JUNE 1978
DEAR BRETHREN;
GREETINGS IN THE NAME OF JESUS.
JUNE WAS A VERY FRUITFUL TIME FOR THE LORD'S KINGDOM HERE IN PAPUA NEW GUINEA. DURING THE SECOND WEEK IN JUNE WE HELD A VILLAGE LEADERSHIP SCHOOL IN WATABUNG WITH 22 MEN THERE. WE HAD ONE BAPTISM THEN AND 8 BAPTISMS AFTER THE SCHOOL AND
VILLAGE LEADERSHIP SCHOOL
ANOTHERCONGREGATION ESTABLISHED AT CHAUVE, 30 MILES FROM GOROKA. AFTER SCHOOL
WE WENT TO A VILLAGE OUT IN CHIMBU, SERIKOGI, WHICH HAD BEEN ASKING FOR SOME
TIME FOR US TO COME AND PREACH. AS A RESULT OF STUDIES 12 PEOPLE WERE BAPTIZED
INTO CHRIST AND OVER 20 ARE STILL STUDYING.
AFTER OUR RENT WAS INCREASED TO $399 LAST MONTH WE WERE WONDERING WHAT WE WERE
GOING TO DO. THERE IS NO AVAILABLE RENTALS HERE AT THE PRESENT TIME. THE LORD
TOOK CARE OF IT THOUGH. HE SAID HE WASN'T PAYING THAT MUCH RENT AND WE HAVE
SINCE BEEN EVICTED. WE ARE NOW TEMPORARILY LIVING OUT OF THE CHURCH OFFICE AND
WHAT USED TO BE THE LIBRARY. OUR SHOWER AND TOILET IS OUTSIDE BY THE WORKSHOP.
WE HAVE SUBMITTED PLANS TO BUILD AND AWAIT AN OK FROM THE GOVERNMENT. PLEASE
CONTINUE YOUR PRAYERS.
OUR BUS IS BEING RUN AT CAPACITY AND WE ARE STILL SEEKING FUNDS TO ENABLE US TO PURCHASE AN ADDITIONAL BUS. WE NEED $2000.
THERE HAVE BEEN 8 ADDITIONAL BAPTISMS . THE PICTURE DOWN BELOW IS OF
ONE OF THE MANY LOGS BRIDGES WE HAD TO NAVIGATE ACROSS DURING THE MAY PATROL.
SPACE LIMITS THE NUMBER OF PICTURES WE CAN PRINT. I WOULD LIKE TO SHOW YOU
ALL OF THE PICTURES BUT WILL HAVE TO SETTLE FOR JUST A FEW.
THIS
PICTURE OF ME WALKING IS TYPICAL OF THE BOOT HIGH MUD WE EXPERIENCED. RIGHT
AFTER THIS SHOT WE WALKED THROUGH SOME THIGH HIGH MUD.
THE PICTURE ON THE RIGHT WAS TAKEN THE SECOND DAY OUT IN THE PATROL. THE PLACE
IS LEYELAM, 10,000 FEET ABOVE SEA LEVEL. THE SUN GETS VERY HOT THAT HIGH UP.
I HAD BEEN LEADING AND WAS ABOUT 2 HOURS AHEAD OF JOE CANNON AND LARRY VOYLES
WHEN I STOPPED HERE. SOMEONE TOLD ME HERE THAT ALL THAT WAS LACKING IN THE PICTURE
WAS SOMEONE FANNING ME WITH A BIG FAN. LET ME ASSURE YOU THAT THIS BOY WAS POOPED
TO POP AT THIS TIME AND ALL I WANTED TO DO WAS RELAX.
LAST MONTH THE WORKERS HERE IN GOROKA POOLED OUR MONEY, SOLD WHAT WE COULD AND PUT THE MONEY INTO A NEW PRINTING PRESS AND PLATE MAKER. WE WERE ABLE TO COME UP WITH HALF BUT STILL LACK $3,800 WHICH IS DUE IN 5 MONTHS. WE DON'T KNOW YET HOW IT WILL BE PAID OFF BUT THE LORD DOES. THE NEED IS TOO GREAT FOR PRINTING MATERIALS HERE IN THE NATIVE LANGUAGE THAT WE FELT THAT NOW WAS THE TIME TO GET STARTED PRINTING. JOE AND I ARE PRESENTLY TRANSLATING A TOPICAL STUDY INTO PIDGIN WHICH WE HOPE TO HAVE OUT BY THE END OF THE YEAR. WITH THE FUTURE SCHOOL OF BIBLE WE PLAN TO COMMENCE HERE IN GOROKA, PRINTED MATERIALS ARE IN MUCH DEMAND SO IF ANYONE CAN HELP US PAY THE NOTE OFF, THE WORK WILL SURELY BE BLESSED BY YOUR CONTRIBUTION.
THE
CHURCH BUILDING HERE IN GOROKA IS PICTURED ABOVE.
TO THE LEFT JOHN WALLACE IS SHOWN TEACHING HIS SUNDAY MORNING BIBLE CLASS IN
PIDGIN ENGLISH. THE INSIDE OF THE BUILDING MEASURES 38' -60' WITH CEMENT
FLOORS AND METAL SIDES AND ROOF. WE PRESENTLY HAVE PEWS ENOUGH FOR 200 BUT WE
ARE MAKING MORE PEWS TO ENABLE US TO SEAT UP TO 400.
DURING THE WEEK I HAVE BEEN SHOWING THE JULE MILLER FILMSTRIPS IN THE VARIOUS
HOUSING COMPOUNDS AROUND GOROKA.
DURING JUNE ONE YOUNG ENGLISH-SPEAKING LADY FROM THE COUNCIL COMPOUND OBEYED
THE GOSPEL AFTER SEEING THE FILMS AND SEEING THAT HER CATHOLIC "BAPTISM"
WAS NOT SCRIPTURAL. WE ASK FOR YOUR CONTINUED PRAYERS AS WE LABOR HERE AND ASK
THE LORD TO GRANT US THE HOUSING WE NEED AND ALSO THE FUNDS THAT ARE NEEDED
TO BUY ANOTHER BUS AND TO PAY OFF THE NOTE WE OWE ON THE PRESS.
JULY 9-12 WE ARE HOLDING OUR GUTNIUS MITING "GOODNEWS MEETING" HERE
IN GOROKA AND WE ARE HOPING FOR 400.
KEEP THOSE CARDS AND LETTERS COMING !!!!!
IN THE MASTER'S SERVICE
