STORMS

Sometimes life seems like one giant storm. For us this has been the best way to describe the reality of where we are at.  The beginning of this year I (Nikki) was in a stronghold not wanting to be in this culture anymore. I was tired of having so many of my freedoms gone and just wanted my comforts of living back in the states.  I was a miserable person to be around and Travis was constantly reminding me of the good things here and what we are blessed to be doing but I was done trying and fearful of so many things, one being what our future looked like. It was during this storm that I would pray and pray for God to just make things better for me.  I didn't like what was going on inside of me and I knew my feelings and behavior was wrong but I fought everyday in my own strength hoping it would all change.  Well, God did see me through that time but it didn't come without a fight from me. I have learned a lot about God and his love for me.  I would have given up on me but he saw me through, and waited until I was willing to die to myself again. Now, I feel stronger and more on fire with our ministry here and I see the focus clearer through Gods eyes not my own. So, as I say this these last few months have been another storm of emotions.  Travis has been busy with house builds, etc. and I have been busy training Carol in the Business Office and then a few weeks ago I was playing volleyball with our co-workers when I broke and dislocated my finger.  It's times like these here that you don't take lightly because it could mean a medivac away to Australia. And, that is exactly what happened. This of course happened shortly after we purchased tickets to return home this summer so we were tapped. After thinking we were over one storm another hit.  Also during this time Travis got news that his dad was going to be having back surgery that was a minor thing. While we were in Australia we were first told that I would probably need bone graphing done and possibly they would put a plate in.  After waking up from surgery I was surprised to hear that I only needed a pin put in and it would be removed in 6 weeks. During our stay in Australia we had our flight rescheduled because a cyclone was expected to hit the area. We did make it back and Travis got plugged into work right away and then more news on his dad.  Within a few days of his surgery he was taken back to the hospital with other health complications. His brother had his mom come stay with him during this time and as I write his dad is still in the hospital. We have been informed of where his parents are health wise and its not easy to hear this and feel the pressure to be home taking care of them and yet pulled in the other direction because of all the good things that are going on with our ministry here. So, here we are in another storm yet seeing the support of so many of our co-workers as they themselves are in their own storm.  God has blessed us with such a great team here and we are so encouraged to have the freedom to share where we are at and what God is doing in our lives and how these storms have strengthened us in ways we never thought we could withstand.

March Madness 2014

 We are now into a new year and as time ticks by the work keeps going.  BUSY would explain our lives here in PNG.  WE have been blessed to be a part of so many new families moving into the bush and setting up their future homes!  This means that Travis is not only drawing up blueprints but figuring up material lists, running back and forth from town purchasing materials, assembling work teams, flights, and lodging to make all this happen. As I write he is on his way to a volcanic island meeting the first work team there to build a home for a family of 5.  There is a lot of pressure for the man who is responsible to make this all happen- as once you fly/boat into your location you can't just hop into your car and drive to the nearest hardware house to exchange or purchase something you forgot.  My busy looks a little different as I don't often go with Travis on his building trips but assist him before, during, and after with office work.  Earlier this year I was praying about taking a day off to get caught up at home. After looking at schedules I decided to take Thursdays as my day off.  This has been such a blessing and much needed time for me to recoup. It was during this time that one day I noticed out my kitchen window one of my neighbors kids sitting on her porch watching me do dishes.  I was thinking to myself why she is not in school, so I walked over to her house and asked her.  She was a little hesitant to tell me but the story I found out is that my neighbors are looking after her right now (her parents died) and they don't have the funds to pay for her schooling.  I felt bad for her as the rest of the kids every morning go to school and she stays all day long at the house with no one to play with.  I do see her doing her chores outside like washing dishes, clothes, cleaning weeds out of the garden, etc.  I prayed about using my Thursdays to teach her literacy.  I went over and asked her if she would like that and with a Big smile she said yes.  So for about 30mins. Thursday mornings I go over and teach her how to make letters and then we story a little.  Her name is Ipi (sounds like EP) so you can pray for us in this adventure!  The other busy that is going on is a literacy class here at Sobega that our co-workers decided to take on for our national believers who work for us.  I was so excited to hear this because we have these believers, but they don't know how to read or write. Once they complete this course they can get encouraged and guided in Gods word!  The class started up this week and they meet every Monday-Friday for an hour.  It was so unreal to me to sit in on the class and see grown men and women learning how to hold a pencil and try and make a circle or a letter for the first time.  Many of them were complaining how their hands were cramping and they needed a break from holding the pencil, so they did some hand exercises ha!  Can you remember back when you first learned how to hold a pencil and your hand cramped from gripping it too hard? Many things are happening here and around us and we are grateful to play a part in it.  I will end with the last Busy I am involved in here at Sobega.  As we look to go home this summer I needed to find someone to train in my work here.  This was not looking good as many of our co-workers were leaving around the same time for graduation or furlough.  After talking with a few people here I mentioned that I was thinking of a national worker of ours that I thought could learn fast as she speaks good English and has learned some things on the computer.  We talked about this with her and she was very excited to learn more as it will help her in the future if she ever looks for an office job. So, I have been busy in the office training her 2-3 days a week on all the duties and she tells me at the end of the day that she has head pain (meaning headache).  This is more critical thinking for her but she is learning fast and I have confidence she will be ready when its time for us to leave. I have taken a few pics of the things we have been involved in below.

Nikki in the office training Carol

Nikki and Carol

Ipi learning to write

Ipi

Co-workers teaching the believers literacy

This is a page in the primer book

Jenny pointing to the picture that doesn't belong

Abale and Panguwa holding their pencils

Jenny, Kamaru, Kaula making letters