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| Quick, Run to Danger!We were sitting in the gym waiting for church to start, when the ground started to rumble underneath us. For a second, we waited, expecting it to be a small earthquake that would pass quickly. When the beams that held up the roof started to sway, we knew it was time to get out. So, we all exited the gym and stood outside, trying to keep our balance, waiting for it to pass… right underneath the swaying power lines. Now, in hindsight that was just about the worst place we could’ve stood. It would’ve been much safer to exit the gym out the other door, and have stood clear of both the building and power lines, but, as often happens in a hectic situation, we weren’t thinking so clearly. I think that we often respond that way in other life situations. As one line in a song from Frozen says, “People make bad choices when they’re scared or sad or stressed. Throw a little love their way and you’ll bring out their best.” I know that sometimes when I’m lonely, I avoid people; when I’m stressed, I avoid rest, and when I feel distant from God, I neglect time with Him. It doesn’t make much sense, does it? The Bible says it this way in Isaiah 30:12-13, “Therefore this is what the Holy One of Israel says: ‘Because you have rejected this message, relied on oppression and depended on deceit, this sin will become for you like a high wall, cracked and bulging, that collapses suddenly, in an instant.” Sometimes we sin by actually relying on the things that hurt us, or by depending on things that are just lies. When we trust in those things, they will inevitably collapse. As we have begun to meet with people for member care, our hope is to meet people where they are, listen to their hurts and thoughts, love them well, and point them towards Jesus. We want to encourage them to run to safety rather than to danger, and to deal with the difficult things in their lives in healthy ways. There are so many needs in the lives of missionaries in PNG, and so many big things going on. Just in the past month, we’ve talked with people dealing with family struggles, ministry difficulties, health issues, crises with loved ones back home, traumatic situations, hard transitions, and crushed plans. We have been so honored by people’s openness with us, so thankful that we get to serve in this role, and so driven into prayer with Jesus, the only one who can heal all the hurts and help all the needs of His people. Will you join with us in praying that God’s people here in PNG will rely on His help and depend on His truth, and that we will as well? Till all know, Matt, Karissa, Ty, and Wyck  Karissa teaching one of her classes. It’s going well !  Karissa with some of the missionaries at our center. Praise God: – He kept us safe during the major earthquake – Our boys are really enjoying school – We are making some new friends – We are leading a small group, which has been going well Please Pray: – For the various needs mentioned above that are going on in the lives of other missionaries – For God’s wisdom as we seek how to best love others and who to reach out to each day – For Karissa to do a good job teaching as she finishes up this first term – For the PNG citizens around us |
 What are we supporting? This month’s tribal update: Pray for the Maliyali people, who are hearing the chronological teaching of God’s Word for the first time, and they learned that God promised Adam and Eve that he would send a man to “cut a road” to bring people back to Him. Missionary Rachel Mueller writes, “The Maliyali people saw today something that they have been seeing their whole lives – the absolute sorrow and damage sin has brought upon this world, their families and on their very own lives. A good friend of ours, Trusen, responded to the teaching today saying, “see, we are all the same. These are our ancestors, and we are all destroyed because of sin. I am waiting for this road cutting man, you say He will help us, that he can get us back to God, I am waiting for Him.” |