Many years ago when I first started writing prayer letters, I remember trying to come up with a catchy name for mine. A lot of people use alliteration like “Preheim Pages” or something catchy like that, but I chose to go with the name “Guided by His Hand.” And that’s how it has been from day one, trusting the Lord every step and with every decision. He has truly guided me every day for 20+ years with New Tribes Mission and He will continue to do so in the days ahead.
This week has been a real rollercoaster of emotion for me. After a series of emails, phone calls and lots of prayers and tears, I have decided to leave PNG a few months earlier than planned. I’ll be leaving the end of January instead of waiting until April. This means that I will not be able to complete the final 4 books of the Mengen New Testament at this time. Lord willing in the next year or so, I will be able to return for a visit and have the final books checked then, but it will not be happening in the way I had planned.
There are several reasons for this decision, one of them being my general health and current stress levels which are really aggravating my MS. Also, my vision has been strained quite a bit recently just preparing for the translation check and I still have a lot of work to do which will require at least another four weeks of intense computer work. I don’t think my eyes will be able to handle it even if I had a couple of weeks to rest them first. So, instead of pushing myself even harder than I already have, I have decided to back away and have a bit of a breather. That way when the Mengen NT is finally finished, I can be confident that it will be the best and clearest translation I can do instead of just pushing myself to get it done on a certain timeline.
Obviously, this has been one of the most difficult decisions of my entire life, postponing the final translation check for the entire Mengen New Testament, a project many long years in the making. However, I believe that it will only be a delay of a year or so, which in the scope of eternity is not all that long after all.
Pray with me as I look to the future. My plan is to leave Hoskins in about 10 days time and move back to Canada ‘permanently’. The decision to leave permanently was already in place a year ago when I was diagnosed with MS and put on medication that I am not able to access in this country. Now, the plan is in motion a bit earlier than I had hoped and I’ll be leaving before the work has been completed. However, I trust that the Lord has a plan in all of this and I need to trust in His will and not my own.
There is an old song that has been going through my mind this morning and has been a great comfort an reminder to me.
Rejoice in the Lord (by Ron Hamilton)
God never moves without purpose or plan; when trying His servant and molding a man.
Give thanks to the LORD, though your testing seems long. In darkness, He giveth a song.
O REJOICE IN THE LORD! He makes no mistake.
He knoweth the end of each path that I take!
For when I am tried and purified, I shall come forth as gold.
I could not see through the shadows ahead, so I looked at the cross of my Saviour instead.
I bowed to the will of the Master that day, then peace came, and tears fled away!
Now I can see testing comes from above, God strengthens His children, and purges in love.
My Father knows best, and I trust in His care; Through purging, more fruit I will bear.
What a journey we have all been on these many years!! I appreciate your faithfulness to ride along with me with your prayers and support. To be clear, I will not be resigning New Tribes Mission at this time. I will be continuing to finish the Mengen New Testament throughout this year and will be searching for a new ministry opportunity while I am home.
Pray with me that Lord would not only provide for my concrete needs for housing etc in the days ahead, but would also be showing me exactly where I can next serve Him. My desire is to be used by Him no matter what country I live in!
Thanks so much for your faithfulness to Him and to me.
The Lord deserves all the glory!!
Becky Preheim