“Lord we thank you because in good times and in bad times you are always with us.” This is how my language helper Ronny prayed on our last session of 2012. And if anyone should know this, it’s Ronny. His son suffered a meningitis attack and is severely handicapped now. However, on the last Sunday church meeting of 2012 he gave testimony before the church saying, “I want to praise and thank the Lord for helping me this year. That even though my son is handicapped God enabled me to teach a complete literacy course and to continue doing translation and curriculum development with Gary.”
Many others (27 total) gave similar testimonies that Sunday. Praising God for His working in their lives over the past year, and to rejoice that they can trust Him in the next. One young woman summed it all up saying, “Before the truth came here I was very unsure what to believe. But today after going through literacy and reading God’s word I can know what is truth and I understand it. I thank the Holy Spirit for opening my eyes and helping me believe truth.”
This year has seen much to praise the Lord for here and 2013 looks promising as well. For example, one small village has asked us to teach them the Creation to Christ evangelism story! So beginning in mid-February the two church will join together to bring them this life changing truth. As word of this has spread some people from the village that closed their doors to us will be coming as well! We couldn’t see how God was going to open the door to that village, but now He has opened a window in another and those wanting to hear are climbing through it. We will provide more details as the time draws near.
Another encouragement we look forward to in the coming month is that a native man from another church will be bringing his family here to do a marriage seminar. Marriages here growing and changing but it is difficult for us to provide the practical advice for them into their culture. This man coming has done this in other churches around PNG and we are thrilled to host him and his family here to provide this valuable advice based on the principles of scripture. This will happen in early February so we would appreciate your prayers.
It’s a new year and we pray that as God’s word goes forth here many more will be added to the church and each of us will glory in Him alone. We’d also appreciate your prayers as we Smiths will be going out of the tribe for a couple weeks for meetings and a break.