Even though the weather is still the same as it was in July, we are doing what we can to make it as Christmassy as possible here at the NTM Missions Center in PNG. The lights are up whether inside the houses or out, the trees are up shining bright, the houses are smelling of ginger and nutmeg and kids are dressing up for school. Last Saturday we even created our own Christmas market with several different booths that were selling homemade crafts and snacks. In church we are singing those wonderful Christmas hymns which do make us a little homesick and yet fill us with this joy of Christmas: God the Almighty One gave Himself, the King came down to earth, our Savior was born in the lowest of places to set us free! God, we are so thankful! You are amazing!
We are especially excited about this upcoming Christmas break for we get to go into Dinangat for almost 3 weeks. One week of those we will even be together as a whole team, the first time again after almost 4 years. Charis (the Smith’s oldest) will arrive from the US for Christmas this year! We are very excited about that!
As a team and as the Dinangat church we will together celebrate Christmas and move over into the new year 2017. Besides that we also have a lot of work to do… working with our Bible Translation helpers: checking the old and recording more new translation. Also Ralf and Jeremiah are planning on visiting the neighboring village T. for some encouragement for the church there. Please pray especially for this time that they will be able to encourage and strengthen the church that is still struggling and that the believers there will stand strong in their faith and in the Word.
We want to thank you so much for your partnership this year! Thank you for all your prayers, encouragement and financial help which has been a huge help and makes this work here even possible! Thank you so very much!
We wish you all wonderful days of celebrating Christ, our Savior! God gives Himself to us! God so near!
A very merry Christmas to you all!
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