So many unreached, so few to send...

"Mmmmm." - Nate upon sampling coffee and noodles cooked for him by his physics students.

One of Nate's physics students along with his innovative solar cooker design.

A few weeks ago we promised to answer the question: ' Is there some kind of long-term big-picture strategy that helps guide us into a specific location (for tribal church planting)?'

Well, there is. What it boils down to is: we try to send missionary teams to places that are both unreached and surrounded by unreached peoples. In essence, we plan to raise up missionaries from planted churches who are able to reach out accross language and cultural boundaries to those living in the tribe next door. For the Madang region of PNG, that means that we will target 40 of the 160 or so language groups for direct missionary work, and then rely on folks raised up within those places to carry on the work to the rest of the peoples.

It is a pretty grand scheme considered in light of the progress so far. When we allocate (Lord willing, in the Fall of 2009) into a people group, we will be working in the 6th people group of the 40 targeted by the mission. That is roughly moving at 1 new people group every 18 months. Wouldn't it be great to double or even triple that rate?

Can you pray with us for more missionaries? People that God will raise up according to His purpose for PNG. People who are willing to give 20-30 years of their lives in a work whose rewards are eternal. Please ask the Lord of the Harvest daily for workers for His fields.

Other things you can pray for this week:

• Nate's load at school is particularly heavy for the next couple of weeks. Pray for multiplied time for him.
• We are planning a two week trip to Madang in March to work through strategy with our partners and to begin working on securing building materials for our houses. Please pray for a productive and encouraging visit.
• Please continue to pray that the Lord will direct us to a third couple for the Pal team.
• Please pray for continued wisdom in parenting. We feel the need for His grace everyday.
• Please pray for Mokome, a woman with whom Elizabeth has been studying the Bible. She seems to be understanding more and more.
• Please pray also for Nate's sister who is on a longish road to recovery after a cerebral hemorrage two weeks ago.

Again, we are truly blessed by all of you, thanks so much,

Nate for the family