Matt and Rachel Clayton Just another weblog When one of the ladies here at the regional center looked out and saw a boat motoring back across the ocean there was some debate as to whether or not it was the missionary team. But when the regional chairman got a call from a local store owner down at the beach we praised God because we knew they had made it back safe.
About four weeks ago our friends and co-workers Brandon Buser and Thomas Depner, along with two other men from the regional center, got in a small motor boat and made the 38 mile voyage across the ocean to survey the two islands where the Wogeo live. When New Tribes Mission sends out a survey team they are checking the viability of starting a new church plant there. Brandon and Thomas went around the island walking from village to village to determine the condition of the Wogeo language and their response to the idea of missionaries coming to do a vernacular translation there.
Why are we writing about their survey trip in our update?
If a new church plant was started among the Wogeo by Brandon and Thomas there is some chance that we would eventually end up working there too. This would be one of the many viable ministry options the Lord could have for us here in the East Sepik Provence of Papua New Guinea. As our leadership evaluates the information gathered by the survey team their decision could have a profound impact on our future ministry here, as well as that of Brandon and Thomas. Please pray for wisdom for them and a clear vision of God’s leading in our lives. Please pray also for Brandon and Thomas as they will be leaving again shortly to survey another location more inland.
So what have we been doing?
We have been involved in full time language and culture study and are pleased to announce that it is going very well. Neither Rachel nor I can believe that we have been over here for two whole months now. It seems in some ways that it has been much longer. In our time so far we have been greatly encouraged by the relationships we have developed with many of the Papuan people and the progress we have made in our language and culture study. We are both now at the point were we can understand a lot of what is being said around us and can usually communicate our thoughts back, although it does require a good amount of effort and we are both a good ways from being fluent.
One of our good friends that we have made here is named Felix. He lives in a small beach camp which is a cluster of grass-roof huts along the shore. He and his fellow tribesmen come and stay there to take care of business in town. So far it has always been a pleasure to go down to this camp and talk with the people there. They are always reminding us that their “talk place”, or people group, is the “talk place” of the prime minister. They have graciously offered to take us back there, were I am told they will spit water on us (as a greeting) and poke us in the rear with sticks (no joke) then take me up to the man-house where only the men can go and there I can meet everyone and chew betalnut (a mild narcotic which stains the mouth and teeth red). I am not sure if I will get the chance to go or not, but we have made a few trips into and around town and I must say that I am very thankful that the Lord sent Felix to help us with the language. He takes a lot of pride in the fact that he gets to teach me Tok Pisin and has been an invaluable help.
We do very much appreciate all your prayers and support. Especially all of you who stuck by us and encouraged us when we were waiting for our paperwork and didn’t if we would EVER make it over here. We really covet your prayers and encouragement. Now that we have made it over here and have seen a bit with our own eyes all that the Lord is doing in Papua New Guinea we are more excited than ever to be a part of it.
