There's urine on my office floor... and I'm happy about it.

This is Amun, one of the first (and brightest) literacy students, and now a believer. She has been excited to help us with many projects including many hours of translation checking.

 

Of puddles and leaves.

Today, in spite of early morning rain, we had quite a crowd for the Bible teaching. We spent time on comparing Adam and Christ (a particularly relevant passage given that the Pal people traditionally have worshipped and made offerings to ancestors.) Once the teaching was finished, a couple of ladies came back to the house with Elizabeth to help with translation checking. This is the part of the work where we read over a passage with a few helpers and have them say it back to us to make sure that they have understood it and that it says what it is supposed to say.

 

It really needs to be pointed out that the ladies who come to help in the office are making a big sacrifice to do it. Most of the time they still have to plan for getting firewood and food from the garden after they are finished. Not only that, but many are expected to care for their young children while trying to concentrate on the actual office work.

 

Here is an actual quote from today. “Nivat, your kid just pooped on the porch, come out of the office and clean it up.”   - Kulut – the father of the offending child speaking to his wife.

 

And yet, these ladies still come and are making great contributions to the work here. We are especially thankful for their desire to hear and know God’s Word for themselves. Please keep praying for us as we work with them. Please pray too that we would have wisdom as we equip the Pal church for growing in God’s Word.

 

In case you are wondering, I really did find several puddles on the floor today when I was cleaning out the office, but I did not mind. It just reminded me of God’s faithfulness in bringing these ladies to do His work.

 

Lagan, a believer and the wife of a believer. She and her husband are in a hard spot  - some men from their clan are claiming that they have found a way to join the old animistic beliefs with the new biblical ones. Her husband has publicly stood against this corruption of the gospel.

 

This week.

Please be praying for us as we will be meeting with consultants this week to evaluate the next steps of the Pal Church Plant. While about ¼ or 1/5 of the entire Pal population has had a chance to hear the gospel, there are many things that need to be done before we can call the church ‘planted’. Things like taking the evangelistic teaching to those who have not yet heard it,  indigenizing the literacy program (making it self-sufficient) and  teaching through the Word of God carefully in a way that will grow believers in their faith. We will be prayerfully looking for input and would ask that you would pray with us for unity and wisdom as we talk and plan.

 

Thanks so much for your partnership in this work,

Nate for the family