It is with great joy that we can report Neil's scheduled return to Papua New Guinea (PNG) on October 23. Well, he begins the journey on the 23rd but more likely will get to the Mesem closer to the 28th. The flights alone total 24 hours in the air, and once he arrives he has to get from the capital, to Morobe Province, and from there he'll need to purchase food and supplies to bring with him into the rainforest. Those supplies are not just our personal staples, but basic first aid items that are needed by so many of our Mesem friends; malaria medication; tools to repair those things on which the harsh environment has taken its toll. One of the many things he will carry with him is the Gospel of John, completed just prior to our furlough last year as well as four other epistles for the people to read for the first time. It is hard to explain the joy we feel that the Mesem can resume reading the scriptures, studying each book they receive for the first time, asking questions and discussing these things with Neil. It's an answer to prayer...the fervent prayer of the many friends and churches who have stood so faithfully with us for two decades and those who have joined us with such commitment in recent months.
While Neil is gone, I will continue to work on Acts, continue the nursing home chaplaincy, Alpha, and the weekend preaching schedule. As I know that Tony never reads this blog I will boast as his mom that he will continue to concentrate on school, basketball (he just took home his first MVP) and accompany me as I speak in churches in Southern New England. I am immensly proud of him. He has endured a great deal in the last two years and yet from the time of Neil's accident onward he has continued to demonstrate a quiet strength as he takes on the increased responsibilty that comes with becoming a young man.
On a personal note: over the years we've heard coworkers share some of the difficulties communicating their struggles to those at home. We realize that there are good reasons for this: time, distance, living cross culturally for extended periods and other factors. However, what I want to say here for all the world to know is that we have been blessed with the most supportive and loving group of friends and churches who have cheered us on through every obstacle that could possibly arise. Our “support base” (or better stated “the Body of Christ from a variety of church traditions) has blessed us, prayed for us, and stood fast and believed with us when it seemed that all of life was an uphill battle. Not only were you the hands of Jesus to us, we find that our best “cheerleaders” have been the very ones the Lord has used to help us keep going when we thought we didn't have another step within us. On behalf of my family and the Mesem people I want to thank our friends from a variety of church backgrounds who together with us rejoice that there is “one Lord, one faith, and one baptism, one God and Father of all”. Hitherto hath the Lord helped us. And He shall surely accomplish His will.
Tuesday, September 30, 2008
Sunday, September 14, 2008
You Do All Things Well
It was a year ago in August that we arrived in the US. We were exhausted. The death of friends and family overshadowed what was already a year of constant stress. Yet we had experienced God's mercy in Neil's miraculous survival when his neck was crushed in a horrific accident and he was so severely injured that plastic surgery was necessary to ensure his survival. The robbery that occurred while Neil and the driver were on the roadside was almost a "non-event" as it paled in comparision to everything else that happened. To be honest, I thought to myself, "There is nothing left to take and I have nothing left to give". While it would be wonderful to say that as human beings we never hit that point, it would not be honest. Only One does "all things well".
One year later I want to say to our God, "You do all things well".
Last year I couldn't see how to move an inch forward. It had to be done, but there was still so much to do and no inner strength with which to do it. Yet we are told that His strength is made perfect in weakness and so we have experienced it. I remember when one of our leaders said to us, "You might feel like you are falling, but you are falling into a safety net."
One year later, as the tickets are booked for Neil to bring scripture back to PNG, and I am working on translation again, and we have been commissioned, and I have been ordained, and Tony is reminding us to pick up friends for youth group....what can I say but "He does all things well".
Neil needed the extra time because we faced enourmous stress when we returned to PNG and in attempting to complete the checking of Matthew there was never a moment when he was without emotional pressure which would have helped him to physically heal. I needed the extra time to just recover from having lost my friends, my cousin, and nearly my husband. Emotionally and spiritually, I was spent. Tony needed time to have a year that was free from assault, injury or seperation from us due to trauma. God knew we needed time. He gave it to us and He did it in a way that built us up, caused no loss to the Meem and as usual: gave time for others here in the US to come to Christ.
Yet, one year later, we are back at work full time with the Mesem New Testament. The situation in the Mesem area is such that working with the AG will only widen the acceptance of the New Testament among the Mesem. So three tired and discouraged people who left Papua New Guinea last year are now refreshed, supported, affirmed and able to focus on the only goal that really matters: That the Name of Jesus Christ is Exalted Among the Mesem.
I read yesterday, "A moment of God's favor is better than a year of our labors". Amen Lord. Pour on your favor, Oh Lord, that your Name is glorified.
One year later I want to say to our God, "You do all things well".
Last year I couldn't see how to move an inch forward. It had to be done, but there was still so much to do and no inner strength with which to do it. Yet we are told that His strength is made perfect in weakness and so we have experienced it. I remember when one of our leaders said to us, "You might feel like you are falling, but you are falling into a safety net."
One year later, as the tickets are booked for Neil to bring scripture back to PNG, and I am working on translation again, and we have been commissioned, and I have been ordained, and Tony is reminding us to pick up friends for youth group....what can I say but "He does all things well".
Neil needed the extra time because we faced enourmous stress when we returned to PNG and in attempting to complete the checking of Matthew there was never a moment when he was without emotional pressure which would have helped him to physically heal. I needed the extra time to just recover from having lost my friends, my cousin, and nearly my husband. Emotionally and spiritually, I was spent. Tony needed time to have a year that was free from assault, injury or seperation from us due to trauma. God knew we needed time. He gave it to us and He did it in a way that built us up, caused no loss to the Meem and as usual: gave time for others here in the US to come to Christ.
Yet, one year later, we are back at work full time with the Mesem New Testament. The situation in the Mesem area is such that working with the AG will only widen the acceptance of the New Testament among the Mesem. So three tired and discouraged people who left Papua New Guinea last year are now refreshed, supported, affirmed and able to focus on the only goal that really matters: That the Name of Jesus Christ is Exalted Among the Mesem.
I read yesterday, "A moment of God's favor is better than a year of our labors". Amen Lord. Pour on your favor, Oh Lord, that your Name is glorified.
Thursday, September 4, 2008
Moving Forward and other Furlough Idioms
It seems that every furlough we learn new terms or expressions we missed out on when we were oversees. Remember, "Murphy Brown, not"? I can still remember asking, "Who is Murphy Brown and why would someone end a sentence with "not"?
So we are "moving forward" now and I like and understand this expression very well.
Neil is looking to travel to Papua New Guinea and has begun the process of checking flights. He'll coordinate that with our regional director who will visit the ministry among the Mesem, as well as key church leaders in our province and in the nation. Neil is planning to return with 1, 2 and 3 John, and Lord wiling, Jude, just in case he has some "spare time"! After a year away we expect there to be a lot of eating, talking and catching up, Melanesian style, before they get down to the business of studying the translated scriptures.
On the home front Tony continues to pursue basketball with a joyful enthusiasm and I will be working on the New Testament as well as taking speaking opportunities on the weekend. Right now my big computer challenge is to get a file typed in unicode to open with the correct characters when I switch between OpenOffice and Word.
It's been a "journey" which sounds heaps better than saying, "This has been a trip" :) but we know you who have so faithfully prayed for and followed the events that have occurred the closer we have come to completing the scripture, are well aware that it was a truth said in jest when Elyce coined this work, "Frank Peretti Live". At times I have debated whether to chronicle the last four field terms and have concluded that had I not been there, I would probably think the writer was embellishing the story. Not so, it's all true.
As we pray this ministry "home", lets celebrate as we watch the Lord accomplish what we could never do ourselves.
Faithful is He who has called you, who also will do it.
So we are "moving forward" now and I like and understand this expression very well.
Neil is looking to travel to Papua New Guinea and has begun the process of checking flights. He'll coordinate that with our regional director who will visit the ministry among the Mesem, as well as key church leaders in our province and in the nation. Neil is planning to return with 1, 2 and 3 John, and Lord wiling, Jude, just in case he has some "spare time"! After a year away we expect there to be a lot of eating, talking and catching up, Melanesian style, before they get down to the business of studying the translated scriptures.
On the home front Tony continues to pursue basketball with a joyful enthusiasm and I will be working on the New Testament as well as taking speaking opportunities on the weekend. Right now my big computer challenge is to get a file typed in unicode to open with the correct characters when I switch between OpenOffice and Word.
It's been a "journey" which sounds heaps better than saying, "This has been a trip" :) but we know you who have so faithfully prayed for and followed the events that have occurred the closer we have come to completing the scripture, are well aware that it was a truth said in jest when Elyce coined this work, "Frank Peretti Live". At times I have debated whether to chronicle the last four field terms and have concluded that had I not been there, I would probably think the writer was embellishing the story. Not so, it's all true.
As we pray this ministry "home", lets celebrate as we watch the Lord accomplish what we could never do ourselves.
Faithful is He who has called you, who also will do it.
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