{"id":11,"date":"2009-10-14T22:54:37","date_gmt":"2009-10-15T02:54:37","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.ethnos360.org\/steve-natalie-arn\/?p=11"},"modified":"2009-10-14T22:54:37","modified_gmt":"2009-10-15T02:54:37","slug":"october-newsletter","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.ethnos360.org\/steve-natalie-arn\/2009\/10\/14\/october-newsletter\/","title":{"rendered":"October Newsletter"},"content":{"rendered":"

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Thank you for praying for us. It has been a busy and eventful time since we wrote last. Since our building team left in March, we have been seeking to make good progress in culture and language study. Steve has set a goal of 50 hours per week in culture and language study, and Natalie is putting in about 20 hours per week as well as home-schooling Ethan and Nathaniel. With the every day interruptions and pressures of living here, that isn\u2019t always easy!<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Culture and Language Evaluations<\/span><\/h5>\n

In mid-May, we had a visit from our CLA (culture and language acquisition) consultants to help us get started learning the Menya language and culture. They are men who have experience in learning a tribal language. They have been trained to give guidance to us and other missionaries as we learn the language and culture of these people. We have now been in full time language study for about five months. We are encouraged by our progress, but we are learning a very complex language, and we have a long way to go. Please pray for us to continue to make good progress and to develop deep relationships in the community. We will have our first language and culture evaluation in December.<\/span>
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Colaborers together<\/span><\/h5>\n

Our 3rd partner family, Robert and Nicole Westerveld and their three children, have now joined us here in Menya. We are excited to be a complete team at last. They have been working in the Eastern Highlands province among the Yagwoia people, for the last 15 years. Their experience there has already been such a help to us in learning the Menya language. <\/span><\/p>\n

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\"Wari
Wari and family<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

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Outward Appearances<\/span><\/h5>\n

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Please pray for Sapet, Wari, and their family. Their children are Beryl (left), Haket (right), and they now have a baby girl named Kaien. They are some of our closest neighbors and have been very helpful to us in learning their language. We pray fervently they will be receptive to the gospel. Their limited understanding of God\u2019s Word is entangled and mixed with their animistic beliefs. The little truth they have is further corrupted by denominations who have taught a message of works salvation. What they do know of God\u2019s Word isn\u2019t really clear to them and hasn\u2019t impacted them at a worldview level. They still depend for success in all they do on their ability to manipulate and appease \u201cthe spirit world.\u201d The religious interest they seem to have is an attempt to manipulate God in the same way to work on their behalf.<\/span> <\/span><\/p>\n

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Prepared Hearts<\/span><\/h5>\n

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Romans 1 and 2 are as clear a commentary on the Menya peoples\u2019 lives as we could possibly give. Every manner of evil is openly practiced here. But, we are seeing some signs that the Holy Spirit is preparing the hearts of people. Some have already told us they know they are messed up. They believe they are under God\u2019s judgment for their sin and are looking for real answers. Others like Sapet and Wari are somewhat blind to the evil in their own hearts. Though we are not yet ready to teach them God\u2019s Word in their own language, please pray for the whole community to be brought to the end of all they depend on so they will be desperately hungry to hear God\u2019s Word.<\/span>
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Please be in prayer for us as we continue preparations to teach these people the Word of God in their heart language. Though we cannot yet teach with our words, we need to be Christ\u2019s living letters, \u201cknown and read of all men.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

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Fi<\/span>nding Him Faithful,
\nSteve, Natalie, Ethan and Nathaniel Arn<\/p>\n

Please be in prayer as well for Aaron and Kimmie Laney and their children (Natalie\u2019s brother and family) as they step out by faith and prepare to come to PNG in November, 2009, to serve the Lord with NTM.<\/em><\/span><\/h4>\n