August Family Update

Since arriving back in Ukarumpa, Neil and I have frequently been asked by friends here who know how much moving around we did when we're in the U.S., "Did you enjoy your furlough? Was it restful, refreshing?" Over and over we've replied that our year of home assignment was GREAT!!! Though we had to move a lot and do a lot of cross-country travel in order to spend quality time with our extended families and supporting churches, every bit of the travel was worth it. Every visit was encouraging and refreshing, and we couldn't have asked for a better year. Thank you, Lord, and thank you to each one of YOU who encouraged us on furlough, or who prays for us or supports us in some way. (But even despite 27,000 plus miles traveled, and living in 8 different states, we STILL weren't able to see everyone. :( We never made it into Canada, Michigan, California, Maine, and many other places where we would have loved to have visited family and friends!)

Upon our return to Papua New Guinea, Neil took on a new role: Director of Language Services, which he wrote about yesterday. As for me, we just completed the third week of the new school year, and I'm very much enjoying the two classes I'm teaching: 11th grade Honors American Lit and 12th grade Advanced Placement English Literature. The majority of my 22 bright, delightful students are missionary kids (MKs) whose parents are Bible translators or are supporting the work of Bible translation in other ways, and they are from Australia, Austria, Canada, Germany, Korea, Papua New Guinea, Romania, and the United States. It's very different being responsible for the entire English Department (as the new English Department Chair) instead of only having to be concerned about my own two classes. However, my two fellow English teachers--one of whom joined the faculty last year while I was on furlough, and the other just a few weeks ago--are very capable and doing a wonderful job. My new role as branch editor has thus far only required a couple hours of work each week, which is a relief. :) I'm also teaching the 2nd and 3rd grade Sunday School class, which I think Cameron is enjoying greatly. (He loves pretending he can't remember the teacher's name.) ;)

James, Cameron and Will are thriving. James is in 6th grade, the top of the heap at the Primary Campus, and is especially busy this year because he's been accepted into the middle school (7th & 8th grade) band, which means he has rehearsals after school three days per week, and a private lesson after school on another day. They begin the year with a term of Marching Band, combined with the high schoolers (grades 9-12), so James is enjoying the challenge of keeping up with experienced high school band members. We're already hearing great improvement in his saxophone playing. They will present a Marching Band Show in September! Cameron is in 3rd grade, and has made a smooth adjustment from home-school (on furlough) to classroom learning. Both Cameron and James have good friends here in Ukarumpa who they love to spend time with (there are a couple of friends over right now!). And Will (4 years old) is in preschool for the first time, and loving it! He only wishes it was every day instead of just three mornings a week. It's so cute to see the three boys walk off to school together in the morning, all three equipped with backpacks and baseball caps. This will be our only year with all three boys on the same campus!

Thank you so much for your prayers, financial support, and encouragement! We are aware every day that we couldn't be serving with Wycliffe in Papua New Guinea if it weren't for every one of you. Thank you for your faithful prayers!! Most of you don't know that during our furlough, Wycliffe informed us that due to the weakening dollar and greatly increased cost of living in PNG, we needed to raise 15% more support before we could return to the field. (Wycliffe determines how much support each family needs and assigns a support quota to raise. Wycliffe missionaries are required to have 100% of that quota pledged before they are cleared to return to the field.) We were sure we'd have to put out an appeal for more support, but there was no need! Without our even asking, even in this dismal economy, God gave us enough new supporters that we are receiving exactly 100% of our monthly support quota. What a faith-builder that was for us! :) Thank you for being God's instruments of blessing, to us and to those we serve!

James (center) and his friends on a Saturday hike up Lone Tree Hill

James, Will and Cameron enjoy playing with Legos in our downstairs playroom

Will rode a horse for the first time last Saturday