As always it was a joy to be back teaching in Papua New Guinea.  I arrived on February 1st, taught for 8 weeks, and  finally left the country on April 1st (3 days after my plane departed) after “wrestling” with a PNG Immigration officer for my passport.  (Note to self:  Don’t give up my passport for visa renewal unless I have 6 months to spare.)

It was encouraging to work with the new national faculty.  Aaron, Alan, and Gordon are all graduates of CLTC’s masters program.  Alan and Gordon were my students years ago and it was exciting to be working as collegues.

Across the valley our friends at the Nazarene Hospital (where Benjamin and Karis were born) are now enjoying 24 hour power with their new hydroelectric plant (funded by AusAid).  In 2013 Jan was helping teach and the kids were attending the hospital’s MK school.  They were able to watch the builders “move the river” so construction on the project could continue.

Thank you all for your prayers and support.  The family continued with work and school while Patrick was away.  More about them in the next blog update.

Praise:

1. Patrick was able to make this trip.
2. For the many adults and young people who responded to the challenge to follow Christ.
3. Patrick received some very helpful feedback on his dissertation proposal from two of his CLTC collegues.
4. Jan was able to able to hold down the fort while Patrick was away.  Wonderful friends and family were a great support.

Prayer Requests:

1. God will continue to keep the door open for Patrick to teach at CLTC and that he will make good progress in his doctoral studies.
2. Continued prayer for Benjamin.  Support and encouragement for him.  That he would find the right balance of work and school.
3. The many who made decisions at the Easter camp will find  mature disciplers who can help them grow in their faith and commitment.  Pray their home churches will rise to the challenge.
4. The new national faculty at CLTC will be effective in their teaching and mentoring.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

After a year of all of us being in school, summer was a nice change of pace.  Below are just a few pics of some of our favorite times…

Four days of family and tubing  with the Colcords at Deep Creek, North Carolina.

We had an especially sweet time at Patrick’s family reunion.  His sister, Jonnie, came from Las Vegas – the first time in over 20 years.  And she has promised to make it an annual pilgrimage!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Last May Kristin went back to her boarding school (Ukarumpa) in Papua New Guinea.  She spent a wonderful month there helping with end of the school year activities and just hanging out with great friends.

I, Jan, had a much needed break from teaching and thoroughly enjoyed being HOME as well as having time to spend with family and catching up with friends.  The 2014-2015 school year was stressful and draining.  By the end of the summer I truly felt well rested and ready for the next school year.

Benjamin  spent the summer educating himself.  Really.  He  decided to study math on his own and has spent much time solving cool looking math problems and continues to be an all around know-it-all (Just ask him!) on everything from the stock market to Israeli politics. When he is in a talking mood there are no limits to where the conversation will go!

Karis spent  a lazy 15 year old summer at home.  Sleeping, reading, social “mediaing”, watching NCIS.  We realized that might be her last totally laid-back summer so we restrained from pushing her to “stay busy” all the time.

Patrick continues to plug away on his dissertation.

Below are pictures of Kristin with an “old” MK friend, Michelle Thorpe, from CLTC.  Michelle and Kristin were playmates from  ages 2-7.   Michelle  (birth country  New Zealand) came to work in Canada for 6 months and during the Christmas holidays came to visit us! (The girls found the old picture from CLTC and re-enacted it 16 years later.::)

Yes, we are smiling in the picture to the right.    I (Jan) am dropping Patrick off to go teach in PNG for a couple of months. Even though we REALLY miss each other when we are apart,  we are sooo thankful that Patrick is able to go.  We consider it a great privilege to have a small part in making disciples in PNG.  We’ll be doing this once again on January 29th when Patrick begins his travels.  He will be spending 8 weeks at CLTC where he will be teaching 2 classes – Eschatology and Bible Interpretation, and also doing library research for his dissertation.

PRAISE:

1.  Patrick  being able to return to  PNG to teach for 8 weeks.

2. Great students for Jan this year AND she is feeling much more up-to-date and effective in her teaching.

3. God’s precious gift of loving, supportive friends, family, and churches through some very difficult days during these last 6 months.

PRAY THAT:

1.  As Patrick teaches and preaches in PNG the students’ faith and commitment will grow.

2. Jan will have strength and wisdom to care for the family and to teach her students well.

3. Our children will walk closely with the Lord in their various stages in life.  Kristin: Just began her LAST SEMESTER (yay!)  at Bryan College.  Benjamin:  has decided to put college on hold and work for a while.  Karis: 10th grade in high school.

4. Pray for direction for Kristin when she graduates in May.  She has applied for several internships in different churches and ministries and is waiting to see what doors God opens.