NTM

Have you ever prayed for travel mercies? There are many occasions in scripture when God “goes before” someone and prepares the way. God has answered your prayers and we have never had such a smooth, uneventful trip back to PNG as our recent one.

• Our entry permits came right on time – pray for the many missionaries who are still waiting for theirs.
• Our plane tickets arrived the day before we needed them even though we sent for them 2 months in advance.
• Space was available on an earlier flight from TX to L.A. when our flight was canceled.
• There were 6 security checks during our trip and we were only hand searched once.
• The custom’s official didn’t charge us for the computer we declared.
• Our luggage made it with us all the way to our final destination in Papua New Guinea and we didn’t have to pay for overweight on our final flight. Here in PNG the baggage allowance is one bag at 33lbs and the allowance from the U.S. is 2 bags at 70 lbs each.
• To top it all off, the season just changed to slightly cooler, breezy weather here in the Islands Region. It is the perfect time to adjust to the tropical temperatures.

We know that any one of these things could have made the trip more challenging for our family. Praise the Lord for going before us. We truly felt carried along the way.

Pray with us as we get settled in here and get back into working on Bible lessons and translation. Pray also as plans are finalized for my visit into the village next week. Word just came this morning that our village will soon be getting paid for the timber being cut on their land. Pray that they will be wise with what they receive and use it in a way that is glorifying to the Lord.

Thank you for lifting us up in prayer for the last few days. It sure didn’t go un-noticed. You are all a huge blessing to us and to the Ivanga church.

Dave and Shirley

Philippians 4:19 “But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.” (KJV)

“Are we there yet?” Yes, we heard that a few times after 14 days and 2,500 miles on the road, but now at the end of the road for us, we are back in Missouri. We have had a great time visiting with family, friends and supporters along the way. Even though it is for just a couple months, it is a blessing to be settled once again. We continue to praise the Lord for His provisions and safety during all of our travels.

Now it is preparation time. In July we will be traveling back to Papua New Guinea. Pray for us as we work on travel plans, tickets and entry permits. Praise the Lord we just heard that 300 of the 400+ PNG “workers visas” have been renewed. That means we can move ahead as planned. Pray for us as we will soon submit our entry permit applications. Sometimes they require full medical exams, chest x-rays, blood tests and police background checks. We have had to do this a couple times in the past and it is both time consuming and expensive, to say the least. Please pray specifically that this lengthy process will not be required.

Praise the Lord, the church leaders have reported that it is going well back home in the village. Recently, we heard the Bible teachers are finishing up their teaching times in 1 Corinthians and some of the teacher trainees are teaching through Phase 1, Creation through Christ, for the youth in the village. Also, we haven’t heard of any major health concerns for a while, which is a bonus praise!

Pray for us during our 6 weeks of furlough. We are busy finishing up home school, packing, dentist and doctor visits. Pray, too, that I will be able to finish up Galatians lessons before we return. I am planning an initial trip back to the village in July. It looks like a flight in and a hike out this time.

In the last few months we have been so encouraged by the support team God has provided for us here in the United States. Last June we found ourselves suddenly making furlough plans a year early due to the battle with cancer that my Mom was fighting. Many gave, prayed and encouraged us as we suddenly shifted our plans for a year in the U.S. What a blessing as God used people to help us through the transition from life in the village to life here in the U.S.

In September we began a long road trip from Missouri to Maine. God provided a great vehicle for our travels and we have had lots of fun visiting and enjoying some sights along the way. One of the biggest impressions that we came away with as we got closer to Maine was the awesome team God has made us a part of to do the work he has given to us. As our family visited churches and got to know people better we thought “what a great group,” and we wanted to stay right here. Then we found the same at the next church and the next. God’s people have loved and encouraged us all along the way and we have soaked it in. We took the opportunity this time in our meetings to explain the huge need we have in PNG for people in support roles. We asked people to join with us and have asked the Lord to raise up people who are willing to go into the harvest fields. Matt. 9:37-38. We urgently need a banking manager, teachers, and dorm parents in P.N.G. Would you join us in prayer for the Lord to provide personnel for these jobs?