Dear Friends and Family,
My how the weeks fly by! Well, at our ages we are noticing how they pass so quickly in months, and even decades and… We could go on, but you know what we mean. Anyhow, with time marching on comes the consolation that the coming of our Blessed Hope is that much nearer. And with aging comes the realization that it won’t be long before we see Him either by death or by meeting Him in the air.
In the meantime we use the time He gives us day by day, “occupying ‘til He comes.” Pray I’ll use it wisely. Thanks to friends and family for praying for us and our heartfelt gratitude goes to those who are sending support that is helping to meet our needs as we continue in “semi-retirement.”
Yes, these months are urgent for me, in that I am trying my best to finish editing and preparing the Old Testament portions in Hamtai so that I can take them to Papua New Guinea and check them with our Hamtai believers, and then have them checked by consultants. I am cutting back on other local ministries so I can give more time to it. That Scripture project is made up of a total of 5,500 verses that we have to get into shape. I had hoped to go to PNG this month, but I am not ready, so have postponed it until June or July. Please keep praying for expenses involved in that travel, and for helping my Hamtai brothers with some of their expenses. I may not be staying long in the village house, but will operate in headquarters or in Lae City.
By the way, I am excited that one of the men helping us with checking Scripture is now able to use e-mail on the computer we bought for him before we left. One of our faithful staff at headquarters spent some time training him on computer and he has progressed mightily on his own. He’s even on Facebook now. Not sure that’s too good, but that’s progress anyhow. His name is Jim Jora; go ahead if you want to look him up and say hello. Pray for him as he and another men help with checking the Scriptures. I will be able to send portions back and forth with him now.
It is important that I do go to PNG this year, because I’m not getting any younger, and need to go while I can. Our doctors on the field and our leaders are hesitant about approving my trip there because of there being little or no means of evacuation in case of emergency, etc. I trust that my physical exam and word from our local doctor will assure them out there that I am in reasonable health and shouldn’t be a burden to them, God willing. But hey, the apostle Paul spoke of “men that have hazarded their lives for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.” I’m willing to do that because my heart is thrilled that I can hopefully meet this further need of the Hamtai churches for more of God’s Word, doing whatever it takes.
Meanwhile, Corinne and I plan to attend the wedding of our granddaughter, Joel and Ruthi’s Heidi on May 30th. Again, time marches on. It doesn’t seem that long ago that she and Katie as kids used to run to the truck on our arrival at their house to hug their Grandpa and Grandma. Would you believe that this will be the only wedding among our kids and grandkids that the Lord has enabled us to attend? God is good. We are not sure whether we will fly up or take our car.
Shortly after that my brother Ed, who lives in West Palm Beach, will join me and we will chase around Chase, PA. That is where we were born and grew up, he into his teens and I to age 11. Chase was the little community we lived in, near Luzerne. We hope to visit where our parents and grandparents were born. I would also like to go to Gettysburg and see the memorial there including the names of our maternal great grandfather and his brother, who were killed in that battle, fighting for the union, by the way. However we may not have time to do that. We would appreciate prayer for us in all these travels.
Family is precious indeed. Since we and our 4 children have not been all together at one time since 1987, we were determined that we should try to manage a reunion this year before Jim and Judy go back to the field in October. So the Lord has given us an opportunity in June 23-30 so stay in one of those rental houses, a 5 bedroom house in Las Vegas, where David lives. Don’t get any ideas now. There are plenty of things to do there apart from the casinos. A recent undesignated gift from one of our friends can be used in helping with our expenses. We picked the west coast because that leaves only two of us couples who need to book long flights to get there. We might share with each other so that everyone can meet all expenses. Please pray with us, that we will have a good quality time of fun and fellowship. So this is turning out to be the year for travel and family, as God wills.
In His goodness and care,
Tom and Corinne