Easter Trip Day 7: Easter!

Happy Easter!  I opened by suitcase and pulled out the bags of small, foil-wrapped chocolate eggs we brought for everyone.  I know it doesn't sound terribly spiritual, but my heart was filled with delight at the sight of them.  They looked like a celebration of a special day!

Earlier, upon out arrival, we found out the students and staff wanted a "relationship" talk at their conference, and today was the day.  It's hard to scramble to put something together once we're here...especially when already having to prepare other talks.  Luckily Nathan and Rachel's bible study is online and we accessed some pieces of that.  In the process of looking for paper for printing out some pages, Dan grabbed paper from his folder.  With the blank paper came one with printing already on it.  It happened to be a paper on relationships a PNG missionary gave Dan on a previous visit.  Perfect!  God is so kind!

I hope you experienced God's kindness this Easter, as well as chocolate!

"One of these things is not like the other..."

Easter Trip Day 6: Sharing!

All of us wearing out yellow shirts ... we sorta stood out like a black cat on a snowbank.  Nevertheless, all the students at the conference went out in twos and threes for an hour to share their faith.  New students were paired up with those with experience.  The beach is just downhill from the hotel where we have our meetings and is a great place to talk with people.

In PNG the shirts are used as conversation starters and help identify us as a group.  It sure made my job of "picture-taker" (along with Candy Yost) easier.  We just headed toward the yellow, walking on a sidewalk along the shoreline... which was sometimes pavement, sometimes path.   Trying to be unobtrusive, Candy got a great photo by "shooting from the hip" (cowboy-style!)
 
Many students said afterwards that this sharing time was the highlight of the conference.  They knew how to articulate their own story of their relationship with Christ, as well as communicate the Good News to someone else.  YAY!

Easter Trip Day 5: Conference!

First day of conference.

First time for some student disciples to stand up front and take on speaking responsibilies.

First  time some new students have heard about experiencing God's love and forgiveness.

My devotion went a little long...but I think tomorrow's will be short.  So, I think it's OK because they even out, right?!

Showing off printing job

( We packed the T-shirts a couple of days ago...and now it's distribution day!)

Folding and repackaging

Distributing shirts!

We passed out the conference T-shirts that everyone will wear tomorrow for the day of witnessing.

Easter Trip Day 4: "Whew!"

Went to the bank ATM and got money...Yahoo, it worked!

We made reservations at another guest house for Friday night because this one was overbooked.  This means we'd move house after the conference, then back again in the morning before leaving at 7:30am the next day.  BUT...it turns out we don't have to move after all (a room became open), so we gladly cancelled the reservation we just made!

My talk finally came together, so I'm set for the first day of the conference!

I love it when God makes a plan come together, (A-team style!)

Easter Trip Day 3: "Enemy of the State!"

OK.  Is it a plot, or what?  Our bankcard isn't working at the ATM machine...so, no money for taxi cabs.  (We tried 3 different machines throughout the day.  We think it's an internet problem...hopefully temporary.)

Result?  In the pouring rain with only a few minutes left on Dan's phone, we're stuck in the approaching nightfall at the university, which is about 5 or 6 km.   from where we're staying (and where the meal we're paying for is being served in 20 minutes.)

We are so grateful that Elton (our student/staff) stayed with us after showing us where the ATM machine was on campus, and then loaned us money for the cab to get us home.  Thank you, Elton!

Easter Trip Day 2: Preparing!

Amazing!  God choosing Kaylynn Mills to do 3 devotional talks in Papua New Guinea...to university students.  Choosing ME, the quiet girl, the one who could never think of what to say, who was never interested in travelling the world...

I have a feeling that God takes extra pleasure in using impossibly unlikely people.

We are in the midst of getting talks ready.  Our staff not only have their seminars to think about, but also getting their disciples who are also leading a couple of seminars ready as well.

Jasmine helping her girls

 

Lillian helping her disciple

 Don't forget to pray...especially for the little quiet girl inside a middle-aged body!

Easter trip (PNG) Day 1: Flying In!

Here we are on the road again.  

In the midst of the flurry of getting ready to leave, saying good-byes, cramming our suitcases (then weighing them and redistributing their innards), catching the shuttle at 3 a.m. to get to the airport and finally plopping in our seats on the plane...the thoughts cross my mind:

"Am I really suppose to be here?  Wouldn't someone else do a better job?  Do the clothes I'm bringing really go together into presentable outfits?"

Losing a nights' sleep doesn't help make a girl feel adequate...but God is big.  Even though I don't have all my talks put together (because I'm just now finding out about some of them), God knows what He's doing...and He's more than adequate.  And the biggest miracle:  He can make me adequate!

Here's a picture of one delightful moment on our lay-over in Sydney.  (I think a man bearing coffee in the midst of a busy, crowded airport...and who expects nothing of me but to sit in a comfortable chair and enjoy it...is one of the most attractive things in the world!)