Look out, folks, I’m entering the web era! Though usually the last to acquire any newfangled gadget or anything most consider necessities in this electronic era, I admit thoughts of a “web site” crossed my mind. Crossed it and were dismissed as immediately as high speed internet performs. At least until folks started pointedly asking, “Where’s your web site?” Their asking nudged me toward investigating getting set up – but I didn’t have a clue how or where to even start. Bev, a friend in Australia then prodded me further by providing the e-address for “Laurie” – a tech savvy person at MMOL (My Missionary On-Line) who would set one up for me!

Wow! After finally downloading an instruction sheet of what info was desired for including in such a site, the project went immediately to the bottom of my “to-do” list. Even from there though God kept reminding me I was neglecting His prompting…. MMOL has done a beautiful job putting together my info, so please look around my site to read about how God has used me on the mission field. Thank you, MMOL, for shepherding me onto the web! I do hope, at some point, to add more pictures and maybe even a page of the history of the Iwam work, former co-workers, etc. I’ll get on to that — eventually …..

 Feb 1st, the same day that web site “went active,” God hit me with an avalanche of other blessings as well!

TICKETS!!!!! Woohoo! I have e-tickets IN HAND for flying home the end of May! From the time I began looking into travel until I actually purchased the tickets the price had gone up considerably so it seemed wise to go ahead and get them now. More on that as time gets closer. For the time being I need to resist the temptation to let the upcoming “HA” (Home Assignment) time keep distracting me!


REFRIGERATOR! Since my fridge died last October I’ve been freezing ice blocks in a chest freezer and putting them in the old freezer section of the dead fridge for keeping things like mayo, meds, etc from going bad. It worked – but me, being the “les meri” = lazy woman that I am, found it a pain to replace the melted containers with frozen ones each day – a process that generally included inadvertently creating a “slip ‘n slide” (much to the delight of the current kittens!) and ended with me having to mop half the house…. Still, I got thru the high volume freezer need at Christmas and was in the groove to keep at it til HA time in May. Until I remembered conference.

Yikes! No way I wanted to face our upcoming conference with house guests without a fridge. … A gift came in toward a new one (Thank you Linda!) so I priced some in town. The “approved” brand name models didn’t impress me at all. The ones I liked were declared rubbish by the local missionary who has tried to keep that brand working. BUT— God had a plan! Long story short – Thursday night Carol, who formerly worked here but is currently ministering in another region, sent an e-mail saying I can use her left behind fridge! Friday morning it was moved in & duly installed in my kitchen!!!! Hallelujah! Thank you Lord! And thank you Carol!!!!! the picture to the right shows Jedidiah & Ella Jo Stuart tending to the vital task of replacing the magnets on the front of the “new” fridge!

Another blessing – I think. Remember that rockin ’ n rollin’ literacy jaunt to Biem Island that never happened last year? Well, word came to me Feb 1st from the missionaries on the island saying it is back on the calendar — for later this month. Weather permitting. The wind & waves have been wicked of late so “Skipper Bill” will be watching the surf forecast to see if it’s safe to go. Thank you in advance to all who will be praying!

The 1st of the month is also the day our statements from Sanford of the gifts given the past month come in via email. BIG thank you to each of you whose names appear on that list! And to all the rest of you who are standing together with us too and praying toward God providing for the needs here. He hears your prayers – and answers – sometimes with some totally unexpected but most timely blessings! Thank you for the vital part you play in seeing God’s work continue here in Papua New Guinea!

There’s more pictures in the picture album. You can view it here.

Co-laboring with you for the King!

Hope Sharp