Greetings from Idaho! As we’ve been catching up with friends and family and speaking at different churches and small groups this summer we’ve been asked a few questions multiple times. We’ve decided to answer them here in our newsletter since you’re all probably curious.
When are you leaving?
We are still waiting for our work permits to be granted, so we will not be leaving in August. The mission center for support staff in PNG runs their language and culture orientation classes twice a year, August and January. We will now be put into the January 2024 class. We should receive our work permits some time in the next month (August-September). Once they arrive we can apply for our visas (that takes about 1 month also). After we have our visas we can purchase our plane tickets.
What will you do until then?
We will continue to speak at churches and small groups. Travis will be writing the manual for the Electric Barrel Pump Battery Box. We’ll be homeschooling Nathan for the fall so that we will be able to travel without interrupting his schooling. In the month of October we will be traveling to PA/NJ to visit family and speak at one of our supporting churches.
Upcoming speaking engagements:
July 30th, Rathdrum Bible Church, Rathdrum ID, 9:00am
October TBD, Cedar Crest Bible Fellowship Church, Allentown PA
How long will you be in PNG?
We will be serving a 4 year term in Papua New Guinea followed by a 1 year home assignment (furlough). Our intention is to continue serving in PNG for several terms.
Where will you live?
We will be living on the mission center about 8 miles outside of the town of Goroka.
Will you learn the local language?
Papua New Guinea has 4 National languages and 800+ indigenous languages. We will be learning the most widely spoken national language, which is Tok Pisin (sometimes referred to as Melanesian Pidgin).
Where will the kids go to school?
The mission center where we will be living houses a Christian school, a medical and dental clinic, a store, and all the staff who support church planters including pilots, mechanics, administrators, teachers, doctors, supply buyers, etc. Our children will attend the school on the center.
What will Becky do while Travis is flying?
For the most part, she will be doing the same things she does now: cook, clean, take care of the kids, write the newsletter/blog, keep up with other communications. As the kids get older she will be able to work on the center either at the school, the clinic, or another support job.
Whatever happened to the fuel pump battery box?
It arrived to the fields and is currently being used to fuel helicopters in PNG, the Philippines, and South America!
Where are you in the support raising process?
As of the last week of July we have 81% of our monthly support goal for working in Papua New Guinea. We still need $1,600 a month to reach 100%. If you feel led to partner with us, we’d love to have you join our team. Email for more information Travis_Lesicka@ntm.org. Contributions can be sent to Ethnos360 at: Ethnos360, 312 West First Street, Sanford, FL 32771 (please enclose a note stating for “Travis and Becky Lesicka”). Or online giving and EFT’s are possible at https://ethnos360.org/missionaries/travis-and-rebecca-lesicka
Thank you for your prayers, encouragement, and support as we prepare to serve church planters is PNG through aviation!
Love,
Travis & Becky
P.S. Here are a few kid pics from the last two months.
