Dear Friends,
Thank you so much for your prayers for me over the past weeks and months. Hard to believe that I’ve been back from PNG for 6 months already. When I first came back, 6 months seemed like forever, but thankfully the time has gone pretty quickly and I praise the Lord for His faithfulness each day.
In my last update, I mentioned that I had just started on some new medication for MS. Thankfully I have had no visible side effects so far, so that is a huge answer to prayer. Lord willing it will continue that way!! Next week I’ll be having blood tests just to make sure that there is no internal damage taking place! I’ll have to do this for the next 5 months, so I’m thankful that the doctors are very careful to make sure that the medication is doing what it should!
In my last update I also mentioned that I have been continuing to work on the rough draft of Mengen New Testament. The Lord has certainly answered those prayers as well. During the last couple of weeks, I was able to stay with a friend who I met in PNG 18 years ago!! She has a nice warm house and a new desk, so I was able to work 10 hours a day on translation!! By the grace of God, I was able to accomplish quite a bit during that marathon session. Not only did I finish the rough draft of 1 Peter, but I also managed to finish 2 Peter as well. With things rolling along so smoothly, I took the plunge and jumped into the book of Hebrews the last couple of days. This is the final book of the Mengen New Testament that needs to be drafted, so I’m really pleased about that. So far it is going very well. To God be the glory!!
While I’m home, I have been able to keep up with my teammates. The big and exciting news that the Wright’s son Andrew is engaged to be married. I should still be here in Canada when the wedding takes place, so I’m really thrilled about that. Wrights started the Mengen work in 1998, so I have seen Andrew (and his sisters) grow up!! Pretty awesome to have this extended family. Dave and Judy are now living in Saskatchewan and are involved in ministry with the First Nations people of Canada. Dave is teaching chronological Bible lessons, much in the same way as he did in PNG, so that’s really great.
My other co-workers, the Laureti family are in Papua New Guinea. They received some very sad news this week as they heard that Lourens’ father has passed away. Although he has been ill for some time, the news would have come as a shock for them. Please pray for Laureti’s as they mourn the loss of Lourens’ father and have decisions to make about a trip home. With Lourens being in leadership, he is very busy these days. He involved in meetings and has to do a lot of travelling which leave Marie holding down the fort. Marie also homeschools their 4 kids, so her days are a bit crazy. Plus she has had to fill in for another co-worker who has ill, so I know that the Laureti’s would appreciate your prayers.
The Flanagan family is also very busy. They have been away from PNG for 5 years due to medical issues, but Lord willing they will be returning in August. Please pray for them and the many decisions they have to make as they leave their ministry in England and say goodbye to family and friends. Their desire is to continue with the Mengen work, and perhaps reach out to another Mengen dialect. We are excited to see how the Lord is going to use the Flanagan family in the months ahead.
Thanks again for your prayers. You continue to be such a blessing and encouragement to me.
Becky Preheim