Continuing to grow in faith and knowledge…

 "Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.” 2 Timothy 2:15 NKJV

Scott has often said that he is an unlikely missionary; he didn’t grow up in the church, became a Christian at 18, and didn’t become serious about his faith until he was in his mid-twenties. He did not attend Bible college or seminary and is not a pastor or linguist. Yet despite this, God called him and Kathy to serve as missionaries in Papua New Guinea (PNG). That was eleven years ago and we are, by God’s grace, still faithfully serving here. We believe that, as followers of Jesus, it is important to grow in our relationship with Christ and our knowledge of God’s Word. Over the years, our growth has been facilitated by daily prayer, Bible reading, Bible studies, Sunday school classes, and serving in various ministries in our home church and here in PNG. Recently, Scott has had the opportunity to study the Bible in a more systematic manner through Nations University (NU). NU is an online, accredited school offering a Masters in Theological Studies (MTS) program.The program is asynchronous, self-paced and free to people living in many areas of the developing world, including PNG. So far, Scott has completed three courses and the first of three comprehensive examinations. He has nine courses and a capstone writing project to go before hopefully finishing the program in late 2026. Scott turns 57 in March, so it is never too late to grow in your relationship with Christ and to expand your knowledge of Scripture! You may not have the opportunity to attend formal classes, but daily prayer and Bible reading can make a lasting difference in your life. There are apps and reading plans to help you read through the Bible in a year. Our prayer for you, and for those in PNG who have received God’s Word in their heart language, is for His Word to transform your lives and bring the peace and joy that comes from knowing Jesus more.

Ukarumpa International School…

… is a wonderful place to teach! Kathy loves teaching here and would like you to pray about joining her. UIS has a critical teacher shortage at both primary and secondary campuses for next year. If you are a teacher, would you consider spending a year in PNG to serve these fun and amazing expatriate and national students? Parents will be asked to homeschool their students if a grade level or subject area does not have a teacher next year. This will create additional shortages in other critical departments and slow down Bible translation teams’ progress. Please pray for the LORD to supply our needs - you may be an answer to this prayer.

Prayer Points:

• Papua New Guinea (PNG): Pray for wisdom and discernment for government leaders and peace and justice throughout the country.

• Bible translation: Pray for the Bibles dedicated last year to be read. Pray for wisdom for the Scripture Application and Literacy Team as they plan programs in these language areas for 2025.

• Our roles in PNG: Praise for a good start to Semester 2 at UIS; pray for more teachers for next year. Pray for Scott, the Security team, and the Crisis Management Team, for wisdom and safety.

• PNG missionaries: Praise for returning teachers and missionaries who have arrived in Ukarumpa from their home assignments, and for healthy transitions as they return to work.

• God’s provision: You are a part of what God is doing here in PNG and we appreciate you.

Thank you for your prayers, support and encouragement!