On the Road...

We are now in PA enjoying a visit with one of the families we work with in Papua New Guinea. They are home on furlough now and so we've taken about 5 days to hang out, re-connect and fill each other in on this past year of our lives. We are so thankful for them and it's been encouraging to catch up on the Siar work. We've been able to do some really fun things together and are enjoying our "last hurrahs" in the states before we gear up to head back to PNG on Feb 3rd!!! Enjoy the pictures!

Visiting with Sanfords!!

January 2010

Levi's first day

Levi is eating well, but slept more during the day than at night. Melissa had a good nap today, but hopefully we'll get sleep schedules worked out soon. Here's a few more pictures of Levi's first day.

Levi David Jackson

He's here! Our son Levi David arrived at 2:34 am on December 3rd weighing 9 lbs. 6 oz. and measuring 21 inches long. He's a big boy, and we're glad he didn't come any later! We arrived at the hospital near midnight, Melissa's water broke at 2:26 am, and Levi was out 8 minutes later. He came out face down, so we believe that he turned while she was having contractions. I know many of you were praying for this, thank you.

Levi is the third son of Israel, and God chose his descendants to be the priests for the nation of Israel. They were to go before God on behalf of his people. This was a tremendous privilege for them, so great that they did not receive any of the land as an inheritance! Like the descendants of Levi, we also have a great privilege from God.

In 2 Corinthians 5:20, we read that "we are Christ's ambassadors; God is making his appeal through us." What an awesome responsibility! Today as we welcomed Levi into our family, I can't help but think of how privileged we are to work as partners with Christ as He brings people into His family.

Thanks for all of your prayers and encouragement; we are tremendously blessed! Enjoy this picture of Melissa and Levi, taken just moments after his birth.

November update

Hello Everyone, We trust that you are enjoying the fall and preparing for winter as we are! Things are a little different for us; we are making plans because in just three months we will be back in Papua New Guinea! We are really excited to be heading back, but there is so much to do in the meantime. Everything seems to be tied together in one way or another. This month we are in the midst of processing paperwork, purchasing tickets, and gathering supplies to head back to Papua New Guinea. Today we took a family trip to the police station so that Melissa and I could get a thumbprint for our applications for Renewal of Existing Work Permit. This needs to get back to PNG by next Tuesday, so please pray for that! We have been able to purchase tickets from Boston to Los Angeles, and then on to Brisbane, Australia, but have not yet bought the last two flights into Papua New Guinea. For this, we need to wait for the arrival of our son near the end of this month, so please pray for this situation as well. Also, we are working to gather supplies and spare parts for various things needed to live and work there. If you're interested in helping with this, please let us know. We are also taking part in a large mission's conference this coming week, and anticipate the arrival of our son near the end of the month! These two events may intersect, and they may not. Pray for health and strength for Melissa during the last 3 weeks of her pregnancy, and that we would have clear thinking and sound judgement as we move through these events. We would like to make prayer a more central part of who we are. This year especially, I have been impressed by how important prayer is. In 1 Thessalonians 5:17 God tells us, "pray without ceasing," and we want to do just that! Prayer is our expression of trust in God, and that is to be our daily attitude. The job we are doing is God's work, and we need Him to accomplish it! In this spirit, we would like to send you updates with prayer requests every other week, but only if you are interested. Please write back to us and let us know if you would like to be on this bi-weekly prayer request list. Thank you so much for standing with us! We are an extension of you as we we work to see God's work be accomplished among the Siar people of Papua New Guinea. In Christ, Jonathan and Melissa Jackson, Zoe, Caleb, Eve, Olivia, and baby

Sadness and Joy

I realize we have not been keeping up with our blog.... I blame Facebook though I'm sure that's not the whole problem! Here is a brief update over the past two months or so...


At the end of May and beginning of June we spent three weeks in Pennsylvania visiting our church family at Liberty Bible Church and stayed with our good friends the Williams family. Our time was filled mostly with visiting and getting to know families in the church more. It was a great time and we were blessed by the visit there!

We came back to NH for about 12 days to visit with Jonathan's sister Beth and her family who was home from Mexico for a few weeks. (they are missionaries there) After a great visit with them we loaded up our van again and headed to Missouri to visit my side of the family. (Melissa's) I enjoyed some yard saling and shopping with my Mom and sister and also a good time at my parents time share in Branson!

While still in Missouri, on July 10th, we got a phone call that Joanna was in the hospital and would not make it through the night. About 5 minutes later we got another phone call to say Joanna had gone to be with the Lord. Jonathan called his brothers and sisters to tell them the news and through sadness we tried to figure out our next move. In about 30 minutes we were all packed and in the van headed back to NH. This was at midnight on a Friday. We drove 20 hours straight and then stayed the night in Syracuse, then traveled 6 hours the next day and went straight to the Jacksons.

Of course there were many tears as the reality set in. It was hard to see Curtis and our hearts just broke for him. The only thing to lean on was and is the Lord and the joy that comes from knowing Joanna knew the Lord and she is now living with Him! It is a comfort to know she has no more cancer, no more pain, and no more suffering. That doesn't take away the fact that we miss her though. We miss her mischievous smile and her great ideas.

The next Wednesday was the memorial service for Joanna. It was a time to cry and be sad because we miss her and all the wonderful things she was. But also a time to reflect on our own lives and ask if we were as sold out to Christ as Joanna was. She was a witness of the Lord in her life and her death, and has left an amazing testimony of her devotion to the Lord.

We ask the Lord how to move on now, and leave our emotions and tears at His feet. I'm so thankful He is the God of all comfort and the Sovereign God. We can't understand all His ways, but just pray for Him to direct our every step. Continue to pray for Curtis, who is only 27 and has just lost his bride of 6 1/2 years. He now has the huge responsibility of caring for his daughter who is 5, his son who is 4, and his youngest daughter who is about 18 months old. Continue to pray for the rest of the family who lost a daughter, sister, granddaughter, cousin, and friend.

So we turn now, with our eyes on Jesus, still believing He knows what is best for us, and still loves us more than anyone. The day after the service for Joanna the Jackson family took a day away at the ocean. It was a good time to smile, watch the kids climb on rocks, play marbles, eat and laugh.

We joined the family a bit later in the day because we had a Dr. appointment in the morning. Our whole family joined me for my ultrasound and as we heard the technician say, "It's a BOY!", I started to cry!!! We were so happy to hear the Lord has given us another son, which was a huge desire of our hearts! We announced the news when we met the family at the beach and they all cheered for us! It was a great moment!

Two days later we saw two of our friends get married, then we left after the wedding headed for Cape Cod. Jonathan spoke in his Grandmother's church the next morning and we had a good time re-connecting with some of the people there. We spent 4 days on the Cape with Jonathan's Gramma, enjoyed the beach, then traveled back Thursday. We are home now but not for too long!

We were excited to hear Jonathan's brother, Micah, got engaged on Monday and is planning an August 8th wedding! Their sister Beth is here from Mexico, so they are trying to fit in the wedding while she is still here! August 3rd we will be headed to Pennsylvania to enjoy Micah and Susan's wedding!

Well, I think that is all for now! Thanks to all of you who have been praying for our family and the extended Jackson family. We feel surrounded by your prayers and are very thankful for them!

By His Grace,
Melissa for our family

Upcoming travel Plans...

We are once again about to climb into the van and drive! Saturday we are heading to Utica, NY to visit Ed and Jen Reed and on Sunday Jonathan will speak in their church. We're excited to visit!!

Early Monday morning we'll load up again and take a 12 or so hour drive until we hit a hotel somewhere in Indiana. Tuesday morning we'll continue onto Branson, MO and enjoy my parents time share there for a week! Swimming Pool here we come!!!

In the mean time, here are a few photos just for fun!

Maine and Mass.

Visiting the Wall and Burbank families in Maine! Zoe loved the girls and Caleb loved the boys! I think the little kids just blended all together!

At a missions conference in Mass enjoying the pastor's kids!