital at nearby Kompiam – just eight minutes flight away. The only alternative is an horrendous walk along a narrow and unstable track, over multiple ridge lines and across multiple rivers. It is likely the patient would not have survived that journey."

Here the full story released by MAF PNG:

Click here to read the story as PDF

Janeka has shocking injuries to her fore-arms

Reopening of Rumginae Airstrip

After 1 year 4 month and 16 days we have been able to reopen the airstrip in Rumginae. On Tuesday, February 4, at about 4pm Luke Newell and I landed the GA8 Airvan on a limestone surface, under the joyful supervision of hospital staff and village people. I had not had that huge a gathering witness a landing ever before in Rumginae.
Even though I did not mind the commute to Kiunga all that much, it felt good (and somehow strange) to call Moresby flight services with the call: "taxiing Kiunga for Rumginae". I must admit that I was exited myself, too – just a little bit, anyway.

The first approach to land in Rumginae after the closure

After a long time we park in Rumginae again

Luke Newell thanks Chris Matinson for his help

Volunteer workmen and -women

A big crowed of spectators

New pictures of Lucien Marc

Lucien Marc Bischoff

(Click here for new pictures)

Pictures of Niklas, Joelle, and Gian have also been updated. You find them under the heading "Favorite Picture Albums" on the right hand side of this page.