Our race through the month of March is two-thirds over already! Most of our missionary co-worker families are here here in town as the annual testing of all home schooled students begins tomorrow. This includes a lot of evening meetings for the rest of us too, including serious stuff like security and child protection seminars, but also the fun of the muchly anticipated “You don’t want to miss this!” Home School Expo!

“State of the Sepik,” a church planting “pow-wow” and meetings with each individual tribal team are slotted somewhere in the pre-conference schedule. Then — drum roll please! Ta-da-da-da-da-da! Our annual regional conference begins!

Oh yes, Jedidiah Stuart’s birthday dinner has been slipped into the loaded schedule as was convenient for us. The Stuart kiddos teacher Stephanie made a very appropriate race track themed cake for him this year as we all run in circles making sure everything is in place for the weeks of fellowship and frivolity ahead.

A highlight of conference will be hearing the tribal reports each team presents. The missionaries in 3 of our Sepik tribes (Amdu, Kaje and Pei) are launched into scripture translation and Bible lesson preparation, with plans to begin foundational Bible teaching in the months to come.

A new missionary team is forming and will be looking to the Lord where to allocate.

Other missionary cohorts (Hewa @Yifki and Sorimi) are forging ahead on translation with the goal of completed New Testaments beginning to shine on the horizon.

Two families new to the Wabuku work and the 3 families located in Maliyali plod along with language learning with ever increacing fluency leading toward the day they can be involved in translation and teaching too!

Please be praying with us thru the coming weeks of pre-conference, conference and then post conference with an epistle translation workshop on the calendar. Pray especially that the tribal teams will be refreshed by their time together and ready to head back to their jungle village locations when the day arrives.

I’ll appreciate your prayers, too, as I look to finish this term, leaving for Home Assignment in May. Though I have about 2+ years until I’ll even consider retirement, it is questionable whether or not I’ll be returning to spend that time here in PNG. (Home assignment options with Ethnos 360 will be considered if such a need should arise.)

Please be praying specifically:

  • for replacements for my ministries here – primarily in the finance office, but also with
    the Tribal Resource Center and the Bible study with our lady employees
  • details and timing of departing PNG and getting re-established in the USA
  • family needs that I hope to help resolve while home

Thank you for your part in meeting the various needs of people here in PNG whom God desires have the opportunity to know and grow in their  understanding and love for Him. Our job descriptions may varry vastly but the goal is ever the same. You will meet these dear ones in heaven one day and know you have had a part in their being there with Jesus!
Co-laboring to bring back Christ as King!

Hope Sharp