Enthusiasm is common. Endurance is rare. - A. Duckworth

I’m not going to be bothered by all of their talk. They won’t listen to the truth and I can trust God to protect me and His Spirit to convict them in His time. - Metiu

 “Nate, I’m feeling sick but I need to get back to my family in the bush. Can you pray for my trip?” 

Jos video-called me unexpectedly from a PMV (public transport bus). He wanted to share the progress that he had made on a translation project at our center in town. He also wanted to let me know his plans for getting back to his family where they are serving as shepherds for a young church in another people group. We prayed together and I forwarded a screenshot of Jos and a short request for prayer to a couple of friends not knowing what was in store for him and those he was traveling with. 

It was the next day that I got this text about the trip from a mutual friend: “Pray for Jos and family. The 4x4 pickup that they were riding in was attacked in the night hours as they were heading back to Menya. As the truck drove over the log road block, one of the  11-person mob cut one man (one of the believers) in the stomach with an axe. Also, Jos' daughter Susana got her head busted open by something. Jos was in the cab as he was/is sick possibly with malaria.”

Jos later sent a second update that everyone was stabilized and able to reach home - including the man that had been wounded by the axe. 

As members of a large team of gospel workers in PNG, we covet your prayers. Whenever you think of us, please pray. Sometimes we face danger or discomfort in our bodies - and our PNG coworkers are much more vulnerable to these things than we are. Pray alongside us for the whole team as they face these risks and walk by faith.

Last week, my friend Sidop, a leader of the Mesi church texted me about some of his concerns for the church and for his family. He said that twisted teachings about sacrifice bringing health, wealth, and power are enticing many. The men that are putting those false ideas forward are threatening the Bible teachers as well.

Here is what the those men are saying:

“You Bible teachers are hanging up on (trusting in) the Bible lessons which are like the law! You should come down and stand on the ground instead. Stand on the ground where our culture has always been and will always be.”

“We are doing our ways like the ancestors taught. Even in the Bible, the head priest would lay his hand on the head of a sheep for the sins of the people, that is what we are doing with the pigs. You should do this too.”

Sidop concluded his text by saying “I don’t know if they will hit/strike us or not… I’m not going to stop standing up for the truth.”

Later when I told Metiu about that conversation and asked his perspective, he said “I’m not going to be bothered by all of their talk. They won’t listen to the truth and I can trust God to protect me and His Spirit to convict them in His time.”

Whats up over the next month for us.

You can download our 2026 Prayer Calendar (weekly prayer requests and reminders for the entire year). It's designed to be printed or used online.

We are wrapping up some of the different projects that we have been working on this week. Elizabeth is finishing her semester projects, Nate has been working on communication and logistics for our upcoming time in PNG. Our family will be together for a couple of weeks over Christmas and Noah will leave to serve in PNG on December 30. Tim and Elias will head back to their colleges shortly after the New Year. We will leave for intercultural education classes in Thailand on January 7th, the day after our 25th anniversary.

After a week there, we will continue on to PNG where we will jump right into observing a rural school teacher training intensive. Please pray for and with us as we try to maximize our time in PNG. There is so much to do and so little time.

Prayer:

• For the Mesi church - that the men and women there will stand firm in the truth and continue to encourage each other.
• For us as we travel many miles over the next three weeks. For our time with the boys - that they would love and serve our Lord well as He directs them.
• For our plans for a school for the Mesi church, for wisdom as we pursue education in support of that, for ministry direction, for deep and abiding connections with other believers, and for opportunities to witness the hope that we have in every context that we find ourselves.

May the joy of knowing our Immanuel fill your hearts and minds this Christmas!

Nate for us.