God is in the Little Things and the Big Things

Jonathan trying out Dad’s work boots Happy Mother’s Day!If Jacob is using his computer, Naomi will always get hers too!

Our days consist of many things…ocean breeze, sweat, refreshing smoothies, laughing children, grilled fish, crying children, sweat, ocean view, mosquito bites, chatting with friends, working alongside co-workers, surprise cheesecake, buying fresh fruit at the town market and packages from home… each day is similar to the next but unique at the same time as many things happen here that would not happen at home…

Because then we add in our work day… broken water pipes, 12” by 8” round wasp hive, answering emails from around the world, forms sent to departing missionaries, renovating a bathroom, 3 foot termite nest, building countertops for a bush house, bank runs, hardware store runs, and the ever present cultural differences we experience here. Recently a missionary was in the bush cutting down trees to build a house. A tribal person walked up to him and said it was ready to fall. Then the tribal man began yelling at the tree to scare it and make it fall. Of course in our western minds, this doesn’t make sense. The irony of it all is that the tree actually did fall down, as he was yelling at it. And, I guess technically trees are alive, but can they get scared? Why do they get scared? Does the tree have a spirit? It makes you realize what a profound change takes place in their basic everyday life once they shift their understanding to what the true God did for them and how He has structured the world.

We are happy to find God in the little things of daily life and thankful that He is working all around us and through us each day! As we prepare for our trip to Brisbane on Saturday for Naomi’s annual MRI and medical checkups, we are also thankful that God orchestrates the big and difficult things in our lives too. And so thankful that Naomi is developing normally despite her NCM condition. Naomi has NCM (Neurocutaneous Melanocytosis), a complication of multiple congenital nevi (multiple birthmarks), a very rare condition. The MRI last year showed two very small spots of extra melanin on the brain, and a possible extra spot behind the optic nerve. Please pray with us as she will be sedated again for an MRI of her brain on Monday, May 28th. She will not be able to eat breakfast when she wakes up the day of the MRI and will not be able to drink water after 6:30 am. Her appointment is at 9:30 am. She LOVES to eat and drink so this will be very difficult for her. Pray also that all the tests and doctor’s appointments go well and nothing new and worrisome is found. Thanks for praying!

We always enjoying hearing about all that God is doing in our six bush locations. Today we’d like to highlight the Pei tribe… The missionaries have finished learning the language and culture! And now the Rees family and Candace Swift are teaching the people how to read! And writing lessons and translating portions of the Bible for the future teaching of God’s Word in the people’s own language! The Jones family are also a part of the Pei team but they are currently at home in the US due to a very bad cut and infection in Chris Jones’ foot, he is talking with a doctor about Achilles tendon surgery soon. Please pray for complete healing for Chris’s foot.

Praises!
-Update on Maliyali tribe – Progress is being made on Chad and Martha Earl’s house! Emily Rimestad is doing better and able to control the pain with diet! No serious medical issues!
-Christopher and Lilli Meyer & family have decided to join our team here at the supply center for the Sepik region for a few months working in Tribal Supply, buying and shipping supplies into the bush locations for our missionaries!
-Opportunity to head to Brisbane on Saturday for Naomi’s MRI & Medical checkups plus have some down time in civilization!
-Opportunity to stay at the Ronald McDonald House right across the street from the Children’s Hospital!
-God provided the finances needed for Jacob and Jonathan’s tickets to Brisbane for our medical trip!
-Naomi, is now 1 ½ years old, she is healthy and walking everywhere! No side effects from her NCM condition!
-Opportunity to be involved in all that God is doing in the Sepik region of PNG!
-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!
-God’s continued provision for our needs moment by moment!

Prayer requests:
-Chen family, as Gail Chen battles cancer.
-Maliyali team – language and culture study continue for Rimestads; Muellers headed home for home assignment; Earls as they continue to build their house.
-Ischy family, our former tribal supply buyers, as they transition from life in PNG to life at home in Texas.
-The Buser family, our former neighbors, as they just left for their 1 year home assignment, pray as they transition especially with 2 little ones that have never been to America before!
-For all the Sepik missionaries involved in language and culture learning, literacy, Bible lesson preparation and Bible Translation.
-The Jones family, part of the Pei team, but they are currently at home in the US due to a very bad cut and infection in Chris Jones’ foot, he is scheduled for Achilles tendon surgery soon.
-The Meyer family as they are praying about joining an existing work.
-Jacob at work… ability to balance work with rest, and prioritizing all that needs to be done.
-Beth’s mom as she had to postpone her trip to visit us in Brisbane, due to her heart and pacemaker issues. Pray she will be back up to full health and be able to visit us in September in the Highlands of PNG.
-Smooth connecting flights to Brisbane and Naomi as she endures an MRI and many doctor’s appointments.
-That we would remember that God holds everything together including us! And He is working all around us!
-Rest in God as we enjoy being parents of two children!
-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.
-David Lee and Heti (Bena believer) are teaching chronologically through the Bible to the Bena in Upper Bena, where David and Wendy Lee used to live, pray for more Bena brothers and sisters in Christ!

Thank you all for your prayers and encouragement!