Home is Where the Bananas Hang!

Front of house
This is the beautiful place we call home! That’s a pecan tree in the front yard but it hasn’t produced any pecans for many years.
Garden
This is the garden (just to the right of our house) that our neighbors, Dr. Ted and Rachel Henderson, started and have so graciously allowed us to use. We have kaukau (sweet potato), broccoli, cucumbers, strawberries, bok choy, pineapple, lettuce, cabbage, mint and basil.
Back of house
The back of our house has a HUGE porch. We’ll eventually add a closed-in shed at the far end for some extra storage.
Front view
This is the view from our front porch that shows our driveway and the station road. We’re at the far north end of the station and its about a half mile to the other end. Adam and Steph Peterson and their 4 girls live across the street.
Living room, dining room, kitchen
We love our open floor plan, the vaulted ceilings and the beautiful kwila hardwood floors.
Living room
This is the living room with a view of the front door. Can you guess which chair we fight over the most?!
Kitchen
Simeon wanted to show you our kitchen! Its just perfect and someday soon we’ll have three stools at that bar (we’re having a few furniture pieces built at the nearby Swiss mission station).
Kitchen side view
I spend a whole lot of time in this corner of the house. Every meal is made from scratch (including breakfast most days, since a box of cereal costs about $10-$12) and each dish, pot and pan must be washed after each meal to prevent ants and cockroaches from invading our home!
Front entry
This is the view from the dining room and kitchen toward the front door. The dark gray cabinet on the right is our pantry.
Hallway
The pantry is on the left and next to it is our deep freezer and then another closet. The room off to the right just past the light switches is the laundry room which leads to the back porch.
Laundry
We’re grateful for a washing machine and also the gas dryer that we shipped from the States. Its especially helpful on rainy days when the cloth diapers need to be dried!
Bathroom
At the end of the hall, this bathroom is on the right. Isn’t it lovely?! We don’t feel much like missionaries sometimes…until the power goes out and we can’t flush that toilet or run a bath for the boys…or until a cockroach sneaks out from behind the mirror.
Boys' room
This is my favorite room in the house and the boys are often found playing together in here. Grandpops Jim built that new bunkbed for his Grandboys and Simeon LOVES it. Someday Simeon will be promoted to the top bunk for his little brother to take over the bottom, but for now it serves as the train table! Once we get them both sleeping through the night, we’ll move Matthias’s crib in here as well.
Boys' closet
We have a good amount of storage here and we’re taking advantage of every inch. The boys’ closet is filling up.
Matthias's room
This is currently Matthias’s room, but it will soon be an office/sewing room/guest room!
Master bedroom
The master bedroom is at the front of the house and gets LOTS of afternoon sun and warmth!
View from master door
This is the view from the master doorway.

Come and visit us.  We’ll welcome any guests with very open arms.  We won’t even make you sleep on the top bunk!  And we’ll hang some fresh bananas before you arrive!

8 thoughts on “Home is Where the Bananas Hang!

  1. rebecca belt April 3, 2015 / 11:39 am

    I was thinkn this is the fanciest missionary house I’ve ever seen. It’s a far cry from the earliest days of huts or minimal amenities. I ❤ the blues & sunshine. I know ur extremely grate4. It’s a beauti4 house with beauti4 people filled with the beauti4 Spirit of God.

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  2. Bethany April 3, 2015 / 1:14 pm

    You need to email Design Mom about doing a “home tour” or a “day in the life” guest post! The most popular guest posts in those series are from ex-pat moms!

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  3. Sarah April 3, 2015 / 2:01 pm

    I am adding cereal to my list…what kinds? 🙂 OMG $10-$12??? 🙂 Love the Bananas though!!

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  4. Lily Robinson April 3, 2015 / 6:35 pm

    It is a lovely home. I am glad that, after a long day of service, you have a welcoming place to call home.

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  5. David & Helen Radcliffe April 7, 2015 / 2:38 pm

    THANKS for showing us your home. I am glad that you have a very nice place to live. You really have a nice laundry room with a sink beside your washer & dryer. Wished we had one like that. Guess we would have to go to PNG to live. Ha! I didn’t know that Jim could build bunk beds. I thought he majored in physical bodies, not wood work. So glad you are there for them to enjoy your little boys. Always glad for any news etc. from PNG, Our love and prayers always. G-Ma & G-Pa

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  6. Chales McCall April 7, 2015 / 4:59 pm

    Next time Jim and Kathy are home on furlough, they need to stay at my house. I have lots of fixing up that needs to be done! Blessings and prayers on your behalf. I love and appreciate the whole Radcliffe family.
    Charles McCall

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  7. Cindy Stiverson May 6, 2015 / 11:07 am

    I enjoyed the tour! What a lovely home (and tour guide). Excited for all that God is doing. Blessings and prayers ❤ ~Cindy

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