February 2024
Dear Praying Friends,
January and February have just flown by so fast and once again getting a late start on our 2-month report. The trip and arrival of our visitor, Joshua S., from Fairbanks, Alaska went well. I went out to Port Moresby on February 2nd to meet him upon his arrival. We spent a few days in the city getting food supplies and more hardware to do building and maintenance while Joshua was (is currently) with us in Kaintiba. It is a great joy having a young 18 year-old man helping me out on many physical jobs. Joshua has helped me to catch up on a backload of work that has been piling up for me. His willingness to come on his own “dime” and donate his precious time to help is truly humbling.
The first big job we did together (with other church members) was cutting the long grass that was starting to encroach on the Kaintiba airstrip. The first 2 days (4 hours each day) out in the hot sun for Joshua’s first time in the tropics caused some major burns on his neck and hands. Over time he has (almost) healed, and gotten a tropical sun suntan. We pray there is no permanent damage, and he is not complaining about it. Now, a month later, it is time to cut more with the weed-eaters, but now a “season” of too much rain has limited our time of out-door work.
The next BIG job following the several days in February cutting grass, we shifted to building the small guest house I mentioned in our last newsletter. The last 4 months or so, as flights came through to Kaintiba, I had stockpiled the timber and other building supplies. Now it was time to get to work putting the $5,000 worth of building material together. In record time, we had the roof up and all inclosed within a week. By the time this small house got the last paint and last nail, it was completed in only 12 days of work. All this with minimal rain to slow the work process. The house has only one big room, able to accommodate a small group of visitors, and the next phase is to build a toilet room/shower room and several actual beds. Pray that more funding will be committed toward this project.
Speaking of “more money”, a great need has arisen concerning the SIL Aviation company that flies us in and out of the jungle. Due to major problems in PNG (the whole country), there is a shortage of Jet Fuel. SIL Aviation currently has only enough Jet Fuel to fly until mid-April. They would be finished flying now had they not found a small supply they had to purchase at 2.5 times the normal cost. To continue until mid-April, there is an increase to all flights 50%+ increase (only temporarily, we pray). So, what that means for my next flight bringing supplies back to Kaintiba (April 3rd) will be about $1,000 more than we have already prepaid! We were already in need of about $1,000 more per month increase in support due to inflation, and now this problem. How we pray, is, that several of the many churches (300+) we have been to on deputation and furloughs that have never given would consider us for financial support. If only 15 more churches committed $100 each month, that would be a big help in our new situation. If you (pastors and friends) know of any churches that need a missionary to support that is already on the front lines, could you put in a good word for us? Ultimately, we put this need before the Lord.
Christi’s Corner: Our family is so blessed to have Josh here with us. He has been a huge blessing to all of us. It has refreshed us all having him here. He has been helpful on so many little projects around the house. The girls have enjoyed the fellowship and camaraderie of another teen to tell stories and play games with. Even our animals (2 dogs and a cat) have loved having Josh as well.
We had a youth meeting last night. It was our first one this year. We had 29 young people + 13 small children attend (not counting our girls and Josh). We love to do these events as a family. The Lord blessed with beautiful weather for a couple of hours. The youth were able to play volleyball. Then we came inside the church and had singing, preaching and some food.
For those that pray for me about the ladies literacy classes, I have decided to wait to start another one until after Grace leaves. I have a lot on my plate with trying to finish up Grace in high school. Then, Lord willing, I will be attending my first grandson’s birth here in PNG. After that, I am scheduled to escort Grace to the states. Her visa expires the 15th of August, and it cannot be renewed anymore.
Thank you for your prayers for our family!!
For His Glory,
Mark and Christi Helzerman
Grace, Hope, Serenity, and Glory
E-mail: mhelzerman@gmail.com