Hey Friends,
We have some pretty big and also difficult news to share
with you, that is pivotal in our ministry and affects the next steps for us. As
you all know, after 2 years in PNG, we came back to the USA 3 months ago for a
furlough and break. Shortly afterward, our teammates returned also. Leadership
recommended this time at home as a chance for our team to rest, process, and
figure out the best next steps as a team after what has been a very different
first 2 years than we expected.
Each of the units on our team have been seeking God’s direction during this break, and in the last 3 weeks, He has led our teammates to make some big decisions.
With the input and guidance of their pastors, the Lord has given the Noyes family clarity and peace that they are to step off the Pano team and away from overseas ministry, at least for a while. (If you want to read more from them about this decision, here’s a link to their announcement).
Also, with the guidance of her pastor and doctors, Michele Willeford has decided that she should not return to PNG due to health concerns.
We are grieving
the fact that we won’t get to work with these people who we love, respect, and with whom we've envisioned and planned to spend so much of our lives serving together. But
we also want to say that we respect and affirm their willingness to make such
difficult decisions in obedience to God’s leading in their lives. Please pray
for them as they grieve the loss of this dream to work in PNG and seek God’s
leading in their next steps of ministry.
So, where does this leave us?
Well, honestly, at this
point, there is more that we don’t know, than that we do; but here are some
things we are clear on.
1. God is sovereign and in control of all of the circumstances in our lives.
We find there is a huge need to remind ourselves of the truths of the theology we believe as we face these kind of circumstances that just don’t make sense from a human perspective. We know He loves the Pano people and wants them to hear His truth. We know that He led us to PNG with our team. Right now, we don’t know why He has chosen to allow the break-up of our team and the delays in our plans. But He knows!
2. Both of us strongly desire to return to PNG and be part of reaching the Pano people with the gospel and seeing a solid church growing there!
Even in the hardest times in this past year, we have never doubted that God led us to PNG! Our desire and passion for this calling haven’t dimmed or changed, even though the road forward isn’t nearly as clear as it seemed several months ago. Also, both our sending church and our missions organization are in agreement with us continuing to move forward with the goal of going back to PNG if God opens the doors for that.
3. We don’t believe God has called us to accomplish this work alone as a couple.
All of the steps involved in going to an unreached people without a written language in a remote jungle location with high risks are more than what we believe one person or couple can competently and wisely complete. We really believe we need to have teammates with us to do this work well.
4. We no longer have a team at this point.
This is a hard loss that we are still grieving! So much time and effort has been invested, and it’s really hard to face the reality of restarting team formation.
5. This seems to have been a season of God choosing to lead by closing doors, and now we are praying, trusting, and looking for Him to open doors and make His will clear.
We're going to spend these next months doing our part to look for potential new teammates. But we know that God is the only one who can open all of the doors needed for us to find new teammates, and complete all of the steps to be able to return to PNG and reach Pano.
While we are looking for the open doors, we want to make sure to end well with our past teammates. Part of ending well means finishing the process we all began last year to work through some difficult team struggles and ensure that there is peace and reconciliation in all the areas and relationships where it was needed, even though we won’t be working together now in PNG. It’s clear that our team love each other, and we appreciate so much that each team member have remained committed to finishing this process. We’re almost there, and we’re looking forward to seeing God’s leading as we complete it together.
If we were able to tell you all of this in person, you’d probably ask us “How are you doing with all of this?” — and — “How can we pray for you?” Here’s what we’d say if you asked us that
- Transparently, we feel very overwhelmed facing these changes. From a human perspective, it is hard to see a clear path forward. But God often chooses to lead His children step by step, instead of mile by mile. Pray for us to trust Him and wait with faith for Him to reveal our next step, even while we are grieving and at times wrestling with the reality of these losses and trials.
- Please pray fervently and daily with us for God to provide new teammates for us and to form a new, strong team to reach the Pano people!
- Pray for us to learn more of what it means to rest and trust while we’re in the middle of this storm and all of the ambiguity of this season of ministry.
Thank you so much for your prayers, support, and
encouragement to us over the years! We are totally unable to put into words how
much of a blessing it is to have you behind us, holding us up, and cheering us
on to follow the Lord’s leading. Your faithfulness isn’t really to us, but to
the Lord, and we’re so thankful that He is faithfully counting your gifts
toward your account in heaven!
We hope to be able to call and talk with each of our individual supporters and pastors of our supporting churches over the next several weeks, to answer any questions you have and say thank you in person for your love and continued support. If you are someone who supports us through your church, please feel to reach out to us with any questions or just to say hi!
Serving with you,
Josh and Autumn
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