Wow, we were just reading the Easter story and trying to imagine what life would have been like for the disciples when they found out that their Jesus, their King, died instead of becoming King, as they envisioned. Jesus told them, yet their minds couldn’t comprehend such ideas because these ideas weren’t a part of what they imagined God would do. Yet, God had the best plan and three days later they were blown away by Jesus’ resurrection from the dead! Wow! All that God did is so amazing, beyond words of description.
And now today sometimes we think God is going to work in an amazing way, like here in PNG, missionaries work hard to learn the language and culture of a certain language group. They are just about ready to start preparing lessons in the people’s language so that they can learn about our amazing God and Savoir, and crazy things start happening to prevent the missionaries from starting this process. Yet God has an amazing plan, even though sometimes it might involve pain and hardship for the missionaries and the people. Yet God’s timing and plan is best, even when it takes more than three days for us to see something good come out of it. And it is so encouraging when we can rest in that and know that God loves us, he loves all the people that He created and He is working out all circumstances for our good and for His Glory.
We had a great time during our annual Sepik conference getting encouraged and reminded of how our God works. Each of us is a child of God and each of us is so different so God works in each of us differently. And this makes a great body of Christ! Jonathan had a great time learning and playing during the kids conference. And, thank you for your prayers, Naomi enjoyed being with the other 0-3 year olds! She had a hard first day but after the first hour she was happy to play and look at books with everyone! So thankful!
We enjoyed hearing about all that God is doing in our six bush locations and getting to know the missionaries that work in the bush better. We have heard some hard stories and some exciting stories. Today we’d like to highlight the Maliyali tribe – The Rimestad family and the Mueller family have only been in their tribe for just under a year and they are plugging away at Language and Culture study. They did a great job on their first language check! Unfortunately Emily Rimestad has been having some major pain so they had to fly to Australia for a few weeks to go to some medical specialists. They will return this week to head back into the tribe. Thankfully there is nothing serious going on but please pray that Emily can manage her pain with a new diet. Also, the Earl family has finished up pidgin English study and will join the Maliyali team! This week they will fly into start building their house! Please pray for all the details to come together for them as they seek help for logging and building and start living with the Maliyali people very soon!
Praises!
-Our Annual Sepik conference went well, many were encouraged and energized for the coming year of whatever God brings our way.
-Jonathan and Naomi had a great time at kids conference too!
-Naomi, is now 17 months, she is healthy and walking everywhere! No side effects from her NCM condition!
-Beth’s mom has a new passport and tickets to Brisbane to visit us when we head down for Naomi’s annual MRI and doctor’s appointments at the end of May!
-Opportunity to be involved in all that God is doing in the Sepik region of PNG!
-A God who sent His Son to die for our sins and rose him up so that we could have daily life abundantly and REST in Him!
– God’s continued provision for our needs moment by moment!
Prayer requests:
-Chen family, as Gail Chen’s cancer has returned and it is worse this time.
-For all the Sepik missionaries involved in language and culture learning, literacy, Bible lesson preparation and Bible Translation.
-The Jones family, part of the Pei team but they are currently at home in the US due to a very bad cut and infection in Chris Jones’ foot, he is scheduled for Achilles tendon surgery soon.
-The Meyer family as they are praying about joining an existing work.
-Jacob at work… ability to balance work with rest, and prioritizing all that needs to be done.
-That we would remember that God holds everything together including us! And He is working all around us!
-Rest in God as we enjoy being parents of two children!
-Financial provision for Jacob and Jonathan’s tickets to Brisbane for Naomi’s annual MRI and checkup.
-God would continue to raise up more missionaries to come to the Sepik and bring the Gospel to those who have never heard it their own heart language.
-More laborers to minister to the Bena people.
-David Lee and Heti (Bena believer) are teaching chronologically through the Bible to the Upper Bena, where David and Wendy Lee used to live, pray for more Bena brothers and sisters in Christ!
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