Because we understand our fearful responsibility to the Lord, we work hard to persuade others. God knows we are sincere, and I hope you know this, too. Are we commending ourselves to you again? No, we are giving you a reason to be proud of us, so you can answer those who brag about having a spectacular ministry rather than having a sincere heart. If it seems we are crazy, it is to bring glory to God. And if we are in our right minds, it is for your benefit. Either way, Christ's love controls us. Since we believe that Christ died for all, we also believe that we have all died to our old life. He died for everyone so that those who receive his new life will no longer live for themselves. Instead, they will live for Christ, who died and was raised for them.
2 Cor 5:11-15
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| Menya Station: a major hub for many different tribal groups. |
There is a difference between juggling bean bags and chef's knives.
Sure the technique is the same, but, to be honest, one of them takes a lot more concentration (the consequences for a mishandled bean bag are not nearly as serious as those for a mishandled blade). It seems much the same for us now in the area of decision making. Before January, our daily discussions were centered around issues that we face as a family or were specific to the work in the Mesi church. Now we are daily on our knees as we are faced with issues that affect multiple missionary teams and the tribal churches that they serve.
Please pray for wisdom and multiplied time for us as we juggle many responsibilites.
This week we are:
- Meeting with our Center team to talk over housing for bush missionaries for the next year. There are limited spaces here for families that need to be out for medical or personal needs and we are trying our best to take care of everyone.
- Helping a team decide how to finalize a land agreement for their upcoming move into the bush.
- Connecting with the Pal team and making decisions for the next steps for the Mesi church. (Outreach coming up in just a few short months.)
- Meeting with several missionary couples who are headed back to the States for Home Assignment. We will be talking over the successes and challenges that they have faced over the last 3-4 years in their work.
- Flying in to a remote airstrip to meet with the landowners and talk through some concerns that they have. They have demanded payment (not legally) and have made threats to NTM's aircraft.
- Welcoming a family back from Home Assignment and seeking to help them transition smoothly back to life here in PNG.
- Working with a local church to plan a meeting for connecting and training leaders for bush churches.
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| Another view of Menya. Seem like a big town to you? |
Some other considerations.
We are asking that you not only pray for us as far as widsom and insight, we are facing a bit of a medical issue here as well. Elizabeth has been consulting with the doctors on the field about some stomach issues that she has been facing for the last 9 months or so and they have recommended that she head to Australia for further testing. We have planned a very short trip down there for mid-May. Would you pray for clear answers from the tests that she will have there? Thanks so much!
Grace and Peace to you all!
Nate for us 5
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| Nothing like traveling the Highlands Highway. Here we are returning for a meeting with some Wycliffe missionaries. (In case you are wondering, my tongue is just showing you all to what extent we were bouncing around at that point.) |
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| Part of the main road between Lae and Madang. I was able to spend a few days with Mesi fellas helping them figure out town and supply buying. The ride home was 12 hours over roads like this. |
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| The view of Goroka from above. We are so thankful for the pilots and mechanics who work so hard to make reliable and efficient transportation possible here. |
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