NEWS

 E-mail This Page 
 Printable Format 
 Feedback 

Daily Scripture
 
"Your righteousness is like the great mountains; Your judgements are a great deep; O Lord, You preserve man and beast."

Psalm 36:6

GOD'S WORK AMONG ABAUS CLEAR

Bill saying good-bye to his Abau friends.

August 21, 2008

by Christina Johnson

In July, the Michaud family returned to the Abau people in Papua New Guinea, and they saw God's work in the lives of the Abaus.

"We thank the Lord for allowing us to be able to go back to visit our friends," Karen Michaud wrote. "Many … are now brothers and sisters in Christ."

Karen and her husband, Bill, were excited to be able to participate in the Abaus' Sunday morning worship service. More than 100 people squeezed into the meeting house and from their sitting places on the floor, shared testimonies, prayer requests and rejoiced in singing praises to God.

Bill was asked to speak during the service. "[He] shared the example of the … man that had been born blind so that God's work could become known through him," Karen wrote.

Bill chose this example in response to the questions from the Abau people, who asked why God let him get sick so that the Michauds could not live with the Abaus anymore.

"Sometimes we can't see exactly why some things happen, but we can rest in the fact that God wants to make Himself known to others through our lives and the things that happen to us," Karen wrote.

While the Michauds have seen incredible growth among the Abaus, they are still waiting for the hearts of the non-believers to change. Two of Bill's former language helpers, Titus and Morris, are non-believers. "They are still lost in darkness," Karen wrote.

Although their time was limited, the Michauds remain optimistic and steadfast in the belief that God is doing great things through the Abau people and through the Tertel, Luyendyk and Cratch families, who continue to teach, disciple and translate God's Word.

"Each time we have left the Abau people, we did not know if we would see them again," Karen wrote. "As we were saying our goodbyes this time, we were able to say to … our friends: 'If we do not see you again on Earth, we know that we will see you in Heaven.'"

Please pray that God will continue to move through the Abau tribe and change the hearts of people like Titus and Morris. Also pray for the missionaries that are there, doing His work and that they will be living examples of His love, grace and mercy.