Serving God in IT...

Scott has been dealing with a host of technology issues lately. His desktop computer died and was out of commission for 9 days. In the interim, he used his personal laptop until it, too, stopped working. We often take technology for granted until it fails. Thankfully, God has sent people here with a variety of skills, including Information Technology (IT). Have you ever wondered how your skills could be used in ministry? Pray and ask where God can use you!

Prayer Points

• Papua New Guinea: Pray for peace in the Aiyura Valley and throughout PNG.

• Bible translation: Pray for wisdom and understanding for the participants in the Hebrew course currently being held in Ukarumpa until September 12.

• Our roles in PNG: Praise that the new school year is off to a good start, including Scott’s Self Defense class. Pray for wisdom as Scott also serves the security needs in Ukarumpa.

• PNG missionaries: Pray for a good transition for the Vargas family as they begin the DioDio Bible translation in Alotau.

• God’s provision: Praise for how God is providing for our needs through His people and thank you to all of our partners!

New Creative Ways to Serve...

Support staff in Ukarumpa can serve in many unique ways. Not only is Kathy back to teaching a new school year at Ukarumpa International School (UIS), but she has gotten Scott to join her! Scott is now teaching a high school elective course in personal security at UIS. The class runs for one semester and covers risk management, combative theory, legal concepts, basic combative skills, how criminals select victims, basic criminological theory, interpersonal violence and stalking, residential security concepts, travel security, campus security, low risk/high consequence incidents and personal emergency planning. Scott’s hope is that his students will use these principles to make wiser decisions, both here in PNG and once they return to their passport counties, and have some basic skills they can use to defend themselves if needed. Many of our students return to their home countries without their families and attend college or university, so empowering them is a blessing. Even a fellow teacher wanted to audit the course, and Scott was encouraged! 

Above: Scott is teaching his Self Defense class at UIS. He is using a combination of both lecture and practice of physical skills to prepare his students for the unexpected. This is yet another unconventional way we can serve in Bible translation and be a blessing to those around us. 

Reading is Fundamental...

It was a great way to spend part of the school break: working with other teachers and students, like the Eirena family pictured left, to assemble literacy books for the Kope people. Overall, 21 titles in 4 languages and 2598 books were made by about 20 volunteers and then flown to the village by the translation team. They are being used in a literacy teacher training course taking place now, which will help to empower the local community to be able to read in their heart language. 

Prayer Points

• Papua New Guinea: Pray for a peaceful transition of power following the PNG elections.

• Bible translation: Pray for the 6 language teams currently in Alotau participating in the Translator Training course.

• Our roles in PNG: Pray for the beginning of a new UIS school year, and for good health for the teachers and students. Pray for Scott’s wisdom and discernment as he serves the security needs in Ukarumpa, and teaches his new UIS class.

• PNG missionaries: Pray for good transitions for those who have recently returned to PNG from their passport countries.

• God’s provision: Praise for how God is providing for our needs through His people. 

The Many Ways to Serve Bible Translation

As support staff here in Ukarumpa, we can sometimes feel removed from the front lines of Bible translation. We know we are serving in critical roles here, and for Scott managing the security program, that role never ends. For Kathy, especially during the school break, though, it is easy to perceive herself as disconnected from the ultimate purpose we are here to serve. So, it has been a blessing to have the time to serve the Bible translators directly in some different ways. Some translation teams with children use this time to go to their remote villages for several weeks as a family, leaving behind homes and pets that need care. Kathy has been blessed to help feed dogs, birds, and even a mountain cuscus (a PNG marsupial the size of a possum but much cuter). Translators often have weeks of preparation before heading to their villages,including dehydrating food and preparing literacy materials. By us helping with the dehydrating process, and collating and stapling booklets, a translator is freed up to continue their language work. We are reminded in 1 Corinthians 12:12-31 that we each make up the many different parts of the Body of Christ, the Church, with our different gifts and skills, and all are needed and important members. So use the gifts God has given you to serve Him in whatever way He enables you to serve! 

Above: Kathy with Emerald, a rainbow lorikeet. Just another unconventional way we can serve Bible translation! 

Our New View

We moved to another rental house last week, abutting the back perimeter fence and overlooking the village behind our center. The view is beautiful, but it also reminds us to pray daily for the even more remote villages who have far less access to medical care, electricity or clean water. During this election, many people will walk for many miles to get to their regional polling places to cast their votes. Please continue to pray that all people will be fairly represented and that God’s will shall be done in this PNG election.