The Missionary Life, Now and Forever

Dear Ones, Happy Easter! We pray the presence and power of Christ's life and resurrection blesses you mightily this season, and I hope the pictures and stories captured here in this Blog are an inspiration and joy for you. We remain deeply grateful for your support in sending us here to Kudjip and truly feel the impact of your prayers daily! The following includes snapshots from my time in the hospital, some fun adventures outside of work, and concludes with a heart-wrenching experience. May these accounts bless and challenge your hearts. All our Love, Ted, Rachel, Penniella, and Solomon

I had the pleasure of meeting this young Christian man named Samuel in clinic the other week, and I was immediately encouraged by his friendly spirit and awesome t-shirt. We joked that with his winning smile and admirable beard he could easily play the role of PNG Jesus in a feature film! After a few tests I was glad to report the diagnosis of pulmonary TB which can be easily remedied with a few months of meds. Praise God!

In contrast to Samuel's story, I diagnosed Michael (pictured above) with both TB and HIV. The diagnosis of HIV carries a heavy burden here in PNG as there is both a social stigma and a challenge to remain compliant with ART medications. I educated Michael about both diseases and how TB meds can resolve the infection, but that HIV will be with him for the rest of his life and requires really good medication compliance in order to stay healthy. The Spirit also inspired me to inquire about Michael's faith and he confessed being far from God, though he fondly remembered his Sunday School lessons as a child. It was a real joy to share the Gospel with Michael, reading a number of scriptures, and inviting him to follow Jesus as he enters a challenging season. Sometimes when I offer to share the Word and pray with a patient, I discern a hardened heart resistant to the Word of Life, which is sad and then makes me reluctant to make that effort with the next patient. In Michael's case it was evident the Spirit was moving in his softened heart, and I rejoiced with his willingness to attend Easter service and give his life to the Lord. 

Recently while Rachel was guest speaking at the local teacher's college, Pennie and Solomon joined me for rounds on the Pediatric Ward. They were great little assistants, placing "Jesus Loves You" stickers on all the kids, and expertly driving the ultrasound machine. I gave them (and some nursing students) a little anatomy lesson identifying all the internal organs we can see on ultrasound, and the kids weren't even a little bit squeamish watching me remove a drain from an infected leg. Pennie continues to declare her future career will be in medicine and I am sure she will shine in that role if the Lord keeps that dream in her heart. 

When I'm not working at the hospital, I've greatly enjoyed exploring the local river with the kids. Now they're a bit older at least twice a week we've trekked to different parts of the river to swim, collect interesting rocks, play with some local friends, and we'll usually float the hydro dam canal on our way back home. Fun in the sun among God's beautiful creation - talk about filling my cup!

Another great joy is the peace we have found in our mission home. As many of you know the Lord has given us the calling of hospitality, and we welcome the opportunity to host our neighbors, no matter where we are in the world. Every week, Rachel takes on the culinary challenge of hosting another missionary family for a dinner, as well as facilitating a preschool play group so other missionary Moms can get a break. Bless her! In addition, for the month of April we have enjoyed hosting the weekly Missionary Prayer meeting with Rachel leading worship on guitar and the the Holy Spirit leading us all in sharing our praises, prayers, and whatever word of encouragement comes to heart. This has been greatly edifying to us, and we feel much more connected with all our missionary family. In a less scheduled manner, our home here is regularly visited by children playing with Pennie and Solomon, and PNG friends calling to "story" with us on the front porch (sharing updates, concerns, joys, and needs.) We are thankful the Holy Spirit graces our home and keeps the light on for all to feel welcome.

~ ~ ~ ONE FINAL STORY WORTH SHARING ~ ~ ~

04 APR 2025, Thursday, 0745AM -  It started as a normal morning reading my daily devotional with a steaming cup of Highlands coffee, eating breakfast with the family, and getting ready to round at the hospital. Then I received a text on the missionary thread that read “Need a Doctor at 4-plex unit 2.” A little alarm went off in my spirit suggesting this might be urgent so I grabbed my medical bag and hurried out the door sending the text reply “Heading there now.” 

I knew there was a visiting missionary family staying in the 4-Plex guest condos expecting to deliver their 4th child, so as I walked up the road I texted again asking if the concern was Obstetric or Pediatric in nature, to which they replied “Adult.” What I didn’t know was that an elderly missionary (who I’ll call DAVID in this post for privacy reasons) was also staying in the 4-Plex. David served as a missionary all over the world for many decades and had been at Kudjip for a week to help at the local Bible College. He was scheduled to fly home that morning but he had not responded to his driver’s knock at the door. When I arrived in the guest flat I found David kneeling at his bedside, face down on the bed, skin pale as ivory, without a pulse or breathing. The moment I saw him I knew he was deceased but I lifted him into his bed and attempted a chest compression. His frail chest cracked and frothy blood gurgled up from his lungs. His pupils were dilated and unresponsive. I covered David with a blanket and pronounced him dead to the two men who had found him.

I have seen death multiple times a week here at Kudjip so recognizing death and being accustomed to it’s sight and smell is no longer shocking, but the up close and personal encounter with the death of a fellow ex-pat missionary was a first for me. I initially felt sad for David, dying alone sometime during the night. I also felt sadness for his wife back home who would hear of his death by phone but not get to see him or hold him in her time of grief. 

Dr Ben and Dr Mark arrived and began coordinating efforts for contacting David’s wife and transferring his body to the local morgue. I knew I wasn’t needed anymore and the kids on the Peds Ward were waiting for me to round on them. I walked to the hospital, feeling more than a little shell-shocked, and passed a couple missionaries on their way up to help with the efforts. Just before I got to A Ward I ran into Dr Jake and shared what had happened. It was then in recounting the events that it struck me - this elderly missionary died in the field while faithfully serving God’s calling. What a way to go! I was emotionally overwhelmed with the mental image of the Heavenly Host rejoicing in David’s glorious homecoming, and the Lord of Lords declaring “Well done, good and faithful servant!”

I have reflected back on these events many times since that fateful morning and wonder whether David kneeling at the bedside was in fact a posture of prayer. Being a man close to Christ, I can imagine he endured a moment of panic as he realized something was terribly wrong but then was quickly filled with a supernatural peace as he knelt to pray. He may have asked for the Lord to either heal him or receive him. He may have prayed for his family to have peace, or for the Lord to inspire others to pick up where he left off with his earthly mission. David may have just simply died praying the Lord’s prayer, a familiar comfort that could have been his routine to begin every day. 

Scripture instructs believers that there is power in prayer - to heal, to restore, to refocus, to influence unseen spiritual warfare. So often we get distracted by life that we forget to pray. So often I hear believers say they don’t want to pray because they’re feeling depressed, or angry, or exhausted. But these are the most important times to pray. Philippians 4:4-7 is a verse I read aloud almost every day here in PNG to patients struggling through an illness. These verses promise that when we pray in faith the Lord will exchange our anxieties for a Jesus-peace that surpasses all understanding, and we will be able to rejoice and give testimony to the Lord’s greatness even in the midst of our toughest trials. 

We instead tend to separate ourselves from God’s indwelling peace and counsel while we firmly clench our fists holding onto earthy treasures and dreams, or holding onto past pain or unforgiveness. We have to learn to pray every day, keeping our hearts and hands upturned to the Lord, palms open for Him to take the weight of our burdens and relieve us of earthly possessions or desires that aren’t good for us. This submissive and trusting posture also then allows us to receive His presence, healing, and whatever blessings He deems are best for us. 

I want to be like David, a life dedicated to the Lord, entirely driven by prayer, heavy with Kingdom fruit, defying comforts and infirmities to answer God’s calling right to the very end. Amen!

God has said, “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.”

Jesus Loves the Little Children...

 ... a message from Rachel

In Mark 9:37, Jesus says: “Whoever welcomes one of these little children in My name welcomes Me; and whoever welcomes Me does not welcome Me but the one who sent Me, the Father.” 

Our time here at Kudjip is a fresh and daily reminder that ALL children should be viewed through the eyes of Jesus – with love, care and compassion …. They are HIS beautiful and unique creation.

It has been a source of joy for us to reconnect with our Papuan friends here at Kudjip. There are many afternoons where the children are beckoned through open windows by sing-song voices: “Pen-nie … Sol-o-mon … can you play today?”  There are a few PNG friends in particular who remember Pennie & Solomon from our last trip in 2023.  In spite of two years passing, they have all picked up right where they left off.  Solomon and his friends enjoy a variety of activities together: throwing spears, playing soccer, building forts, and catching lizards and bugs. Pennie and her tribe of friends (who are all at least a year or two older than her) play card games together, swing in the hammocks, and play catch together.  

This past week I had the opportunity to go and guest lecture at the local Teacher’s College.  On Monday, I spoke to all of the Third-Year students, and on Friday I spoke to the entire student body (438 students) about strategies for the inclusion of Special Needs students in the classroom.  It is only in the last few years that PNG Education Policy has made a shift towards a more Inclusive Education.  Many of you who know me well are aware of my passion for accommodating and advocating for students with disabilities.  Needless to say, I was ecstatic about the chance to use my education and experience to impact the next generation of teachers in Papua New Guinea.  Many educational disabilities in PNG go undiagnosed, and most teachers are not trained or motivated to accommodate children with learning differences.  My prayer is that God would use the words I shared to light a spark of creativity and empathy in these future teachers, in the hope that they would no longer view children with special needs as a problem or burden in their classrooms, but rather see the precious unlocked potential in each of them. 

  

The Teacher's College - Students, Staff & Administration

Third Year Teacher's College Students

Speaking about advocating for & accommodating students with disabilities

There is a woman that we know here in PNG who lives out Mark 9:37 - Every. Single. Day.  Years ago, Pastor Ruth and her husband saw the need and felt the call to serve local orphans who had been adversely affected by having parents with HIV.  There is a great stigma associated with HIV in Papua New Guinea culture.  If a parent was too sick to care for a child or passed away, many relatives turn their backs on the child because of the disease of the parent.  Pastor Ruth and her family built a home and school where these children can be raised surrounded by love, rather than fear and prejudice.  Not too long ago, Ruth’s husband passed away suddenly – leaving her as the sole provider and caretaker for the orphanage ministry that they began together. After ten years since our last visit with Pastor Ruth, a few days ago we were able to bring a truck load of groceries and reunite with this amazing woman of God at her orphanage.  We were greeted by children running around freely, BIG hugs, and tear-filled laughter and smiles from Ruth.  The work she does is an inspiration and challenge to us all… to truly show that Jesus indeed loves ALL the little children.  

With Pastor Ruth at the orphanage

Solomon speaking the universal language of soccer with some of the children at the orphanage

Pennie holding hands and walking with a sweet little girl who would not leave her side.

Anyone who sets himself up as “religious” 

by talking a good game is self-deceived. 

This kind of religion is hot air and only hot air. 

REAL religion, the kind that passes muster before God the Father, is this: 

Reach out to the homeless and loveless in their plight, 

and guard against corruption from the world.  

James 1:26-27 (MSG)

Love Thy Neighbor

On a rainy Saturday afternoon our local friend JOHN GARI came by the front porch to visit for a bit. We had previously arranged to attend his church (Mise Church of the Nazarene) the next day and he was momentarily surprised to hear we still planned to do so. He spoke with some shyness, a tone of shame in his voice, saying he had not arranged our visit with the pastor and was worried we wouldn’t have the  honorary reception he would like us to have. In seasons past when we have visited local bush churches the congregation usually prepares a gift of garden produce, a way to say thank you to their guests of honor. I assured John we neither expected nor needed any honorary preparations and we were looking forward to just worshiping the King of Kings with our PNG brothers and sisters. John then admitted he had not been to church in over a year and that this was the true source of his shame. He shared about some ongoing family drama and stress that had driven him to a place of isolation and said that returning to church now, only when his missionary friends were present, would appear insincere to his church family. He also shared that their DS (Nazarene Church District Superintendent) was scheduled to give the sermon and felt some embarrassment to attend church only when the DS was speaking.

COMPASSION filled my heart to overflowing with the invitation and love of our Heavenly Father for John to feel welcomed back to relationship with Him and the church family. The Spirit led me to reiterate just how much God loves John and I was led to share Jesus’ parables of the lost sheep and the prodigal son, emphasizing just how much God was deeply desiring to have John rejoin His house. The Spirit then led me in sharing scripture from Galatians 5:22 (the fruit of the Spirit, evidence of a life filled by Christ), Philippians 4:4-7 (the opportunity to pray, rejoice, and have unfathomable peace in the face of hardship), and James 1:2-8 (persevering through trials, growing in wisdom). I spoke to John’s apprehension about returning to church, encouraging him that it would be a wonderful testimony to others in the church, and that there was never a wrong time to turn back to Jesus. I also shared that it would honor my missionary calling for him to make this choice at a time when I am present to walk with him. John accepted these words from the Spirit with tears and joy. We laughed and prayed and agreed to meet at the Hydro Dam the next morning. 

That evening the Spirit led me to invite other missionaries to join us for our adventure walk to Mise Lotu. It’s a fun little hike to the church, about a mile from Station and requires forging a large river at the HYDRO DAM, so I was delighted to have more than a few takers. The next morning we arrived at the river in the company of a volunteer surgeon from Hawaii, five men from India who are on Station to help set up the new EHR (computer system), and the always adventurous Morris family with six wild and wonderful children (much to Pennie and Solomon's delight!).

John Gari met us on the far side of the river with a big welcoming smile and walked us past his home and gardens up to the church. We had a good laugh getting our big crew across some muddy ravines but we arrived unscathed at Mise in time to join Sunday School, a lesson on remaining ready as Believers for Jesus’ soon return. The service then started with heartwarming worship, prayer, a few business items, and some testimonies. The Morris Family invited us to join them to give a special song BE THOU MY VISION while their cute toddler Ford entertained everyone playing with someone's puppy. 

Afterwards I was LED BY THE SPIRIT to remain up front to give a testimony. I wasn't quite sure at first what the Lord wanted me to say, but I started by sharing my joy being back in PNG worshipping with this Lotu family again, and by giving special thanks to my brother John Gari for warmly welcoming us back. I read aloud Philippians 4:4-7 and then the Spirit caught me off guard in prompting me to share about John’s absence from church and the responsibility we have as Spiritual Family to be the hands and feet of Jesus to go after lost sheep. I sat down feeling unsure whether sharing John’s story and challenging the congregation was the right call, but trusting the Lord had a plan. 

The District Superintendent was then welcomed to the podium to deliver the sermon and he guided everyone to the Book of Luke, chapter 15. My heart skipped a beat as we read the parables of the lost sheep, the lost coin, and the prodigal son - the SAME PARABLES that I had given to John the day before, now being expertly proclaimed by the DS! I had to hide my chuckle and ear to ear smile in the overflow of Spiritual rejoicing - it is such a rare blessing to have a word confirmed so clearly! Sitting not far behind John I watched him weep and nod in acceptance of the word (pictured below) and I felt the Lord’s prompting that an alter call would accompany the Reverend’s message perfectly. You can guess my delight when the DS asked for hands raised of those ready to turn back to the Lord, and all the more when he asked these souls (maybe half the congregation) to pray at the alter, John among them. It was only a moment later that I was prodded to my feet by the Holy Spirit to join John at the altar and lay hands on him, praying in joyful agreement with this prodigal reunion. 

The SHACKLES of brokenness and division in this PNG culture, as much as in any culture, are deep roots of the enemy that warrant our attention. We have to take every opportunity as Believers to confront the enemy’s lies with the Truth of God’s mighty love by Christ’s perfect atonement, a Light that will surely pierce the darkness. If speaking love, faith, and hope to John Gari is the only reason the Lord brought us back to PNG, then it is reason enough for me! 

Last week we hosted the missionary prayer meeting and Rachel led worship on guitar. After singing the song RECKLESS LOVE the Spirit prompted Dr Tom to pose the question of what folks thought the word "Reckless" might mean. Usually "Reckless" brings to mind an irresponsible or careless approach, but in this case we all agreed it speaks to how our Heavenly Father pursues us with abandon. My prayer is that we can imitate our Lord in the same selfless and fervent expression of love to others, an invitation to relationship and salvation. 

For we know, brothers loved by God, that He has chosen you, because our gospel came to you not simply with words but also with power, with the Holy Spirit and deep conviction. You know how we lived among you for your sake. (1 Thes 1:4-6)

We loved you so much that we were delighted to share with you not only the gospel of God but our lives as well. (1 Thes 2:8)

For what is our hope, our joy, or the crown in which we will glory in the presence of our Lord Jesus when He comes? Is it not you? Indeed, you are our glory and joy. (1 Thes 2:19-20)

Viewer Discretion Advised

This morning on the Pediatric Ward I was blessed to joyfully discharge a large number of my patients, including this giggly little guy (pictured above). When his mother looked at this picture of her sweet boy between me and the Jesus mural she declared Jesus has worked in me to care for her son. Praise the Lord! This moment was captured just minutes before I grieved signing a death certificate for an infant that just yesterday occupied the next bed. What a roller coaster of emotions!

Welcome to every day at Kudjip Hospital - no matter how many wins we enjoy, the crushing losses are a daily reminder of the fragility of life and our proximity to eternity. Just last week after I celebrated the recovery of our paralyzed spinal TB boy being discharged home (pictured below taking steps!), I later diagnosed two terminal cancers (liver and pancreatic) in the Outpatient Clinic. These two men were not much older than myself and they won’t live to see the end of this year. Being on call that day I also coded a young man dying on B Ward. I was so thankful to have my missionary brother Dr Mark Crouch on hand to guide the resuscitation efforts, but the patient died a short time later. 

I am no longer surprised with these terminal cases, as common as they are here, but explaining to the patient and family members that we have no medical or surgical options to help them is brutal. I am striving every day to avoid becoming comfortable or complacent with the loss of life. This numbing is a common defense mechanism for someone frequently witnessing trauma/death, which I fear might rob me of the appropriate heartbreak that should accompany every life lost. (I am reminded of Jesus own grief in John 11:32-35 when his dear friend Lazarus died.)

When Mary reached the place where Jesus was and saw Him, she fell at His feet and said, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.” When Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who had come along with her also weeping, He was deeply moved in spirit and troubled. “Where have you laid him?” He asked. “Come and see, Lord,” they replied. Jesus wept.

THANK YOU so much for praying for these cases and for all of us here doing our very best to help and heal in Jesus’ Name. There are too many cases and stories to share them all, but I have sought to capture a few examples below which I hope will continue to inspire your prayer support.

I pulled this boy from the Doctor’s Line in OPD last week and took him to the ER for a sedated I&D of his neck ABSCESS. With a lot of pus drained and a night of IV antibiotics on the Peds Ward he looked like a million bucks the next day. Here at Kudjip we daily see many cases of various infections which we can attribute to poor living conditions - sleeping on the ground, drinking dirty water, and having limited hygiene options. 

This sweet lady with long-standing ovarian CANCER came back to the hospital for another drainage (paracentesis) of excess abdominal fluid (ascites). The cancer is sadly inoperable and the tumor burden has become quite large, but it’s the build up of ascites which currently causes more pressure on her lungs and GI tract. I was more than happy to help drain the fluid, and as she is a believer we had a wonderful chat about how she can use her remaining time to share the Gospel. I often share Philippians 4:4-7 in these situations, encouraging the believer to rejoice and receive amazing peace in the midst of their trial.

Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

I have already diagnosed at least ten cases of TUBERCULOSIS since returning to Kudjip. Along with HIV, Syphilis, and Malaria, TB is endemic in PNG, and we frequently check all these tests for very sick patients as they can present with similar symptoms. This particular young man had the wasted appearance that immediately made me think of TB, and his chest x-ray confirmed the Pulmonary TB diagnosis. As we have excellent medications for TB, I am always thankful to share this diagnosis and reassure them they do not have cancer. 

I had time the other day to visit our Supply Warehouse and dig through donated BREAST PUMPS. We had a young mother and baby on A Ward with some breastfeeding/latching issues and I was hoping a manual breast pump might be the solution for this malnourished baby. After finding a couple pump options I worked with the mother and nurses to train on using the manual pump and we are praying this will ensure the baby is well fed at home.

This little guy is a classic case of MALNUTRITION in Papua New Guinea. Once toddlers are no longer getting breastfed, it’s pricey for subsistence farmers to obtain protein foods, so the toddlers waste away on garden foods, flour balls, and soft drinks, until the family finally brings them to the hospital because of a terrible diarrheal illness or pneumonia. We have a wonderful protocol for getting these kids nourished and most can be discharged home within a couple weeks. But, it’s not uncommon the more severe cases die during their hospital admission and it’s extremely common that many are re-admitted at a later date with recurrence of the same malnutrition/illness as nothing has changed at home. One of my hopes during this trip is to reduce readmissions by improving the handoff of discharged children to our PHS (outpatient primary care team) for optimal education, supplies, and follow-up. Please pray for this endeavor. 

Sunday night, 2:15AM, the house phone rings. I am on call and it’s the ER nurse asking me something… I shake the sleep from my brain and ask her in Tok Pisin to say it again. She sounds worried and asks me to come see a man with a machete chop through his shoulder. My first thought is to ask her more questions - how deep? how much blood? are his vitals stable? Then the idea crosses my mind that I could ask them to instead call the surgeon on call - surely they would be better at managing this kind of trauma?! My third thought, sharing the same split second as the first two, was “No, I’m here to help and if I can manage this chop, then I should.” So I simply replied, “OK, I am coming.” 

I change quickly into the work clothes I’d left near the front door, grab my medical bag, and briskly walk the quarter of a mile across Station to the emergency room. The walk is well lit by street lights but entirely deserted at this late hour. In contrast I find the ER fairly occupied, more than half the beds full of patients getting IV fluids or other treatments and a few staff wearily enduring their night shift. A well muscled man is lying very still on one of the trauma beds, blood pooling on the plastic sheet under him. Donning latex gloves I make my way through a small group of worried folks beside him and carefully lift a large dressing from his Left shoulder. The machete chop is long and deep, but his collar bone and shoulder blade had deflected the machete from damaging any major blood vessels or penetrating his lung. He’s awake enough to relay some discomfort with my finger probing the depth of his wound. I then touch around his shoulder and arm in different places and he affirms he still has feeling in each place. He also moves his arm/hand muscles well enough to reassure me none of his major nerves have been severed. 

His vitals are stable and the staff have already started IV fluids. It’s decision time and an insecure impulse interrupts the moment to suggest I wake up the surgeon on call to come help …then just as quickly I  repel the thought knowing I can manage well enough given the patient’s stable state. I’ll just close the wound sufficiently for surgery to later do a proper job in the OR. I ask the nurses to set up the Lac Tray and thank the Lord I remembered to pack a bright head lamp in my medical bag. Because the wound is so deep I ask for absorbable suture to pull the tissue together, but they only have one available and it has a tiny needle...oof…this will be challenging. Settling my heart with a Jesus-peace that surpasses circumstance I get to work swabbing the wound with iodine and discover a “bleeder” after removing a large blood clot. The small vessel pumps enough blood that it pools in the space making it hard to find. A couple blood-soaked pads later, I’ve got a hemostat clamping the vessel and the large ragged wound swabbed clean of all clots and debris.

Again exploring the wound’s depths, as long as my pointer finger in some places, I decide a little analgesia would be a kindness to the patient and practical for me as I’ll need him to hold still. The closest nurse stops her work to help inject a dose of Ketamine and Valium into the man’s IV line, and I set to work injecting Lidocaine all around the edges of the wound near the skin. After tying off the bleeding vessel I realize the wound is gaping too far apart for me to easily pull the tissue together and ask one of his family members to help elevate his arm. The next 30 minutes is back breaking work bending over the wound using that tiny suture needle to pull together big bites of tissue and close the deeper spaces. I place a couple drains as well to assist with drainage and reduce the risk of infection. Switching out to a strong braided nylon suture with a blessedly long needle I then tackle closing the top inch of tissue and skin with six large bites.

Brow damp and back aching, I finally straighten up and view the finished job with thanksgiving. I am thankful this wasn’t the first big chop I’ve sutured at Kudjip over the years, and thankful I didn’t have any major bleeders to contend with, and thankful for the peace knowing a very experienced surgeon would be coming behind me another day to redo most of my suturing work, and thankful the Lord inspired me to tackle this job and save someone else a couple hours sleep in the middle of the night. A little while later I am refreshed by a cool night breeze on the walk home and I reflect on a dozen ways the job might have been done better given other circumstances. But then the soul-lifting feeling of thankfulness remains - to be the hands of healing and help is a rich blessing indeed, even (and maybe especially) when things aren’t perfect. 

I have a tattoo on my left forearm of a Cross adjacent to the map of Papua New Guinea. When I am far from here it is a reminder to pray for my Kudjip missionary family, for the hospital staff and patients, and for the country of PNG. As I’m sure you can expect many people here have noticed this tattoo and find it very endearing. I tell them they are always in my heart, even when I am not with them. But for now, I am thanking JESUS for this precious time to serve in PNG. And thank you again, so many of you, who have supported our trips to be here.

       ALL our Love and Thanks,

        Ted, Rachel, Penniella and Solomon