God, please keep the missionaries safe...

by Matt and Rebekah Crain

PAPUA NEW GUINEA

It's a Wednesday night, and you don't know what to pray. Papua New Guinea, or New Zealand, or Spain seem so far away. So you pray again, "God please keep the missionaries safe. Protect and provide for them and give them wisdom." And God answers, but you often never know the intricacies of how God answers these seemingly general requests.

CHRISTMAS DAY 2018

Malachi had been sick with nondescript symptoms of fever and rash for about a week. We waited for what we thought was a virus to run its course, but the fevers were not abating and now were followed by increasing discomfort and swelling. By Christmas afternoon, our nurse practitioner coworkers strongly suggested we get a flight out the next day to Goroka and pack for Australia just in case.

DECEMBER 26

After packing all night, the morning brought a game of trying to find a cell signal in our village to call in a flight, which in reality was a game of testing our faith. Finally by late morning the Lord brought cell service – at least intermittently. We then found out that the helicopter and Kodiak were unavailable, but we marveled when we were told the Twin Otter "just happened" to be in our area. The Lord's care continued as He held the rain and winds so we could fly out to Goroka in the late afternoon. Blood work done immediately upon arrival at a mission clinic in Goroka showed that Malachi indeed needed care by specialists in a place with more treatment options than PNG affords.

DECEMBER 27

At 5:45 in the morning, our family took off in a NTM Kodiak that medevaced us straight into Cairns, Australia. An ambulance transported us directly to the hospital where Malachi received treatment for Kawasaki disease. After a four-day stay in the ward and two rounds of treatment, he was released on New Year’s Eve.

The last month has been a whirl of drama, and yet we stand amazed at God literally chasing us at every turn with His goodness and mercy. He provided a place to stay for over a month with some retired missionaries here in Cairns. Follow-up blood work and doctor visits have proven that the treatments Malachi received were effective. Matt also found out he needed some minor surgery that we were able to get done during this time. Everyone's recovered well.

"Your prayers for safety, wisdom, and provision have been answered. God has kept us in every way."