Dear family and friends,

I sat for weeks and watched America and other places around the world go crazy due to the coronavirus. When you started reporting on the shortage of toilet paper I laughed with you, and when it took a more serious toll, I started praying for you. I felt like I was “just far enough away” from the virus.

Our leadership met and needed to talk seriously about it coming here. Pioneer Bible Translators is a very good and caring organization, and I am proud to be a part of PBT. Our PBTPNG leadership met. We needed a plan. Our director sent us an email laying out a scenario that we needed to consider.

He asked us to consider a scenario that sounded extreme but was possible. At the time we hadn’t had a confirmed case in PNG, but now we do. It is just over 200 miles from us. We knew the risk of it coming here was high.

Part of what he wrote was that Australia could close their borders to foreigners. They have done that. We managed to get some teams evacuated just under the line, but not without a lot of nervous tension. Some had to reroute their flights to get out. We have one more person “stranded” in Port Moresby until a flight through Singapore tomorrow.

He also said that the flights in country from other mission organizations could cease, so there would be no way to leave Madang if we didn’t go “then.”

And if the virus came here it would stretch the PNG medical system. He said, “I am concerned about the effects of the virus on our missionaries, employees, and national volunteers. People above 60 years of age and people with preexisting lung or immune issues are particularly vulnerable. I am also concerned about our ability to support non-related medical emergencies if there is no way to get out of Madang. Everyone should consider the best place for them or their family to settle in the coming weeks to wait this out. If you feel like you need to leave PNG please speak with me immediately.” He told us for everyone staying in place to stock up on supplies (food, cleaning supplies, household goods and medicines), because we might not have good access to imported goods, and the market might have to be closed. So we should try to have about a months’ worth of supplies in our homes.

Well, now it is here. We will see how this goes.

When I received his email, my first reaction was “Yikes! I am almost 60! Do I need to consider evacuating?” after the initial (short-lived) panic left me, I prayed. If I had prayed beforehand maybe the panic might not have come at all… but I am human. I prayed. I talked to Jennie and Suzy and as we all prayed I hunkered down to hear from God.

Do I go or do I stay?

At that time I had spent 2 days flat on my back due to bad lower back pain. My emotions might have been a little raw. But when the fog cleared and I could think clearly, I realized that, yeah, I may not feel “good” right now, but I am a very healthy 58 year old. I thank God for that!! I don’t take it for granted anymore.

I felt His peace – and the decision was to stay.

Joni is gone (she and Jim evacuated right away due to his poor health) and Lois is on holiday until the end of April. Ron, a man from Dallas came to do Lois’ work, but he had to be evacuated too. He is the one stuck in Moresby. So within 2 days, he taught me how to do what he knew (which was a lot! I am SO grateful that he used his time and talent to come help us). I sure hope I caught all that I need to know. Time will tell.

So anyway…

I went to the store and got some supplies. Joni gave me their chest freezer to use until they come back – it has lots of food in it. I also got meat from the butcher. I went to the market and get a bunch of veggies that I can freeze, and to the chemist to get various medicines to have on hand.

We have a remnant here to hold down the fort. We might be small, but we are mighty! We have experience doing this from when so many teams went on furlough after the (amazing!) Waran New Testament dedication last year. There were days when there were only 3 of us in the office and days when we went crazy, but we did it and lived to tell about it, ha-ha!

I had a serious talk with my village mama the other day and told her that I would advise here of any news. After Brian sent us the confirmation of the case in Lae, I called her. I don’t know the chances of this, but her son, Esau had just left for Lae and was due to come back the next day. I tried to tell her that he needs to be isolated for 14 days in case he has been exposed to the coronavirus. Luisa just had baby boy and we can’t chance him or anyone getting this virus. I felt very frustrated at my lack of ability to communicate clearly in Tok Pisin, just how serious this could be. As I was telling her that he needed to isolate, I felt helpless. This is a relational society. They don’t isolate. They live life together. It makes me wonder if there are any Papua New Guinean introverts…

So for now, I prepare to be at home if necessary. I don’t know how this will pan out any more than you know how it will go in your neck of the woods. The Madang Resort has closed their pool to outsiders. I believe that this is the beginning of businesses closing. Time will tell.

I need to go to the office to take my weekly test. Did I tell you that I have started back to school?? Yep! I took International Community Development and now I am in Intercultural Communication. It is awesome! I don’t like tests, but the class is awesome! It should be a good distraction. Pray for me to stay on task and learn all I can. I don’t want to waste any time.

Prayer requests:

• That we are (all) spared from the coronavirus
• For safety for those of us who are staying in Madang
• For the power and water to stay on consistently (the power is off as I write this)
• That the internet and phones are as uninterrupted as possible
• That I use this time to seek God as never before and to be a light to guide people to Him

God is not surprised by any of this, and neither should we be.

I’m grateful for each and every one of you!

I can’t think of any more, but if God prompts you to pray, follow His lead. He knows what we need even before we do.

Thank you for lifting us up in prayer as we travel this road marked out for us together.

For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do. 
~ Ephesians 2:10

Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart.
~ Jeremiah 1:5

I don’t have any more to say – except my two favorite words

But God.