He Has Done Great Things

God has been doing incredible things in Papua New Guinea recently. I thought I'd share a few, and hopefully they will encourage your heart as well! To read more about any of these, check out New Tribes Mission's Facebook page.

Hewa people:
4 tribal women were sentenced by their people to die after they were supposedly convicted of witchcraft. Yes, sadly, this kind of stuff still happens in many places around the world that are without the hope of Christ. But God miraculously intervened, and their lives have been spared!

Missionary with some of the Hewa people

Pal people:
Missionaries have been working amongst the Pal people group for several years already, but just now, they are starting to see some incredible growth among the tribal believers. The church is meeting 2 times a week to study God's Word, and they are hungry for it! The missionaries are excited to be able to train some of the Pal believers so that they can take the Gospel and share it with other villages in the Pal tribe.

Our brothers and sisters in the Pal tribe

Wantakia people:
These people don't have the Gospel yet, and they are still living in fear and darkness. But a new missionary team (3 couples that we went through missionary training with) is just beginning the process of moving into this tribe. They are currently building their houses, and as soon as that is done, they will begin learning the Wantakia language and culture so that they can share God's Word with the people. So exciting!

House building begins in Wantakia

Man, we are SO excited to get to be a part of the work God is doing in Papua New Guinea! This is just a small taste of what's been going on over there, and there are dozens more stories that I could share from all across PNG!

And yet my heart breaks for the hundreds of tribes that are still living in darkness with no hope. Many are begging for missionaries to come. One man recently told a missionary "If you don't come live with us...then...then I'm going to cut off my finger." And he was serious.

"He told them, 'The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.'" - Luke 10:2

Georgia Trip

The past few weeks have been a whirlwind. It's been so good to spend time with family and friends. We've enjoyed every second!

We had a fantastic time celebrating with my cousin and his new wife as they got married on the 1st. Congratulations Jotham and Maria!

We also really enjoyed our two weeks in Georgia. It was so much fun to get to hang out with my family, especially since it's been 6 months since we last saw them. I've missed them a lot! I'm so glad that they could get a chance to see my baby bump, too. :)

We had a lot of fun talking, laughing, and playing games. Clint also got to go hiking a few times, which he thoroughly enjoyed. We also went ice skating one day (although I just watched). So thankful for the memories we made!

I honestly think that leaving family will be one of the hardest things about going overseas. It's difficult to think that we'll be apart for several years at a time, most likely missing important events like weddings and new babies. Sometimes it makes me want to cry when I think about it. In a way, it kind of feels unfair. My parents aren't going to get to see their grandkids grow up, and our children won't know their relatives very well. But then I remember Heaven. We're going to get all of eternity to catch up on the moments lost. All the shed tears, the heart-wrenching goodbyes, and the wishful yearnings will be over, and we'll be able to bask in the loving presence of Jesus forever. What a reunion that will be!

6 More Months

Now that the new year is here, we are really excited to officially start back into preparing for Papua New Guinea. In the next few weeks, we will be resuming our paperwork process, which includes getting our work permits and visas so we can live and work in PNG. While the large quantities of paperwork feel a bit daunting at times, it's also exciting to feel like we're on our way again.

We'll also be speaking in several churches in the near future, and we'd love to share in some small groups as well. If you are interested in hearing some more about our ministry, let us know!

I think we're in love with Papua New Guinea and its people. I'm sure there will be times when we won't feel much love towards them when we're feeling stressed or overwhelmed. Times when we'll have to beg God for His love to flow through us. But the end goal of planting a mature church is so worth it. These peoples' lives are so worth it. God is so worth it!

Only 6 more months to go!