Here I sit surrounded by my laundry. To be sure, ’tis not the season for LAUNDRY today! I have hung my week’s laundry on lines above my bed. I have clothes lines across my room as well as on the bed. The sheets and towels, and a week’s worth of clothes are festooning my room under the fans in hopes that they will dry eventually.
So what IS IT the season for?
Rainy season still has us firmly in its teeth, and after three months of severe rains, we begin to wonder if we need to build an ark! The South Pacific has experienced a large number of category 5 Cyclones this season, according to the weather maps, from which WE receive copious amounts of rain.
Perhaps you saw my January letter and pictures, where we flooded the office building.
We had 2 to 3 inches of standing water in the office on that afternoon! The poor security dog behind the building was nearly drown as well!
And of course we have recognized a new water sport here in Papua New Guinea.
What do you do on the soccer field when it is raining so hard?
Dads sure don’t want to be left out of the fun!
SO what season is it?
‘Tis the Season for ….
LAWN SURFING, of course
Long before there were 4 – wheelers there was Lawn Surfing. Big kids, little kids, even sometimes the adults like to play in the rain here. But the best time is when the standing water brings out the lawn boards.
But if you want to go out and play in the rain, you better not hesitate. Don’t stop to finish what you were going to do…
GO right away …
Once the rain stops, you’re done!
(This picture was taken an hour later)
So, what are the spiritual applications of all this?
Making the most of the opportunities God provides us with, is VITAL on the mission field. We don’t know how long the Lord will leave the doors for ministry open here in Papua New Guinea, any more than we know how long the rain will last. Once the doors close, our opportunity is finished.
But the exciting thing here is to see tribal churches reaching out cross-culturally. The Mouk elders have left their home villages and moved into other areas where they have studied the language and are teaching. The first work is among the Lusi and now a new outreach among the Kombe is taking off.
The Ata church is now reaching beyond the Mamusi boarders, their first cross cultural work. They continue to encourage the many churches bordering their traditional lands.
The Maleu elders have traveled around the country encouraging brand new believers in many other language groups. Most recently two of the elders went as far away as the Sepik for a church planting seminar, where they went without sleep in order to encourage the young believers!
Praise the Lord for his abundant blessing which he pours out as heavily as the rain in this country!
Please pray for these churches as they continue to press on carrying the Gospel message across their borders!
Thank you