Less than 3 weeks ago

Less than 3 weeks ago we were approved to start our assignment in Papua New Guinea.  Our partnership was at 95% and we were allowed to purchase airline tickets.  After much prayer we decided on a time. And that time is NOW. 

With our financial partnership complete at 100% we are departing to PNG.  Friday December 7th we left Midway Airport in Chicago and went to Los Angeles for the night.  We have the privilege of seeing our family (sister-in-law, nieces and a nephew) for a day.  Saturday at 8pm we head to Auckland New Zealand to arrive at their time of 6am Monday.  Next stop Cairns, Australia and then Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea where at 230pm we will take a small plane to Ukarumpa, our home for the next few years.   They have a place reserved for us to stay and a host family to help orientate us to the community.

A friend wanted to know where we would be according to Midwest time so they could pray for us.  If I figured it correctly this is the schedule. 

  Saturday December 8 Depart LA at 10pm 

  Arrive Sunday to Auckland at 11am 

  Depart Auckland at 1210Arrive Cairns 525pm 

 Depart Cairns 8pm 

  Arrive at Port Moresby 925pm

  Leave Port Moresby 1021pm

 Arrive at Ukarumpa ?

Thank you for the prayers.  My next blog will be from Papua New Guinea!!

On our way

The time is here.  I am again awed in God.  This whole experience revolves around Him.  It has nothing to do with what we do.  I am amazed in the way God provides so many people to make this possible.  We are grateful to the many people who are partnering with us.  This comes in many forms from:

• prayers
• encouragement
• hugs,heartfelt handshakes
• storing our belonging
• mailing/shipping items
• letting us live with them, feeding us, cleaning up after we left
• meals in your homes or taking us out to dine
• giving gifts and encouragement to Elijah
• helping us understand our taxes
• taking us to the airport, getting us a cart
• financial gifts

It is wonderful how God provides the right people at the right time.  This morning we were rushing around trying to move our belonging where they needed to go and a friend was able to come and help in this process.  Our amazing host family was right there, cleaning and helping us find homes for our belongings.  Someone else was mailing packages that did not make it to the post office earlier.  We are grateful for the many people involved in our ministry and how God brings it together.

 

Partners

Partners-That is what we have.  I am excited to be in this adventure knowing I have friends and family standing with us. I am thankful for the prayers, encouragement we receive from our partners. I am thankful for partners who share with us and we have a relationship with.  I enjoy getting to know someone.  The dictionary defines partner as a person who shares or is associated with another in some action or endeavor.  It also says associate or sharer.  We have many associates making this endeavor possible.  We are going to Papua New Guinea as support staff for Bible translation.  Our many partners are also support staff.

   

So thank you for joining us in this progress.  None of it would possible without such teamwork.  It takes a team to translate the Bible. Some team players are airplane pilots getting translators and supplies to the nationals; teachers educating missionary children; accountants helping with financial wisdom; doctors and nurses giving medical support to missionaries and nationals; IT personal helping with computers and communication; telephone technicians helping with telephone service; mechanics maintaining vehicles; Pastors helping with religious education;  managers supervising.  All of these support roles give the actual translators time to work on translating.  They work with nationals to have it all come together.  Financial partnership is significant for each role.  Prayers encompass every role and every step.

So as you can see it takes many people to make Bible translation possible.  New statistics from 2012 say that the number of languages without a Bible is just under 2000 (1967).  That number represents approximately 209 million people.  So thank you again for being part of our team to bring the salvation message to 209 million people who do not have the Word of God in a language they understand.

What is home?

Find rest, O my soul, in God alone;
    my hope comes from him.
 He alone is my rock and my salvation;
    he is my fortress, I will not be shaken.
 My salvation and my honor depend on God^[a];
    he is my mighty rock, my refuge.
 Trust in him at all times, O people;
    pour out your hearts to him,
    for God is our refuge.

Psalms 6:25-8

Today we are at my son’s and daughter in law’s home.  It is a nice small 2 bedroom apartment.  I have been thinking a lot about what home is.  I did not realize how hard it would be on me selling our home.  I know we are doing what God has called us to do.  I have had many missionary colleagues who are a lot farther along in the process and sold their home a long time ago.

The dictionary defines home as:   

1. House, apartment, or other shelter that is the usual residence of a person, family, or household.

2. The place or region where something is native or most common.

3. The place in which one's domestic affections are centered.

So does my difficulty begins with “change?”  I am not in my usual place of residence. It is not what I am used to.  I am staying in a friend’s home.  They are sharing their basement with us which includes a nice living area, kitchenette, bathroom and bedroom.  Elijah is also enjoying their tv room.  It is not the same as “our” home of 17 years.  It is even in a different town and state.

Or does it deal with my “domestic affections?” As a woman I know our home can define who we are.  We usually are the ones doing the designing.  Our home did have pictures, knick knacks, colors, designs that I picked out.  But does it mean I loved our home?  Yes I did.  Is that good or bad?  I know God is the one who gave it to us and enabled us to take care of it.  I am grateful for the nice home we had.  I am grateful to the God who will always supply a shelter for us. 

May He be my Shelter.

My home.

My fortress.

May my heart rest in Him.