Turn another page on your calendar! 2011 is already pushing us way beyond what, in the flesh we could imagine. Beyond our abilities, beyond our wisdom, beyond even our own will/aspiration into the life of faith. Praise the Lord that hope remains. That it’s not the seen things that we put confidence in but by faith we put our confidence in the unseen hand of Creator God. His promises remain “yes” in Christ. “for we walk by faith, not by sight” 2 Cor 5:7
After finishing a language evaluation we have been moving forward with several important projects here in the village. We also spent a week meeting with fellow believers wrestling through some important issues for their fellowship across islands here in Indonesia. We were also out for 5 days of R&R as a family. We enjoyed swimming at the pool and catching up with friends out in town.
Now we are back in the village and not even 24 hours have gone by before we are face to face with the deep darkness and spiritual depravity of those who live here. A young boy two houses down from us is having a party thrown for him because his parents promised to have this party if the child recovered from some sickness. Of course we should be glad that the boy has recovered from his sickness, but did the rituals done by the shaman here in the village have anything to do with the little boys recovery? What about the spirits that they call upon, were they the source of the healing?
It’s a changing world here in the interior of Kalimantan. Would you believe that almost every family here in the village owns a cell phone now? This technology is only about 2 years old here and within that time the tribal people went from no phones to relying on cell phones for everyday communication in just a few months. This is the world that we live in. Greater technology in an ever increasing pace of change. With all these changes you would think that the access of the gospel would be even easier than ever. Without question the doors have opened wider for the increase of impact and influence from the outside. With that said we also see that great need for the “incarnating” of the gospel through the lives of believers played out in every day life. The proclamation of the gospel cannot be relinquished to the means of technology. The commission of the Lord Jesus Christ is not simply to get a message out but be the messenger and to be an essential part of the making process. Not only of the inception but also of the instruction and maturation. All the while we keep in focus that as servants we serve the Master who Himself causes the growth.
Upon return to the village we had some visitors awaiting our return. Two mother pigs chose our house as a good place to give birth to their 8 babies. We also had some visitors while we were not here break in and go through some of our things. Nothing seems to be missing, but it does always leaves us with a sense of who might be planning mischief when we are not looking.
Below are a few prayer requests as you think of us we covet your partnership in prayer.
1. Growing relationships with the people here. Help for Andrea as she learns language and for me as I begin the enormous task of Bible translation.
2. Wisdom and Gods blessing on the airstrip plans. We have contact with a contractor who could help us clear the land. Pray that we could have the help we need and godly wisdom to anticipate the necessary details that will need to be worked out.
3. Pray that we could live out the gospel in a way that the people here can seen. To be the Lords servant, doing His will without grumbling or complaining. We want to be like the servants in Luke 17.
Grace to you all.
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