February Update

Winter Greetings Spring is just around the corner! Tom has been in Papua New Guinea for a month already, enjoying the heat!  We are more than ready to join him, but we are still waiting on paperwork. The good news is, 2 out of 3 things that need to be processed are done. 1. Restoration International is officially incorporated as a non-government organization (non-profit) in Papua New Guinea. 2. Work Permits have been submitted. 3. As soon as the work permits are approved, the permanent visas can be submitted for processing. After these are approved, I (Jen) will be able to purchase our tickets and send our passports to the embassy in Washington, DC for our visa stamp, which will only take about 3 days. The end is in sight, but keep praying for things to move along in a timely manner. What we hoped would only be a few weeks has turned into a month, with a few more weeks of waiting ahead of us.

We are so thankful that the Father has gone before and beside Tom every step of the way!   He found a house within just a few days of arriving and has moved in awhile. Our landlord and his wife told Tom that after praying about it, they do not feel like they should charge him any rent until the rest of the family moves in, so he is only paying the electric bill. Port Moresby is very dry, and we rely on rain water for all of our needs. Tom said they have received a lot of rain, and our water tank is full. Our landlord, a local business man (and a Believer!) and his father, a prominent attorney, have been instrumental in guiding Tom through all of the paperwork that needs processed in order for us to come on a long-term visa.  We rejoice in each large and small detail that God has attended to for us. We feel very blessed with the contacts Tom has been able to make. In addition to Women of Hope, there are several other ministries to victims of trafficking and sexual violence who can use our help. There are numerous opportunities for us to minister, as well as our teens. They have been asked to assist at a local Christian school with tutoring and teaching English.  We are excited to arrive and get plugged into ministry. Below are pictures of a facility that houses women and children who were vitcims and are survivors of sex-trafficking. Thank you for praying for the kids and I as we travelled to Georgia, Florida, and back in the last few weeks. In the past month I have had the opportunity to share in churches in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Georgia. I have been sustained by God's strength and grace...nothing else!  The house is almost packed up, and we have friends who will be renting our house while we are gone.  Keep those prayers coming as there is still a lot to do the next few weeks! We really cannot say thank you enough to those of you who are supporting us financially and holding us up in prayer!  We could not be doing this without you! While our family is moving overseas to begin working with indigenous people in Papua New Guinea, we want you to know that Restoration International will still support work among the First Nations people here in America. If that is something you would like to be involved in, just reach out to us!  We not only continue to financially support First Nations ministries, we can also plug you into ways you can serve and give tangibly. We are still in need of finances for our airfare and a 4WD vehicle: It will cost approximately $6,000 for our family to fly to Papua New Guinea.  Tickets are running about $1,500 per person (Jen + 3 kids).  Will you please consider donating to our ticket fund?  Your donations are tax deductible!  Port Moresby is a very spread-out city and our ministry will require lots of driving. Pray with us about the provision of a used car. We'll need about $10,000 USD to purchased a dependable, used SUV. Tom said that due to the road conditions, we definitely need 4WD!  I've included pictures below of the road from our village leading into the city of Port Moresby. This is in the drier season with a few days of rain, so you can imagine how treacherous the roads become in rainy season! According to the Human Rights Watch, World Report 2016, "...Rates of family and sexual violence [in Papua New Guinea] are among the highest in the world....with an estimated 70 percent of women experiencing rape or assault in their lifetime." https://www.hrw.org/world-report/2016/country-chapters/papua-new-guinea You can make a huge difference in the lives of vulnerable women and children in Papua New Guinea. Your faithful monthly donation will help to feed, clothe, and educate victims of violence and human trafficking. Monthly partners are the backbone of our ministry. We can also use annual and one-time donations for special projects and ministry needs (such as our vehicle). Please pray about joining our team! You can set up your giving in a way that is convenient for you: Online through our website: http://www.restoringunity.org/support You can select recurring monthly giving when you give this way. Automatic bill pay through your bank.  Just contact us if you need any info regarding our bank (account number, etc).  Phone: 912-631-1951 Or mail your donation to: Restoration International, P.O. Box 73, Bainbridge, PA 17502.  Make checks payable to: Restoration International. All donations are tax-deductible.   Thank you, again, for your faithful prayers and support of our family as we seek to follow the Father's path for us, reaching indigenous people with Hope! Tom & Jenny Michael, Daniel, & Savannah Joy