PFR 2022 & Testimony Video!

Dear Readers,

We have just returned from an exciting weekend at the World Medical Mission annual conference Prescription for Renewal. This conference serves to provide CME credits for medical professionals interested in learning more about international medical missions work, while also inspiring their interest in serving abroad. This year's theme verse came from 1st Corinthians 15:58 -

“Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, 

always abounding in the work of the Lord, 

knowing that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.”

Many former and current missionaries attend the conference to give lectures, and this year they invited me to give two breakout lectures. The first covered the diagnosis and management of malnutrition while the second provided guidance on how to bring family into the mission field. Rachel joined me to help present this second lecture while Pennie and Solomon behaved very well coloring in the first row. 

In addition, I had the most wonderful honor of giving a Testimony from the Field in front of the entire assembly on opening night. Dr Richard Furman who co-founded World Medical introduced me, and the Holy Spirit walked my shaking heart through 10 minutes of sharing our missions story and encouraging the assembly to consider their own commitment to regular missions work. I would have considered the testimony a flop for having forgotten half of what I intended to say, except for the duration of the conference I was pulled aside over and over by other attendees saying how moved they were by the Holy Spirit. Thanks be to God! And my sincerest thanks to you MANY prayer warriors out there who encouraged me to have faith the Lord would give me the right words to say. (Rachel was kind enough to video the testimony - CLICK BELOW TO WATCH.)

The cherry on top of this amazing conference was spending time with a number of missionary legends like Dr Dick Furman (co-founder of WMM), Dr Ed Morrow (former Director of WMM), Scott Hughett (current Director WMM), and of course getting to meet the legendary Franklin Graham (who you may recall anointed my life for Jesus when I was just 8 years old - see Blog post from 4/26/15). It was also great to spend time with a couple missionary legends who have served many times at Kudjip, namely Dr. Allen Sawyer (ObGyn) and Felix Martin Del Campo (Dentistry).  

Click HERE to see conference highlights produced by Samaritan's Purse 

Another joy at the conference was getting to see my cousin, Dr Fraser Henderson Jr, who is currently serving at Tenwek Hospital in Kenya through WMM's Post-Residency Program. Granted, I only saw a picture of him, but it was wonderful nonetheless! (SO proud of you Fraser!)

Looking back on the PFR conference, I am still reeling with seeing the Lord's hand at work - using our missions story to bless and inspire others, so many Divine appointments with brothers and sisters pursuing Kingdom work, feeling affirmed in our placement with World Medical, and the Spirit challenging me to consider new ways to define and serve our Call. 

For us and the work at hand, please pray the Lord's blessing and guidance. Our return trip to Papua New Guinea will be here before we know it!

All our love and thanks, Ted & Rachel

2023 Return to PNG!

Praise the Lord dear friends, we are 6 months out from a return trip to Papua New Guinea!!! Please join us in praying over the preparations to come.

Many of you who have followed our missions journey already know the Lord has called us to serve at Kudjip Nazarene Hospital in the Western Highlands of PNG on a short term (2-3 month) basis every other year. This would not be possible without my amazing Pediatric Practice in Richmond, Virginia who permits my leave of absence every other year. Thank you PAHP family!

Since our last trip to PNG in early 2020, the pandemic whirlwind disrupted and delayed our expected return this past Spring, but God’s timing is perfect and we are deeply thankful to be back on track for returning this March 2023.

As it has been quite some time since our last post I have a number of updates to share with you, and more to come in future posts! (...and yes, Pennie & Solomon are growing up fast!)  

Upon our return in May 2020 from a wild and wonderful three months of pandemic missions in PNG, we found our American society in turmoil - fear and isolation affecting every relationship and customary friendliness/functionality.

As with past missions trips, it’s always challenging to reacclimatize to a fast paced first world enslaved to financial security and the facade of appearing to have it all together. Returning in the midst of a pandemic was all the more confounding - suspicion in every glance, hoarding supplies, facial expressions hidden by masks - it was the brokenness of humanity on display.

But with the same heart that led us to stay in PNG when the Pandemic was declared, we continued Stateside to choose relationships over fear. The Bible study group we have hosted for many years was virtual for a short time, then back in person as soon as possible. We hugged and broke bread with those comfortable doing so, and we applied our Holy Spirit filter to endure the barrage of a culture battered by polarizing views.

In my practice it took all of 2020 and most of 2021 before we began to see a return of our patient population needing to catch up on 2 years of check ups, and they brought with them an entirely new kind of mental illness. Children presented with a form of PTSD born in isolation from normal socialization, where they had been immersed in a toxic wasteland of electronics and indoctrinated with Covid paranoia. To this day we are still chipping away at the wreckage.

A year ago we began planning for a 2022 return trip to PNG, but as we came to learn, this was our timing, not God’s. My practice had lost multiple providers during the Pandemic, and expected more provider transitions to come - one going part time, one retiring, and a season of hiring new staff while electing new shareholders/partners. My departure in the midst of these transitions just didn’t make sense. While our call to missions is predominant, I am also called to honor and serve my practice. Yes, Rachel and I were briefly disappointed, but the Lord gave us a Spirit of peace and patience and it was not long before He showed His hand. Within the span of five months my older sister and two of Rachel’s close friends were all diagnosed with cancer, and the Lord kept us nearby to love and help, which we could not have done on the other side of the World! Many times it seems we learn the hard way, but God’s timing is always perfect!

This summer Rachel and I prayerfully returned to seeking the Lord’s blessing for our return trip to PNG. Praise GOD, the necessary doors have opened and we are now confirmed for an eight week trip in March and April 2023. This brings us to the present, as we prepare to spend two months in the mission field, and where we will need your prayer support!

PLEASE PRAY:

• For my Pediatric Practice - scheduling all my amazing patients on either side of the trip, and wisdom in coordinating other adjustments
• For our Travel Visas and other PNG paperwork to be finalized
• For raising Prayer & Financial Support (more details to come in a future post, so PLEASE share this Blog with others!)
• And for preparing our kids’ hearts to understand why we love these missionaries and Highland people and deeply desire to be there with them.

"Therefore, my beloved brethren, 

be STEADFAST,

immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord,

knowing that your labor in the Lord is not in vain."

~1 Corinthians 15:58