Dear Praying Friends,
A couple of weeks ago, Jeremiah and I listened to an audio sermon. In it, the pastor asked, “Who is Jesus discipling through you? And who are they discipling?” The question stuck with us as we considered the kinds of relationships we have with different ones in the village, and we got excited as we thought of the new disciples the believers here may be working with within a few short months!
With Scriptures’ mandate to go forth making disciples in mind, and a tremendous heart to be obedient to the Word, 14 believers from our home village along with Jeremiah and Ralf hiked the mountainous trail for 3 hours to reach a small village in the Dinangat tribe. Here, together, they would seek to determine whether or not this village would like us to go up there and begin teaching them God’s Story in their own language. As this group of travellers (including some women carrying babies and large heavy string bags with supplies slung over their heads!) approached the village, what seemed like the entire village was literally lined up at the entrance ready to greet this caravan with warm handshakes. After a while of explaining to the village how and when we would like to come teach them (and that the initial teaching will be 3 days a week for 3 ½ months, and that the teachers would need a place built for them to sleep), the answer was a resounding, “Yes! Come! We have been waiting and want to hear this Talk!” We are praising the Lord for this open door, and trusting that the Lord will use this outreach to bring many souls to Himself and strengthen the faith of the believers in the home village!
So on January 18th of 2010, Lord willing, we will begin teaching God’s Word in the outreach village! Much has been done already, but there are many preparations yet to be made. We had anticipated going to a different village at first, the larger and more influential village in Dinangat. However, some of the leaders there remain seeped in the other religion that has opposed us in the past, and for now, unfortunately, remain suspicious. Yet there are many from that village that desire to hear the Truth, and so our hope and prayer is that they would travel to the outreach village to listen to His Word.
Along with 5 Dinangat teachers helping us with the Bible teaching, we will be assisting the believers here in launching a literacy program over in the outreach village at the same time. This is a HUGE undertaking for this young church (probably bigger than they understand at this point!) Please pray for strength and wisdom for these teachers and their families, as well as grace for the church as a whole in the home village. The Bible teachers will be gone from home for 3 days out of the week, and the literacy teachers will be gone for 4. Pray that the church would unite together in helping to make sure that these families that will stay behind are helped and cared for. There are children to be looked after, garden work to be done (and their gardens are usually on the other side of the mountain!) fire wood to be gathered, pigs and chickens to be looked after and food gathered for them, and much more. We are praying now and would ask you to join us in praying that the Lord would be preparing hearts in the outreach village to receive and believe the Truth of His Gospel Message!
Would you please also be in prayer for the situation of the community school here in the home village? You may remember that a couple of months ago their main office building with all their text books was burned down. The PNG government has designated funds to rebuild the office as well as a couple of new classroom houses for the village, and are offering to pay the villagers to get these structures built so that school can resume. This would be a wonderful thing for the students as well as a great opportunity for the men here to make some money. However, the very ‘uncertain’ talk is that this project will begin in January, which would make an outreach impossible since it would affect all of the Dinangat villages. Yet, God knows the plans He has for His people here, and we are confident that He will build His church! Please pray for wisdom for all of us, and that through all of the planning and preparing, the Lord would strengthen us all in our knowledge of and love for Him, and that we would seek to glorify our gracious and merciful God in all that we do!
As Thanksgiving approaches, we want you to know that we are exceedingly thankful for YOU who have faithfully stood with us through the years with your prayers and support in behalf of our family and the Dinangat church! Please don’t stop! The enemy has made it clear already that he has taken notice of the Dinangat church and is not happy with the abundant life they are now living! And we continue to pray for you, that you also would continue to grow in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord!
For His Glory,
Jeremiah, April, Jordan, Judah and Alayna