"Trust is not a passive state of mind. It is a vigorous act of the soul by which we choose to lay hold on the promises of God and cling to”
Just a few changes have taken place since our last update concerning our planned trip to Australia for a medical checkup. Our first attempt at getting a medical visa failed due to the fact an x-ray technician did not fill his part out on the form. When all of our paper work arrived in Port Moresby and our government rep took it to the radiologist to read he did not get past the front desk. So we had to begin again, get more passport pictures taken, go back to the Madang hospital both get another chest x-ray. We then took them to an Australian doctor in Madang who has the ability to sign off on them. Ace was applying for a visa too for he needed a heart checkup. This is where a big change came, one God was totally in control of. There is a spot on Ace’s chest x-ray that he says is “worrisome. His suggestion was to get the radiologist in Port Moresby to look at it and compare it to another x-ray taken about 9 months ago. We are telling you all these details so you will get a clear picture of our decision to come home as soon as we can wrap things up here, which should take 4-6 weeks.
What is interesting to me is that a few days before all this took place. I (Betty) and another lady were discussion some of Ace heart issues and she said Betty God may be using your health issue just to reveal something more serious going on in Ace health. Her words rang loud and clear as I stood there and listened to the doctor telling Ace these things. I believe God was giving me a heads up as to what was to come.
Of course we are holding onto a thread of hope that we can return to PNG in the future so pray with as we return to the states to get a medical checkup.
In His Service Ace and Betty Draper
Along with our health update we want to give you a couple of tribal updates that help us keep our focus on something beside our health.
What a privilege it is to be part of a team reaching these people. Thank you for being a part of our ministry here in PNG.
Tribal Updates
Dinangat by Gary & Esther Smith
Praise God! God is building His church! Since the lesson on Jesus dying on the cross for sinners, we have heard person after person praising and thanking God for doing such an incredible thing on their behalf. One by one people here are being added to the family of God! Before the teaching there was nothing but confusion, unrest, and doubt. But now people drop their heads in amazement as they realize what God did for them, and they just keep saying, “Kulom, kulom sinik,” which means, “Thank you, thank you so much.” It’s such a joy to see them being transferred from the kingdom of death into the kingdom of God! We haven’t had the chance to visit everyone yet; but as we were teaching the truth of the gospel, there were big smiles all over the crowd and people nodding their heads. Here’s the kinds of things that we are hearing:
Peso: Before I was in Satan’s family, but now we know that Jesus died for our sins. I know I can't do anything to be put in Gods family, only by belief in what Jesus did, only He can save us.
Maangit: Jesus took my place and died for my sin.
Takido "Before you all came to us we were living in sin and were going to die and go to hell. But now we understand that God sent Jesus to die for our sin so that we can be saved. That's what I think is true. God is true."
And there are many more like this. God is being praised and glorified here as He creates something new. He is adding to the universal church and being faithful to the promise He made so many years ago when Jesus said, “I will build my church.”Thank you so very much for fighting this battle with us on your knees, and rejoice with us (and the angels!) that God is winning the victory!
Inapang By Bill & Kelley Housley
Today, after the teaching Gumentige said that he was going to burn his idol that represented his clan in front of everyone’s eyes. Another man then stood up and said, “Once you men have seen him, you be strong and mark your own day to do the same.” So, they all walked down to the river where a big pile of firewood had been prepared. I guess someone had thrown some kerosene on it too because they threw the match and a huge fire came up. After a couple of stirring speeches and after throwing the idol on the ground and asking it to get up and save itself, they took it and threw it in the fire as the women and children of the community looked on. We have never asked them to do these things. We don’t even know who has them in their homes. It is just the work of the Holy Spirit in their lives that shares the same heart beat as the words that Isaiah wrote so many years ago about the foolishness of worshipping things made with human hands. There are a few older men and women who aren’t sure about taking it this far as to burn everything from the past, so PLEASE be in prayer for these few who have stepped out in faith and ask for the Lord’s Blessing on their lives for their obedience to Him and His Word and for proclaiming his power to the whole community.
We are seriously week by week in awe of how great God is. We are all often humbled by our tribal friends here. They hear God’s Word and they seek to apply it to their lives just like a child takes advice from a Father. We in the West like to study, introspect, analyze, and debate which is all good, but may we never lose completely that child-like faith that wants to do whatever the Father asks…no matter what the cost – no matter how radical it may sound to our culture and community. Their child-like faith always leaves us asking…What does He want ME to do today?
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