Simon and Annika Flanagan and family returned to Papua New Guinea about two months ago and are enjoying being back in the country and doing what they believe God would have them do. Life has been fast-paced, and there have been many adjustments for them all as they continue to fight for the reality of God’s presence amidst transition. They are thankful that God is active in restoring their souls. God’s love brings quiet into their experience because He is faithful, He is the Good Shepherd. Please pray that they will follow His lead as they step into a new season of life and that their souls will be restored.
A big part of the next six months to a year will be getting their two oldest settled in school on the mainland, in the Highlands of PNG. It is the first time their kids have attended a real school in seven years. And for the younger two, it’s the first time. There is a large community to get to know and have fun with. Previously they were on their own in the village with the Mengen church or in a much smaller support centre in New Britain Island. Pray for the children as they make friends and adjust to being in school.
Working remotely with the Mengen church is not something they are used to and Simon and Annika would much prefer being with the church and on the ground in the same Island.
In the last five weeks, two Mengen language helpers travelled up to where they now live to help Simon with translation, literacy, and 1 Corinthians lessons. For them, it was a big trip that got them right out of their comfort zones. Cooking for them, entertaining and shopping is something that Annika is excellent at, and he couldn’t have done it without her.
Together they were able to revise 11 chapters of Genesis and get two months’ worth of Bible lessons written for the church in the book of 1 Corinthians. This will be the first time the church hears teaching through the book of Corinthians. They were also able to discuss and work on ideas for a new literacy programme to help develop critical thinking. Simon’s language helpers are essential in this process of developing Bible translation, discipleship tools, and teaching materials for the Mengen church. They couldn’t do it without them and are thankful they made the two-day trip to reach them. It is hoped that the translation can be checked in December.
Praise for:
1. A nice house to stay in and for a great welcome from their co-workers.
2. Mostly good health and few stomach issues since getting back into the country, this isn’t always the case.
3. Their Mengen co-workers making the trip to Goroka to help them continue working on translation, literacy, and Bible lessons for the church, and for their safe return.
Pray for:
1. As a family as they settle into a new place, new school, and new work setting.
2. Simon and Annika to wisely meet their kids’ needs, and family’s needs and balance that with ministry goals. As they now work remotely, travel and flying people in for ministry is a new dynamic.
3. Work on a new literacy course, as they develop it in Tok Pisin and then in Tok Ples, then revise it and make it ready for a test run.
4. Pray for them to be able to organize language helpers to fly up to Goroka and help them check translation, sometime towards the end of the year. Pray for the added ministry expense in all of that.
5. The two Mengen church outreaches and for Simon and Annika to know how best to split their time between these two churches. Pray for the nine new believers.
6. Simon’s upcoming trip 21st – 26th September and for Annika and all she has to do to look after the home whilst he is away. Simon is part of the church development team that will go to meet with the New Britain churches. There will be representatives from many churches from 18 different language groups. They will meet to talk about how the churches can work together in partnership for fellowship and meeting the existing, and future needs of the churches that are now independent.