Looks like yet another delay—please pray!

 

Thanks for praying.  Our trip to the Cliffs looked like it might be promising on the surface of things (especially going off of our last trip in there), but there was a disappointing development at the end to report.

 

I’ll forego my usual lengthy storytelling and cut right to the chase. Our meeting did not go as expected. The Cliffs leaders apologetically said that they were still “one-insides” about having us come, but that they needed to settle an outstanding dispute with a neighboring—and interrelated– village (Q) first before they could give us the 100% go ahead.

 

Initially, it appeared to us that the leaders in the Cliffs were all sincere in their desire to have us come. But as time has gone on, we have not heard anything back from anyone in the Cliffs in spite of our repeated calls. This is making us highly suspicious that the same guys who have been opposed to our coming all along have used yet another passive-aggressive face-saving tactic to put the move on hold (once again). Although we do not know this with 100% certainty, it does seem to be the most probable explanation we have.  After what we had heard from the people who actually took the step of offering us ground to build our houses on (which led us to make this special trip with our friends in the first place), these developments would seem to indicate that opposition still remains—and must be quite strong among some key players in the village. The opposition in the larger neighboring villages is even stronger, and the cargo cult exerts enormous pressure in the entire area.

 

So, if we do not hear any word back in the next few weeks, we will make another trip there next month to find out more of what is going on in the Cliffs. If our move-in plans are on hold once again, Ambox and I would like to prayerfully explore more options such as the two of us making some lengthier trips to the Cliffs, staying with our friends there and spending some time teaching among those who would be receptive to that and who have shown interest from our very first trip there.

 

Will you please pray?

 

Please pray for this. And for us. Though we are trusting in God and His goodness through all the ups and downs, there is a reason why they are called ups and downs. It is rough on both of our families to feel this burden for the Cliffs, and some real excitement when it looked like we would be moving there, only to see that once again put on hold. Will you PLEASE PRAY with us in this matter?

 

Pray for wisdom for the future. Our strong desire all along, of course, is that we get a green light to move to the Cliffs. Having our families there on site would be the most ideal scenario for ministry in the long term for a number of reasons. However, if we must resort to a less ideal “plan B” or “C”, pray for wisdom as we work through what that might look like. We desire to be used of God in the Tobo ministry in whatever way He sees fit to use us. Not our will but His be done.

 

Keep praying for those who have shown interest! We still believe that there are a number of people in the Cliffs who are very receptive and open to us coming. Pray for these people, that they not be hindered from hearing the truth of God’s Word for too much longer.  1 Timothy 2:4

 

Pray that God will open doors for us to move forward so that these people (including one day those throughout the Tobo area) can hear the Gospel, have a chance to read God’s Word in their own language for themselves, and that God will use us to engage in discipling members of a future maturing church who will disciple still others.

 

Thanks for praying. We need your prayers these days more than ever.

 

Chad, Janeene, Elijah, Zeke, & Levi

2 Corinthians 4