At the beginning of this month, we were able to hold a baptism at our church, Promise Land! Many of you have read our book, “Dreams Come True If You Believe”, and now another dream of mine has come true. Our adopted son, Salli, his biological brother Batakomb, and another one of our adopted sons, Adza (many of you are familiar with these names), entered into a covenant with the Lord through water baptism!
We have been sharing the Gospel with them since they were just a little older than Miroslava, and now they have families, wives, and children who also serve the Lord. Don’t give up! Sometimes you see the fruit immediately, and sometimes you have to wait. But take these words as a sign—keep praying and witnessing, even when it seems hopeless. The Lord is doing His work in people’s hearts.
Right after the baptism, we went to the base of *Youth with a Mission* in Lae, where I had the privilege of teaching at the Discipleship Training School (DTS) on the topic “The Holy Spirit and His Role in the Great Commission.” It was an unforgettable time when we were able to learn together at His feet!
Right now, these 13 students have gone on the practical part of the course in the Enga province, which was recently affected by a natural disaster. They are bringing the light of the Gospel and the love of Christ to the people there.
Also, this month, we were able to visit the local hospital and prison several times. It is a privilege not only to share the Gospel but also to bless the prisoners and the sick with food, soap, and Bibles.
Our team has started 4 more Discipleship groups in prison. We are grateful to the Lord that we can serve the prisoners each week without any hindrance – providing not only spiritual food but also physical food, as the conditions in the prison leave much to be desired, and many prisoners are emaciated or ill.
Last week, we were able to hold an eye clinic in the village of Mamarai. Over 50 people received glasses, and the entire village heard the Gospel! Daniel and his team also conducted a children’s/youth program. For this village, it was unforgettable, and the tribal leaders kept thanking us. For us, it was a wonderful opportunity to tell them about Christ and His sacrificial love for each of them.
Next week, our church is planning a baptism! We rejoice that we can fulfill the Lord’s command: “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you.” Is there any joy in this world that compares to living at the center of His will?
The Lord is leading us to open another Promise Land church on Bougainville Island. This is one of the remote regions of Papua New Guinea, which will soon become an independent state! There is already a group of believers there, and one family from our church has received a calling from the Lord to move there for permanent ministry.
You know you’re in Papua New Guinea when, during the service, instead of choir singing, there are dances with drums, and instead of writing a check as an offering, someone brings a sack of coffee to the altar.
And to use the water pump, you first need to call all your neighbors so they can turn off their electric kettles.
In the evening, a friend calls and says he heard that bandits are planning to attack “Promise Land” tonight, so be careful. Of course, of course—you smile. After all, you have a (friendly) dog in your yard and a guard with a bow and arrows. By the way, the guard loves to sleep.
Some would grab a gun, most would shrug, but you open your Bible to Philippians 4:6. Bandits or not, the last thing I do before bed is spend time with the Lord. “Do not be anxious,” says the imprisoned apostle to his dear brothers and sisters in Philippi. “Do not be anxious about ANYTHING.”
My challenges differ from yours, but “do not be anxious” applies in both cases. And it’s not a suggestion—it’s a command.
May the Lord bless each of you (and us!) with His peace, which only He can give. And “peace” is not the absence of difficulties. Peace is the presence of the risen Christ, and He is with each of us, right now, as He promised.
A flood of sick people has overwhelmed both Grandma Sharon’s clinic and our own. The most challenging part, as it turned out, is not only diagnosing and administering the correct treatment but also convincing people that their ailments are not due to witchcraft, but real diseases that require a dose of antibiotics.
One young man, for instance, was brought to us (actually, carried over the mountains) when he was already on the verge of death. Since some of his symptoms were extremely dangerous, that very night, Eugene took him to the hospital in Lae (a three-hour drive from us). A few days later, he called us, his voice breaking, begging to be taken home: “The doctors can’t help me. It’s a curse. I… need a sorcerer immediately… Take me back to the village; the sorcerer will lift the curse from me, please.”
(This young man was a believer, led worship in one of the churches, and participated in many of our evangelistic trips). Eugene tried to dissuade him, but he ran away from the hospital and was carried back to the village sorcerer. A few days later, he called again, barely breathing: “Save me!”
My first (natural) reaction was to ask, where is the sorcerer, and why didn’t he help? But Eugene was much more compassionate. When they brought him back to us again (and it’s a three-hour journey through the mountains, one way), Eugene once more took him to the hospital, where he is currently staying.
It’s important to note that the young man prayed with tears and repented! Praise the Lord, who is stronger than any sorcerer!
We have been able to conduct children’s ministry in Mamarei village! It’s truly joyful to see how, after about ten years, our boys are now serving other children—just as we once served them. How quickly they have grown!
Activities at our kindergarten will resume next week! We expect up to a hundred little Papuans aged 4 to 6 to come to learn to read and write, but most importantly, to hear the Gospel of Jesus Christ and begin their journey with Him.
Dear friends, we would like to ask for your support in providing financial assistance to our teachers on a monthly basis. Since education at our school is free, we lack the resources to pay the teachers. Although they have worked as volunteers for all three years, we understand that they need to feed their families, and schoolwork takes up all their time.
Therefore, we ask you to prayerfully consider a monthly contribution to support our teachers, who work very hard to teach the little Papuans not only the basics of grammar but, most importantly, to introduce them to Jesus.
We are aiming for a minimum of $50 per month for each teacher—we have six of them. This is the least we could do to thank and encourage them in their challenging work: among them are single mothers, families with many children, and elderly people. Thank you!
I don’t know when was the last time I slept more than 5 hours, and yesterday I didn’t even have time to do my hair. Welcome to the realities of missionary life! This month has been very intense. Tribal wars, jungle trips, dances, earthquakes. Teacher training, baptisms, small groups, and printing 400 T-shirts. Three youth camps, three teams from abroad, and tons of laundry in between. The bread is ready, the soup is boiling, the laundry is waiting for me to sort it out – and I set a timer for half an hour to send this email in one breath before the kids come back from school. Because in the evening, I’m not a missionary, I’m a mom. And my favorite form of service is serving my family.
Miroslava celebrated her 11th birthday on January 6th (in the morning). She went to a remote village for service (in the evening). And on January 7th, she got baptized! As I mentioned before, this month we were able to hold three youth camps in the villages of Asas, Obura, and Atuka – huge thanks to the team from Seattle who selflessly served the Papuans during these three weeks, despite all the discomforts of jungle life. They were very joyful, and that alone became the best preaching! There was much repentance in every village, and those who already knew the Lord experienced another renewal of their relationship with Him.
