Thank you for praying!

We know that people were praying us back to PNG; our travels went very smoothly, and we were blessed with no significant delays or lost luggage, which is pretty miraculous these days. We had planned extra travel days in case of weather delays leaving Philly, but instead got to spend those days in Singapore. This gave us the chance to start getting over our jet lag and to spend time with a colleague and good friend who didn’t have to travel alone. We had the opportunity to worship in a local church on New Year’s Eve and it was a real blessing to praise God for what He has done with Singaporean brothers and sisters in Christ.

Prayer Points...

• Papua New Guinea (PNG): Pray forpeace throughout the country and wisdom for all of thegovernment leaders.

• Bible translation: Praise for the Nara New Testament being completed and pray for the printing process in South Korea to go smoothly and for the books to return to PNG quickly and safely.

• Our roles in PNG: Pray for us as we transition back to our roles in teaching and security.

• PNG missionaries: Pray for the Scripture Use team on Tami Island as they facilitate the Bible Background workshop, for lives to be transformed, and for the village to have enough fresh water for all.

• God’s provision: Thank you for your faithful prayers and partnership. We are grateful to be back serving in PNG and could not be here without your prayers and support- you are an important part of our team, and we appreciate you very much!

Thankful...

“We always thank God for all of you and continually mention you in our prayers. We remember before our God and Father your work produced by faith, your labor prompted by love, and your endurance inspired by hope in our Lord Jesus Christ.” -1 Thessalonians 1: 2-3 NIV

We continue to travel and visit with family, friends and partners, and we were so encouraged by our time in Alabama and Georgia. Seeing family members as well as friends, including people we served with in PNG, has been a genuine blessing. We do not take these opportunities for granted, as we often only see our loved ones for a few days once every 3 to 4 years, so the time is very precious. We try to focus on the eternal perspective, knowing we will spend forever with our brothers and sisters in Christ as we worship Jesus, and this gives us peace each time we say ‘goodbye for now’ to those we love. This season of thankfulness is a mindset we try to embrace year round, as we are always thankful to each of our partners who make our Wycliffe ministry in Papua New Guinea possible. Thank you to those of you who responded to our increase in ministry budget; we now need to raise only $350 a month. If you are not currently a financial partner with our Wycliffe ministry and would like to be, please contact us using the link below or email.

www.wycliffe.org/partner/

Scott-KathyWatson

Please continue to let us know how we can be praying for you, and we pray you will have a mindset of gratitude and thankfulness during this season of Thanksgiving, and appreciate the time you have with your loved ones. We are always thankful for each of you and you are in our hearts and our prayers always!

Going to space?

We indulged our inner astronauts as we enjoyed a lovely gift from good friends, a day at the Space and Rocket Center in Huntsville, Alabama. It was a wonderful experience, and a timely one, as Kathy is brushing up on her space science in preparation to teach an elective class in Astronomy during Semester 2 at UIS when we return to Ukarumpa. Educational opportunities like these are part of the way we learn and keep retooling while we are on home assignment. Kathy needs to be as prepared as possible to share these experiences with students in PNG, as she plans to go back to school the day after our return to PNG in January!

Prayer Points...

 • Papua New Guinea (PNG): Pray for a true sense of gratitude and thankfulness in government leadership and PNG churches.

• Bible translation: Praise for the success of the Oral Bible Storying workshop in Ubuo among the Kope people of Gulf Province.

• Our roles in PNG: Pray for the teachers and students at UIS as they finish Semester 1 well. Pray for God’s wisdom and protection for the security team in Ukarumpa.

• PNG missionaries: Pray for the safety and security of all of the missionaries as they travel via road and air throughout PNG.

• God’s provision: Thank you for your faithful prayers and partnership; we are getting closer to our ministry budget required to return to PNG. If you would like to partner with our Wycliffe ministry, please see the link below or contact us for more information.

www.wycliffe.org/partner/Scott-KathyWatson

Our Lighthouse...

“In Him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.” -John 1:4-5 NIV

As followers of Christ, we are called to pour out our lives for the gospel, to be light and salt to those around us. Our time in the USA may look a bit different, but it is just as much of a ministry and mission field as our time in Papua New Guinea. Since arriving back in the USA in June, we have been blessed to see family and friends, speak at churches and small groups, and share about the great things that God is doing in Papua New Guinea and in our own lives. Along the way, we have been deeply encouraged and blessed by many of you as well. Thus far, we have traveled throughout New England, New York, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Virginia and North Carolina. Our next stops include Alabama, Georgia and Florida, before we head back to Pennsylvania and then, Lord willing, to Papua New Guinea after Christmas. We have finished getting our updated immunizations and necessary paperwork to return to the field, but increases in our ministry budget due to the increased cost of health insurance and inflation mean that we still need to raise another $500 a month. If you are not currently financially partnering with our Wycliffe ministry and would like to, please contact us or use the link (right column of this blog). Jesus is our lighthouse, shining in the darkness, and it is a privilege to reflect His light to those around us. May His light and truth bring you peace and comfort in a troubling and often chaotic world, and may He use you to be His light to those in darkness around you. Please let us know how we can be praying for you!

Gone fishin'

Photo Credit: Tommy Logan

Part of our assignment while we are in the USA is taking time for relaxation. Scott had an opportunity to go fishing with a friend while we were visiting in Beaufort, NC while Kathy spent time viewing the Cape Lookout Lighthouse. These opportunities are also precious and part of our strategy to fully equip, refresh and retool ourselves during home assignment. Thank you for praying for us as we continue to prepare ourselves to return to PNG for our fourth term of service, and for the wonderful hospitality that we have received as we have visited with many of you during our travels we appreciate each of you so much!