Finding Rest?

“Take My yoke upon you.  Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls.”  Matthew 11:29

“So, when are you taking a break this summer?”

June and July hold lots of goings and comings for missionaries.  As the school year wrapped up, many headed home for 2-to-12 month home assignments – just like we did last summer.  This year, we are among the stay-ers.

Our mission organization’s policy encourages all missionaries to take two weeks of break every six months.  When we lived full-time in Pal, we “came up for air” during breaks: reconnecting with friends and our support base, check-ups by the doctor and dentist, buying supplies and (woo hoo!) eating a few meals that I didn’t cook. Now that Nate is serving in a mission leadership role and we are no longer full-time in the tribe, my life is calmer (fewer medical crises to care for, no homeschooling) but Nate’s life is more intense.  Here in PNG we have a great term for the worries, crises and conflicts of life, they’re called hevis (think “heavy” as in “heavy lifting”).  The directors carry the big hevis for the field.  They can’t do it alone, they depend on the Lord for strength and wisdom daily.  But the hevis don’t go away just because the missionary ranks are depleted.

To go back to the “break” question, we’ll save our time for reconnecting with family.  Lord willing, we will see Noah over his Christmas break this fall, and we’ll be returning with Tim back to the US after he graduates next June.  

That said, we’d be grateful for your prayers for our family to experience real rest in Christ as we navigate leadership responsibilities.  Our team is very thin over the next month, and our family is preparing for some travel.  Here are some dates:

June 29-30: Nate will overnight in Pal.  He’ll fly in with the supplies our family will need for a trip later in July and will meet with the Bible teachers.  Pray for safety and wisdom for him.

July 3-5: Nate is off to another center to see some folks and connect with national believers. Again, please pray he will have wisdom.

July 11-21^st: Our whole family will travel to the Islands of PNG to connect with and encourage missionaries there. 

July 26^th-August 3^rd: We’ll travel with Tim and Elias back into Pal, excited to reconnect with the Mesi church!

August 9^th: Tim begins 12^th grade and Elias 10^th grade.  A few weeks later, Noah will begin his sophomore year of college at William Jessup. 

A peek into the work/rest dynamic in our lives: Tim and Nate have enjoyed tackling workshop projects together on Saturdays.

One of the things Elias is working at this summer: making and selling dried pineapple.

No summer jobs available for teens in country, but Tim is still putting his laser to work...

...and occasionally making a treat for the family, too!