February 2023 Update
“Have tickets, will travel!”
Have you ever prepared for a distant trip and it seems you’ve got all the time in the world to get ready…and then, wham, it’s upon you? After days and weeks and months of planning while Peter recuperated… suddenly, impossibly, we’re a week away from leaving for Thailand! Admittedly, there was any number of tasks that couldn’t be done earlier than two weeks out, so we’re meeting ourselves coming and going with Visa Applications (yet again!), Income Tax (done and dusted,) vaccinations (I’d forgotten how much tetanus hurts!), packing (don’t ask! Seriously), year-long medical prescription over-rides (bless you, Aetna!) and Peter’s inevitable “Good-Bye” tour.
A thrilling schedule addition occurred when our Westcoast military children, Lizzy and Aaron, flew to Fort Bragg for the induction of Chief Master Sergeant Katina Billue (congrats, Tina!), which meant we got one more chance to see them before we head overseas. Hurray! They arrived with the hot-off-the-press news their next duty station will be Hawaii…so we’re planning, God willing, to return by way of the Pacific next year! Living in Hawaii, there will be no such thing as a “distant relative!”
Our friends here in North Carolina have gone out of their way to spoil us, particularly in the food department. When we regale them with tales of what we have eaten on the mission field, they return with, “Well, have you ever eaten___?” We’ve been treated to the Southern specialties of chicken pastry, tomato pie, cabbage with vinegar, fried apples, chocolate gravy over biscuits with country ham (oh, my!) pork cracklings, and cheese in coffee…although I haven’t tried this one yet. Along with good food, we’re full to the brim with nourishing and sustaining fellowship.
One of our favorite prayers is that of Jabez: “Oh, that you would bless me and enlarge my territory. Let Your hand be with me and keep me from harm so that I will be free from pain.” A very tangible answer to that plea is an unexpected partnership with Strategic Global Commissioning, whose mission is to enhance the safety of missionaries by providing world-class information systems and underwriting medical and security evacuation as well as highly skilled field rescue. In other words, if we get into a mess overseas, they’ll bail us out. This is, as you can imagine, very expensive coverage particularly for those of a “certain” age…provided absolutely free to us so we can focus on saving souls. What a blessing! Truth be told, while Peter is perfectly willing to meet His maker whenever, wherever, and however He decides to call him home, our children are a bit squeamish at the thought of their parents being kidnapped, falling down a ravine, or languishing in a field hospital, I.V.’s dangling.
WHAT an incredible blessing!
Over several months, we’ve told you about the fruits of Discipleship Training in both Northern Thailand with Jonathan and in the Dominican Republic with Jaime and Jackie. It is thrilling to see the number of disciples who’ve made decisions for the LORD and been baptized. The exciting news this month is that three trained Haitian pastors have gathered enough disciples to plant new churches. We’re thrilled to be able to rent buildings and support these fledgling discipleship groups until they can stand on their own! Jaime and Jackie will start training yet another group of Haitian disciplers this month.
In MaeSai (where we’ll be by the end of February, the Good LORD willin’ and the creek don’t rise), Hannah Immigrant Learning Center continues apace, serving Burmese children during the day, and discipling and training adults at night. Please pray for Carla, one-half of the Brazilian missionary team, who has painful and debilitating esophageal ulcers, that she’ll be returned to perfect health.
Over the border, our Rescue Home missionary who we don’t name for safety reasons, has been so severely plagued by deep vein issues in her leg and foot that she had to travel to the capital, Yangon, for 10 days of treatment. Only at the capital hospitals is good care assured. It has been a hard battle, but improvements are occurring. Our LORD is still the Great Physician and heals all manner of diseases. Please pray that she’ll be returned soon to her children.
And so, as we frantically cram far too much into far too few days, we don’t want to neglect to thank you sincerely for your prayers, your encouragement, and the financial support for our mission which has continued unabated. Please pray for a packing miracle; either that the LORD reduces the size and weight of what we intend to take in ONE suitcase each, or He blinds the eyes of the officials who must pass us through security!
Much love to you all,
Peter and Joan
“ Now also when I am old and greyheaded, O God, forsake me not;
until I have shewed thy strength unto this generation,
and thy power to every one that is to come.” Psalm 71:18