We have been back in Papua New Guinea for eight weeks now, and our hearts are full. It is hard to believe we have already completed a full school term since returning from furlough! We are so blessed to be back in our PNG home, jumping into ministry in a big way and serving as your hands and feet on the ground.

You may have seen an email from us recently inviting you to join Circle, our new community engagement platform. We’ll gradually be phasing out the WordPress blog we’ve maintained for the last 12+ years and moving everything over to Circle. You can click here to create your account and stay engaged on the new platform. The links below all go to Spaces and posts on Circle.

Our Kids are Thriving

One of our biggest prayers during our transition back was for our kids, and God has been so faithful. While we don’t always share these details in our translation updates, we want you to know how well they are doing:

• Boaz is absolutely loving school. It is a joy to watch him thrive in the classroom, learning his Bible verses and eagerly wanting to spend time with his friends outside of class.
• Zeke recently participated in the eighth-grade play, which was an incredible and transformative experience for him. It was a beautiful way for him to express his creativity and connect deeply with his peers.
• Abel is maturing so much in his eleventh-grade year. I have been blessed to pour into his community group for discipleship and watch these young men come into their own.
• Judah and Silas just finished a very challenging and exciting basketball season. They grew so much as athletes and learned some valuable lessons about teamwork and perseverance.
• Judah and Abel have just been cast in the two male lead roles in the upcoming school production of The Importance of Being Earnest. They’ve already started blocking rehearsals and are looking forward to the show in about a month.
• Evie is absolutely thriving in her first year of University studies, busy with school and work and serving at her church. She’s been writing her own updates in her Circle space.

A Season of Reconnection

On the ministry front, we are experiencing a first in our eleven years here. For the first time we know about, none of our in-country active Islands Translation Teams are on furlough! And nearly everyone is here in Ukarumpa! Monday, Rebekah begins the Islands Regional Conference. Thanks for prayers about that!

We are basking in the time together—reconnecting, catching up, and sharing meals. Rebekah has been in full swing in her Regional Director role, focusing heavily on planning the year, pastoral care and hospitality for the team members who have traveled here for the conference. I’ve also been privileged to consult with three Islands colleagues at the who recently gave presentations on their progress. Seeing their knowledge and understanding of their own languages increase is a huge blessing and answer to prayer.

Looking Ahead: A Rare Opportunity

As we progress through March, we are preparing for something very special. We are about to host three different groups of visitors from the United States at the same time!

We are so excited for these friends to see firsthand what the Lord is doing here in Papua New Guinea. Watch out for photos and stories once they arrive. Our hope is that as they observe and contribute to the work they’ll gain a deeper understanding of our life and ministry here. We’re so grateful to Concord for sending the Childcare Team for the 70th SIL-PNG Branch Conference!

Translation

Aaron reconnected with the translation team in January, and the team has since made progress revising Luke and checking Philippians. They’re also asking for more John materials to distribute. Thanks for your continued prayer prayers!

Partner With Us

We are so grateful for those of you who have stuck with us through our transition to Ripe For Harvest. The President, Vice President, and their wives are excited to connect with us here in our home in the next few days. We feel so privileged for them to visit us here. If you’ve been following our journey and would like to invest in what God is doing through our family, would you prayerfully consider joining our financial partnership team?

Please continue to pray for our team unity and for the health of our visiting groups. Pray that God would be honored through weeks of meetings happening this month in Ukarumpa.

We are looking for engagement more than ever—we want to hear from you! Stay tuned on Circle for opportunities to engage!