Peter and Rachel Hansen Helping to reach the least-reached Moves, changes, and travel!
Summer is passing by quickly, too quickly if you ask our boys. The 3 youngest, Daniel, Steffan, and Caleb, have started school again, and in their minds this was too soon. Well, it isn’t all bad, and they recognize that they do need more schooling and other training during their growing up years so they will be ready for what God has in store for their future, if His return doesn’t take place first. Daniel and Caleb are excited about being able to have piano lessons again. We are thankful it worked out for them to fit into Rick’s busy schedule.
In just a week I, Peter, head to the Faroe Islands by myself. It will be strange to be there on my own. It will be very different not to be greeted by either of my parents. I have only one brother, so my immediate family connection to the Faroe Islands is getting pretty small. While there, Dennis and I have the task before us of taking care of what is left behind, since our parents have both gone to be with the Lord.
During my stay there I also plan to speak in many churches and I am very thankful that people there are helping to arrange meetings ahead of time for me. I would appreciate prayers as I prepare, and that I will be sensitive to what the Lord wants me to share. Even though the Faroe Islands isn’t part of mainland Europe there are many influences which affect the young and the old alike and there are plenty of temptations to draw one away from spiritual things.
As a family we are doing well. It is good to have most of our boys around us, but there are some changes taking place also.
Just last week Hans left for Waukesha, WI, for NTM Bible School. He has one test left to take in order to be a school bus driver to help pay his way through Bible school. It has been good to have him home with us, and we are excited for him as he starts his studies there.
We are praising the Lord with Philip, who now has his work permit and visa for Papua New Guinea. He is now waiting for his support level to increase and Lord-willing, he will be able to go to PNG in the near future.
David and Karl both continue to face physical difficulties and limitations. David had two fantastic weeks earlier this summer, after which all of his symptoms returned with a vengeance. It’s baffling – a mystery. He is working with a local doctor, and we are praying that he will have wisdom in knowing where to direct David for help. David will be filing his disability appeal in the next few days, and we trust the Lord for the outcome He desires. Karl also has difficulties with headaches and dizziness and we are seeking medical advice for him too. He still hasn’t gotten a job, but we trust that something will work out soon. As you pray for him, ask God to give him a hunger and thirst for spiritual things.
I am scheduled to arrive back from the Faroe Islands Sep. 21, and it looks like about 2 weeks later I will be heading to PNG to participate in meetings and to work alongside coworkers there. I am planning also to fly over to the Islands region to spend some time with some of the believers in Mangseng, though it won’t be very long. The tentative return date is Oct. 31, which also happens to be our 30th anniversary. Rachel and I are so thankful for each other and for the years God has given us together so far. We look forward to serving the Lord together for the rest of our lives and are thankful for and enjoying the good health He is giving us.
From November to spring next year our schedule is open for travel and we would love to come and share with you individually or in churches or small groups about the ministry in Papua New Guinea. If you would like for us to come, please contact us and we will see what we can work out.
Thanks for your prayers for us.
Summer is here – no slowing down!
June 6, 2011
Dear Praying Friends,
This email is long overdue! We should have kept you updated since we returned from the Faroe Islands, but have gotten caught up in all the things that needed to be taken care of regarding family and home, as well as ministry related to Papua New Guinea.
It is hard to believe it is almost 3 months since we returned from our 3 weeks visit in the Faroe Islands for Dad’s funeral. Since then Rachel has been keeping busy with home schooling as well as sorting through things here in the home and trying to get things organized. We have also fit in a couple of trips. One was a week to Missouri, so we could spend time with Rachel’s parents and sister and family, too. Rachel was really glad to see her family again, after several years apart. (I’ve seen them more often, since I’ve had to make trips back home to keep my Green Card current.) The second trip was to northeast Iowa where another sister lives with her family. It was good to visit in both places.
I have been staying very busy with things pertaining to PNG. Since I worked in field leadership, I have been asked to stay engaged in things there even though we are on Home Assignment. Also, there have been plenty of things to take care of in and around the house. No, no big gardens, but we have planted just a few tomatoes, green peppers and cucumbers, and possibly there will be one or two other things yet, shortly.
School has officially finished for this school year, but we will have the boys do a few things through the summer, so they don’t forget too much before next school year. 
We will be away for the last half of the month of June plus a bit of July. We will be the missionaries of the week at the camp where Rachel’s sister and family work called Whispering Winds Bible Camp. The following week we’ll be in Camdenton, MO, at a seminar for NTM missionaries who are on Home Assignment. Then we’ll head over to northern Iowa to be the missionaries of the week at another camp. Our youngest three boys are really excited about being at each of these places as they will be going with us.
As for the rest of the boys, Karl (18), like the rest of us, has to adjust to what it means to live in the US. There are a lot of choices to make, and sometimes it is difficult to know what the right choice is. He needs a job, but so far he has not succeeded in securing one. Pray that he will learn to trust in God in decisions he has to make, and that he will indeed find a job in the near future.
Hans (20) is very busy with two jobs. He is preparing to go to Bible School in the fall, but has some college debts he needs to pay off first, so he is working to take care of that and save up for Bible School. Actually, this last week he was working in Joplin, helping out with tornado clean-up, after getting time off from his jobs to be away for a few days. As it turned out there was some misunderstanding about getting off work, which resulted in him losing his fulltime job. So now he is looking for another fulltime job, besides the part time one he still has.
Philip (24) is done with NTM training and is preparing to move to PNG to work in July/August, if things come together for him. At this point his support level is very low. This week he will spend a week at Whispering Winds Bible Camp in Missouri as the missionary for the week, so he has been very busy preparing for that.
David (26) is not working and is still looking for medical help. He saw a doctor last week as a follow-up after some tests. He has been on disability since the fall, and in March they dropped him from disability. He is working on appealing their decision, while at the same time still looking for medical help. This latest doctor hasn’t found anything particularly helpful, but is referring him to someone else for further evaluations. We would appreciate prayers for him that God will guide him.
Benjamin (28) and his wife, Wina, are in Germany where she is from and were planning to go with NTM to PNG this July. Plans have changed a little due to a baby being due in November, so as you can imagine we are very excited with them, too, as they (and we) wait. After the baby is born they will complete the paper work for PNG and Lord-willing, early 2012 they will arrive there.
The latter part of the summer I plan to make a trip to the Faroe Islands, possibly by myself, to help my brother take care of things in our childhood home, now that both of our parents are gone. While there I also need to spend some time visiting and sharing in churches. In October it looks like I will also need to make a trip to PNG for leadership meetings. Besides this we desire this fall to travel and visit churches and friends in different part of the US, though nothing has been scheduled yet. Therefore, if anyone would like to have us come and share about the ministry in PNG that God has allowed us to work in, and that you have had a part in, whether through prayer or financial gifts, please let us know and we will communicate with you to schedule a date.
Over Easter one of our coworkers in PNG had the opportunity to visit with the believers in Mangseng. It was very encouraging to hear of God’s working in their hearts and their desire to continue reaching out to those in their community with God’s Word.
Thank you so much for praying for us over these last several months. There have been several challenging and difficult times, but God has been faithful and He has promised to continue to be faithful. Thanks also to many of you who wrote to us personally. We greatly appreciated it.
In Christ,
Peter and Rachel Hansen Home phone: 402-505-3764 Cell phone: 402-319-1279
In the Faroe Islands
March 8, 2011
Dear Praying Friends,
Greetings from cold and windy Faroe Islands. It even snowed slightly today, but not enough according to the boys.
Thanks to so many of you who wrote to us and encouraged us with your emails, after Dad’s passing away. I apologize for not updating you until now on what our decision was regarding who all would be going to the Faroe Islands.
We made the choice to all go and we are very thankful to those who made it possible, and it was a very special time for our family to all be together. It gave us the opportunity to hear friends of the family express their surprise of Dad’s sudden death, and also to hear them express their appreciation for how Dad and also Mom lived their lives. Dad’s departure to heaven happened Monday night the 21st. We are told that often after he was all ready for bed he would kneel to pray by his bed before lying down. Because the nurses frequently check on the occupants at the home they had seen him do this. When they came to check on him that night they could tell his bed was untouched (he had not made it to bed yet) and his body was there beside the bed. It appears that he passed away while praying. Thank you, Lord!
Since we came to the Faroe Islands we chose to stay till March 16 and then head back to the US. We will arrive there the 17th in the evening. It has been really good to be here and visit with family and friends. I have also had several opportunities to speak at my home church. We are also looking forward to getting back to the US and getting settled, again.
Benjamin and Wina went to Germany 2 days after the funeral and will come back to the Faroe Islands on the 14th to spend a month visiting churches and friends for a month before returning to Germany to continue partnership development. Philip will stay in the Faroe Islands till the 29th and will also visit churches and friends before returning to the US to continue partnership development. All three are looking to the Lord to move to Papua New Guinea in July to work there.
Thanks again for praying for us.
In Christ,
Peter and Rachel Hansen
Unexpected News!
February 21, 2011
Dear Praying Friends,
Thank you all for you prayers for us as we made the unexpected trip back to the US. The last three weeks in PNG were very hectic weeks, but God’s faithfulness, including the graciousness and kindness of our co-workers, was a real example of God’s grace towards us. We arrived here in Bellevue, NE, February 9th, and have enjoyed the last few days with all of our sons and daughter-in-law.
Just a few minutes ago we learned that Peter’s dad, Johannes, 78 years old, just passed away. He was living in the Faroe Islands, where Peter grew up. Dad’s health wasn’t real good, but he was still up every day and active, so this was unexpected and it happened suddenly. Today he hadn’t felt real good, but still had been out for a visit with other older people. He went to bed in the evening as normal. Sometime later a nurse came by to check on him, and found he must have experienced a heart attack or something of that nature. Help was called, but there was nothing they could do to help him. We are so thankful to know that Dad is now in Heaven in the presence of Him whom he loves.
At present we haven’t made any plans, but will be working through what we should do in the next 24 hours. Some of us will be going to the Faroe Islands for the funeral, but who all will go, when, how long, etc. has not been decided yet.
Please pray that we will be sensitive to HIS leading.
In Christ,
Peter and Rachel Hansen Home: 402-505-3764 Cell: 402-319-1279
Coming back to the US!
January 18, 2011
Dear Praying Friends,
Wow, 2010 is all history! We are already far into 2011 (and I still write the wrong year ). We are so thankful to our Lord and Savior for His abundant grace and mercy towards us. 2010 was a year with many challenges, but with an even greater amount of blessings and encouragements. Thanks for your part in that and for your faithfulness in praying for us.
In November I had to make yet another trip to the US to keep my Green Card current and went back for an appointment in the INS office in Omaha which lasted about 10 minutes. God’s faithfulness in all that was exciting and encouraging, and it gave me the opportunity to visit 4 different churches in the 2 ½ weeks I was in the US. I also had the opportunity to have Benjamin & Wina and Philip along to visit our home church in Hesston, KS, and a church in Wichita, KS. I sure enjoyed traveling with them!
I got back to PNG Dec 7, and in many ways I feel like I have been in leadership meetings ever since then. It has also involved 2 trips to the West New Britain for meetings there too, and many opportunities to trust the Lord for direction. He is so faithful!
Over Christmas we had a few days off and were able to invite different missionaries over for meals. Physically it was very refreshing for us and very enjoyable to visit with coworkers. Spiritually it was also refreshing to have extra time to spend in His Word, and to be reminded again of God’s incredible love for us. Being here at a mission center also gave Daniel, Steffan, and Caleb an opportunity they really enjoyed in being part of a Christmas play. It went very well and the message was a good reminder that our focus not be on the “things” of Christmas but rather on the true meaning of Christmas instead.
Last week I made my second trip to West New Britain for regional meetings. I had to travel over a day early because of flights not working out on the day I wanted to travel. That gave me an opportunity to visit in Mangseng for the morning on Tuesday the 11th. I am guessing about 80 people got together and we had a very encouraging meeting together. Three of the brothers shared from the Word and at the end they also wanted me to share. Since my last visit they had torn down and rebuilt the old church building in a different spot in the clearing. In place of the old church building stands a new structure which isn’t finished yet, but it is built with 8 feet high steel posts holding up a roof structure which must be about 45’ by 30’. There are plans for putting in cement flooring and getting different stools or chairs instead of the previous benches. This is all their own doing, where to my knowledge no expat has been involved in any way. It was also a good reminder that our time as foreigners ministering regularly to them is over and they are looking to the Lord for guidance and are teaching their own children and families, and reaching out to others, also. I was very encouraged with my visit there.
Upon returning to the Highlands mission center, Rachel and I learned that our son, Karl (almost 18), is struggling in ways that are beyond what we can deal with here on the field. Our medical doctor and field leadership agree with us that it would be good for us to head back to the US to get the help that is needed. Therefore we are now busily preparing to leave. That means a lot of sorting, packing, placing in storage, arranging tickets, etc. etc. Our departure date isn’t set yet, but it looks like we will be leaving here about February 7. That should put us in the US about 2 days later.
It is with mixed emotions we prepare to leave. We are concerned for Karl and will need God’s wisdom in how to move on from here. There are issues he needs to learn to deal with in healthy ways, and he also needs to finish up High School. After that we will probably look into possibilities of vocational training/school for him. There are also the field ministry aspects that weigh heavy on us, and we know we are leaving a lot for others to do; still we rest in the fact that God is in control and that right now we need to be focusing on our family needs. We will greatly appreciate your prayers for us as we make this move. We desire that God be glorified in everything, and want to be sensitive to His leading. Pray too, that Karl will be open to receiving input into his life and that he will sense God’s leading in what should be the next steps in his life.
We will be settling into our home in Nebraska again where, at present, the rest of our family is. It will be a full house for sure! But we do look forward to seeing everyone again. Once we get back “home” we will correspond about plans while in the US.
Our address in the US is: 3301 Joann Ave. Bellevue, NE 68123 USA Phone: 402-505-3764 Cell: 402-319-1279
We also want to just briefly update you on David and how he is doing. He has had further medical tests and this latest doctor does not believe he has Lyme’s disease. He is working with the doctor on treatment to remove toxins in the body. We are praying that this will help him. He is still on disability, but has been told that by March he may lose his job with TD Ameritrade, if he isn’t able to return to work by then. This of course weighs heavy on David, but he is looking to the Lord in this also, and has expressed that if this happens he knows God will still take care of him and guide him. We are also thankful that we will be able to be of help to David over the next few months.
Thanks again for praying for us.
In Christ,
Peter and Rachel, Karl, Daniel, Steffan, and Caleb
Update – Jan 14, 2009
Dear Praying Friends,
Greetings from the beautiful Goroka Valley of PNG!! Yes, we made it and we are once again in the Land of the Unexpected (that is how PNG advertises itself).
Our last weeks in the Faroe Islands were extremely busy with packing a crate and shipping it, packing our suitcases, meetings, Christmas, etc. We also had the privilege of having Philip and then also David come and spend Christmas with us. Good to see them again, and to catch up with how things are going for them.
On the 28th there was a farewell service at the church in Klaksvik in the Faroe Islands, and it was a special time for us. How encouraging to have so many friends in various parts of the world who are concerned for us and who pray for us. We know that our ministry depends on people like you praying for us.
The 29th we flew to Copenhagen, Denmark, and stayed a couple of days at “Kristnastova”, which is a Christian ministry center directed towards Faroese students who have to live in Denmark for further education. Being over the Christmas holidays, there was little activity there and it was an ideal place for us to stay. Benjamin and Wina came to Copenhagen several days before we did, so our whole family was together. What a blessing!! We don’t know when we will all have the privilege to get together again as a family, so this was such a nice way to finish our stay in Europe.
This was also our farewell with Hans for the time being. He returned with David to Nebraska and will finish his high school studies and then take his GED and SAT. He hopes to get a part time job while he finishes this up and then work full time for a while, before going on to college. His interests are particularly in computer graphics. It is strange not to have Hans with us any longer and we miss him, but we are also looking forward to seeing how God will guide him.
The 31st we flew from Copenhagen over Frankfurt and Singapore to Port Moresby, where we arrived early in the morning on January 2nd. Then a few hours later we flew on to Goroka where we were picked up by one of our co-workers and driven to Interface. We were really exhausted, and have spent the first week getting settled, getting over jetlag and beginning to sort through things in storage. Rachel is doing a good job of setting up our home and already we are feeling at home.
Two days after we arrived, the January Interface team arrived after a one day delay in Port Moresby. It is a smaller team than normal, but they are really keen on learning and are enjoying the experience they are gaining in classes and interacting with the local people in culture and language learning (trade language).
Over the next few weeks I will attend as many classes as I can and also spend a lot of time with the director to learn all I can about the Interface programs. Rachel will continue with home schooling, and she also has many opportunities to interact with the students. It is a real privilege to challenge these young people with missions, and whether they themselves go to the mission field or if they, with their knowledge of the mission field, become more involved with missions as a whole, we trust that they stay sensitive to His leading for their lives.
We are so thankful for being able to live in the Faroe Islands all of 2008. It was very nice to live with Dad and care for him. He is now living on his own again, but thankfully my brother, Dennis, and his family live close by and Dad sees them at least once a day. Please pray for Dad and for wisdom in how to best care for him. As he is getting older he is becoming more forgetful. Due to this he recently lost his driver’s license, which of course is a great blow to him. We are thankful that Dad is physically in good shape and takes regular walks.
Please pray for us as we settle in here at ITF, that we will be a blessing to the team here and that we will learn all we need to before Keungs go on furlough. Pray also that we will build good relationships with the local people in the area.
Thanks for your faithful prayers for us.
In Christ,
Peter and Rachel Hansen
Karl, Daniel, Steffan, and Caleb
July 5, 2008 – update from the Faroe Islands
Summer is here, and though it isn’t as warm as we are used to the weather has been pretty nice. We enjoy going out for walks.
It was really nice to have Benjamin and Wina visit here early May. The weather was so nice the whole week that Wina left believing it hardly ever rains in the Faroe Islands. Just a couple of weeks later we were in Germany for their wedding and it was a very special occasion for our family. Our whole family was there, including David coming from the U.S. and Philip from Canada. The weather cooperated and it was exciting to celebrate them getting married with the over 300 guests that were there. I was even given the privilege to perform the marriage ceremony at Wina’s home church.
We really enjoyed getting to know Wina’s family even though her parents don’t speak English and we don’t speak German. Their children were kept busy translating for us. More than once we experienced the confusion which started at Babel.
Benjamin and Wina are now in the U.S and will be there until July 30th. After that they return to Germany to spend a year in Wina’s home area and with her home church. This will give Benjamin the opportunity to get to know them better and also learn some German. Their plans now are to return to UK in fall of 2009 to complete missionary training for Wina.
David keeps working for TDAmeritrade, and is doing well, though the health concerns remain. He is praying about what his long-term plans should be. We would appreciate you praying with us for him to know the Lord’s clear guidance and direction.
Philip is in the "jungle camp" part of his training right now at the Missionary Training Center in Durham, Canada. From what we hear, it sounds like he is doing well and is enjoying the experience. He has one year of training left after this summer.
Hans is hoping to get a job on a fishing boat this fall. He has enjoyed his stay here, but is looking forward to returning to the U.S. when we return to PNG.
In May we received a request from Papua New Guinea to consider filling a need beginning in January 2009. It wasn’t what we expected, but after praying about it and asking many questions, we believe this is what God wants us to do when we return. We don’t know how long, and we leave that open to the Lord to show us, but it could be up to 3 1/2 years. The job is to be the director of the Interface training program in Papua New Guinea, often referred to as ITF. You can read more about the training at www.ntm.org/interface. We would encourage you to watch the 11 min. video link on that page also. The video is called "Changed". It gives a very clear description of the training and the impact it is having on people.
Besides the three training periods (one in winter and two in the summer), the campus is also used for other things, such as Highlands Regional conference, Spiritual retreat for High school students, translation seminars, etc.
This will be a big change for us. There will be periods that will be extremely busy, but then also times that will not be as hectic. During those periods we believe we will be able to continue working on Mangseng Bible lessons and making periodic visits. My trip to PNG that was in the planning stages for this summer when we last wrote has been canceled since we will be arriving in PNG earlier than anticipated. This will also give us more time to accomplish the things that we came to do here in the Faroe Islands.
Tomorrow I am going to Zarepta with Karl, 15. He is looking forward to a week of camp and so are Daniel and Steffan, only their turn comes August 3rd. It will be an experience for them to share a room with up to a dozen young people where everything will take place in Faroese. I plan to be there to help translate and possibly be a counselor in one of the rooms.
We continue working with NTM FO and are enjoying working with our coworkers here. We trust that during the 6 months we have left that we can see a lot accomplished.
Thank you so much for praying for us. You play such a big part in our lives. We appreciate knowing there are so many of you who pray for us.
In Christ,
Peter and Rachel Hansen
Hans, Karl, Daniel, Steffan, and Caleb