Hope you are all doing fine! This letter comes to you to request prayer as the work continues among the Mengen people! Remember that you play a crucial part in our work by praying with us for us as well as the Mengen believers!
Home assignment drawing to an end..
#IMG1# We are coming to the end of a great time in South Africa. We have been blessed in many ways and are very thankful for the great opportunities we had to share. Here is some interesting stats:
– We travelled more than 10 000 km’s. This has been great because we could enjoy our country, but also tiring especially for our kids when they traveled with us. We are very thankful for those who helped sponsor our fuel and also the car we used! Without you guys we would have been able to do what we have done here in SA.
– We have slept in about 25 different beds up to today. We are thus so thankful for each person accommodating us and also treating us to great food and hospitality!
– Up to today we spoke at about 70 speaking engagements! We trust that the Lord will use these opportunities to strengthen our support network and also help us all see how great God is, how much He loves people and he urgent the need is for people to hear the truth!
Marie homeschooling our kids
ROMANS LESSONS IMPACTING…
#IMG2# My co worker is continuing with the immense job of teaching the believers through the book of Romans. The lessons have been shortened as they moved from the narrative to teaching doctrine and praise the Lord, they are impacting the lives of the believers. Dave says that it is amazing to see each lesson touch their hearts and to see the truth of our position in Christ dawn in their hearts. They are very excited about the fact that they have been called and separated to God as His very own, that He desires to give them HIS mercy and grace each day, that He loves them as His Son, that Christ has fully met the judgment of God for our sin, that our sin is finished past, present & future and that Christ is our holiness.
Right now they’re hearing how much our sin, though dealt with on the cross, is an affront to God’s nature and character. The lie of Satan has been cemented in the Mengen people’s hearts that sin is something so small that 10 cents will pay for it. And now, the light is breaking more fully on them that God hates it and will punish it fully. Some of the believers have been making wrong choices and we’re trusting that these truths will settle down deep in their hearts and there will be real brokenness for sin. Please pray for grace and wisdom in how to teach these truths fully.
ANOTHER BAPTISM…
God is at work in the remaining believers that haven’t been baptized as one spoke up publically that he’d like to be baptized. Please pray for the remaining believers to take this public stand for their faith as this is huge in the Mengen culture as they are counted with the believers.
NEW QUAD ARRIVES…
#IIMG3#Many of you have been praying with us for transport between our airstrip and houses. As you may know the Lord has provided a Praise the Lord, the teams new quad has arrived in PNG with no PNG customs charges. Continue to pray that we will be able to have it flown into the tribe with helicopter shuttles.
LITERACY CONTINUES…
Dave says that the three trained Mengen literacy teachers are now training two teacher trainees. It is amazing to see them pray together and acknowledging that God Himself has marked them for this His work. They are working without pay, looking to God to reward them later for their labor of love. These are all believers who are receiving teacher training as future Bible teachers as well. Please hold them in your prayers for endurance, grace and strength for this task.
OUR RETURN DRAWS NEAR…
Our time in SA is quickly drawing to a close, with only 6 weeks left before leaving for PNG. There is much to be done in these remaining weeks such as getting passports in order, seeing our supporting churches for old time’s sake, continuing with lessons for Ephesians, homeschooling etc. On our return in Papua New Guinea we will immediately start taking over the bulk of the work in the tribe as my coworker will then be leaving for their furlough in Canada.
Thank you for the incredible way that you stand with us, we couldn’t do it without you. God is building His church and the gates of Hell will not prevail against it. Please continue to pray to that end.
Greetings and love
Lourens for the Mengen Church.