Follow our adventures working with people from Papua New Guinea and the other Pacific Islands (God is raising up Pacific Island people to reach all of the Pacific with the Gospel). We have 5 national missionaries in PNG and DAN & KAYLYNN visit there from New Zealand up to 6 times per year. What a privilege it is to be used by God to help reach people that we love! [Enter your email address below to receive emails of each post]
Friday, June 7, 2019
Goroka Mission Project Jun-19 "It's actually happening!"
Tanya & Beautlyn (2 of our staff) went ahead 2 days ago, which was good because the University of Goroka student services were thinking we were coming on July. PNG, "The Land of the unexpected" 😁 Everything is good now. I'm flying up there this morning with Seraphim and Florida (2 other staff) - see below for our photo.
Elidah (another staff) will be flying up this afternoon with all of the students.
Thanks for praying! I'll post a photo of us all from Goroka today or tomorrow.
Monday, June 3, 2019
Goroka Mission trip Jun-19 - "A grand adventure"
Good Morning! I'm writing this while I sit in the plane (they must be doing paperwork 😉) . I'm headed to Papua New Guinea for the next 15 days, and I would welcome your prayers! This Friday (on the 7th), we are taking 10 students up to the highlands on a mission project for 8 days.
Please pray that God would:
•Significantly work in the student's lives to help them to become multipliers (disciple makers) on campus when we return.
•Keep us all safe and use us mightily in the lives of those in Goroka
•Give me the Wisdom, the Words, and the Wit while I'm here.
•Help me to keep my focus on Jesus and allow Him to use me any way He wants.
•Take care of Kaylynn at home in New Zealand while I’m gone.
Thanks so much for praying!
Dan
Sunday, April 28, 2019
PNG Easter Conference Trip: "Dark and Light!"
We heard gunshots not too far away today.
I don't know why evil surprises me, but it does. After all, we're living in the domain of darkness where Satan rules.
When confronted with darkness, all those verses about "light" in the Bible thrill my soul. Col. 1:12-13 - We share in the inheritance of the saints in light. We're transferred from the domain of darkness to the kingdom of His beloved Son. Jn. 8:12 "...I am the light of the world; he who follows Me shall not walk in the darkness, but shall have the light of life."
Then another favorite verse: "You are from God, little children, and have overcome them; because greater is He who is in you then he who is in the world." (1 Jn. 4:4) I like this verse. I like being called a little child and being reassured that God is bigger than the evil one. Sometimes in the madness, that fact helps me not depair. It gives me confidence that we're in the right job.
Friday, April 26, 2019
PNG Easter Conference Trip: "Trained Fingers!"
I had just been reading Psalm 144:1..."Blessed be the LORD, my rock, who trains my hands for war, and my fingers for battle." Our friend said that he was involved in theatre work many years ago and learned to have a stage presence. When he found himself at the podium in an Asian country, scared to death, speaking on the things of God, that former training came in handy.
It made me look back at my life and see experiences that maybe I didn't appreciate at the time, really helped develop me to be able to do what we do now. Who would have thought that having a flatmate who cooked rice all the time at OSU would prepare me to live with Hawaiian housemates, then life in Micronesia. Who would have thought that the uncomfortable position of being the only white female on a summer mission project in inner-city Detroit during my university years (a highly unusual and exceptional situation), was a foretaste of life in the islands. The list goes on.
Only God could take an extremely quiet little girl who didn't like to venture off on her own, and turn her into a missionary to other cultures. It gives me hope. God can easily do the impossible. He HAS done it, and will continue to reign magnificently over His children, growing us up.
I wonder what is happening now that will be my training for the future!
Thursday, April 25, 2019
PNG Easter Conference Trip : "A Step Back!"
I decided today that I need to take an emotional step back and just enjoy walking with God today. It's so easy to get caught up in what we're suppose to accomplish on these trips (a seemingly impossible list of tasks to perform) when, bottom line, if our staff are experiencing joy in walking with God and encouraging others to do the same, everything will be alright. I best be an example of that.
I need to enjoy walking with God, not comparing myself to the other missionaries at this guest house. (It feels as though others have their act together and understand the culture here more than me.)
I need to enjoy walking with God with wonder in my heart at what He wants me to do, and what He wants me to discover. By nature, I'm the sort of person who likes things clear cut and achievable...but there's nothing "by the book" in PNG. And, I'm in a job that works with people...also not a "by the book" type of thing. When under stress I need to remind myself to relax my grip on trying to force circumstances around me. Look up, Kaylynn. God isn't worried. He's holding my hand. Enjoy the walk!
Monday, April 22, 2019
PNG Easter Conference Trip: The Big Weekend: "Unlikely people!"
For the last few years, this devotional spot has been my responsibility in PNG. This year, however, it was harder to get my thoughts organized than ever before. (I don't know if it was a result of spiritual warfare or a virus I've been fighting.) However, after breaking the ice on Friday, Saturday and Sunday went better.
I learn quite a bit doing this. I try to share what God's been teaching me, and by trying to explain it to someone else, the lesson gets crystallized in my heart.
I've recently realized that maybe in exchanging my own outlook to God's outlook, I hit the same bumps as when adjusting to a new culture. The kingdom of heaven that Jesus talked about presented many new and radical concepts to his listeners. Anyway, I gave my talks and got to use some of my MANY cultural mishaps as illustrations. (See...there's a purpose for even the most humiliating and silly times!)
The conference, of course, was full of teaching and training and experiences beyond my small role. Dan and I just went through the evaluation forms. It looks like 12 students became believers...and a further 28 people in the community came to Christ during our afternoon of witnessing in the nearby street market. This was the first time many of our students had shared their faith. They were just been newly trained, and some had just become Christians themselves. God can use anybody...and it just blows my mind!
Look who's talkin'! |
Here's a short google video of our day of witnessing. (Let me know if it doesn't work...I'll let Dan figure something out! (tee hee)
Wednesday, March 27, 2019
Twelve Days of PNG - Day 12 and beyond: "The Reveal!"
...BUT...many new students DID show up, along with returning students, alumni, and our staff. We were able to explain our ministry and invite everyone to be a part of our student movement of winning students to Christ, building them in their faith, training them in ministry skills, and then sending them out to win-build-train-and send others. A testimony was given, food was eaten, and questions were answered.
Saturday, March 16, 2019
Twelve Days of PNG - Day 11: "Getting Ready!"
We've purchased the sausages and onions for the BBQ, and our music group is practicing. Phone calls have been made to students who indicated an interest during their orientation day. Alumni volunteers are helping, permission from the university security has been given, and decorating is still to come.
Calling 1st year students |
Calling 1st year students |
Calling 1st year students for Alpha Party |
Twelve Days of PNG - Day 10: "Rain!"
In rain like this, driving can be a bit of a challenge. Portions of the road are flooded and it's hard to tell where the deepest potholes are...and some potholes are doozies! We hit a particularly deep one and whacked the underside of the van pretty hard, but I think we escaped without noticeable damage. We were driving to the airport to pick up Elidah, our fellow staff member, who was flying into town from her village. We found a parking place not far from a covered walkway...and WAITED.
Elidah texted that here flight was delayed. We (3 staff girls and ourselves) waited in a steamy van because the chances of finding a seat inside the domestic terminal in this downpour were slim to none. We flick on the air con every so often.
Elidah finally arrived and told us her airplane had overshot the runway (visibility?) and she looked out the window of the plane and saw that it was practically on top of the houses below. The plane circled again and they landed safely. We got her squared away inside the van only to discover that the van's battery was dead. (We had mistakenly left the lights on after using them to see through the storm's gloom.) A kind man gave us a jump start (a very wet endeavor, involving many tries and two different jumper cables). We thanked him and gave him Jesus Film DVDs. Oh, well. At least the girls now know what to do if this should happen to them.
I'm so thankful for a van (and not having to get wet waiting for a taxi), and kind people, and safe girls, and to be back at our guest house, eating a hot meal cooked by someone else. What an adventure!
Thursday, March 14, 2019
Twelve Days of PNG - Day 9: Psalm 37
Our PNG ministry has a partnership with our ministry in Australia where they send missionaries and students from time to time to PNG to help our staff & students on campus. I've been writing back and forth this week with the person in charge trying to sort out a few issues and we were having trouble understanding each other. We also were hoping that they would be able to send a team to PNG in July (which we despirately need).
As I reread Psalm 37, God reminded me that this is His ministry and He'll bring the help we need either from Australia or from somewhere else. And He reminded me that He will use me as needed (any way He wants). I confessed my fretfulness and focused on God who is in control.
I then had a great call with these 2 Aussie men and we all understood each other and the partnership is still going on.
Wednesday, March 13, 2019
Twelve Days of PNG - Day 8: "Be of Good Cheer!"
John 16:33 says, "These things I have spoken unto you that in me you might have peace. In the world you will have tribulation, but be of good cheer, for I have overcome the world." I can type this verse from memory because of a chorus someone taught me. I read the verse this morning, and I'm still singing the song.
I like this verse because life is stressful. It's a given. I shouldn't be surprised by it...but mostly, I shouldn't be disheartened by it. I can be cheerful if I'm looking at Jesus, knowing He's not stressed out and has it in control. Imagine what the world would look like if every Christian you knew was cheerful in spite of circumstances. Maybe if I sing this song enough I'll transform from an Eeyore to a Tigger!
Tuesday, March 12, 2019
Twelve Days of PNG - Day 7: "A Blast From the Past!"
Surprise! The man sitting with us at the breakfast table this morning went to a Bible college in my hometown. He knew my high school and the street where I grew up. Here, in PNG, was this man who preached occasionally at a church Dan and I spoke in once during our furlough. What are the odds?
He also said he worked at Senn's Dairy at one point in time. Senn's sold bottled milk right down the street from my high school. The store was one which had a "drive-thru." The customer ordered milk and a young man delivered it to your car. It was run by a Christian man, and at one time the workers were ultra-conservative. I have no idea when our breakfast companion worked there, but it brought back a memory that made me laugh.
I was riding in the car with my girlfriend when we were teens, getting milk. My friend has a definite sense of mischief and she turned up the "rock" music station on her car radio, then rolled down her window...knowing that it would make our delivery boy a bit uncomfortable. Truth be told, as a girl who avoided conflict, it made me a bit uncomfortable as well.
I thought to myself, "You've come a long way, baby!" I think it's safe to say that working in other cultures, I've had occasion to unintentionally ruffle feathers!
Twelve Days of PNG - Day 6: "A Hard Day at the Office!"
Having to bring up hard topics with someone isn't comfortable, and hearing hard topics isn't comfortable. Moving forward from a hard place isn't always comfortable. BUT...There is comfort, there is peace, and there is joy to be found in running to Jesus in our discomfort. Eventually there's a bend in the road and the path eases.
But, at the end of the day, we're tired after a hard day at the office.
Monday, March 11, 2019
Twelve Days of PNG - Day 5: "Big Footprints!"
Dan and Alex |
Sunday, March 10, 2019
Twelve Days of PNG - Day 4: "A New Look!"
This year's ministry on campus is going to have a different look. While the staff are working on finding ministry partners during the first part of this semester, we're considering ways to keep the ministry going on campus. We've been hearing that some of our alumni (students who we've trained in the past and who now have jobs in the area) have indicated a desire to maybe lead a discipleship group on campus. We're thinking God is moving to give our ministry a new look this year. Our goal is to keep the students focused on Jesus and the Great Commission...so while the look may be new, the focus will remain the same. (I wonder how it will all come together, but as long as MY focus is secure, maybe my fear of the unknown will be conquered.)
Saturday, March 9, 2019
Twelve Days of PNG - Day 3: "Sweet Meets!"
At dinner we talked with the woman running our guest house. We found out she is in the middle of writing a couple of musicals and is entering one of them in a competition in Australia (where she is from.) It's about the "flying doctor," who started a medical mission to reach people who were so remote in Australia that they couldn't get medical care back in the day. Who'd imagine I meet such a person in Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea!
Friday, March 8, 2019
Twelve Days of PNG - Day 2: "It's the little things!"
We spent the morning with our PNG team for a time of singing, devotions and outlining the schedule for the next few days. It's sure good to be with these beautiful people. On top of that, Beautlyn had a computer charge cord that fits my computer and she let me take it home! I'm all charged up!
We decided to take each member of our PNG team to lunch each day. Tanya was brave enough to go first. It was good to hear what's going on in her life and what she's learning and what she's trusting God for this year. God is growing her! These are things that we don't find out over a group phone call from New Zealand.
Thursday, March 7, 2019
Twelve Days of PNG - Day 1: "First Egg!"
But...in spite of a day of traveling and very little sleep and forgetful brains, here we are with the privilege of a front-row seat to see what God will do!
In Brisbane, waiting for our connecting flight to PNG |