Prayer Points

Papua New Guinea: Please pray for a peaceful election time, that God’s hand would guide all involved. Elections peak in our region of the highlands in June and July.

Bible translation: Pray for the Kamano Kafe translation team who are filming a video about the effects of sorcery. Pray for successful production, and that people’s hearts would be reached with their message.

Our roles in PNG: Pray for Kathy to finish the school year well, and for the graduating seniors to transition well. Pray also for Scott’s wisdom and discernment as he negotiates through challenging situations.

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

The Land of the Unexpected...

Papua New Guinea is sometimes called “The Land of the Unexpected,” and our experience has proven that title to be true again and again. Last month we traveled to Madang, the coastal city where we did our initial training back in January of 2014. Scott was conducting some site security assessments and training for other missionaries and, since it was school break, Kathy came along so we could visit with friends from another mission. One night after dinner, our friend Joni received a call from a village sister who was going into labor. Since there is no national emergency medical services in PNG, she asked if Joni and her husband, Jim, could drive out to the village, pick her up and take her to the hospital. Within minutes, we all piled into the Land Cruiser and began traveling out of the city and into the jungle. After an hour and a half of driving off-road on small bush trails in the pitch darkness, we picked up their friend and drove her to a remote mission hospital where she gave birth 30 minutes later. It wasn't how we expected to spend the night, but God had much more exciting plans for us in the Land of the Unexpected, and we had the opportunity to be part of a blessing to a national family in need. 

Ministry can take many forms...

“We are never given training like this,”said a national woman attending Scott’s self defense class, “especially not for free!” Scott spent two afternoons training both national and expatriate women on basic self-defense techniques while in Madang. This training was intended to assist them with strategies to avoid dangerous situations and, failing that, to escape as quickly as possible. Their gratitude was evident, as well as their joy in getting to kick Scott around for a bit! 

April Prayer Points

Papua New Guinea: Pray for a peaceful election period in our host country as they go about their democratic process and that God’s hand would guide all involved.

Bible translation: Praise for the completion of the final typesetting of the Baruga New Testament this week!

Our roles in PNG: Pray for Kathy’s strength & endurance as she seeks to finish the school year well, and to support her students and colleagues. Pray also for Scott’s wisdom and discernment as he serves the security needs in Ukarumpa, at regional centers, and at other missions around PNG.

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

Easter weekend in Ukarumpa began with interactive Stations of the Cross on Good Friday and celebrated on Sunday with a lovely sunrise service lead by UIS students. Worshipping the Risen Savior with our PNG brothers and sisters by placing tropical flowers on the empty cross was a beautiful symbol of receiving life everlasting through Jesus Christ’s death and resurrection. He is Risen, indeed! 

God’s Word in every language, in every life

“It is Well” was the theme of our biennial Branch Conference this year, and we were encouraged to participate in a week of building unity and catching a vision of what God is doing in each region throughout PNG, as well as a 5 year action plan for moving forward. We laughed and cried, studied God’s Word, rejoiced in what has been accomplished and recognized the challenges that still lay ahead. We tackled difficult subjects, like serving the 300 “bibleless peoples” and language groups remaining in PNG, as well as “peopleless bibles” where translations have been finished but aren’t being utilized without more church engagement and scripture use training in these low education and literacy areas. Please continue to pray for God’s leading and direction in Bible translation, Scripture use, Literacy & Education, and Church engagement here in PNG. And pray for our continued endurance as we seek to further support all of these efforts through our ministries here. 

Above: What a privilege to gather & worship God with our colleagues here at our biennial Branch Conference. Each day began with singing and God’s Word, followed by testimonies and a challenging message, before getting down to reports and governance. We came away inspired and strengthened though it all, with a new sense of awe of all God is doing here in PNG! Photo credit: Susan Frey 

Prayer Points

• Papua New Guinea: Pray for God’s strengthening & growth of the PNG church & their engagement with His Word.

• Bible translation: Pray for physical & spiritual protection for the translators completing their New Testaments this year.

• Our roles in PNG: Pray for strength & endurance for Kathy as she begins Term 4 and seeks to finish the school year well. Pray for Scott’s wisdom and discernment, as he continues to serve the security needs in Ukarumpa, at regional centers, & other missions around PNG.

• Family needs: Pray for peace and healing for Kathy’s family, in the wake of her Dad’s death.

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

Would you enjoy a coffee field trip?

Our grade 7 students certainly did, as did their chaperones! Kathy joined the grade 7 class on a PNG studies field trip to a local coffee processing facility, where beans grown from around the Highlands are purchased, dried, sorted, graded and packaged for export to the roasters who will complete the process. We all gained a fresh perspective on what an intricate process it is and now we have a whole new appreciation for the labor of love behind the wonderful hot brew in our cups each morning!