Supporting Bible translation in Papua New Guinea

November 2016
A Whirlwind Term
The last few months, the second term of our school year, have been full:

I attended our annual Professional Focus Workshop held in partnership with Numonohi Christian Academy
another missionary kid school in Goroka. Dr. Deborah McCullough, who I met through my graduate
coursework at Cairn University, taught us about incorporating opportunities for our students to develop a
Biblical worldview into our teaching.

I spent time reviewing our struggling students needs and, with the enthusiastic help of the ladies who work in
our Learning Assistance Department, we managed to develop a plan for each student needing help.

I spent ten days in Brisbane with a friend. The friend was completing some necessary medical tests. While we
spent several days dodging back and forth from various doctors offices, we were thankful to learn that my
friend was cleared of any serious medical issues, and were able to do a bit of shoppingour budget Bed and
Breakfast was a ten minutes walk from the center of Brisbane, some relaxinglounging in the beauty of the
botanical gardens, some eatingwe enjoyed Subway sandwiches, and some animal-gazing.

I returned to Ukarumpa to tackle a pile of emails, and in my spare time began giving twenty students
achievement and phonological assessments in preparation of a school psychologists visit in February. She
has a limited amount of time in PNG, so Im taking care of some of the groundwork for her. At the moment, Im
about three-quarters through my list.

In October I completed and passed the final course in masters program.

From a world away, I processed the passing of a dear friend in the US and checked my email for updates on
my 94-year-old grandmother whos been admitted to the hospital twice in the past month.

Several hours a week, I work with a sixth grader on a foundational writing course.

Im still working my way through my pile of books on learning disabilitiestrying to figure out how to better
serve my students.

Im also trying to keep up with the usual administrative tasks that come with my job: among other things,
recruiting substitute teachers when necessary, handing out band aids (or improvising with gauze and scotch
tape when necessary), attending meetings, supervising indoor lunch recess when its raining too hard for
outdoor recess, and thinking through staffing assignments for the next semester.

As the term winds down, Ill be administering and scoring around 100 reading progress assessments as we
prepare to issue December report cards.

There are about five weeks left in this school term. Christmas break will begin on December 13th. I will have two
days to frantically clean my house and tidy my yard for company...because my sister will arrive for a Christmas visit
on December 16th! Well celebrate from afar as Cairn University awards me my Masters of Science in Educational
Leadership and Administration on the 17th. And well end the year on the coast in Madang so that during her visit,
my sister can see both the beautiful PNG highlands and the exotic coral and fish found at the coastwell, that is, if
everything goes as planned. PNG is advertised as the Land of the Unexpected.

Ive been tired often lately. Its been

busy, and my to-do list is long, but as I
think through recent life-events and
the approach of Thanksgiving (which
isnt really celebrated here but is part
of my personal calendar), Ive been
pondering this piece of Scripture:
Come to me, all you who are
weary and burdened, and I will
give you rest. Take my yoke upon

you and learn from me, for I am

gentle and humble in heart, and
you will find rest for your souls.
For my yoke is easy and my
burden is light.
Matthew 11:28-30

I got to spend a day petting koalas and kangaroos during my break in

I am so thankful for Jesus who gives
Brisbane. I was much more excited than the roos.
rest, is gentle (even when I persist in
stubborn human stupidity), and who loves me!
Im also thankful for my partners who are so faithful in their prayer and financial support and allow me to serve
150 missionary kids from preschool through sixth grade as their parents translate, nurse, fly, teach, calculate,
and build as part of the on-the-ground Bible translation work in PNG.

Walking
the Path

Visit my blog at
rachelstantonpng.blogspot.com
for semi-regular updates about my
everyday life in Papua New Guinea.
Field Address:
PO Box 1 (349)
Ukarumpa, EHP, 444
PNG
US Address:
12421 Bittinger Road
Grantsville, MD 21536

Email:
rachel_stanton@sil.org
Blog:
rachelstantonpng@blogspot.com

Contributions:
Wycliffe Bible Translators
P.O. Box 628200
Orlando, FL 32862-8200
http://www.wyclife.org/partner/rachelstanton
Wycliffe accepts tax-deductible contributions by mail or
at wycliffe.org. If by mail, please include a separate note
indicating, Preference for the Wycliffe ministry of
Rachel Stanton, Account # 219508.