On Meeting Physical Needs

Sue says:

There are so many physical needs in the world today. I find it difficult to know which ones God wants me to get involved with.

This week in the news we read about devastating earthquakes in Indonesia and a tsunami that flattened some sections of Samoa and Tonga. Real people are hurting.

The one Samoan student at our Bible college was seriously concerned when he couldn't reach his family after the tsunami. Later he reached a cousin by cell phone, and he found out his family's possessions were washed away, but their lives were spared. Schools that are standing in Samoa are setting up shelters for the displaced. Some people are still trying to locate loved ones. When I know someone who is suffering, it makes sense to help them out.

There are so many physical needs here in Papua New Guinea (and any other undeveloped nation). One could run around all day giving alms or weeping with hurting people.

This week a man from the village next to us came into the faculty building with a note in English saying he needs an operation and he wants a contribution. He told Jeff in pidgin that he is the head of security in the village--thereby suggesting he will send someone to deal with whoever doesn't contribute? Jeff gave a small amount to maintain relationship with the village (but he didn't even know the man).

Today i was at the vegetable market outside the gate of the college. As I came back in the gate, a well-dressed man I didn't know offered a basket for me to buy. I said I had enough baskets. (I do have one just like the one he offered me.) When I got home, I realized that he had followed me. He came up to my door before I went in and asked again. I told him he had already asked me, and he shouldn't follow me. He made a pantomime like he was hungry. I had visions of all kinds of people following me home whenever I go out. (And I think he has wantoks, tribal relations, to help him out.)

I guess this is bothering me. I want to be compassionate. It seems some discernment is required to recognize genuine need. We foreign missionaries look very rich to the nationals. "O, Lord, please give me compassion and wisdom to recognize the ones you want me to get involved with."

So then, while we have opportunity, let us do good to all men, and especially to those who are of the household of the faith. Galatians 6:10

My Dad's Health

While we were home recently, Jeff and my dad were painting together before Dad took sick suddenly.

Sue says:

Thanks to you who have been praying for my dad.

You may not know that at the end of August he had a blood infection, and he was quite seriously ill. There was never any known cause for it. One night while he was in intensive care, we feared he would not last the night. We asked God to give him strength to turn the corner and come back to us. God did. The next day Dad was doing better, though he needed to stay in the hospital a few more days.

The doctors have done a plethora of tests on him. One medication makes a side effect that calls for another medication. Last Sunday he was able to get out to church for the first time in a month. But after he has a good day, he seems to have a bad one. He hemorrhages if he's having a bad day.

His doctors are attending to him, but he's still having to fight for good health. We appreciate your prayers.

Celebrating Bigger Victories

What a joy it was today to visit once again the new believers at Bung village. Several different students and staff members from our Bible college have continued to lead them in devotions each Sunday as the new believers have studied God's Word.

This week they were studying prayer, so Jeff spoke about Paul's prayer for the Colossian believers. What a delight it was to be a part of their prayer time. They not only praised God and asked Him to supply their own needs, but they also prayed for unbelievers in their community to come to faith in Christ too.

We enjoyed meeting the new babies born while we were gone, and the group liked seeing the birth announcement of our new grandson too. It seemed that this sharing of personal information opened up more conversation about how the individuals and community are doing.

Then a surprising thing happened. The leader of one of the local churches invited Jeff to come to his church to give the same sermon RIGHT THEN. We went, and I must praise Jeff's cool-headedness. He switched to another sermon he had given previously on the Lords' Prayer because many of the attendees had been at the earlier devotion. I guess I should give the Lord credit for helping him not only remember a previous sermon, but also to speak Tok Pisin after a long absence.

At any rate, we were happy to see these new believers continuing to grow in Christ. The changes in the community are marked. This truly is a big victory for the Lord. We are thankful to see Him bring this about.

Celebrating Little Victories

Sue says:

It's been a week that we've been back in PNG now. We were just thinking about a couple little victories this week.

Jeff's lost suitcase arrived safely--just a couple things seem to be missing from it.

One of the things that WAS in the suitcase was a little collection of lug nuts. They hold the spare tire for our 1983 Suzuki Samurai onto the back of the car. The old lug nuts were stolen last April. We checked for some in Hagen soon after. The parts place there said their company had plenty of lug nuts in Moresby.

We just happened to be going to Moresby. We checked at the parts place there. Evidently there had been a run on lug nuts. None left anywhere in the city.

While we were in Fresno, CA., we thought we'd check again. Bingo! A resourceful counter guy came up with some. Then when we got back to PNG, guess which suitcase had the lug nuts in it?

You guessed it. The missing one. So, today we tried the long-sought lug nuts on our car. AND THEY FIT!

We're so thankful for little victories.

Thus far the Lord has helped us. 1 Samuel 7:12

Getting Settled In

Sue says:

Many thanks to you who have prayed for us this week. The Lord is helping us adjust to the 17-hour time change, unpack our bags, set the house back up, buy groceries, and get our course notes ready.

And Jeff's lost bag arrived last night!

Our internal clocks awaken at about 3 each morning. We make ourselves stay in bed about an hour longer, then get going on our day. We get lots done in a day when we start so early. Pretty soon we'll adjust.

The raining season seems to be upon us. It's been 70 degrees and wet the last two days. Wish we could send some of our excess a little south or east to help out our friends with drought or hot autumn weather.

May we all find joy in our assigned locations and work.

Safe Arrival in Papua New Guinea

Jeff writes:

Forty hours after we left our little house in a vineyard in Madera, California, we arrived at our little house in the middle of the farm which is the Christian Leaders' Training College. Our trip was uneventful. We got a little sleep on the airplane, and when we arrived, we were greeted by many happy and familiar faces. The Halls had us over for dinner, and we got a good sleep last night.

There is one prayer request. One of my bags did not make it up from Sydney, Australia. Please pray that it will come. We have a lot of carefully selected stuff in it that we cannot buy here in PNG, so we would like to get the bag back. Pray that Air Niugini will be diligent in their search and that no one steals the bag.

Blessings to you all!

PS Please pray for Sue's father. He has had a rough time medically that last three weeks or so, and he still is not out of the woods yet. God has done some miraculous work in healing him so far, and please pray that the Lord will see him and his wife through this latest set of trials.

August Newsletter

Sue says:

After a long break, we will post our latest newsletter to catch folks up. Click on this link, and you will be able to read it with larger print.august 2009 pray letter

Our apologies to those of you who may have received multiple copies of our prayer letter. We have been fighting with our email provider for a month to try and get them out.

Our apologies too to those of you we owe email replies. Our email provider kept blocking our ability to send. We did receive your emails so we hope to be able to answer shortly.

Final apologies go to our friends in Sacramento. We wanted to alert you to our coming last weekend, but because of the email problem we were not able.