Lance and Laura Ostman have been ministering to the Higaunon people of the Philippines since 1983. They arrived back in the Philippines late at night on the 14th of January and spent a day and a half in Manila. Travelling on to the island where they serve, they spent a week in town visiting friends and purchasing enough supplies to last them for a couple of months in the village.
On Tuesday the 23rd the weather was good for two flights. One to take them into the village and the other to transport the rest of their supplies. They haven’t lived in their house since 2020 so there was a lot to do to settle in! Last year they lived in their co-workers’ house since Lance and Laura’s had major termite damage. More work was done after they left last year as their office floor had to be replaced due to poor construction materials and more termite damage.
Upon arrival, they found that their house was quite dirty and disorganised from all the construction that was done. And it wouldn’t seem like home if they hadn’t heard some rats the first couple of nights. Therefore, it has taken them longer than normal to settle in. They have also noticed that their aging bodies ache after working around the house.
There has finally been a break in the weather, and they have had sunshine. There has been a lot of rain all around the island since they arrived. It was so nice! Davao, a big city in southern Mindanao, has had some major flooding. There were news reports of people being stranded on the second floor of their homes. Please pray for the water to subside.
This week, Lance and his translation assistant begin the initial check on Ezekiel 31-48, the remaining chapters that still need to go through the initial check. Please pray for them – for wisdom, clarity, and stamina. Later this month they anticipate doing the final check on Ecclesiastes, and the hope is to finish that and Jeremiah before they leave in May. Please pray for the health of their main translation assistant as he’s had some significant health issues.
Thank you for praying for Lance and Laura and the work among the Higaunon people.