Enga NT Distribution

During our trip to Enga in March, we were able to spend a few days distributing the Enga New Testament. Joined by Sam Nutter (a mechanic with a vision for Scripture distribution), Malon Kenas (Distribution Coordinator), and Stanley Piokol (PNG Bible Translation Association Assistant Area Program Manager for the Highlands), we targeted churches in eastern Enga Province. We had not previously done much awareness in this part of the province. So we drove as far east as we could while still remaining in Enga Province and went from village to village, visiting every church we could find. We gave the pastor of each church a copy of the Enga-English New Testament along with the Enga New Testament audio Bible.

Giving a local pastor the Enga-English New Testament and audio

As we made our way from church to church, the pastors were grateful to receive the Enga Scriptures. We showed some pastors how to download the Enga Bible app, Enga Library app, and Enga Dictionary app from the Google play store, and we stopped in a couple of market areas to raise awareness for the Enga New Testament and make some sales. As we went along, we told the pastors that they could purchase additional copies at a particular Chinese-owned store in Wapenamanda. We did this in faith, because we hadn't actually been to the shop yet or asked the store owner if we could sell Enga New Testaments there. When we finally went to the store, the owner at first refused to sell them. But after Sam Nutter reminded him that it was an opportunity to make money, he told us that he would stock them but would only pay for them after they sold. We quickly agreed to this arrangement and stocked his store with some Enga New Testaments. In Wabag town, we had a better reception. Last summer Martha had sold a carton of Enga-English New Testaments to a Chinese-owned store where we often shop. When she went back to check on whether the New Testaments had sold, she discovered that they were sold out. The owner then bought five cartons of Enga New Testaments and five cartons of Enga-English New Testaments (160 in total). We were able to get the Enga Scriptures into a few other stores as well.

The store in Wabag town that bought 10 cartons of Enga New Testaments

After distributing Enga New Testaments in eastern Enga Province and in Wabag town, we set up a tent to do open air preaching in Wabag. Malon shared about the importance of Scripture, while I shared my testimony in Enga. I'm always thankful for an opportunity to share about how God has transformed my life, and a foreigner speaking Enga is always a draw for people to come listen. We were able to display the Enga Scriptures, which some people bought right then and there.

Malon sharing about the importance of Scripture in Wabag town

While we only had a few days to focus on distribution, it inspired me to somehow visit all of the churches in Enga Province so that we can give pastors a free copy in print and audio formats. This is a difficult task, and I am not quite sure how it could be fulfilled. Will you please pray with us for God to work beyond what Martha and I alone are capable of to see the Enga New Testament distributed far and wide throughout Enga Province? As always, we thank you for your support, as we could not do this without your partnership.

Bella is going to Taylor University!
Bella will be enrolling at Taylor University in Upland, Indiana, this fall to study Elementary Education. Taylor was Bella's first choice, so we are excited that she gets to go there. Please pray for her as she says goodbye to her friends and her home in Papua New Guinea, and transitions to life in the United States.

Trauma Healing

In March a Scripture Use team went with us to Enga Province to put on a two-week Trauma Healing workshop. (We made it there and back safely. Thank you for your prayers!) Most people in Enga have experienced significant trauma due to tribal fighting, domestic violence, crime, substance abuse, disease, and/or other problems. The Trauma Healing Workshop takes people through multiple steps to bring their pain to the cross and find healing. At each step along the way, the participants listen to stories from Scripture along with stories from everyday life. They then answer questions about the stories, learning various strategies for dealing with trauma as well as strategies that don't work (such as pushing the pain down deep inside). As they go through each step, they always consider the question, Where was God?

The Enga Trauma Healing workshop participants

All the participants were given a copy of the Enga New Testament. Every day there were opportunities for the participants to practice reading Scripture in Enga. Longer portions were played from the audio recording of the Enga New Testament, while shorter portions were read by the participants themselves. As the course progressed and people got more and more practice, they became more comfortable with reading Scripture in their own language and discovering how the teachings of Jesus show us the road for experiencing healing from the trauma we have experienced in our lives.

Two participants reading the Enga New Testament during the workshop

To make the teaching come alive, the course leaders (most of whom were trained Papua New Guineans from other parts of the country) had the participants act out what they were learning in dramas. This really caught the attention of the participants and helped them understand the principles they were learning at a deeper level. One drama illustrated the importance of forgiveness by having a man tied up to another man who had hurt him and who he had not yet forgiven. The drama showed that, when you have not forgiven someone who has hurt you, you take them with you wherever you go because the anger and bitterness you carry is always with you. When he finally forgave the other man at the foot of the cross, the rope was untied and he was set free from the anger and bitterness that followed him wherever he went.

Drama about forgiveness setting us free from anger and bitterness

The workshop culminated with participants writing down their deep hurts and pains, putting them in a box, and then burning the box at the foot of the cross. On the day we wrote down our hurts and pains on pieces of paper and put them in the box, one older man named Mark shared a dream he had had the prior night. In the dream, a voice was telling him to "give the paper." Not knowing what this meant, he woke up one of his grandchildren to ask him if he needed paper for school. It was only when he came to the workshop the next day that he realized the voice in the dream was preparing him to give (that is, put) the paper containing his hurts and pains into the box so that it could be burned at the foot of the cross.

Mark with our friend and coworker Stanley

After everyone put their papers in the cardboard box, we all began worshiping the Lord by singing a song in Enga about bringing our worries and pains to Jesus. As we worshiped, we slowly walked out to a grassy area outside the church and got into a large circle. The cardboard box was placed at the foot of the cross and it was set on fire, burning up our hurts and pains as we gave them over to Jesus. As I (Adam) looked around, I saw many people getting teary-eyed as the significance of the moment overwhelmed them and they began to experience healing and freedom. God not only healed people from the wounds of trauma but also delivered people from sin. A member of the hosting church who had secretly been practicing witchcraft confessed his sin to the pastor, who then went with him to bury all the items he had been using to practice witchcraft.

The content of the workshop was completed in the first week, but most people returned for the second week to learn how to conduct the Trauma Healing workshop in their own communities. Four men were in attendance from Mulitaka, where the landslide had wiped out a community in 2024, making international news. What a blessing it was to see people applying the truth of Scripture, experiencing healing, and learning how to help others experience it as well. Thank you for your partnership with us in this work, which makes workshops like this possible.