Hurry up and Wait!!
As many of you know, we had planned to leave for PNG on Nov. 17...tomorrow. However, we are still waiting on an approval for Titus's visa, so those plans have changed. We were very wisely told, months ago when we submitted our paperwork, to not even purchase our tickets until we had our paperwork in hand. Wise council indeed! So, as we continue to stay in touch with the PNG embassy here in the states, our wonderful mission government representatives in Port Moresby continue to make regular visits to the immigration office to remind them that our son still needs his visa. Besides praying (and asking all of you to pray), that's all we can do right now. Once we have his visa, we can purchase our tickets and be on our way. We're anticipating about a 2 week turn-around from when we get his visa to when we climb on our plane, so things should happen pretty quickly once they start. We will keep you posted as to when we get his visa and what our travel plans will look like, so stay tuned!!
Temporary Change of Ministry
Recently New Tribes Mission asked us to help fill in a critical need at the computer service department for the field of Papua New Guinea, and after diligently praying in fellowship with New Tribes Mission and our sending church of Calvary Church of Wayland we have accepted this direction, seeing the Lord's hand in it. This is temporary assignment is important for several reasons. #1: Our home church has in their missions' bylaws that their missionaries that they send out be at 90% of their recommended support level before returning to the field. (And for good reason...we have learned for ourselves that we don't need that extra stress of finances hanging over us while we face the stress of everyday ministry there.) We are currently at 84% Reasons #2: The IRS...Our status as overseas missionaries gives us certain tax breaks. However, we need to actually LIVE overseas a certain percentage of our time in order to maintain that status. We are already on a special extension to remain state-side to raise more support, and that is rapidly coming to an end. Finally and most importantly there is a dire need of personnel in the Computer Service Department on the field to service the 400-plus families (we have only 1 guy in there right now).
Solution: Our church has agreed to allow us to go back to help out in the Computer Service Department for a short-term basis (up to 6 months) to help out in this critical ministry. Since it is less expensive to live on our support center at Lapilo than it is to live in Mibu, we have the 90% of what we'd need to do that. We trust that our support will continue to rise while we're overseas (a number of churches and individuals have yet to get back to us with what their intentions are, and some have told us that they will do so after the first of the year), and come time for us to return to Mibu, we will have the 90% that we need! Currently, translation continues in Mibu, as Geoff has essentially caught up with Chris in his abilities...and come the time we'd be looking to head back in to Mibu, the Husas will be looking to leave for a furlough a short time later, so there can be a translation hand off. In the mean time, Chris will be a huge asset to the Computer Service Department as he puts his computer skills to use to help the rest of the field.
That pretty much sums up where we're at right now. We welcome any questions you might have about any of this. And we appreciate your support and partnership as we strive to see the church in Mibu grow to maturity. Our hearts remain deeply rooted in Mibu, and we are so looking forward to the day that we can return and resume our ministry there. Sometimes we don't understand all the reasons of why God works and leads the way He does, but it always works out in the end when we heed and obey His calling.
Waiting on His timing,
Chris, Angie, Jael, Baruch and Titus Walker
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Chris & Angie Walker (Home Address)
1134 - 122nd Ave
Martin, MI 49070
269-509-7551(Home)
616-217-6595(Cell)
269-793-9160(Skype Phone)
Chris & Angie Walker (Field Address)
New Tribes Mission
Private Mail Bag
Madang, MP 511
Papua New Guinea
Chris & Angie Walker (Business Address)
New Tribes Mission
1000 E First Street
Sanford, FL 32771
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