Kindred Hearts

I can't even begin to adequately describe all that we experienced in the past two weeks! Before I offer even a feeble attempt, let me begin by thanking you for your faithful prayers and support as we prepared for and eventually went to Papua New Guinea. We felt enveloped in your prayers throughout our entire journey, and we just can't thank you enough for bringing us before our Father God in prayer.

After flying for so many hours, we were thankful to see the familiar faces of our missionary friends from church awaiting us at the airport. God bonded our hearts together in a unique way, and we are so thankful for the special memories we were able to make as we openly talked, laughed, and shared. Barb has an especially hospitable heart, and she eagerly introduced us to all the different fruits and vegetables of their region. And her cooking is outstanding! John's friendship with the local people of the nearby village encouraged and blessed our hearts. We learned what a great sense of humor he has, too. He's a riot! Both my husband and I are so thankful that God enabled us to get to know this precious couple on a deeper level. Having known and worked with their kids, we knew their parents had to be pretty special, too. But now we've heard their hearts firsthand, and our lives are richer for it.

God used my husband powerfully as he taught the high school kids from the book of Colossians. He spoke 6 times during the conference, and then was asked to preach at the Sunday evening church service, as well. He absolutely connected with the kids, and they quickly grew to love him. It was so fun to talk with, worship with, eat with, and play with this outstanding group of kids...but it certainly made us homesick for our own...our boys and our students alike.

One of the highlights of our visit was a trip to a tribe. The only way in and out is by plane...and this meant landing (and taking off) on what is said to be the most harrowing airstrip in PNG! The people of the village were waiting for us when we landed, and their welcoming smiles were a warming sight! This particular tribe will be receiving the first New Testament in their language next week, so they are excitedly planning for a big dedication service. The missionary who has worked with them for 30+ years showed us around, and his heart for them was evident. One of the tribal women prepared us a delicious lunch of vegetables cooked in bamboo, and we enjoyed feasting on it with our fingers while sitting in the missionary's hut, surrounded by new friends.

Oh, there's so much more to tell, but I'll just briefly highlight some of the most memorable moments: * a trip to the market * my husband's trip(s) to "the River" with the guys (he loves to tell these stories) * visiting a coffee plant * sharing special time with Barb and other missionary wives * a spider the size of my outstretched hand (no exagerration!) in our hotel room * our stay in Sydney, Australia on the way home *

Oh, yes, we've got lots of stories to tell...but you can forget all our stories and remember this one simple thing: God is building His church throughout the world. The people may not have bikes or cars or even roads. They may not have water or electricity or any of the modern conveniences we view as important. Yet God's Word is going forth. The tribe we visited consists of about 1,000 people, 400-500 of which are believers. Their faces radiated with such peace and joy, and my heart has been deeply challenged as I've considered the joy and contentment that filled the hearts of those who have nothing in the world's eyes...but are rich and fulfilled and completely satisfied in Jesus.

Thanks again for your love and prayers for our family. We're overwhelmingly grateful to have you in our lives!