Although we are on furlough in California, the translation work that we have completed thus far continues to bear fruit in Papua New Guinea. A few weeks ago I (Adam) received news from my co-worker Nete Talian that he had been conducting more evangelistic outreaches in various places. During the week-long evangelistic outreaches, Nete preaches a different message each night from the Enga translation and also plays various films and recordings such as the Enga Jesus Film, the sorcery public service announcement that we recorded a couple of years ago, and films raising awareness about the problems of AIDS and tribal fighting.
Reporting on a recent outreach, Nete sent me the following message through Telegram: “I was running a week-long Evangelistic meeting at Yaramanda every morning and every night. 23 people accepted Jesus Christ as their personal Savior and went down into the water of baptism. They were baptized by Pastor Thomas Waion, pastor of my church in Rakamanda. At the same time I started the Enga Bible Literacy school. At the moment they are meeting two times per week. Every Tuesday and Thursday they have their Enga Bible Literacy School class.”
As you can see from the picture below, when Nete says that they “went down into the water of baptism,” he is not only talking about going under the water, but also about going down into the valley where there is a natural pool of water where people can be baptized.
Reporting on a recent outreach, Nete sent me the following message through Telegram: “I was running a week-long Evangelistic meeting at Yaramanda every morning and every night. 23 people accepted Jesus Christ as their personal Savior and went down into the water of baptism. They were baptized by Pastor Thomas Waion, pastor of my church in Rakamanda. At the same time I started the Enga Bible Literacy school. At the moment they are meeting two times per week. Every Tuesday and Thursday they have their Enga Bible Literacy School class.”
As you can see from the picture below, when Nete says that they “went down into the water of baptism,” he is not only talking about going under the water, but also about going down into the valley where there is a natural pool of water where people can be baptized.
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| Baptisms in the village of Yaramanda |
When Nete conducts these outreaches, he preaches from our Enga translation, and it speaks directly to the hearts of the people. Join with us in praising the Lord for the fruit we are seeing from our translation work. And please pray for Nete as he tirelessly works on the translation, while also conducting outreaches and starting literacy programs in various churches throughout the province. Pray that many more will be baptized and learn how to read in the coming years.
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| A new convert being baptized |
Translation Progress
Even though we are on furlough, I (Adam) continue to work daily on the Enga New Testament. Because we are far along in the translation, we qualify for remote consultant checking, which means that a consultant can review our translation from afar and make suggestions and recommendations. I am still responsible for doing a face-to-face check when we return to Papua New Guinea, but this process opens up many more options for us to complete the checking process. It also allows for me to work with a consultant even while we are in America, which is a great benefit. We have just completed the remote check of Romans, and we will continue with more of the Pauline epistles in the coming weeks and months. As I read the consultant’s notes, I write notes to the translation team in Papua New Guinea. They in turn respond to my notes, and I respond to the consultant again. Praise the Lord for technology that connects us, even overseas!
Return to PNG
With all of the uncertainty surrounding the Coronavirus, our plans to return to Papua New Guinea are up in the air. Our desire is to return the first week of August once Wycliffe’s international travel restrictions expire. But there are other obstacles standing in our way. Please pray that our visas will be approved quickly, so that our return date is not hindered. Pray also that we will be able to find flights that will not be canceled. Some of our friends have had multiple flights canceled in their efforts to return from PNG to America. Pray also that we can navigate all of the restrictions on international travel in PNG and Australia (which we will probably fly through), as requirements change rapidly. Pray also that members of our organization will be granted permission to quarantine at our home in Ukarumpa rather than at a government-approved hotel in Port Moresby. We do not want to be locked in a hotel room in Port Moresby for two weeks as it would be very expensive. Not only that, but it would be hard for the five of us to basically be locked in a hotel room for two weeks. With all of the uncertainty, we struggle a bit to be at peace in our daily lives. The missionary life is already one that is full of transition and uncertainty, and it is difficult to add to that the further uncertainty brought about by the Coronavirus. Pray that God’s peace would reign in our hearts, and that we would be content no matter what the circumstances.
Even though we are on furlough, I (Adam) continue to work daily on the Enga New Testament. Because we are far along in the translation, we qualify for remote consultant checking, which means that a consultant can review our translation from afar and make suggestions and recommendations. I am still responsible for doing a face-to-face check when we return to Papua New Guinea, but this process opens up many more options for us to complete the checking process. It also allows for me to work with a consultant even while we are in America, which is a great benefit. We have just completed the remote check of Romans, and we will continue with more of the Pauline epistles in the coming weeks and months. As I read the consultant’s notes, I write notes to the translation team in Papua New Guinea. They in turn respond to my notes, and I respond to the consultant again. Praise the Lord for technology that connects us, even overseas!
Return to PNG
With all of the uncertainty surrounding the Coronavirus, our plans to return to Papua New Guinea are up in the air. Our desire is to return the first week of August once Wycliffe’s international travel restrictions expire. But there are other obstacles standing in our way. Please pray that our visas will be approved quickly, so that our return date is not hindered. Pray also that we will be able to find flights that will not be canceled. Some of our friends have had multiple flights canceled in their efforts to return from PNG to America. Pray also that we can navigate all of the restrictions on international travel in PNG and Australia (which we will probably fly through), as requirements change rapidly. Pray also that members of our organization will be granted permission to quarantine at our home in Ukarumpa rather than at a government-approved hotel in Port Moresby. We do not want to be locked in a hotel room in Port Moresby for two weeks as it would be very expensive. Not only that, but it would be hard for the five of us to basically be locked in a hotel room for two weeks. With all of the uncertainty, we struggle a bit to be at peace in our daily lives. The missionary life is already one that is full of transition and uncertainty, and it is difficult to add to that the further uncertainty brought about by the Coronavirus. Pray that God’s peace would reign in our hearts, and that we would be content no matter what the circumstances.
