WEWAK, Papua New Guinea: With peace restored to the Hewa community, missionaries Jonathan and Susan Kopf and Keith and Angie Copley are now able to focus on discipleship and translation.
"The last three weeks in Hewa have been tremendous!" wrote Jonathan.
During a period of turmoil, when the Hewas and Paielans were involved in tribal fighting and killing, the missionaries were evacuated twice.
"Since that terrible time," wrote Jonathan, "we have been asking the Lord for His wisdom to try to address the root of this issue with the new believers as well as the unbelievers in our tribe. Recently we received some glimmers of hope that the Lord is at work in the middle of this terrible tragedy."
Jonathan was discussing the seriousness of the situation with one of the most faithful young believers, Yanis, telling him that even the men involved in murder could turn to the Lord for forgiveness and a relationship with Him.
"Oh, but I think it is already starting to happen." Yanis said.
Jonathan asked him to elaborate and Yanis began to tell how one of the ringleaders of the murderous rampages, Kalafu, has been asking Yanis and other believers questions about the Lord.
Later, Jonathan found Kalafu and talked to him about his need to turn from his old ways to the Lord. He told him that God would forgive him and wash away the debt for his sins through the payment that Jesus made on the cross.
In March, Kalafu said that he didn't want to hear Bible teaching, but his answer this time revealed that he has been coming under conviction.
"Yes," Kalafu replied, "I know now that I did a really terrible thing. Before I used to think that it was the Paielans that were really bad people, but now I know that we Hewa people are bad too. We break God's laws all day long. Don't let any one else tell you that it's just the Paielans that are wrong, we also continually do wrong things."
"Please continue to pray for Kalafu and the others that participated in these murderous raids, that they would turn to the Lord for forgiveness and a relationship with Him, and that they would turn the Hewa world upside down, witnessing of His love and grace," wrote Jonathan.
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