{"id":333,"date":"2025-12-11T05:43:40","date_gmt":"2025-12-10T19:43:40","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.ethnos360.org\/keith-copley\/?p=333"},"modified":"2025-12-11T05:43:40","modified_gmt":"2025-12-10T19:43:40","slug":"merry-christmas-2025","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.ethnos360.org\/keith-copley\/2025\/12\/11\/merry-christmas-2025\/","title":{"rendered":"Merry Christmas 2025"},"content":{"rendered":"

Dear Praying friends and family,<\/p>\n

What a privilege it is to serve alongside you!!!<\/p>\n

Psalm 145:3 \u201cGreat is the Lord! He is most worthy of praise! No one can measure his greatness.\u201d<\/p>\n

Every day with Jesus is sweeter than the day before! What a gift it is to know HIM and get to walk alongside him every day of our lives. Jesus says in John 15:9 \u201cI have loved you even as the Father has loved me. \u201c Wow! <\/p>\n

We are thrilled to write to you from PNG. We begin our trip back to the USA tomorrow morning and plan to arrive late Tuesday night. We are excited to get back to all our family \ud83d\ude0a!! We have been gone for the past 6 weeks traveling through South Asia and then on to PNG! We are excited to report back to you about all that God is doing. <\/p>\n

Praise the Lord with us:
\n1.\tWe are so thankful for our time in South Asia. We were in three different areas of one country in South Asia. We visited workers there that have very few visitors, have many challenges, and seemed to enjoy some fellowship and encouragement. During our stay \u2013 we met one worker that dreams of having a church in the heart of the most important city of the major religion of that country. He said \u2013 \u201cInstead of the \u201criver god\u201d being used for cleansings and cremations \u2013 I would love to see a church using that river for baptisms as a whole nation turns to the one true GOD.\u201d These workers have Big Dreams \u2013 Big Prayers \u2013 But also Big Trust in a BIG GOD. Praise GOD for workers willing to work in hard places, believing a big GOD.
\n2.\tAfter our time finished in South Asia, we flew to PNG, where we served for 22 years. It was like coming home! It was so sweet to see everyone. Our biggest praise comes from our time in Hewa. Praise GOD for the sweet time of fellowship with old friends that are Brothers and Sisters in Jesus.
\n3.\tFinally, Praise God that The Hewa church is not just growing but multiplying. We flew into Yifki (our third location) and celebrated with the Hewa church their \u201cYifki Christian School\u201d dedication. This is a K-8 school that is run by the elders of the church as the school board. When we arrived, we were greeted with our dearest friends from our first location that we have not seen since 2007. It was more than thrilling to see them again. They gave many reports of hearing clearly God\u2019s word and accepting the truth of John 14:6, where Jesus says, \u201cI am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me.\u201d Read More of the story below when you have time. <\/p>\n

Pray with us:
\n1.\tPray for the continued growth and excitement for God\u2019s word for all of Hewa. Pray for the New Testament Bible Dedication June 8-11, 2026. We are so thankful for all that God has done in the hearts of the Hewa people in these mountainous Jungles and we praise God for our Co-workers; Jonathan and Susan Kopf who have worked faithfully for these past 25 years. If you have an interest in attending this event \u2013 please reach out. If you would like to give toward the printing of the Hewa New Testament – Click HERE<\/a> – Add a NOTE saying “For Hewa Ministry” – You can always mail a check and put – “For Hewa Ministry” in the memo. Thank you!!
\n2.\tPray for South Asia!! This is a very difficult area of the world!! Pray for the Good News to be heard and accepted. Pray for more workers!!! Pray that those that have listened to the Good News would have the courage and faith to trust in Jesus regardless of the cultural consequences of their faith.
\n3. Pray for us to have wisdom about housing.\u00a0 We are renting a very small, mission owned, duplex.\u00a0 In our heart – we would LOVE to have a home as an anchor for our family and a little more space to entertain and for the holidays.\u00a0 However, we need wisdom about when, where and even IF this is God’s will for us to have a house.\u00a0 We know our house in Heaven is promised.\u00a0 Please pray with us for WISDOM and PROVISION regarding a house on earth.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n

We are thankful for each of you and are praying for you! Please keep us posted on how we can be praying specifically for you and your family. \ud83d\ude0a<\/p>\n

With all our love,
\nKeith and Angie \ud83d\ude0a
\nSome Pix and more stories below –
\nIf you would like to support our ministry, Click HERE<\/a><\/p>\n

Here is a video from the Hewa people \u2013 you may have seen it before, but it gives you a view of Hewa. Then you can read the stories below of testimonies we JUST HEARD about God\u2019s Work in the Hearts of the Hewa. https:\/\/youtu.be\/jgIvMTgryfU<\/p>\n

This section contains more to praise the LORD about \u2013 enjoy them when you have more time to read. <\/p>\n

Setting \u2013 The Hewa Ministry has operated in 3 different locations over the years due to civil unrest and logistics that benefit our Hewa Friends \u2013
\n1 \u2013 Fiy#$%^ \u2013 2000-2007
\n2 \u2013 Kul(*&% \u2013 2007-2012
\n3 \u2013 Yif!$ \u2013 2012 \u2013 Current<\/p>\n

These folks recently visited us from the FIRST location as we were in the THIRD location. <\/p>\n

Mr. Bu&@ \u2013 \u201cWhen you came in 2000, You brought us something of great importance, but we didn\u2019t see it as important. I just saw rice, soup, axes, pots, and blankets. Etc. I ignored you and wasted my days playing cards. Then Thomas got killed and you all left due to the ongoing war. I was shocked you were gone. But I just threw myself into all kinds of evil – I killed, stole, raided villages \u2013 slept around \u2026 I did all kinds of bad things. But after a time – I realized I was in the dark. Then Faimbat (a missionary sent out from our current location) came back to us and taught us God\u2019s Word. He again showed us the trail to the light. Then we understood and comprehended what was important.. the trail is Jesus. Now I trust in Jesus \u2013 the only Savior. I trust in His Word \u2013 the thing of great value in this world. <\/p>\n

Simiy@^ \u2013 \u201cMy story is the same. We saw all the good things of the ground that you brought \u2013 but we didn\u2019t see the most important thing \u2013 God\u2019s Word. We saw the lights at night, the helicopter, the airplane all the STUFF \u2013 but like little children, that is all we could think about. I was playing cards, dancing, drinking beer, smoking marijuana, I killed people\u2026 all while I should have been listening to God\u2019s WORD. But then you left and the Good News was gone. We were left alone because we drove you away \u2013 and then we became like children wallowing in our own mess with no idea about how to escape. I realized we were stuck unable to get the things we really needed \u2013 (hope, salvation, God\u2019s Word). Then you told Faimbat to carry the truth back to us and then we finally listened and we understood. The Good News and God\u2019s Word are the things of significance. Now we are believers of what is true and we say \u201cthank-you\u201d to God and to you. Now I see you had not abandoned us \u2013 you continued to pray for us and even sent one of the best men from the church back to tell us the Good News \u2013 Now I want to tell you, \u201cThank you.\u201d I see you are about to go from PNG and so I want to say thank you. I am telling you I am sorry for ignoring you the first time \u2013 I ignored you and the Good News and I nearly destroyed myself \u2013 But now I am sorry, and I am asking you to stop thinking about my many wrongs, choose to forget them.\u201d (That was him asking us to forgive him). <\/p>\n

Folo \u2013 When you first came to our village of Fiyawana – we thought what you brought was nothing of value \u2013 We threw it in the dirt and were kicking it around on the ground. We trampled on it like it was rubbish. We were like the people in the story in Mark 5 (Gerasenes). Jesus came to them but when Jesus sent the demons into the pigs and they all ran into the water and died, the town drove Jesus away \u2013 that is what we did to you. We didn\u2019t see the significance of what you brought in God\u2019s Word and we drove you away \u2013 Like the people in Mark 5 – we were only thinking of the pigs and we drove you away. Jesus didn\u2019t stay in that area because people didn\u2019t care about the significance of Jesus. We were like a baby stuck in our own filth \u2013 and we didn\u2019t realize it. But many years later – we heard the Word and we realize we needed it to LIVE. But GOD did not abandon us. God sent Faimbat to provide a way for us to be fed and we are seeing the value of what is in Gods Word. Now we see the value of God\u2019s Word. When Thomas asks Jesus where he is going \u2013 Jesus says he is the Way the Truth and The LIFE. Now I realize that JESUS can save us and I have repented and believe. I realize the trail is NOT you missionaries but it is JESUS. His blood has fenced me in and I am trusting in Jesus and He is the trail of life. God\u2019s Spirit has saved many of us from Fiyawana. <\/p>\n

Sek@ \u2013 Speaking for Kaimb%m (an older woman from location 1). \u201cKaimb%m is sick, and legs and hands are no longer working. Many years ago when you lived in her village – she didn\u2019t get the meaning of your message \u2013 some got baptized without really believing the meaning of the Good News. You left and wiped the dust off your feet because we were not interested in things of the WORD. However, we remained in the dark and didn\u2019t understand. Now Faimbot has taught us the story of the Bible from Eternity to Eternity \u2013 Acts and Romans. I can see that Jesus is the only saving one. Don\u2019t forget about me. Keep praying for me as I grow in understanding HIS Word. <\/p>\n

Sek@ for himself \u2013 We now see that Faimbot has taught us the Good News clearly and now some of us have believed \u2013 maybe 15. We are still like children in our faith \u2013 but we will keep drinking the milk of the WORD. We sometimes fall in sin, but we get up again because we have seen the truth and the forgiveness we have in Jesus. We are young in our thinking, but Faimbot is helping us. We ignored you two missionaries in the past but God who has brought Faimbot back to us. Now we are not ignoring God\u2019s Word. We believe. We are not asking you to come live with us or send stuff to us \u2013 we are just saying Sorry for ignoring you when you tried to bring us God\u2019s Word the first time. We are also saying Thank You to you and to God for not forgetting about us. \u2013 Don\u2019t ever forget us. Pray that God will help us Grow from infants to full size adults so we don\u2019t fall down anymore. <\/p>\n

Ef@*@ \u2013\u201c\u2026.The main point of life is Jesus. He bought the debt for our sin. He is the only one that can rescue us. He wiped away our sin and we are happy that Faimbot has came to tell us this message.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ang#l# (Angie\u2019s dearest friend from the first location) She Says, \u201cDuring Noah and Sodom\u2019s time \u2013 God made promises and He always did what he said. During Abraham\u2019s time God promised to send a Deliver\/Rescuer \u2013 and HE did it in Jesus. He followed through and now HE says HE will come back to get us, and I believe his promises. He will come to get us. Jesus\u2019 blood has bought me \u2013 I asked him to save me, and I believe HE has. <\/p>\n

Leten%. \u2013 \u201c\u2026\u2026If God did not save us, I would be gone. Like if God had not saved us, we would have been destroyed\u2026\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n

Okay \u2013 I know that is a lot to read \u2013 but I also know that each one of you on our mailing list have been praying for us for MANY YEARS. You prayed for us as we ministered in ALL 3 locations. God is faithful \u2013 even when we didn\u2019t see a way and the doors seemed closed. God rescues people HIS WAY. Thank you for your prayers and support \u2013 FOR HIS GLORY. Thank you Jesus for you and the GOOD NEWS of salvation. \"\"<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Dear Praying friends and family, What a privilege it is to serve alongside you!!! Psalm 145:3 \u201cGreat is the Lord! He is most worthy of praise! No one can measure his greatness.\u201d Every day with Jesus is sweeter than the day before! What a gift it is to know HIM and get to walk alongside […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":181,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_genesis_hide_title":false,"_genesis_hide_breadcrumbs":false,"_genesis_hide_singular_image":false,"_genesis_hide_footer_widgets":false,"_genesis_custom_body_class":"","_genesis_custom_post_class":"","_genesis_layout":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-333","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","6":"category-uncategorized","7":"entry"},"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.ethnos360.org\/keith-copley\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/333","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.ethnos360.org\/keith-copley\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.ethnos360.org\/keith-copley\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.ethnos360.org\/keith-copley\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/181"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.ethnos360.org\/keith-copley\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=333"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.ethnos360.org\/keith-copley\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/333\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.ethnos360.org\/keith-copley\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=333"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.ethnos360.org\/keith-copley\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=333"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.ethnos360.org\/keith-copley\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=333"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}