A Lifetime minus One | Travis and Becky Lesicka

What began in 1980. . .

In 1980 a missionary family with New Tribes Missions moved in among the Lamogai people of Papua New Guinea. They began the process of learning the local language and culture, teaching literacy, translating the Bible and teaching from Creation to Christ. Along the way others joined them in the work, a local church was born, the New Testament was translated into their language, and recently the Old Testament was also completed. This June the Lamogai people celebrated the completion and printing of the entire Bible in their native language. The printed Bibles arrived in Papua New Guinea by ship, traveled by road to the NTMA hangar and were then flown into the village. Many people came together for the celebration.

About a month before the official celebration Travis flew in some of the boxes of Bibles (since it was too much to bring in one trip.) As these first boxes arrived, the Lamogai had a mini-celebration with song and dance and flowers. Imagine the joy to finally have the whole Word of God in a language you understand and can read for yourself. Travis was humbled and blessed to have a small part in something that began when he was just one year old. (His whole life time minus one.)

Singing next to the airstrip after first delivery of Bibles.

News from the Hangar

In our last update we asked you to pray for government paperwork to be processed in good time. Specifically that the new flight instructor training program that Travis was working on would be approved by CASA (government flight agency) and that he could apply to become a flight instructor.

God answered those prayers and more, we’ve been amazed at all that has been approved in the last few months. The instructor training program was approved and added to the Operations Manual. CASA agreed to do Travis’s instructor check ride at the same time as David’s pilot check ride, it happened on schedule and they both passed. CASA also agreed to come observe Travis teach the ‘Dangerous Goods’ (hazmat) class to airport personnel so he can be approved as an instructor for that class as well. (Currently someone has been traveling to PNG from the US to teach the class.)

Prayer Requests:

Praise God for the completed Lamogai Bible Translation and pray for the Lamogai church to continue to grow in knowledge and faith.

Praise that government paperwork for the aviation department was processed smoothly! Please pray for that Entry Permits and Visas will also begin to be processed more smoothly. Several missionaries are waiting for these documents so that they can come to PNG, including the new doctor for the clinic here.

Please pray for staffing needs at Numonohi Christian Academy. More information at the end of this newsletter. (The school is short teachers and isn’t able to offer Kindergarten or First grade this coming year. Pray for Becky as she’ll be homeschooling Hannah and Grace.)

Please pray for good health for our family and our co-workers. Please especially pray for friends of ours in the aviation department on medical leave in Germany, for healing and that they would be able to return to PNG.