Our Snowy Blessed Road Trip!

Hmmm… a strange thing has been happening to us as we have been traveling over the last couple months…

“We expect a snow storm to start tomorrow”… that is what we typically hear the day before we are scheduled to drive to our next destination! It seems like whenever we start driving the snow starts falling. But God is faithful! Thanks so much for praying! We drove right into the storm named Jonas in VA where they got 3 feet of snow. We only had to drive in the first couple hours of the storm and then enjoyed being stuck with our friends in VA for an extra day! We seem to always manage to hit the first hours of each storm so we always make it to our friend’s homes without any trouble, so thankful!

It has been an amazing trek around North America, full of fun visits with friends, supporters and family, plus family times in Nashville and the Creation Museum. We have seen friends and supporters that we hadn’t seen in many years, some of which Jacob hadn’t met! It was really special to see Beth’s good friend, Sarah, and meet her husband and little baby and family! And so fun to introduce Jacob and Jonathan to a couple that Beth called “second parents” on her first trip to PNG. We have seen friends and co-workers from Interface, from our childhood days and Bible school days, and missionary training days, so many memories as we travel! It has been neat to see where God has placed all of our friends and all that God has done in their lives since we have last seen them! Plus we even met some future Sepik co-workers!

We really enjoy sharing all that God has done and is doing in the Sepik of Papua New Guinea as we travel around North America! It is neat to see how God opens people’s eyes to all that He is doing in PNG! We’ve shared in so many places and so many people on this trip from Pennsylvania to a new country church in Kentucky. We also shared with old friends in Missouri to new friends in Indiana to a childhood church in western New York! And today we shared with friends at a church here in Ontario where Jacob attended when he was in the NTM training. It has been amazing to see God work in so many ways!

Yes, now we are in Ontario, Canada at the New Tribes Mission of Canada training center… We both went to school here at different times, so it is fun to be back “home” and introduce Jonathan to life in Canada. He is starting to like the snow, at least he loves to shovel it.  And he loves hockey! It is good to talk with some fellow missionaries here about our last 2 ½ years in PNG. We are thankful for the last couple months on the road as well as time here to rest, heal and re-energize to return to PNG!

Thank you all for praying for us as we continue to adjust to the North American culture and share what God is doing in the Sepik of Papua New Guinea. Please let us know if you would like us to stop in for a visit while we are home. Or if you would like us to share in your church, small group or Sunday school in the next year.

On March 21st we start the trek back to Nova Scotia and hope to arrive just before Easter! We will be in Nova Scotia for 6 months so that Jacob can reestablish his Canadian residency. So we hope to see many of you Nova Scotians very soon!

Praises!
-Enjoying life in North America…. Visiting friends and family! Fast Internet! Vegetables and fruits! Smooth roads!
-A God who sent His Son to die for our sins and rose him up so that we could have daily life abundantly and REST in Him!
-Opportunities to visit so many friends, family and supporters!
-Safety in traveling our last 6,000 miles around North America!
-Many opportunities to share about all that God is doing in the Sepik of Papua New Guinea!
-Jonathan loves our times of travel, meeting new family and friends… so many new people to play with! 
-Provision of an apartment in Nova Scotia next door to Jacob’s parents!
-God’s continued provision for our needs moment by moment!

Prayer requests:
-Ability to choose gratitude instead of our default of ingratitude in the circumstances of our daily lives.
-Rest in God as we enjoy being parents each day.
-Beneficial time here at our NTM home office as we talk with many people about our time in PNG and take care of some business matters including taxes.
-Safety in driving across Canada starting March 21st.
-Wisdom in planning our sharing opportunities in Nova Scotia.
-Unpack and settle in quickly to our apartment in Nova Scotia.
-Clarity of mind and speech as we share our ministries.
-God’s provision for full support in the next year. We are currently at a 70% support level.
-Wisdom and strength for our co-workers back in the Sepik as they fill in for us and get ready for the Sepik Conference.
-Healing of our friend, Elissa, so she can work full time in PNG.
-God would continue to raise up more missionaries to come to the Sepik and bring the Gospel to those who have never heard it their own heart language.
-More laborers to minister to the Bena people.

Thank you all for your prayers and encouragement!

“For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all.” 1 Corinthians 4:17