June 1, 2008
by Chad Mankins
Well, here’s some good news---the visas have now made it to the USA! Now we wait for the good folks of the Papua New Guinea Embassy in Washington, DC to process the visas, put them into the passports, and send the passports back to us.
Once all this happens, we will be free to jet across the big water and resume our ministry in the mountains of the lovely south Pacific and rejoin our new partners the Williamsons in the village just in time for our glorious rainy season. Our monsoons hit Tobo country in mid- to late-June, and it will be really nice to be in the village together during the months of clouds, rain, chill, drizzle, rain, fog, dampness, rain, closed airstrip, wet laundry, and oh, did we mention several meters of rainfall? It’s a little hard to imagine all that, when here in Texas we’ve been hitting low temps in the 70s and even 80 degrees overnight and lots of sunshine and mid-90s!
The people in DC have informed us that it will take them 7 to 10 working days to get the passports back to us. What does this mean? Well, we could get them a bit earlier, but then again we might not get them until early in the second week of June. So we are in the process of deciding on a new departure date, one that will not be necessary to change yet again, but one that is not too far into the future. We will let you know once we have firm dates for our departure, but now you have a reasonable idea of when we might be heading out (that most likely being a little over a week from now).
We are excited, a little saddened as we know our time with family here will be over all too quickly now, and humbled and thankful as we look back at the Lord’s gracious timing in our lives (He always knows best). We believe that he meant for us to have this extra waiting period here in the US and we thank Him for it.
Please take the time to look at the prayer points below and lift these to our Father God. We truly appreciate you and your ministry to us and for His glory!
A grateful Chad, a lovely Janeene, an energetic Elijah & a one-toothed Zeke
Prayer Points:
Praise God, He has been encouraging Williamsons as they labor alone in the village. We believe that God is answering our prayers in this. Also be in prayer as they are in need of a new computer as theirs is on the way out but they are facing tight times financially.
Praise God as the Knapps are able to get some help medically while in the US. Jason will be officiating at his brother’s upcoming wedding, but will be undergoing surgery to correct a heart defect this coming Wednesday. Kellie had some skin cancer which was removed, but the doctors will remove more tissue from her arm the following Wednesday to make sure they get all of it and then will undergo a colonoscopy several days later, so please keep the Knapps and their health in your prayers.
Praise God for the visas’ arrival in Washington, DC! Please pray for us as we set our dates and for the logistics involved in our return to the village (at least 7 flights over several days, with lots of work to get set up for a new little family member in our house as well as tasks like post repairs). |
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