Steve and Sharon Hawkins – April Update

Greetings,

It has been too long since our last newsletter, and for that I (Steve) apologize, since I am the one responsible for writing these. Some of you have been able to keep current with our situation because we see you at church or other places, but many of you are in the dark.

It is strange to think that it has been over a year since we were sent home from Papua New Guinea (PNG) in March of 2020. In our last newsletter, we let you know that we were waiting to be re-evaluated in order to return to PNG. In early January, the Wycliffe Covid team contacted Steve and told him that we would be re-evaluated in early July. This would have given us little time between a July clearance and the beginning of the new school year at Ukarumpa International School. When Steve informed the school di-rector of the situation, he advocated for us, asking for an early spring re-evaluation. After informing the Wycliffe Covid team that I had been vaccinated and sending them the positive results of my echocardiogram and stress test from last May, I was re-evaluated on March 4 and formally cleared on March 13. So we are thankful that the first hurdle to our return has been cleared. Since that time, Sha-ron also received her vaccination.

Our next hurdle might be a situation currently developing in Papua New Guinea. Since the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic, cases have been minimal, but now they have taken a significant surge. Because of this rise, new restrictions were implemented in March, and we re-cently received news that even tighter restrictions have been put in place, which restrict domestic flights between provinces. We’re not sure yet how this is going to affect international travel. So we would ask you to pray that God would keep the door open for us to return.
It is also unclear how the new restrictions might affect translation projects and training of nationals. Translators had been continuing to meet with their national translation teams, but the new, tighter restrictions may alter that. So pray that translation projects would be unaffected, and pray that God would encourage both ex-pat and national translation team members.

Lastly, pray for PNG in general. Covid vaccinations are very limited there, and the rise is cases could overwhelm the healthcare system. Health care workers have been hit particularly hard by the virus.

So what is life like for us right now? Steve has been substituting 1-2 days a week here in Glide and at Umpqua Valley Christian School (UVC), and has added 2 days of coaching with the Glide track team. He also had a chance to revise some presentations for the English department back in PNG. He is still volunteering with Umpqua Valley Bik-ing Outreach. On April 18th we were both able to travel with the biking outreach to Butte Falls, where Steve spent his high school years. We connected with the pastor of Butte Falls Community Church, where Steve’s dad served from 1971-75. During this event we did basic repairs on kids’ bikes, and it gave the pastor the opportuni-ty to meet additional people in the community.
Sharon has also filled in at UVC and continues to sort through items given to her by relatives who have passed away. She has also started a basic computer class at Umpqua Community College to enhance her skills.
There were, and continue to be, a few house projects, some essential, such as repairing a leaking roof, and others just routine maintenance. So we have had plenty to do, but are eager to return to our ministry in PNG. We miss our ministry there and our neighbors.

We covet your prayers for us over the next few months as
we prepare to return.

In Christ,
Steve and Sharon