Needy People, Generous Team

Sue writes ...

So many times we see people in PNG who are suffering. We are thankful that we are able to help out some of them through the generous giving of our support team. Let me tell you who we have been able to help in just the seven weeks we have been back in-country.

We were able to clear the debts of a family whose baby was born with Down's Syndrome. The family had done all they medically could do for their daughter Jane. The Lord took Jane home to Himself in January. The family was deeply grieved to lose Jane. They were also assured they would see her with the Lord, and grateful they could clear their debts to the college and their tribal members who had loaned them money.

A student whom we know well and who has several children has been short on food money a couple times. We have given him small amounts of cash to tide him over until the next kaukau distribution. We also have students for evening meals to make sure they are eating well. (There is no food service on campus. Every student or household of students cooks for their own needs.)

A family's house was burned down by a relative who was angry at them for not supporting his candidate for local elections. Many of the family's other relatives said they should take revenge. The family has five children, and the husband's mother is fighting cancer. The couple has witnessed to their tribe, saying Jesus' way is not to take one's own revenge. We gave them the encouragement of some money to rebuild and assurances of our prayers.

A woman came to me with a small problem patch on her neck. She said the problem was grile. I wasn't familiar with the problem, and I asked her if she had talked to the clinic nurse. The nurse had said grile is ringworm, a fungal infection, and the clinic was out of the medication the woman needed. I looked in my supply of medications. I had an herbal remedy for skin fungus. The woman is trying it.

One of our co-workers is a widow with two school-aged children. When I was wondering what to do with some skirts that are used but still wearable, I thought of this woman's daughter. The mother thanked me heartily for "helping to give her daughter a feeling of a security within the community around her."

A student and his wife who are serving their year's internship, the third of their four years, are running a large AWANA club for a church in Goroka. The leaders decided to provide a meal for kids before the meeting, and they are inviting street kids to attend. They are gaining lots of new clubbers who are growing in their faith. The parents of several of these kids has renewed their faith and begun attending church. The church was running out of funds for the growing food bill, so we contributed toward the meals the church is providing.

Different needs, but each one keenly felt by those who have them. Part of our the money that our team provides is earmarked for such situations. We give thanks to our financial team who has helped to ease some of the suffering that we have seen around us.