Easter brings hope to difficult seasons

Easter has passed, and with it the proclamation that death does not have the final word. Christ is risen, and that truth shapes not only what we believe but how we live and wait in seasons that feel unfinished, disrupted or fragile.

Here in PNG, life and ministry continue to carry both hope and heaviness. The early part of the year began with moments of deep renewal. Christmas was spent in Ukarumpa, at SIL-PNG (formerly the Summer Institute of Linguistics) in the Eastern Highlands Province, marked by shared meals, hospitality and the gift of time to slow down after a demanding year. January also brought a special encouragement with a visit from Bishop Paul Smith and Erin Kerber from the LCANZ, whose presence was a tangible reminder of our shared mission and partnership across the church.

As the year has unfolded, it has become clear that tiredness runs deep. After travel, study and the emotional weight of recent disappointments, the call in this season has been to pace carefully, even while important work continues.

Two major priorities have shaped recent months. The first is doctoral research among the Kope people in Gulf Province. This research centres on listening carefully to people’s stories of faith: what has nurtured growth, what has challenged belief and how Scripture has taken shape in daily life. This careful listening, followed by the demanding but fruitful work of transcription and analysis, honours local voices and bears witness to how God’s word continues to live among His people.

The second priority has been the long-planned construction of a new village house in Ubuo, where I live and work in the Gulf Province. The current house has deteriorated significantly due to termites and structural damage, making safe replacement increasingly urgent. The new house is intended not only as a home, but also as a shared staff house for women travelling to the province to lead Scripture-based workshops and training. Months of careful preparation were undertaken, timber was milled locally, foundation posts installed, flights booked, food ordered and building materials loaded onto a barge in Port Moresby.

Then, just days before construction was due to begin, plans unravelled yet again. The barge carrying the building supplies suffered mechanical problems and was forced to return to Port Moresby. With no alternative transport available, the decision was made to cancel the immediate build.

After more than a year of planning and preparation, construction has been postponed. At present, November is the earliest possible timeframe, though further discussion and re-planning will be required.

This setback echoes the deep disappointment experienced late last year when long-standing funding for training workshops ended abruptly, requiring the cancellation of planned Oral Bible Storytelling training and the pausing of work many communities were eagerly awaiting. The cumulative effect of such disruptions has been heavy, and yet Easter reminds us that God is not absent in uncertainty.

There is much to give thanks for. The Oroi’io Madei (Living Word) Training Centre in Ubuo stands as a quiet testimony to what God has already done. Through this space, local Christians have been trained as literacy teachers, Oral Bible Storytelling facilitators, SALT (Scripture Application and Leadership Training) teachers, and trauma-healing trainers. Although new workshops are limited, the impact continues to multiply as people share what they have learnt within their own communities.

There is also fresh joy from the Kope community. This year’s Easter camp was well attended, the SALT team’s teaching was warmly received, and around 40 people gave their lives to Christ. Praise God for his word bearing fruit and pray for these new believers as they grow in faith.

With the building delay, the coming months will now be spent largely in Ukarumpa, focusing on doctoral analysis and ongoing translation work, while remaining attentive to what God is opening next.

After Easter, my prayer is not for quick solutions, but for faithful discernment: for wisdom and peace as plans are reshaped; for patience and perseverance in uncertainty; for good health, safe travel and strong relationships; and for God’s kingdom to come, and his will to be done, one step at a time.

Resurrection is not only an event, but a way of living, trusting that God brings new life even when the path forward is unclear. Thank you for continuing to walk alongside this ministry through prayer, generosity and encouragement. Your partnership remains a vital part of God’s work in PNG.

Hanna Schulz has served as a linguist and Bible translation advisor in PNG since 2012.

Thank you to everyone who has contributed to the building of Hanna’s Ubuo Village house. While fundraising is going well, transport costs have risen since the original budget and may increase further by the time construction can resume, so your gifts toward this house are still appreciated. You can give to the building project here: Ubuo Village House – Wycliffe Australia