Flowers and Fruit...

“I will send down the showers in their season; they shall be showers of blessing”-Ezekiel 34:26

We often get focused on the particulars of our work here in Papua New Guinea. Our goal is to be obedient to God’s call, to serve to the best of our ability, and to support the work of Bible translation here in Papua New Guinea. It is humbling to know there are over 339 languages here in the Pacific, and 1,680 languages world-wide that still have no Bible translation work begun yet. That is approximately 1.5 billion people without God’s Word in their first language. But we are reminded that work is being done in more than 2,800 languages world-wide, and more than 700 languages do have the full Bible (source: Wycliffe Global Alliance, October 2022). The goal of this work is to enable people to encounter the living God through His Word, so that people’s lives, families, and communities can be transformed. Much like when we plant many flowers, we trust and pray for God to bring the fruit. We are always very encouraged to see this happening in many communities, as Papua New Guineans are being trained and discipled to share the Good News about Jesus and His redemptive work on the cross. Now, as we enter the 40 days leading up to Easter, please pray with us for these communities to go deeper in their knowledge and understanding of Jesus Christ, and pray for divine opportunities for those who have not yet heard the Good News. May God bring the fruit, and receive all the glory.

Rainy days do bring wonderful blessings...

Another blessing of the rainy season is the flowers it brings. The vine-like passion fruit growing on ourback fence started out as little shoots in cups that we transplanted last June. They barely hung on through the dry season, but with some nurturing and fertilizing, they survived. Then the rains came, andnow they have taken over the back fence, covering it with a green carpet of vines. Their subdued flowers (pictured, left) don’t attract much attention from people, but do draw an array of butterflies and other pollinators. Once pollinated, they have begun bearing fruit; at first, one ripe passionfruit here or there, but now, an entire sink-full (see picture above). What are you nurturing right now? Praythat the Lord of the harvest will bring it to fruition.

Prayer Points....

 • Papua New Guinea (PNG): Praise for peace and a resolution to the local village conflicts nearby inthe Aiyura valley.

• Bible translation: Pray for the God’s Big Story workshop, as trainees from several different language groups teach what they have learned to the Tami people next month.

• Our roles in PNG: Pray for Scott as he on-boards the new PNG Chief Human Resources Officer, and praise for all of the students at Ukarumpa International School who just finished their successful theater production.

• PNG missionaries: Praise for the translation team families who are able to spend time in their villages, and for the new families in the PNG Orientation Course who will be going to the village soon.

• God’s provision: Thank you for your prayers, and for your faithful financial partnership with ourWycliffe ministry in PNG. We could not continue serving here without you.

Embracing a new year...

 “A man’s heart plans his way, but the LORD directs his steps” -Proverbs 16:9 KJV 

As 2023 gets off to a busy start, we are reminded that it is God who ultimately determines our path, even as we make plans in faith and use the abilities He has blessed us with to serve those around us. Scott will be spending time in the next few months training and mentoring a new Papua New Guinean Chief Human Resources Officer, who will take over for him as we leave to return to the USA in June on home assignment. Kathy will be finishing the semester with her students and making sure there is continuity for the science department for the next school year, and that all of the curriculum materials are up to date and accessible. In each of these endeavors, we are entrusted by God with the skills and abilities to think critically and plan ahead, but we also trust in Him to guide our plans and provide for our needs. We have seen His hand of provision and protection so abundantly since 2020 when we returned to PNG, and even during the challenges, we have had peace. We look forward, God-willing, to our return to the USA in June for a 6 month home assignment, where we hope to visit with many of you and share more details of how we’ve seen God working here in PNG. One of the blessings we never tire of is seeing so many different species of butterflies, and each one reminds us of God’s ability to transform people into a new creation through the work of His Word in their lives. We praise God for the transformation we have seen here and for the work He will continue to do in the future

God’s promises...

In the midst of the storm, God is with us, and we often forget to look up and recognize His presence. One of the joys of rainy season here in Ukarumpa are rainbows (as well as having plentiful rain water in our tanks to supply our running water in our houses on center!). It is easy to be out walking in the rain, focusing on the slippery mud and trying to stay dry, and miss the beauty in the sky above us if we would just look up. We pray that you experience God’s presence with you in your storm, and that you look up and see the beauty He is working in and through your circumstances, even during the difficult times.

Prayer Points...

 • Papua New Guinea (PNG): Pray for peace and a resolution to the local village conflicts nearby in the Aiyura valley.

• Bible translation: Pray for the dormitory and translator training facility under construction in the Ubuo language area and for continued progress on their New Testament and literacy materials.

• Our roles in PNG: Pray for Scott as he on-boards the new PNG Chief Human Resources Officer, fulfilling localization in that role. Pray for Kathy and all of the students at Ukarumpa International School to have a healthy and productive semester.

• PNG missionaries: Praise for the families who have recently returned to PNG, and for the new families who have arrived and are in the PNG Orientation Course.

• God’s provision: 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 more workers for the harvest...

“Then saith he unto his disciples, The harvest truly is plenteous, but the labourers are few; Pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he will send forth labourers into his harvest.” -Matthew 9:37-38 KJV

Over the years, we have seen fewer missionaries coming to the field from traditional sending countries. Financially speaking, fewer personnel means that less funds are available to run Bible translation programs. Fewer missionaries also means that those who are here end up doing more work. It is not uncommon for someone to hold one major role and one or two secondary roles. Add to this unexpected departures for medical or other reasons, and continuity becomes a significant challenge. One may come to the field to perform a certain role and find themselves the head of another department because they were the most qualified person available at the time. In other words, faith, flexibility and grace are a necessity to continue the work of ministry. Since this personnel shortage is a world-wide trend in missions, we are not alone. Here in Papua New Guinea, we are addressing this issue by going into deeper partnerships with local Christian organizations, as well as with other missions that lack the level of infrastructure we have in place. As the head of Human Resources, Scott has been part of a team working out agreements with other missions who want to co-locate a portion of their staff here in Ukarumpa. In addition, we are continuing to actively recruit Papua New Guinean citizens to assume more leadership roles. We know that God is the Lord of the Harvest and that He will provide the workers. We also know that every Christian is called to the Great Commission, whether serving in their home country or overseas. So, if you have ever wondered if you are “called” to missions, the answer is yes. If you believe that God calling you to leave your home country and serve overseas, we’d like to hear from you and pray for you as you seek confirmation of your call.