Well Facebook is about to be flooded with photos of the first day of school, and it reminded me that we almost view August as the start of the new year, not January. In January we are still in the thick of things. We might have resolutions, but all new schedules really start with the new school year. I have found myself subconsciously finding projects that required me to buy office {cough cough} I mean school supplies, just so I could revel in the joy of organizing notebooks with fresh tabs and getting colored pencils beautifully pointed in a pristine new box. There is something very promising about new crayons–like anything creative is possible.
Now that we have school aged kids, we homeschool them, in a third world country at that! But I still give them new pencils and notebooks and little post-it notes to start the “new year”. So as I sit and look at their year laid out and packaged for them so nicely, I thought I would take a moment to share with you some of the things that are coming up for our family and our ministry in this “new year” to come.
John:
Ha, no this is not John. This is a pic of Marty Driggers from the high school mission trip that John went on earlier this year. We are grateful to be now serving the high school kids under Marty's leadership. He is a tremendous guy in innumerable ways!
His current role on center is Maintenance Section Head. If anyone is counting, yes that is the 5th hat that he’s worn in the Construction And Maintenance department since we have been serving here, but John loves the variety! Basically he is in charge of maintaining everything on center that is not a building: like roads, drainage (when it rains, it rains a lot here!), security fences, trees, heavy machinery, grounds maintenance, and garbage (yes, even garbage). The biggest part of his job though is the relationships. Maintenance is the largest section in CAM and also works with more people from adjacent villages than possibly any other department in Ukarumpa. He has joined the fire team here too… They have a Japanese firetruck from the 70s and fire suits and hoses to boot. This fire team is our center’s ONLY defense against fires. Please also pray for John as he and another friend, Andrew Roberts, have taken on the 8th grade boys Bible Study on Wednesday nights. Other things on the horizon: 2 trips building village houses for translation teams, a new church building for our church in Kwina, building needs for new village schools in Bauka and Onamuna, and the list goes on. Please pray that we can be effective and not spread ourselves too thin. And keep praying for our Gadsup translator friend Steven Pikus whom we continue to support and fellowship with weekly thanks to you all!
Kristi:
Things are about to get even more interesting for me this year, as I have two new roles to fill. I accepted a job post at the training center here in Ukarumpa. The training center is where we had our POC training, but mostly it is a facility that we use to provide training to Papua New Guineans. They can take classes that range from basic reading skills to greek to literacy application. This is a central location that translation teams can bring their national helpers to learn how to do their own translation projects in their mother tongue, which speeds up the translation process greatly. I will be in charge of purchasing for the center to provide food and accommodations for the teams as they are training.
I will also be co leading the community group for 7th grade girls. This too is a big and exciting commitment, as I hope to be with them their whole journey through school. My group consists of 4 American missionary kids, 3 local girls, and 1 Korean girl who’s parents own a store in town. This is their first year at the Secondary Campus (that’s high school here), and they are just a sweet as can be. They will be coming over to our home each Wed night ( that is Wed AM for you), so if you think of us please pray that we can speak and live Jesus well for them. My heart is burdened and delighted at this opportunity to really pour into these girls.
All this on top of starting a new homeschool year, current and new relationships with PNGers and other expats, and running the house it make for very very full days.
Nori:
School is fuller than ever for Nori. Not only is she learning at home but she is attending an art class and a computer class at the Primary Campus here on center. God has answered our prayers and provided Nori with a dear girl her age that homeschools too! Nori is also attending a craft club held by the older commutity here (missionaries and nationals both!) she says it's like being in a room full of grandmothers :) They are helping her learn how to quilt and crochet. Nori’s favorite day of the week is still Sunday when we get to go to Kwina for church. She has such a heart for the people here; it is a gift to watch her love well.
Banner:
One of the hardest parts of life here: parting ways with dear friends is a never ending cycle on both sides of the ocean.
This guy has started 1st grade. He is not taking extra classes at the school but he keeps his time busy learning to be like his Dad. He is hoping to learn to use tools better this year so he can help John out on building projects. This past week John took him along to a village for a work trip and Banner was on cloud nine. Where Nori is such a relational servant, Banner loves with his deeds and his works. Banner is also helping me coordinate more book and school supplly donations for our home village. He counts the minutes till we can visit our wasfamili again!
Millie:
She just lives life to the fullest. She loves our PNG friend, Rose, to pieces and will just follow her room to room to be with her. She is in pre-school 2 mornings a week and is learning things so fast. Millie's favorite thing is riding home from school with Daddy on the motorcycle.
I hope this you a better idea of some of the things we are doing here. John’s work is both relational and very tangible and necessary for the translation work here to take place. The rest of our work lands more fully in the relational part of things. Both are key to building God’s church here in PNG. Thanks you for your prayers and your support. It can be overwhelming to us just seeing the amount of need there is here and that we won’t ever have enough hours in the day to do it all. But thinking of you, and your confidence in what God is accomplishing through us here spurs us on. Thank you friends. We love you and covet your prayers!
Blessings,
John and Kristi
P.S. — Let us know what god is setting in front of you this year so we can be more intentional in our prayers for you too!