Dressers Are Overrated

Suitcases here.  Bags there.  Boxes shoved here AND there.  That has been our life since we left Papua New Guinea on December 9th.  It has been a whirlwind three months.  Thanks for praying.  We want to share with you how God answered your prayers:

We went from 85F at departure to –2F in Kansas where Paul’s parents picked us up with coats in hand. From four fairly relaxing weeks with Paul’s parents (to include our first family tummy bug which we shared with grandpa and grandma) over the Christmas Holidays with only one doctors appointment for Paul to a rushed long drive to the Eastern Shore of VA to help Andrea’s sick mom. We assisted in mom’s transfer from the hospital to three weeks of inpatient care in Waldorf, MD (greater DC area). From settling in upstairs in Newburg, MD with Andrea’s mom and sister to moving downstairs into the newly finished basement apartment (still yet to happen, Lord willing within the next few weeks). From no idea how to plan this home assignment to having a rough sketch of a long road trip planned for July—August and late September—October 2017. (Side note:  We would love to see as many of you as possible.  We have new contact info on the back…drop us a line).

Again, thanks for the prayers. Diana, Andrea’s mom, is doing much better and back to life as normal bouncing from Newburg, MD to the Eastern Shore, VA where she cares for her mother in nursing care. Paul has been able to see his allergy doctor and begin his much needed shots every two weeks. Andrea just had an eye appointment as we begin to work our way through the long list of things to get done while on home assignment.

We have been welcomed and loved on by our home church of South Potomac Church; as well as having had our first sit down talk with a pastor of a new church to us about presenting our work and ministry. Thank you Patty (Andrea’s friend) for seeing this through.

Mixed in throughout all this were many playgrounds, parks, home schooling and library visits for the kids. Thank you Lord for the light winter and the beautiful sunny days.

 

Iski Are Hearing!

The Iski people of Papua New Guinea are currently hearing the good news of God’s Word from creation to Christ.

During the teaching, most people sit on tarps. Some sit on a board they put across an empty oil drum. For the first time the Iski people are hearing the word of God in their language. One of them said (translated to English), “We used to see only the leaves, now we are getting to the root!” – meaning, they used to hear some stories about God but they didn’t know where they came from, how they fit together or where they originated.

In this culture the people think that sicknesses are the result of their “sins” (breaking a taboo). They’ve been shocked to hear that the world God created was perfect, not like the world they see today. There was no death, no sicknesses, no suffering. Next they heard that death and sickness are the consequences of the fall. This is totally new to them and we pray that it will change the way they see the world.

Now they see that their hands are tied.  The Iski people love to follow rules…how to be better…how to be good.  Of course they quickly fail (as we all do) and then do what they think makes them right.  But the missionaries are sharing from God’s Word that there is nothing they can do, in themselves, to please God.  This is eye opening to them!

Some are already connecting the dots!  One Iski man shared (translated to English), “We’ve heard before of Jesus dying to save us, but we did not know why he died and why we needed to be saved.  Now we know it’s because we are separated from God because of our sin and the only way we can be saved is through the Savior!  Now when we remember the stories we’ve heard about Jesus we start to think about Him differently!”

Praise & Prayer Requests

• Praise: The basement apartment is almost completed!  Moving in soon.
• Praise: Paul’s expensive but very effective allergy shots are being provided through financial assistance by the manufacturer for $5 every two weeks.
• Praise: Andrea’s mom, Diana, is healed and doing much better.
• Prayer: For our many appointments and coming road trip to see supporters.
• Prayer: For the Iski people to understand as they hear God’s truth.
• Prayer: Wisdom & discernment as we parent our kids through this home assignment.