Back in PNG, but not “home” yet…

Sobega Center in the Goroka Valley, Central Area

Thanks to all of you who prayed and encouraged us as we headed back to PNG after a visit home with our friends and family in the US.  It was one of the smoothest trips we have ever made back and we are super thankful for that.  We landed in the Goroka Valley last Sunday and Monday kicked off a week of meetings. This week, we are here at our Sobega Centre catching up on some work and making our translation work schedule out. And then, we actually will be out of country again for 10 days representing PNG at some international meetings in Southeast Asia. Please pray for safe travels and for Bill as he interacts with the global team there.  So thankful to be part of a larger mission team and for the information that we hope to glean while we are there. A BONUS! We will get to meet up with another missionary family from one of our sending churches at home during our travels.  This is a rare opportunity that we are super thankful for.   The Lord is good! We LOVE the beautiful Sobega centre…AND we are happy for these upcoming opportunities and the ones the Lord already provided over the summer to visit different tribal churches and be an encouragement in those…BUT we haven’t been home to Madang or Itutang since May and we are missing it more that you could imagine at this point. Please pray for content hearts as we wait a little longer before heading to the bush.

So we are “home”….already, but not yet…in more ways than one.  🙂

What is “home” anyway?!  We are really taking this sojourner thing seriously these days.  🙂 After the Asia meetings, we will FINALLY be able to spend some time in our bush “home” – the one in the village that forever changed who we are on this earth.  It will be the middle of rainy season with lots of water and little food as we return, but we are SO excited to be with this little tribal faith family again.  Some things that we are praying for while we are “home” in the bush over Christmas:

• That we will be an encouragement to the believers and the elders and deacons who have taken some hard hits over the past few months in regards to their stand and their faith. As we all know, leading is often hard on the soul and we want to encourage them in the work the Lord has given them.  We always love the life-on-life time with these beloved ones when we are together again.  They always exhort us, too, by their simple lives of trust and their amazing views and hope in heaven.  When we start complaining about moving around and not being “home”, we always think that we need to be a little more like them when it comes to keeping a true view of the reality of this life.  We don’t get to be here long.  🙂
• That we will be an encouragement to the Tangguat church as it is facing some struggles and needs some support and input.
• For the BIBLE TEACHER CONFERENCE that will happen in December.  This conference will be an opportunity for us to work with the Bible teachers and elders/deacons in the 8 Inapang churches and in the Tangguat church as well.  Please be in prayer that this is a time of unity where the Holy Spirit works in hearts and a time when the Word of God and Prayer reign.  Please remember these leaders as they come together to study and learn and encourage one another.
  • The conference is three days with these main topics:
    • A Review of the Gospel – Eternity to Eternity
    • A Review of the Calling of Elders & Deacons – Buk 1 Timoti 3:1-7 Buk 1 Timoti 3:8-13 Buk Aposelə 20:17-38 and
    • Our lives lived under Christ – Buk Jems 4:1-10, Buk Song 51:1-19, Buk 1 Tesolonaika 2:1-12, Buk Hibru 11:1-6
    • Marriage and Parenting Review
  • There is much to plan for.  The villagers will be providing food& housing, cooking, and hosting.  Please pray for these interactions that through them others who may be visiting or the lost still in our community would be drawn to the Savior!

THANK YOU FOR PRAYING!  We lost a very dear prayer warrior a couple of weeks ago, one who didn’t let being in his 80s stop him from visiting the people in ITUTANG whom he had been faithfully praying for.  As we felt this great loss,  it reminded us again of the necessity of having a team behind you who is really interceding for the spiritual battle that is going on in every tribal church.  They need your prayers and so do we.  Thank you for being part of the Inapang and Ramu Valley ministries.

By God’s Grace and For His Glory~

The Housleys