Feb. 27, 2019
Hidden Treasures
One month ago today, my amazing mommy finished her race. She heard the long awaited, “well done my child”, and she entered into her well deserved rest in the arms of her awaiting Savior. Yesterday was a hard day with the memories of her traumatic death playing over and over in my mind. The nightmares of that very difficult night are still plaguing me but not as intensely. Time does heal the hurt though the missing of such a very special and precious mommy will probably be there until we meet again! Today has been easier. IT is the day of celebration of her release from her chain of dementia and pain.
The journey of the past weeks has been a very physically and emotionally busy time. WE are preparing to sell our family home of 40 years, pack up my dad and help him begin a new life with us in PNG. Daily hour upon hour has been spent delicately sorting through the history of my life and the life of my precious parents. Each box stored from years gone by contained an explosion of memories as treasure upon treasure was unveiled. Little notes written by me in my childhood and by my children over the many years were tucked away, treasured by a loving mom and grandma. Poems we wrote her were snuggled in between pictures and other treasured mementoes of our lives.
The greatest hidden treasure of all, however, was the perfectly preserved wedding gown and veil as well as the bridesmaid dress her sister wore on mom and dad’s special day 60 years ago. I had NEVER seen that dress in anything but pictures. There, at 2am , tears streaming down my face, I held this white lacy dress my mother wore on what was the second most significant day of her life. I could just picture her now, clothed in the pure white righteousness of her Lord and Savior, awaiting the marriage supper of her Bridegroom Jesus. THE thought takes my breath away.
Hidden treasures…those unexpected amazing blessings that just pop up where least expected….have been like needed comforting hugs from GOD this week.
The missing suitcases containing all of Amo’s new clothes and his treasures bought with his own money for his friends and our PNG family were found!! If only suitcases could talk. Ha. They were soaked and all the papers inside were ruined, and the clothes and other items wet and smelly. Where they had been and how they had traveled Im sure would have been an exciting saga. BUT nothing was missing!! Nothing vital was ruined!! GOD gave our son AMO a great big hug! THE hidden and lost suitcases were found and the treasures INTACT!
This time of separation during a very busy time for both Bill on the field and Me here at home trying to get things all sorted out and packed up has been difficult at best. The amazing hidden treasure both of us keep finding daily is the strength and blessing of the body of Christ. Our missionary team there in PNG has been such a blessing for Bill and AMO while I am so far away. They are just amazing as they help us prepare for daddy coming to live with us in PNG. WE are so blessed. For me here, the mere physical demand of cleaning out decades of accumulation has been truly overwhelming. Our amazing church family here has been a huge treasure of help. Saturday 17 (13 of whom were strong guys!) came to help get all the heavy things in the basement ,garage and shed out back cleaned out! What would have taken weeks for me alone took a matter of hours! My cancer surgeries have left me with limited lifting strength. What I could not do physically, GOD provided His hands and feet in the form of HIS people to come help! Two helping were our Andrew and Anna (that especially helped as Andrew was happy to give a new home to some of Grandpa’s high quality tools! “Sweet” was the reaction to his sorting through the hidden treasures of the beloved tool boxes!! Less to pack!) .
God is opening up amazing doors in PNG. Years ago we shared the story of Lilian. I diagnosed her breast cancer and told her about her pregnancy in the same visit. I found her pregnancy as a surprise to us both on exam. Lilian chose her son , Able ( I named him…because GOD was ABLE!), over early treatment. I had the joy of doing his delivery and caring for him through his first few years while we got treatment for Lilian, until I found a second surprise….Baby Joyce. She again chose life for her baby, and I had the joy of doing her delivery and caring for little Joyce, named after my mama because mama prayed earnestly for Lilian . Lillian died in my arms, in my home. She came to know JESUS during a ladies conference I had the joy of speaking at! Her life was transformed. Lilian’s fate seemed tragic. Leaving her four kids to the care of a husband not following JESUS was hard for her and me as well. Now her husband has died from consequences of his bad life style choices, and her children have more hope of better role models. BUT most exciting is the hidden treasure of the doors opened for the Gospel because of our caring for her. GOD has used our coworkers, Tim and Leandra to start a church there in her home village area of Sagifa, and now there are two other villages in that area seeking the LIGHT of the GOSPEL! Her suffering became a treasure for so many now finding JESUS…. .and I KNOW that Lilian is one of the REJOICE TEAM celebrating each one’s salvation decision in heaven!!
OPPORTUNITIES and TREASURES come as we pray. Please join us:
- WE have many steps yet to needing to be orchestrated together for us to bring daddy back with us to PNG.
- His passport is in process. PRAY it through quickly.
- He will need a visa to enter PNG when that is done. PRAY for efficiency in that application process and approval.
- WE almost have the house ready to list and show. PRAY for the perfect buyer and the perfect timing for the selling of the house at the perfect price .
- The guys in PNG are helping us order the supplies to build daddy’s apartment attached to our home. PRAY they can find good prices and the right supplies to make a home perfectly
Accommodating to daddy’s physical needs.
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- Pray for good ticket prices on our return trip. Daddy will need to fly first class to better accommodate his physical needs on the long ride home. Many details with the trip need to be worked out, so pray.
- Pray for BILL and AMO as they home school and as BILL works with our field team and church planting ministries. PRAY for the amazing open doors in the BENA as we pray. PRAY for our team as we work together and support each other in our church planting efforts!
- PRAY for our family as a half a world once more separates us. PRAY we can stay united and on the same page with communications challenges (no or very limited working phone or internet!).
- Pray for the sorting and packing and many many details of getting the house ready to go on the market along with needing to effectively home school Aaron.
- PRAY for the estate settlement and for our sister in Christ who has been tasked with the huge job of dispersing it. PRAY for her peace and direction. PRAY that GOD protects the trust from any contesting and that this could prove to be an amazing tool of GOD to further His kingdom.
- PRAY as we begin to plan the supplies and materials to bring back to PNG as we await GOD’s provision for purchase and shipment. We need wisdom, discernment and good prices.
GOD has so many precious hidden treasures along our life journeys. Treasure from His WORD each morning, His hugs in human form as His body ministers to it’s members, ways God meets us with HIS strength in the midst of our struggles……endless treasures just waiting to uplift and encourage us. WE are truly blessed.
Thank you for partnering with us in ministry and our lives.
No restraint! No retreat. NO REGRET. Fearless. Faithful.
Bill and AMo in PNG. Lori and Aaron and Grandpa in the USA
