A Turn in the Road...

“Well, how did it go?” I asked as Nate walked through the
door quietly. I’d been praying for him that afternoon as he set off
towards a neighboring village with our friend and language consultant Andrew Murray
for a language check. “I’m done,” he replied.

“You’re WHAT?!”
"I’m done!” My mouth must have gaped slightly. We knew he had made good progress in language learning during our bush orientation, but we’d expected several more months would be required. However, he had demonstrated to Andrew that he was able to communicate whatever was asked of him in Tok Pisin. We celebrated that night with a chocolate cake! What a surprise blessing!

However, he hasn’t completed all the aspects of our orientation to Papua New Guinea.
He still has several weeks’ worth of investigations into various aspects of life and culture here, from setting up a fishing trip with a friend to watching a basket-maker at work. Once this job is completed, he’ll retire for the time being and relax, surfing the internet and sipping Cokes. No, not really! (Just checking to see who’s still reading!) I need to be proficient in Tok Pigin as well, as I need to be able to begin to communicate with women in the tribe, until I am able to speak in their heart language. So, I’ll begin to increase my hours of study daily in order to catch up, so to speak.

Also, Nate has been asked to fill in as the bookkeeper/business manager for the center for a short time. He’ll be trained in the next week or two; the current missionary in charge of finances needs to return home for a medical check-up. In early June a missionary family that is currently on furlough will return and Nate will be focusing more and more on our transition to the tribe. ☺

How can you pray for us this week?
-Thank God with us for the surprise encouragement of Nate being able to wrap-up formal Pigin study – a turn in the road!

-Now we have a new family paradigm to enter as I begin to increase my hours of studying and speaking Tok Pigin. We need balance and wisdom from the Lord as we tackle this!

-We have many decisions to make in the next months about where we will be serving. Please pray that we will have soft and teachable hearts that are looking for the Lord’s will, not our own desires.

-For patience and wisdom in parenting. Our little Elias is fast leaving babyhood behind and needs strong limits and careful training.