I finally have some news to report for a change. As you know, I am unable to return to Papua New Guinea at present due to paperwork issues. I have submitted my application for a work permit renewal. When that is granted, I can then apply for a new visa but the whole process will probably take several months. Although I have enjoyed being home and catching up with family and friends, I did not really want to spend those months of waiting sitting in U.S., so I approached GFA (my mission agency) about the possibility of helping out short term on another field.
The opportunity that has arisen is in the Philippines. There are a group of GFA missionaries there who have an exciting ministry underway. One part of that ministry is Bob Jones Memorial Bible College which trains national men and women to serve in churches in the Philippines and throughout Southeast Asia. Another part is New Song Ministry which is working to provide biblical music to churches throughout the Philippines. It looks as if I will have the privilege of assisting in both of these ministries.
As things stand now, I will be leaving after Christmas and ministering in the Philippines until the end of their school year in early April. I am excited about this new opportunity and ask for your prayers as I prepare to go.
Wednesday, December 1, 2010
Monday, October 25, 2010
Waiting
It's been a while since I've sent out a post, mainly because I really don't have much to report. My health is almost totally back to normal. I only notice that I seem to tire a little more quickly than before, but I expect that to improve as time goes on.
So, as I mentioned before, the main obstacle to my return to PNG is now my paperwork. Michael Berbin, one of the missionaries in PNG, is continuing to work with the PNG immigration department but has been unsuccessful so far. My work permit, along with those of most of the GFA missionaries in PNG, will expire at the end of this calendar year. If I am not back in PNG by then, I will have to wait until our work permit renewals are approved, which could be several months. But, regardless of inefficient third world governments, it is a blessing to know that the Lord is ultimately in control. He allowed the issue to arise and He will clear it up in His own perfect timing.
In the meantime, I am finding various things to stay busy. I had the opportunity to speak to the Bob Jones University chapter of the University Nurses Assocation, a student led organization for nursing students. I shared with them about the ministry in PNG and about the opportunities available in medical missions. Last week was Missions Emphasis week at Bob Jones, so I was able to assist at the GFA table, sharing with students about long and short term opportunities with GFA on mission fields around the world. In a few weeks, I will be speaking at the ladies group of one of my supporting churches here in Greenville, SC. I have also enjoyed opportunities to see and visit with my family, even attending my 10 year old nephew's chapel program at his elementary school.
Please continue to pray for the Lord to open the door for me to return to PNG in His timing. Also please pray for wisdom for some decisions that need to be made in the meantime.
So, as I mentioned before, the main obstacle to my return to PNG is now my paperwork. Michael Berbin, one of the missionaries in PNG, is continuing to work with the PNG immigration department but has been unsuccessful so far. My work permit, along with those of most of the GFA missionaries in PNG, will expire at the end of this calendar year. If I am not back in PNG by then, I will have to wait until our work permit renewals are approved, which could be several months. But, regardless of inefficient third world governments, it is a blessing to know that the Lord is ultimately in control. He allowed the issue to arise and He will clear it up in His own perfect timing.
In the meantime, I am finding various things to stay busy. I had the opportunity to speak to the Bob Jones University chapter of the University Nurses Assocation, a student led organization for nursing students. I shared with them about the ministry in PNG and about the opportunities available in medical missions. Last week was Missions Emphasis week at Bob Jones, so I was able to assist at the GFA table, sharing with students about long and short term opportunities with GFA on mission fields around the world. In a few weeks, I will be speaking at the ladies group of one of my supporting churches here in Greenville, SC. I have also enjoyed opportunities to see and visit with my family, even attending my 10 year old nephew's chapel program at his elementary school.
Please continue to pray for the Lord to open the door for me to return to PNG in His timing. Also please pray for wisdom for some decisions that need to be made in the meantime.
Tuesday, September 28, 2010
Paperwork
Healthwise, I continue to improve daily. I feel almost completely back to normal and have been able to gradually decrease the dose of the medication that I have been taking. I return to the doctor on Thursday and we will discuss the lab work that she did last week as well as any changes I need to make for the future. There is a possibility that she may be able to put me on a new medication that has been shown to decrease the incidence and severity of flareups, so that would be a real help. Thank you so much for your prayers through all this.
But now I have a new request for you. When I went through Immigration to leave Papua New Guinea, a problem arose with my entry permit. The permit in my passport states that it is for multiple entries, but when they scanned my passport they said that it was only for single entry. That means that at present I do not have a permit to reenter Papua New Guinea. As you know, PNG bureaucracy is rather slow and inefficient so this is a real problem. Michael Berbin, the senior GFA missionary in PNG, has been communicating with the Immigration folks since I left, but we're still working to find a resolution. The last thing he was told is that they can't even find a record that I have any sort of entry permit. I am faxing some things to them today and would appreciate your prayers for a speedy solution.
As far as things back in Kiari, they are in desperate need of rain. We generally have about a 3 month dry season, but this one has stretched into 4. The missionaries there are down to about 2 inches of rain in their water tanks and the nationals (not having rain tanks and dependent on the streams) are in even greater straits. Food was getting short when I left a few weeks ago, so I'm sure things are even tighter now.
On the other hand, it appears that the ambulance situation is resolving itself. Apparently my absence (and thus our clinic being closed) put pressure on the culprits to return the ambulance so that the Kiari folks could make use of the medical facilities in Nomane (where the ambulance was from). The last I heard was that some men from Kiari had left to drive the ambulance back to where it belongs. There will likely be repercussions for some time yet, but at least it's a step in the right direction.
Thank you once again for your prayers and support during this time.
But now I have a new request for you. When I went through Immigration to leave Papua New Guinea, a problem arose with my entry permit. The permit in my passport states that it is for multiple entries, but when they scanned my passport they said that it was only for single entry. That means that at present I do not have a permit to reenter Papua New Guinea. As you know, PNG bureaucracy is rather slow and inefficient so this is a real problem. Michael Berbin, the senior GFA missionary in PNG, has been communicating with the Immigration folks since I left, but we're still working to find a resolution. The last thing he was told is that they can't even find a record that I have any sort of entry permit. I am faxing some things to them today and would appreciate your prayers for a speedy solution.
As far as things back in Kiari, they are in desperate need of rain. We generally have about a 3 month dry season, but this one has stretched into 4. The missionaries there are down to about 2 inches of rain in their water tanks and the nationals (not having rain tanks and dependent on the streams) are in even greater straits. Food was getting short when I left a few weeks ago, so I'm sure things are even tighter now.
On the other hand, it appears that the ambulance situation is resolving itself. Apparently my absence (and thus our clinic being closed) put pressure on the culprits to return the ambulance so that the Kiari folks could make use of the medical facilities in Nomane (where the ambulance was from). The last I heard was that some men from Kiari had left to drive the ambulance back to where it belongs. There will likely be repercussions for some time yet, but at least it's a step in the right direction.
Thank you once again for your prayers and support during this time.
Thursday, September 23, 2010
Doctor's Appointment
This morning, I was able to see a rheumatologist (a specialist that deals with lupus and similar diseases). I had been working for over a week just to get a referral, fully expecting that it would be a few more weeks before I would be able to get an appointment. But, in the Lord's providence, a new rheumatologist has recently moved to Greenville and had an immediate opening.
She did a bunch of lab work and other tests and wants to see me back in a week. She is not a believer but had a lot of interest in what I am doing in Papua New Guinea and why I am doing it. Please continue to pray not only for wisdom for this doctor but also for further opportunities to witness to her.
She did a bunch of lab work and other tests and wants to see me back in a week. She is not a believer but had a lot of interest in what I am doing in Papua New Guinea and why I am doing it. Please continue to pray not only for wisdom for this doctor but also for further opportunities to witness to her.
Saturday, September 18, 2010
Hanging in There
I just wanted to post a quick update and let everyone know how things are going. I am feeling some better -- getting lots of rest and spending most of the time just laying around the house. It's kind of odd being back in the U.S. with all the amenities available but not really having the energy to go out and make use of them:-) I have had a lot of difficulty getting onto a normal sleep schedule again (probably courtesy of both jet lag and the medication I am taking), but I actually slept until 5:30am this morning -- the best yet!
I have not yet been able to see a rheumatologist (the specialist that deals with lupus). In fact, the doctor's office has not even called me back with a referral yet. (And I got impatient with inefficiency in PNG:-) Seriously though, I will be continuing to pursue that next week.
Thank you so much for your prayers and outpouring of support. I will continue to keep you posted as things develop.
I have not yet been able to see a rheumatologist (the specialist that deals with lupus). In fact, the doctor's office has not even called me back with a referral yet. (And I got impatient with inefficiency in PNG:-) Seriously though, I will be continuing to pursue that next week.
Thank you so much for your prayers and outpouring of support. I will continue to keep you posted as things develop.
Tuesday, September 14, 2010
Made It
I am happy to announce that I am officially back in the U.S. Thanks so much for your prayers for the trip. The Lord's care was so evident all along the way. I'll try to enumerate a few things, but He did so much that I'm sure I'll leave out something.
First, we were scheduled to leave on our first flight on Saturday afternoon, then spend the night in the capital city of PNG before flying on to Australia on Sunday. Well, the flight was cancelled (due to mechanical issues, I think). But that seeming setback saved us the cost of a hotel in the capital. Also, by the time the flight was cancelled, all the stores were closed, but we had just enough food left in the guest house to cover our supper and breakfast needs.
Then the next morning, the airline scheduled an additional later flight to take care of the passengers on the cancelled flight. That flight would have been too late for us to make our Australia connection though, but our incredibly diligent PNG travel agent made sure that we were booked on the first flight of the day, even coming to the airport to see us off. Then when we arrived in the capital, we got held up going through immigration, but again because of our travel agent's work, they held the plane until we got on, closing the door only after we arrived.
When we landed in Australia, I had a lot of energy and was able to deal with customs and immigration there without any problems. The Lord provided a hotel and a good night's sleep. I was pretty exhausted in the airport the next morning, but we had plenty of time so we were able to sit down and rest as I needed. Again, a very helpful airline representative made sure we were seated together and even straightened out an issue with Jennifer's return ticket.
We landed in LA with less than two hours to collect our baggage, clear customs, get rechecked, and get boarding passes for the next flight. Thankfully, my earlier exhaustion was gone and I was able to practically run through the airport and again we were some of the last few people on the plane.
What a blessing to land in Atlanta and find my dad and brother waiting for me. I am pretty exhausted today and still way behind on sleep, but the hard part is over. I went to an Urgent Care center today to get a referral to a rheumatologist (the kind of doctor that treats lupus). I was told that there are only 2 in Greenville and that it will likely be a few weeks before I can get an appointment. But the Lord is in control of that too!
Thanks once again for all your prayers and support. They mean so much!
First, we were scheduled to leave on our first flight on Saturday afternoon, then spend the night in the capital city of PNG before flying on to Australia on Sunday. Well, the flight was cancelled (due to mechanical issues, I think). But that seeming setback saved us the cost of a hotel in the capital. Also, by the time the flight was cancelled, all the stores were closed, but we had just enough food left in the guest house to cover our supper and breakfast needs.
Then the next morning, the airline scheduled an additional later flight to take care of the passengers on the cancelled flight. That flight would have been too late for us to make our Australia connection though, but our incredibly diligent PNG travel agent made sure that we were booked on the first flight of the day, even coming to the airport to see us off. Then when we arrived in the capital, we got held up going through immigration, but again because of our travel agent's work, they held the plane until we got on, closing the door only after we arrived.
When we landed in Australia, I had a lot of energy and was able to deal with customs and immigration there without any problems. The Lord provided a hotel and a good night's sleep. I was pretty exhausted in the airport the next morning, but we had plenty of time so we were able to sit down and rest as I needed. Again, a very helpful airline representative made sure we were seated together and even straightened out an issue with Jennifer's return ticket.
We landed in LA with less than two hours to collect our baggage, clear customs, get rechecked, and get boarding passes for the next flight. Thankfully, my earlier exhaustion was gone and I was able to practically run through the airport and again we were some of the last few people on the plane.
What a blessing to land in Atlanta and find my dad and brother waiting for me. I am pretty exhausted today and still way behind on sleep, but the hard part is over. I went to an Urgent Care center today to get a referral to a rheumatologist (the kind of doctor that treats lupus). I was told that there are only 2 in Greenville and that it will likely be a few weeks before I can get an appointment. But the Lord is in control of that too!
Thanks once again for all your prayers and support. They mean so much!
Friday, September 10, 2010
Home
The decision has been made. I'm headed home. I'm not critically ill
and it's not an emergency or anything like that, but I'm just not
getting better. I can't stay on the high doses of medication that I'm
presently taking for an extended period of time, and the medicine has
already pretty much put my immune system out of commission, so a third
world country with all its diseases is not the safest place right now.
and it's not an emergency or anything like that, but I'm just not
getting better. I can't stay on the high doses of medication that I'm
presently taking for an extended period of time, and the medicine has
already pretty much put my immune system out of commission, so a third
world country with all its diseases is not the safest place right now.
If all goes as planned, I will be leaving on my first flight Saturday
afternoon my time, spend two nights in hotels along the way and arrive
in Atlanta on Monday evening U.S. time. Then, I'll try to get in to
see a doctor and see where things are at. Please pray for strength for
the trip, wisdom for Jennifer Pearson (a nurse practitioner with GFA
her in PNG who is escorting me), and smooth travel.
Thanks so much for the many who have prayed and expressed their
support. It means a lot!
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