Our Two Weeks of February in PNG Adventure: "Amazing!"

I just finished breakfast with 2 amazing people.

Person #1:  A young woman with long blond hair fit for a shampoo commercial, is waiting in town at our missionary guest house to meet her husband. They will then return to their village in the highlands.  She teaches all subjects at the high school, owns her own goats and chickens, and opened a medical clinic. ("Do you have medical training?" asked I.  "Oh no," said she.  "I just read a lot and ask a lot of questions.")  I think her husband opened a saw mill.  They are both involved in biblical literacy teaching.  She can't wait to get back to the village.

Her husband grew up in a PNG village as a missionary kid of Bible Translators.  The parents recruited the kids to help with the literacy work, and then had to leave before their translation was finished to take care of ailing parents.  This young woman seemed so at home with the culture, with the spiritual needs of the people, and had so much energy and enthusiasm!

Person #2:  A 65-year-old man who handed us his two workbook-sized bible studies...taking current hot topics from the newspaper and finding what the Bible says about it.

These topics range from chewing betelnut, to land wars, to polygamy, domestic violence, drugs, and more.  These books seem like an excellent resource for our students on campus.

After breakfast I returned to our room, feeling a little over-awed by the company I was keeping.  I opened my Bible and read again the story of Jesus telling Peter to let down his nets and the miracle of all those fish.  Peter's response was withdrawal because of the company he was in...and I could imagine his experience better.  If I felt the way I did around simple humans, how much more would I feel around God in human form doing miracles.  Jesus response was, "Don't be afraid..."

I guess the joy of walking with a miracle-working God and being around His people is that it's all about Him.  It doesn't matter if we have swishy hair, or can speak the language, or if we're a sort of pudgy grandmother.  The amazing thing is, that sinful as we are, He forgives us, loves us, and invites us along on a journey with Him.)