Transition to Canada

Papua New Guinea – Unless the Lord does something unexpected, this is the last update you will hear from us on our ministry in Papua New Guinea, even though we are not retiring from Wycliffe yet. We are scheduled to leave Ukarumpa on June 18, and plan to be in Winnipeg by June 21, where we will live in the house we bought in Winnipeg, Manitoba back in 2021. We trust that our time of service among the Menya people, and others in Papua New Guinea, will not be the end of the story, and more ministry will continue to come to them.

In our November 2024 letter, we reported that Pat had already said goodbye to our village, but that I had one more trip planned for March 18th to April 4, where some of the Old Testament portions we’ve provided could be evaluated by a consultant. On the evening of the 17th, however, I was diagnosed with a bout of cellulitis in my foot. My flight had to be postponed to March 31, reducing my stay to four days. Otherwise, everything else went as planned.

After I left the Menya team in mid-November, they were doing community checking on portions of Joshua, 1 Samuel, and Esther, and then were to produce the “back-translations” into English or Tok Pisin, so the consultant could see how they translated the passages. They did not start until late January and had to work hard to get some of the back-translation to the consultant by the middle of March. The consultant arrived shortly after I did on April 4th, and we spent April 7-17 doing as much of the check as we could. Although there was room for improvement, the consultant was able to confirm that the translation was clear to the people who were not involved in producing it.

On my last day in the Menya area, the church invited me to bring them a final word and worship together. It was a great joy to see that almost all in attendance had a copy of the Menya New Testament. The literacy teacher and co-pastor had arranged for a selection of older and younger people to read from the front, both collectively and individually. This is what we pray will happen in more congregations, and that lives will be changed as they understand the word more deeply.

The last half of 2025 will be a Home Assignment period (furlough) for settling into Canadian life, gaining physical, social and spiritual refreshment, and visiting as many of you as we can. I (Carl) plan to begin a half-time Remote Assignment in 2026 to continue helping the Menya team. Before that begins, we will review the extent of our relationship with Wycliffe and our financial needs. We are not planning any travels for the summer months but are looking to begin a trip east from the end of September through October. Those of you in that part of the country who would appreciate a visit and/or report, please contact us regarding suitable times. For those in Manitoba and points west, we should be available in November and December.

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June 24, 2025 – Facebook Post

Just letting you all know that we are in Winnipeg, Manitoba - our bags are unpacked; we're in the process of sorting the stuff we left in storage. Our days and nights are all still mixed up and we're exhausted, but we're doing OK. Very glad to be able to 'throw away' stuff that we would have saved if we were planning another move. God is good; we're grateful for his help throughout this time of transition; knowing He will continue to go with us as we learn how to be Canadian again.

Wycliffe Bible Translators, Menya language group

Home church: Nassau Street Church, Winnipeg Manitoba

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This article was originally published in

The Recorder Vol 62, No. 3