For Dave, Emma and Joshua it has been a difficult couple of weeks. Dave’s mental health has been worsening to the point where it has become difficult for him to function well at work. They talked with mission leadership in PNG, in the UK and their home church and made a plan to travel back to the UK for an extended home assignment for the next school year.
They were able to have a break. Dave had time for an ‘emergencies in children’ training course at SIL/Wycliffe clinic.
During that time events around the COVID-19 pandemic evolved to the point where it became apparent that travel was going to become difficult. They looked at bringing their travel to the UK forward and bought tickets to return last week but then were unable to use them due to flight cancellations and travel restrictions. They had already booked their flights for May as well, so they are trying to see if they can get refunds for the tickets.
PNG has one reported case and the government took measures to stop domestic flights and travel between provinces for two weeks. Schools have closed and only essential work is continuing. The school at the mission centre is closed for the rest of the school year.
Therefore, it looks like they are at Lapilo – the mission centre, for the coming weeks/months until the opportunity to travel back to the UK becomes available. They are well supported and were grateful for lots of help with packing and moving- they moved house twice in the space of a week! They are back in their house now. Joshua is happy and enjoying extra time to play with his friends. They have good food and water supplies on the centre and things are calm in the country.
Pray for wisdom, as Dave will be seeing one of the doctors over the next few days as a patient to see how to help and to try to figure out what to do about the work situation.
Pray for recovery, restoration and a sense of peace in their hearts and that they can trust God to be their refuge in times of trouble.
Cast your cares on the Lord and He will sustain you – Psalm 55:22