Merry Christmas from the Husas

A very Merry Christmas from all of us!

Back in AZ + Picture Mibu event

We are back in AZ

I'm sure many of you have seen some of our facebook posts from our road trip and our time up in Michigan! 19 states and 8,300 miles! The main purpose of the trip was to have some dedicated time with Shannon's parents as we stayed with them in their house in Michigan for a month. It was a fruitful time together, which we won't soon forget! Along the way (both going up and coming back) we were able to visit with friends and supporters, and also show the kiddos some of the vast and diverse landscape that is their passport country. There were so many educational things about this trip that it makes up for the loss of dedicated 'homeschool' hours. Things like the Alamo, both the delta and the headwaters of the massive Mississippi River, Mount Rushmore, fossil quarries and digs, and soooo much more! While we really enjoyed the time with Shannon's parents and also our time on the road, we're thankful to now be back here in Phoenix and getting back into as much routine as we can. One thing that's been keeping us busy is getting ready for the big Picture Mibu event (more on that below)! We're also looking forward to sharing with a couple mission committees in the next couple weeks. And somewhere in there, we'll be moving again to another house in Tempe.

Picture Mibu

The next couple months are going to be a season of fundraising for us. We're needing to get our support up to 100% before returning to Mibu, and also needing to raise some funds to help meet a few specific upcoming needs. So one of the events (along with a garage sale and the much anticipated Bluegrass fundraising concert… to be announced soon) is called Picture Mibu. Mark your calendars for Friday night, September 9, starting at 7pm. I've been given a wonderful opportunity to print and display my photos of life and people and church in the Mibu tribe. Over 30 photos are being prepared for this gallery style event! It's a great time to come and meet the Mibu church through photographs, and also to ask any questions to get a better feel for all that God is doing in Mibu! We'd love it if you could make it! Help us spread the word too, by sharing with others who might enjoy this! See the attached image for location details. Also be sure to visit, like and share the Picture Mibu event page here https://www.facebook.com/events/1663323483991077/

Blessings from the Husas!

Travel Update

The last few weeks have been filled with travelling for us. We embarked on a long road trip, going through 13 states to arrive at our final destination for a month in northern Michigan where we plan to stay with Shannon's parents. We had a great time traveling, seeing parts of the country, and places and things we've never seen before, and visiting with a few friends and supporters along the way! The kids were great, and the trip served to expose them to more of their passport country. We hope it will tie in more to some of their homeschooling over the years. The plan is to return to Arizona around August 8th, passing through at least 6 more states!

You can be praying as once again, our housing plans in Arizona kind of fell apart. The new plans have us moving a couple more times yet. Each move is a significant interruption in the kids' schooling and in our work so we would appreciate your prayers there.

Several months ago, we as a team realized that the Walkers would need to transition to a more itinerant ministry focus for a time in order to help all three of their kids with various schooling needs, as well as to allow the church the opportunity to function on their own a bit. Chris will be making several trips in to Mibu, even while continuing his work in literacy development and restarting a role in translation. This move happened just a week or so ago, with Chris having spent the last couple months doing all he can to further equip the leaders in the church to continue the work while we're all away. Of course this is what we're constantly working toward in Mibu, and the church in Mibu is always closer and closer to being able to stand on their own. Times away like this aren't unexpected, and they aren't a bad thing. In fact, they're good for the church. This will be a great period to see how they do on their own for longer periods of time. It'll help us gauge areas where the church needs further help. Please be in prayer for this extended time where the church leaders in Mibu will certainly be stretched a bit further. Pray for their faithfulness to serve and uphold the vision and purpose of Christ's body.

I've been so grateful for several opportunities to skype and email with some of my friends there in Mibu about life, work, and church. It's wonderful to be able to connect that way. It also opens up new possibilities for us as we try to keep the work moving forward. We have many documents that need correcting and cleaning up so they can be printed and put to use in Mibu. Hopefully this little window of communication will allow us to do more of this while we're here in the US. I've been able to continue to help our friends with some much needed final steps on the adaptation of the Mibu materials into the neighboring Mina language, for the growing church there. Hopefully soon I'll be able to begin working on 1 Thessalonians lessons with Sesi!

We've been missing our friends in Mibu a lot lately. We are already anxious to return and to continue with the needed discipleship and leadership training and bible translation so that someday we can see a fully functioning, mature church in Mibu.

Thank you so very much to those of you who are praying for us regularly and who have so graciously given of your financial resources to help keep this ministry moving forward! We appreciate all of you!

Husa Family Update

It's hard to believe that three whole months have come and gone since our return to the US. Our return was uneventful. The kids were great, and we've been going through all the adjustments that are normal for those returning from longer periods living overseas. We've been here in Arizona trying to get caught up with our family, friends and the church. Years of limited medical care has left us with quite a list of things we're trying to get taken care of when we can afford it. So we've been kind of busy with that. I (Geoff) have already gone under the knife in hopes of helping with my chronic ear infections. I've been recovering nicely from that surgery the last couple weeks. Shannon has been homeschooling the kids each day.

Thank you so much to all who are supporting us in this ministry through your prayers and finances! We're all in this together as we see God's kingdom take deeper root and even continue to spread out from Mibu!

I've been going through some of my photos of Mibu recently. I realize how much I miss our friends there. Shannon and the kids miss them as well. And they miss their home and life there. This photo in particular, I think needs to be printed and taped to my wall above my computer! It reminds me of  the church and our friends we've left behind for the year. It also reminds me to keep praying for the developing church in Mibu and the struggles they go through as they live out their lives of faith in Jesus.

Looking through these photos also reminds me that our time here in the US is limited and that we need to be purposeful in strengthening our friendships as well as making new ones. And we need to be active in seeking God's provision for this ministry, so that when we return to Mibu (planning on returning first week of March 2017) it is with a stout base of support where we can set about finishing the church planting and development ministry in Mibu.

With that in mind, if you're interested we'd love the opportunity to share about Mibu Ministry in your church community or small group. God is doing such great things in Mibu! While we're back in the US is a great opportunity hear first hand, and to be encouraged about how God's kingdom is reaching this remote little place and people on the other side of the world! Please be sure to get a hold of us and we'll get something scheduled!

We are looking forward to having the chance to spend time and strengthen relationships with all of you while we're home. Before we know it, the time will be gone and, Lord willing, we'll be on our way back to PNG. Hope we can catch up soon!

Blessings

Geoff and Shannon Husa

Geoff's cell (480)584-7070

Shannon's cell (480)577-9827

Exciting New Mibu Video Clips

Recently, we borrowed a drone to get some video footage of the area here in Mibu. Here are a couple little clips we've been able to put together so far.

We hope you enjoy seeing Mibu from a different perspective!

Check out Mibu and it's surrounds from the air! The mountains and rugged terrain will leave no doubt why these mountains were dubbed 'The end of the world' by explorers so long ago. It also helps you understand the logistical challenges of our living and working here.

Mibu, An Aerial Perspective from geoff husa on Vimeo.

The Mibu airstrip project has been moving along strong these last 4 months! The Mibu people have set the goal to have it finished mid-2016. At this rate, they're going to be able to do it! Check out the progress in this video!

Mibu Airstrip - Progress! from geoff husa on Vimeo.

Urgent Need!!

We're super excited for our upcoming return to the US! Really looking forward to having some time to spend reconnecting our friends, family and supporters. Feb 24 is the date we're scheduled to arrive in Phoenix.

We need your prayers regarding our return. We had a church mission house lined up but just found out it fell through. So at the moment we don't know where we will be staying. We need a place to stay for the year before we return to PNG. If you have any ideas or know of a house needing renting we really could use the help getting something lined up.

Also we are leasing a van but cannot pick it up right away. So we're on the lookout for a vehicle to borrow (or even rent) big enough to seat our family for the first three weeks we're home. 

Would you please pray with us about these needs? The loss of the house was especially difficult to hear about. But we rest knowing that God is the one who sustains. We look to him for all our needs. No matter how it plays out we know he is the one taking care of us.