Privilege
One of the words that keeps coming up during our home assignment time back in the USA is privilege. Privilege often means that state of having something you don’t deserve or didn’t earn. Can we say it again? We have been privileged people to have a front-row seat on what God is doing in the people we live amongst in Papua New Guinea. God’s Word and His Spirit are changing the thinking of men and women, old and young and it has been AWESOME to be a part of.
We’re nearly half-way through our time of home assignment, and we’ve loved connecting with many of you praying and giving folks already. Our months and weeks have been full of speaking and sharing, serving through work at Nate’s mom and dad’s home, and involvement with various activities to help our kids (and us!) reconnect with life in the US.
Another thing we’ve found to be a huge privilege (there’s that word again) is to share with small groups. We love getting to report to the churches that pray for us and send us out, but having connection with a smaller group – be it a Bible study or a home group or just friends gathered together – has offered a terrific way to connect American believers with believers in Papua New Guinea. If you’d like to have us share with your small group, or get together individually over coffee, just shoot us an email (or, gasp, text* or Facebook us!) and we’d love to set something up.
Update from the Pal church
ONE HUNDRED AND FORTY men, women and teens were baptized several weeks ago in Pal. Did your jaw drop reading that number? We were astounded as well and thank God for clear testimonies from these who are wanting to obey Christ in baptism. Our co-workers have been teaching through the book of Romans and we’re excited to see these foundational truths taught in the Pal language. Please, don’t stop praying now if you ‘adopted’ a Pal person to pray for! We want these baby believers to be established to KNOW and SERVE the Lord Jesus.
“For if, when we were God’s enemies,
we were reconciled to Him through the death of His Son,
how much more, having been reconciled,
shall we be saved through His life!
Not only is this so, but we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ,
through whom we have now received reconciliation.”
Romans 5:10-11
Kids
“I love to see the muddy, murky water. It reminds me of home.” Elias, taking a run with me in the rain yesterday. These are the first puddles he’s seen in 6 months – for a kid who has grown up surrounded by mud, I guess his statement isn’t too surprising!
Noah (nearly 13), Tim (11) and Elias (9) are adjusting well to life in the USA. We are so thankful for a great charter school that we can home school through, Noah is taking a physical science course that is challenging and enjoyable. Elias loves art and Tim got his ‘digital passport’ in his computer science class this week. All 3 boys are loving Awana and Tae Kwan Do lessons; Tim and Elias are green with envy that Noah gets to be part of youth group. They’re making new friends and enjoying old friends as well.
Most of all, they are loving time with their grandparents and we thank God for the time for them to renew relationships and be poured into by loving family.
With joy,
Elizabeth for the C’s
Prayer points:
-for Pal believers to understand and put into practice the awesome truths of Romans 6, 7 and 8.
-for us to serve our family and the community of believers in the USA well
-for our teammates: Chris and Maggie Hostetter will return to the USA for their regular home assignment in two weeks. Pray for them as they adjust! Axel and Sandra Fachner and their two little ones will remain and will be serving, teaching and loving in Pal until our return next year. Pray for God to protect, encourage and sustain them through intense months.
*You can text us at 707-685-5120 - just be sure to include your name so we know who we are talking to...
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