Praises:

The Maine trip went fantastic.

Prayer Requests:

Safety on big upcoming trips.

Mainers and Maniacs!

We learned what a “Mainer” is and had a wonderful time in the state of Maine! In the border town of Jackman we visited the first ever Baptist church there and also saw a moose. We saw friends of friends in Orono and made new friends as well. In Sanford we met a missionary to Maine who was pastoring a church and had started several others. In Wiscasset we had a wonderful time with the Gapskis and their very kind church made us feel like family. In Portland, not only did we have a wonderful time with the church, but we also met some folks from the highlands of Papua New Guinea. Our trip to Maine was just a reminder of how often we go somewhere to be a blessing to others, but are amazed about how much of a blessing they are to us. To any missionary reading this if you can make it to Maine you will be blessed and encouraged!

“Birthday Party” with Highlanders

Who would have ever thought we would have run into a bunch of PNG highlanders in Portland, Maine? I was encouraged by some folks to reach out to a man from PNG who lived in the area, and when I did he invited me to go to his house on Saturday for a birthday party. Melissa and I went and met a bunch of other folks from Mendi and Pangia that were living with him. PNG folks don’t usually keep track of their birthdays, so they were celebrating the time they had spent in the States and calling it a birthday party and having lots of fun playing games. We had a great time with them.

The next day, to be more specific on Sunday night, they all came to the service in which I was preaching on missions. It was absolutely wonderful to have them there and spend more time with them and get to know them better.

If you are wondering what they were doing in Portland, I’ll tell you! Brother Jackson Yer has a foundation (Yer Education Foundation) in which he helps the people of Papau New Guinea receive better education along with a Christian influence. In the States he works to mentor young people from PNG that move here to keep them on the right path instead of getting sucked into the world’s snare.

Looking Forward: Snowbirds

The problem with living in a house on wheels and also having your water supply come from a garden hose is that of frozen pipes. So we are going to try and dodge that bullet by heading south for the Winter. We are currently back in Pennsylvania, but we are headed to Tennessee, then North Carolina, then Florida. We’ll be in Florida the majority of December through February. That’s a lot of driving so please pray for safety on the roads.

Bible Thought: We’re a Team

“So then neither is he that planteth any thing, neither he that watereth; but God that giveth the increase.” – II Cor. 3:7

In missions we’re a team. Missionaries will not make it to the field without financial support, and once they get there they won’t accomplish anything without prayer support. Not everyone in the church can go otherwise there wouldn’t be a church! Having served in local churches for nearly all my life I understand the struggles and appreciate your faithfulness. We love and need you, thank you for holding the line for us.

Thank you for your prayer and kindness,

Rick Schworer