Praising God for the gift of visitors...

“We always thank God for all of you and continually mention you in our prayers.”-1 Thessalonians 1:2 

We are so thankful for the gift of technology, which allows us to stay in touch with distant loved ones via email, video and chat. It is one of the biggest challenges of serving so far away from the USA. One thing we did not expect was to have anyone make the trip here to visit with us. So we were very excited when our friends from NH made the time, effort and expense to fly for several days to spend time with us here in Ukarumpa! Their desire to be able to pray for us with insight and empathy, having seen where we live and work with their own eyes, means so very much to us. We had the opportunity to take them to visit with PNG friends in their village, so they can also have a deeper insight on how to pray for this country. Continue to pray for peace, as we are in the midst of national elections this month, which often triggers violence. We thank God for bringing the Eisners to visit, and for the lovely holiday they took us on to Madang by the ocean. We are refreshed and ready to continue to serve Bible t r a n s l a t i o n here in PNG though our support roles. Our prayer is that everyone will hear the good news of s a l v a t i o n through Jesus C h r i s t i n their heart language and b e t o t a l l y transformed!

Meet J.C.

People often come and go from Ukarumpa, and one of the challenges here is taking care of pets. Dogs are valuable, both for security as well as for companionship. We first watched J.C. for his owners back in 2015 when we were renting their home and now, seven years later, we’ve adopted him permanently since they’ve left Papua New Guinea. He is older and slower (much like us!) but is such a good dog and we are blessed to be able to help both him and his owners to finish well. It is fun to have a walking buddy again, too, and he’ll help us to keep in better shape as we enjoy cooler winter days here in the Southern Hemisphere.

Prayer Points

 • Papua New Guinea (PNG): Pray for peace and wisdom during the July national elections in PNG

• Bible translation: Praise for the opportunity for Kathy to assist checking the Sudest Old Testament panorama before its publication.

 • Our roles in PNG: Pray for preparations for the new school year and for some rest during the break. Pray for wisdom for Scott as he learns his new Chief Human Resources Officer role.

 • PNG missionaries: Pray for the families trying to return to PNG for the new school year to receive their visas and work permits, and to have safe travels.

 • God’s provision: We thank God for His love and grace, allowing us time to spend with good friends and to continue to do ministry here. 

Thank you for your prayers, and for your faithful financial support of our Wycliffe ministry in PNG. We could not continue to serve here without you!

Praying for our future leaders...

Kathy and the graduating community group girls and leaders. 

Photo credit: Jonathan Federwitz

 “... Live a life worthy of the calling you have received.” -Ephesians 4:1b 

Thank you for your prayers for the students at Ukarumpa International School (UIS) this year. It has been challenging, with many restrictions and two waves of Covid variants causing illness and quarantines, but we finished in-person this week and thanked God for the return of many normal activities during our Term 4. The students enjoyed a track and field Sport’s Day, sports tournaments, a theater production, Banquet (similar to prom for juniors and seniors), band and choir concerts, Awards Night and Graduation, each without limits on attendance and with a grateful Ukarumpa community supporting them and cheering them on. Kathy was able to participate in designing one last Amazing Race-style scavenger hunt for the seniors, with a life skills theme to help them transition to their bright futures back in their passport countries. As each of these students leaves Ukarumpa, they will be saying goodbye to the place where they have grown up, the friends they have known since kindergarten, and the teachers and community group leaders who have poured into their lives for years, pointing them to Jesus and helping each one to make their faith their own. It is Jesus who goes with them now, and we trust in Him to guide, protect and comfort these future Christian leaders as they bravely go out into the unknown, to become the men and women God has designed them to be, and to live lives worthy of the calling they have received

Biology Lab Finale

Photo credit: Becky Harber

It is always a joy to give students hands-on learning opportunities. In Biology, students dissect preserved pregnant rats and learn about each organ system over three class periods. A few were quite tentative at the beginning, but by the third day, they were all involved in the process and marveled at the way the systems were designed and compactly networked. Finding over 30 rat fetuses was an extra bonus! 

Prayer Points:

 • Papua New Guinea (PNG): Pray for peace during the upcoming national elections in PNG. 

• Bible translation: Pray for the PNG Translator Training Course graduates to use their new skills in Bible translation back in their local language areas. 

• Our roles in PNG: Praise God that we completed the school year at UIS. Pray for wisdom for Scott as he learns his new Chief Human Resources Officer role. 

• PNG missionaries: Pray for the many families leaving PNG this month, either on furlough or permanently, and for healthy and positive transitions for them back to their passport countries. 

• God’s provision: We thank God for allowing us to continue to serve faithfully in our roles, to remain healthy, and to recognize His love and grace through it all.

 Thank you for your prayers, and for your faithful financial support of our Wycliffe ministry in PNG. We could not continue to serve here without you!

Praying for Wisdom: a New Role with New Challenges

Photo Credit: Steve Johnson

“If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.”  -James 1:5 (KJV) 

Missionaries, particularly in support roles, will often say that they are trying to train up and equip nationals to assume their positions. After a little more than 8 years, Scott has succeeded in doing just that. On April 29th, Scott’s former Assistant, Mark Oboko, assumed the role of Field Security Officer (FSO). Mark has 22 years of security and corrections experience, and over the last year he has proven his ability to run Ukarumpa center’s security operations. Mark works well with the local police and has already added valuable expertise and cultural insight to the security team. With Mark assuming the FSO role, Scott has transitioned to the role of Chief Human Resources Officer (CHRO). He will also still continue serving as the Crisis Management Team Leader and as an occasional teacher at Ukarumpa International School (UIS). As some of you may recall, four years ago Scott briefly served as interim CHRO. So, while the role is not entirely new to him, there will still be a significant learning curve. Prayers for both Mark and Scott would be appreciated as they navigate these new challenges. Please also pray for Kathy, as the school year wraps up with many “last” events for her senior girls, like AP Exams, Banquet, Awards Night and finally, Graduation. Transitions are never easy, but with Jesus as their sure foundation, each one can step out into the unknown in faith, knowing He is with them