We have been back in the tribe for almost a month enjoying doing ³Patpatar
ministry² after a great summer being able to help out with other
ministries here in Papua New Guinea. One of those ministries was a program
called Interface.
Interface is a short term college level missions program offered each year
here in PNG for college students and others interested in Church Planting
among the least reached people of the world. In 1993, I attended Interface
as a student and it really opened my eyes to all that is involved in
missions. A few years later, in 1996, Lori was able to go on Interface as
well. There were classes on phonetics, language learning, culture
acquisition, literacy, translation, Biblical foundations, mission trends
and methodology, and more. We had classroom time, assignment time in the
village, hang-out time with career missionaries, and a side trip into a
tribe to see a functioning church where missionaries were working. It was
an amazing time in our lives and confirmed for us that God was directing
us towards tribal missions.
This summer we were able to once again be at Interface, but this time as
staff. After two decades of training and church planting experience, we
had the opportunity to be on the other side of the table‹the ones teaching
many of those classes. It was an incredible time to work with 25 college
age students from 3 different countries on a daily basis. For their side
trip, they were divided into groups and one of the groups got to go to
Patpatar for a week to interact with the church here. Hearing their
testimonies from that time encouraged us so much.
Here¹s a video that tells a bit about the program:
https://www.youtube.com/watchv=2gbhwPcKdto
As the summer wrapped up, we took both Avalon and Sierra up to the
highlands of PNG where they are attending school at NCA. Their first term
is going well. Avalon is a sophomore and is playing girls¹ Rugby on the
school¹s team for the first time. Sierra is getting used to boarding
school and has enjoyed the many social opportunities including some tubing
trips down the nearby river.
Here¹s a video about the school and how you could be a
part:https://sway.com/gzW5XqoD5nwYa9yb
For the first time in a decade, Lori is now homeschooling only one child,
Kylee, who is in 4th grade. She is doing some pre-school with Briella who
just turned four. Being back in Patpatar has been good. There are some
struggles in the church and some areas that they continue to need guidance
and help, but there are encouraging things happening as well.
The church is just finishing up a study on the Life of Christ that they as
a church did most of the work in studying the Gospels, developing
outlines, and writing lessons that would best feed the flock. I was also
invited to a dinner in the village the other night to share a meal with 3
couples who have been in a study led by one of the Bible teachers in the
church. They just finished the study on foundational Bible truths for new
believers. It was great to sit and listen to their testimonies and is was
so encouraging realizing almost all of the study had been done without me
even being in Patpatar.
Last week we also received boxes of 4 more Patpatar books that we have
written, published, and printed. They included: A devotional study book of
the Book of Daniel. A 24 lesson curriculum of the End Times. A 12 lesson
curriculum of 1 Timothy and Titus on church leadership. And a topical
lesson book geared for new believers.
Thanks for your part in allowing us to continue to be here and work
with the Patpatar church and other ministries in Papua New Guinea.
Aaron
Fact: We are celebrating 41 years of Independence here in Papua New Guinea
that began on September 16, 1975.
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