In the year, 2000, we set our minds to head to the islands of Papua New Guinea. Our goal was to go to a remote people group, learn the language and culture, translate God’s Word, teach them how to read, preach the Gospel, and establish churches that glorify God. In short, we wanted to be God’s witness in the islands. We were also expecting our first child.
On July 28th, a healthy baby girl was born and we were honored to give her a name. We loved the name Avalon. It sounded cool and unique, but its meaning settled the deal – Avalon meant island. I admit, with that first name, we set about looking for a middle name to go with it. We were headed to PNG to be an “island witness” and this little girl would be on the journey with us. Was there a name that carried the meaning, of witness? After some searching, we discovered a derived name from the word evangelist, it was Evangelique. And so, Avalon Evangelique Luse, was introduced to the world and just after her first birthday moved with her parents to the islands of PNG where she would spend most of her childhood.
An MK for MKs
All four of our girls have been a significant part of our ministry and it has been a joy and privilege to raise them in PNG and do life and ministry with them. As MKs or missionary kids, our girls have had more cultural experiences, unique opportunities, and front-row seats to overseas missions than most Christians have in a lifetime. MKs are a huge part of missions and their physical, emotional, and spiritual health is essential to continued ministry by their missionary parents.
This New Guinea News update is focused on Avalon, her life as an MK in PNG, and the ministry she is pursuing. Growing up in the tribe her tender heart, compassion, and desire to help others was often evidenced whether she was holding babies, mending hurt parrots and other jungle animals brought to us, assisting with literacy, helping to run kids programs, or hurting with families when loved ones in the village died. Later when she went to boarding school in high school on the mainland of PNG, her compassion grew for fellow MKs at her dorm in the struggles that they faced big or small. She grew up loving missions and PNG but was also fully aware of the challenges and difficulties that came with ministry and being a “third culture kid” as an MK.
When she graduated she was debating between pursuing either missions or Christian counseling. She saw the need for missions but wanted to serve in a way she could give help to others in tough situations. Through a series of events, upon graduating from Ethnos360 with a bachelor’s degree in Intercultural Studies, she has chosen to sync missions and people care and join the Ethnos360 MK Care Team. to provide care and resources for MKs and their parents to better equip them for the unique dimensions of cross-cultural ministry and family life.
Partnering with Churches and Christians
We have been able to do ministry in Papua New Guinea for over two decades through the prayer, financial support, and encouragement of individuals and churches in America. Most of our time was spent in a remote village among the Patpatar. The work of literacy, Bible teaching, and church development has spread to two other locations and we are encouraged to see the slow, and sometimes painful, but good growth in the Patpatar. Now besides getting back into the village regularly, we get to serve the field by being in leadership to help facilitate both the missionary teams that are in other people groups all over the country and our support missionaries on centers and in departments that work to keep them going.
Those serving with Ethnos360, whether in the village, on a mission center, or in the USA doing a Stateside ministry all receive funds the same way, through partners being willing to be a part of the ministry through giving. Avalon could have pursued counseling or other organizations where she would have been paid, but she sees the vital link between MK Care and missionaries on the field and the impact she can have on tribal church planting through a ministry to provide care and resources for MKs and their parents. Right now, she is in the “Partnership Development” stage to tell people about her ministry and get individuals and churches involved through prayer, giving, and encouragement. You can learn more about Avalon, her ministry, and ways to partner or sign up for her newsletter here.
Avalon and Sierra as MKs among the Patpatar, 2005.
Thank You
Many of you who receive our updates have partnered with us in ministry. We are not wanting to put any pressure on any of you but we are excited about the ministry our daughter is doing and wanted to let you know more about it. If you are looking for another ministry to support that is different but high impact you may want to consider this one. Or if you think of others in your circle who might be interested to know about Avalon’s ministry, would you consider sharing this update with them?
Thank you so much for being part of the team. It is the prayers, funding, and encouragement from our churches and individual partners that allow us to continue to serve here in PNG!
Aaron and Lori on behalf of our daughter Avalon
Our coworker, Madonna, and Lori and Patpatar friends saying, “Good-bye,” to Avalon in July 2019.