New Guinea News 21 August 2009
Patpatar Praise
Buruno is nearly blind but still praises his Savior.
Tahut sakit God ta no num harmarsai.
U ga tule Jisas ma ga maat u tagu
Ma ga kul bakut ira nugu magingin sakena.
Pai ta ira nugu gingilaan.
Pai ta ira nugu bilbilai.
Ma pai tiga linge mah be iau ni gil ie.
Ma pai tiga linge mah be nu gil.
Jisas at ga gil bakut ie
Ing ga maat u tagu
Ma ing ga tut hut balin.
One of the Patpatar believers timidly strummed the guitar and sang the song above that he had written. When he finished he told me that he didn’t know if it was good or not, but wanted to try to express what he believes in praise to God. About a week before I had suggested to the group of believers that they should begin writing songs of praise to God that we could sing as a group. His was the first. This is what it means:
Thank you so much God for your mercy.
You sent Jesus to die for me
And to pay for all of my sins.
It is not because of my works.
It is not because of my goodness.
It is nothing that I have done.
It is nothing that we have done.
Jesus, Himself has done it all
When He died for me
And when He rose again.
We now have over a dozen songs that the Patpatar church sings to praise God for who He is and what He has done. One of the most recent songs was added by a believer who walks further than almost anybody else to attend the teaching. The amazing thing is, he is nearly blind. Here is a translation of the song he wrote:
I will praise my Savior because he has bought me back.
I was fenced in by death in the midst of darkness.
But now I see clearly the grace and mercy of the Savior.
Thank you so much for your great blessing.
Isaiah 42:12 says, “Let them give glory to the Lord and proclaim his praise in the islands.” It has been a privilege to be a part of the ‘choir’ here in the islands of Papua New Guinea. Thank you for your prayers and contributions that make this all possible, and thank you God for YOUR great work You’ve done here in the Paptatar people!
For His glory,
Aaron and Lori
PS – For the last few months we have had email difficulties via our radio. For the time being we are unable to send or receive email in the tribe. I am in town today on a supply run, so am able to send out this update.
Aaron, Lori, Avalon, Sierra, and Kylee Luse
Missionaries with New Tribes Mission
Among the Patpatar in Papua New Guinea