We celebrated the Bibles and Scripture portions that were translated, dedicated and distributed in the last two years, including audio Bibles and dubbed Jesus Film videos. The dots on the map represent the language areas continuing to receive God’s Word throughout PNG, as translation teams faithfully continue to serve. Even a pandemic could not stop God’s Word and His work from continuing to reach every language and every life!
“So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God.” Romans 10:17
Once every 2 years (3 years in this case, due to Covid), all of the translation teams and people serving in the various regions come to Ukarumpa for a biennial conference. The theme of stewardship this year was fitting, as translators and support workers alike recognized all that the LORD graciously allowed to be accomplished since 2019, as each person sought to innovate and continue to move forward in the work. And the results have been amazing: 4 full New Testaments (NT) dedicated, 1 NT revised, 8 Scripture portions published, 13 audio Scripture portions distributed, 4 Oral Bibles translated and 7 Jesus film videos dubbed - that is 37 different language groups being impacted by receiving God’s Word since 2020. As language teams from each region reported on all the trials and triumphs of the last two years, we prayed together as a community of believers who are dedicated to seeing every language group receive access to the same hope and truth of God’s Word that we often take for granted. We were also given the good news that Bibles are being typeset in 20 more languages in 2022-2023, so more dedications are on the way. Our times of praise and spiritual emphasis were the most sweet, singing and worshipping together as a diverse community of believers in Jesus Christ from so many denominations and countries, but all unified in one purpose. Please continue to pray that this amazing work will continue and that we will serve faithfully in our roles to support this effort, all for God’s glory.
• Papua New Guinea (PNG): Praise for a decrease in cases of Covid Omicron variant in PNG.
• Bible translation: Pray for the language teams meeting at Interact this week to be encouraged and equipped to renew their work.
• Our roles in PNG: Praise that Term 4 begins this week and we have remained in-person all year so far. Pray for wisdom for Scott as he serves in his various roles.
• PNG missionaries: Pray for encouragement and safe travels as translation teams and regional managers travel back to their language areas next week.
• God’s provision: We thank God for His continued grace and mercy in keeping us healthy, providing for our needs and allowing us to continue to serve each day in faith.
Thank you for continuing to hold us up in your prayers, and for your faithful financial support of our Wycliffe ministry in PNG. We could not continue to serve here without you!
-Psalm 20:7
Scott serves in many roles here in Ukarumpa. His primary job is Field Security Officer but he also serves as Crisis Management Team Leader, Covid Response Team Member, Critical Incident Debriefer and an occasional teacher at Ukarumpa International School. As you might imagine, no two days are exactly alike. On any given day, Scott may meet with village leaders, the police, other missionaries, business people or local government officials. He might be investigating a security incident, organizing an event, posting travel advisories, reviewing the government’s latest pandemic measures, providing training to new people, conducting a security assessment or facilitating training or a crisis management meeting. This means that Scott is on call 24/7/365. Thankfully, he has been blessed with a solid team. Our Center Security Manager, along with three contracted Gurkhas, run the day-to-day security operations of the Ukarumpa center. On the Crisis Management side, Scott is blessed to have a diverse team composed of other missionaries and Papua New Guinean staff who work in Translation, Medical Services, Aviation, Staff Care and Communications. The days go by quickly in Ukarumpa as projects and emergencies flow into one another, but God is gracious and gives Scott and his teams the strength and wisdom to manage risk in the land of the unexpected. Sometimes, this even leaves him with the time and energy to offer a women’s self defense class for the community!
“May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in Him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.” -Romans 15:13
We are so grateful for each one of you, for being a vital part of what God is doing here in PNG. Your prayers continue to sustain and protect us, and we are privileged to have you interceding on our behalf. Our prayer for each of you is that you continue to remember where your hope comes from, and to keep your eyes “fixed on Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.” (Hebrews 12:2) Admittedly, there are times we have been distracted by the surrounding circumstances - sickness, death, crime, constant change and transition - and hopelessness crept in. But then, again and again, we have thankfully been reminded of all that God continues to do here in PNG - allowing school at UIS to remain in person for the last year, allowing teams to continue Bible translation in villages and language areas throughout the country, allowing departments from Ukarumpa to partner in practical ways with local hospitals, from delivering vaccines to installing solar power systems. We can honestly say we have been filled with His joy and peace as we have kept our eyes fixed on Him and trusted in Him. And we will strive to continue to do so, regardless of what the future may bring. In the face of the coming Omicron variant of Covid, we will continue to faithfully serve, teach, mentor, and overflow with hope to those around us who desperately need it. On a recent stormy day, we stopped to notice a lovely hibiscus flower. The gloom and the rain did not keep it from blooming, right where it was planted, and its bright beauty shone all the more against the drab gray sky behind it. Please continue to pray for us, that we will be like that flower and continue to bloom right where God has planted us. And we will pray the same for you, that He will allow you to bloom as well, and overflow with hope to those in your sphere of influence. May the LORD continue to bless you and keep you, make His face shine upon you, be gracious to you and give you peace.
