This trip from Washington to Papua New Guinea was definitely one for the books. We waited at different kiosks for probably 8 hours total while agents tried to help us resolve issues that came up. We were told at one point that Laura couldn’t board our second flight because her documents didn’t match.We were told that we would have to pay thousands in foreign currency that we didn’t have for baggage fees or lose our bags, while the airport’s ATMs were not working. We dealt with delays and missed flights, and needless to say, we arrived in Papua New Guinea exhausted. We had left early Monday morning from Seattle and finally made it to our mission base in Wewak on Thursday. After several good days of rest, we boarded our final flight and arrived safely back in our village last Tuesday and were greeted by our team and by the Lembena people. It has been so good to see close friends again and to spend time catching up with all that has happened since we’ve been gone.

Our home assignment was such a special time for our family. We were able to spend lots of time with our immediate family and the kids got to experience so many of the holiday traditions that we don’t get to do when in Papua New Guinea.

One of our goals in coming back on home assignment was to reconnect with our church family and to spend time in fellowship, to be filled and to be ready for this next stage of ministry. We feel like we were able to do that and were able to make new friends and reconnect with old ones. Thank you so much for being such an incredible group of supporters! We feel so loved and blessed to have you behind us. We weren’t able to see everyone that we wanted to and we are sorry for that.

A highlights for us during our time in Washington was the Missions Emphasis weekend at Lake Tapps Community Church where we were able to share four times over the weekend about our ministry and about missions. It was an awesome time even for us to rekindle the fire and passion that we have for missions and reminding us of why we are here among the Lembena people, because they need the Gospel and, as Paul says in Romans 10, how can they hear unless someone is sent to them? Thank you for being a part of sending us here.

If you would like to listen to any of the talks we gave over Missions Emphasis Weekend, you can click the link below.

Upcoming Plans

We will only be in the village for just over 3 months. Then we will be going to Australia for baby #3! We have talked to friends who have been able to go to Australia to deliver and arrive back with all the correct paperwork in hand in just 3 months and we are hoping to be able to do that as well. Please be praying for this transition and for moving back into the village with a newborn.

• Pray for endurance for our team as we work and for unity on the team as we continue to prepare the way for the Gospel to come.
• Praise: We made it back safely and are a full team once again!
• Pray for wisdom and insight into the Lembena language.
• Praise: Our people have been so welcoming and excited to have as back. Thank God for the good relationships our team has in the village.
• Pray that we would be disciplined and able to get as much language and culture as we can for these next three months.

In His Strength and Power Alone,

Micah, Laura, Adalia and Declan