Moving is a part of ministry in the Far North.  We move away from our family and friends to do ministry in these remote lands.  We move out of villages as new doors open in other locations. We also temporally move back home for periods of time on 'home-service' to keep our funding strong. I am sure you can imagine what that coming and going is like for our families back at home.  They are excited to see us and try to cram in as much time and activities as possible.  I think you can guess what it might be like for us.  While we are excited to see family, it can also be exhausting with all the scheduled meetings.

Here is something you may have never considered, what is home-service like for those we leave behind in the villages? One of our teammates recently moved into a new village and now they are now going home for the summer on a short home-service.  In a recent email they said,

 "An encouraging comment we’ve got from several villagers is, 'Just make sure you come back!'”

It is wonderful that they will be missed.  However, can you pick up the angst?

"Just make sure you come back."

Life is hard in these remote villages and many people come and go because of it.  School teachers play a vital role in the lives of the kids, but they rarely stay longer than a few years.  History is filled with ministers from various denominations that have not stayed long in a village.  In fact, the entire history of non-native settlers in the far north has been one of coming up in droves and then leaving when the resources dry up or life gets too hard.  Add to all of this the pain when one's heart is repeatedly torn by the sudden, deaths of loved ones.

"Just make sure you come back".

Ministry is not easy, but we purpose always to come back.  We've been coming back again and again for over 75 years.  Even when we do have to leave a specific location, we know that our Father will be there for people and will bring another in our place.  Many times our arrival to a new village was the answer to this prayer.

• Please pray that this couple will be able to complete their home-service quickly and effectively so they can come back, and keep coming back for years to come.
• Pray for three other teammates who are now in the process of moving from ministry in one village to another. 
• Pray for their ability to maintain important relationships over a distance.  Pray for God's sustaining love for the ones leaving and the ones staying behind. 
• Pray that these necessary moves will be powerful tools in the hands of our great God to bring more people to himself. 

Finally, if you support any of our teammates in the Far North, thank you! 

God's gift through you empowers us to keep coming back!