Here we sit on a beautiful Lapoc afternoon a few days
ago......crisp air, gorgeous pine trees, work over for the day, out having fun
with our Lapoc missionary team and the camera.
So what have the past days held for us?
Well, Paul pulled off his first ever surprise party
last night! The occasion was to say goodbye to James and JingJing and their two
boys after a year here in Lapoc having exposure to missions. They return
tomorrow to their home in Tumpagon and another young family will replace them –
also from the Tumpagon Church - to have exposure to missions for a year.
Despite the party involving 47 people (mostly all the
bible teachers and their families who James and JingJing have grown very close
to as well as our team), they all got into our home and the food (including a
whole pig that had been roasted on a spit) was all on the table without James
or JingJing having a clue as to what was going on. And when Paul brought them
in through our front door you should have seen their faces!
The huge yell of “SURPRISE” made Ben and Leonie’s baby
Grace scream in fright but everyone else laughed in joy at the genuine surprise
in James and JingJing’s faces and at the tears of joy in James’ eyes.
Apparently after the party was over, they could hardly
get to sleep and talked late into the night about the party they had been
surprised with. James said that no one has ever done anything like that for him
before and it was a special ending to what has been a great year for them.
So that was one of the BIG things that this last few
days has held but apart from this and apart from a big change in our team
dynamics with one family going and another one arriving, well.......there have
been other happenings too. Jubab has been working hard at school and is nearly
finished Term 1. He’s looking forward to a week’s break from school real soon
(and I think Ben is as well!)
Paul is hugely overworked – overseeing a lot of
building projects, coordinating a lot of supply buying for all the building projects,
for the two training seminars per month, for all of our own personal needs and
for the office work – as well as studying and teaching the book of Ephesians in
the church here in Lapoc and our work translating the New Testament. We are
currently working on the book of Colossians as Philippians has been checked and
finalized!!!!
I am having fun planning for the arrival of 3
grandchildren the end of next week - including one still in diapers - who will
be living with us maybe a month while Jen and Udi await the birth of baby #4!!
Jen is giving birth in hospital this time instead of here at home because of
blood pressure problems. I continue to help with discipleship and am also
heavily involved in the translation project. Last week I had a whole day of
training with the scripture teachers and it was a hugely encouraging day with
the ladies.
Health wise, Paul and I have some really good days and
other days when we have trouble with various things that are bothering us but
basically none of our health ‘woes’ are causing trouble enough to slow us down.
We praise the Lord for the amazing way He has kept us well!
My Dad continues on a tablet form of chemo and we are
comforted knowing that there is a perfect plan in this suffering as our God
uses everything in our lives for good.
We are enjoying serving the Lord and enjoying our
adventures as a family and we are so thankful for all that the Lord Jesus has
brought about in our lives.
The scripture that has encouraged us this week is
about His love.....
“Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall
tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger,
or sword…..no, in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who
loved us.”
Romans 8:35-37
