Tradition or Truth?

Unex, my new language helper

The mountain clouds began to roll in as Unex and I hiked to his pig house, just a short jungle walk from his house. Unex, a new language helper of mine (remember I was having trouble keeping language helpers?) has really turned out to be a great source for learning the Tobo language. As we got to his pig house we sat for a bit and chatted before we went to repair the pig fence that separates his pigs from his sweet potato & cabbage gardens. While we were working I was able to use some language as well as elicit new things that I hadn’t learned yet. It turned out to be a profitable time for both of us. After a couple of hours it was time to head back. As we walked back to my house I asked Unex if he followed the beliefs of some of the other religious organizations that work here. (The other religious organizations here in Tobo do not preach the true Gospel of grace but instead they teach works as a means of righteousness.) He said; “my father was really involved in one of the other organizations here but now he’s dead. I’m really not involved in that organization but I feel if I go to another place to hear the teaching then I would be disrespecting him and my family and I can’t do that.” I thought about that then asked him; “do you think it’s better to follow after man and tradition or to seek the truth of God’s word and follow that?” He didn’t say much. After I got home I thought about what he had said and even though the truth of God’s Word is so close to these people- I mean all they need to do is simply come and hear it- It is a choice that they need to make. Satan still holds on to these people with everything he’s got, deceiving them into following after silly traditions, loyalties, and the works of man as a means of righteousness. It’s such a sad thing to trade eternal separation from God for the respect of your family, however we know that we serve a God who does incredible things in the lives of His people. And we know the Lord is not finished with His work in the lives of the Tobo people- people like Unex who are still in need of the grace of Jesus Christ. Would you please begin to pray for Unex and his family that the Lord would allow me to continue to develop a good relationship with them that will ultimately lead to their salvation? Your prayers continue to play a vital part in what God is doing here in Tobo.

Your hands & feet,
Jason, Nisae, Kadynn, Judah & Eden

Answered Prayer

Jason with his language helper, Siwala & language consultant Andrew Murray

We’ve seen the Lord at work since we sent out our last update encouraging us by answering our prayers. Many of you have also been an encouragement to us by writing to assure us of your prayers & support. Thanks for reaching out to us!! Thanks for understanding our hardships and being there for us, standing with us to witness the power & sufficiency of God.

The same day we sent out our last update, we got an update from the Mankins, our partners who are waiting to return to the tribe. They finally got word on their paperwork and will be leaving the States Monday night (your time)!! Praise the Lord we won’t be alone for too much longer over here. Thanks for praying!! Please keep them in your prayers as they’ll be traveling with a 3 year old & 7 month old across the globe.

Jason & I survived our language evaluations, and we were very encouraged with the outcome. There are 3 stages in learning language and Jason is right in the middle of the 2nd stage. I think that’s pretty impressive only having studied the language for 4 months!! I’m pretty far behind him, but I was able to get some great advice & encouragement to keep going despite homeschooling & other responsibilities. Thanks for thinking & praying for us!

We also thank the Lord that our other partners (the Knapps) are doing ok despite many health concerns. Jason (Knapp) had surgery done on his heart last week and it was a success. This week Kellie will need to go in and get some skin cancer removed off of her arm. Please continue to pray for their family.

We are also seeing the Lord provide for our computer! What great proof that we serve an all-knowing, caring God. Thanks for sticking with us, you’re a great team that the Lord is using to root us on & keep us over here among the Tobo people!

Your revived hands & feet,
Jason & Nisae, Kadynn, Judah & Eden

Learning Contentment

“I know how to get along with humble means, and I also know how to live in prosperity; in any and every circumstance I have learned the secret of being filled and going hungry, both of having abundance and suffering need. I can do all things through Him who strengthens me. “ Philippians 4 12-13

Unlike the Apostle Paul, we have not mastered the state of being content. We are however in the process of learning to be content in our circumstances!! It has not been an easy month for us as a family here in Tobo. We have had one set of partners go home for furlough May 1st (The Knapps) and we have not yet had our other partners (The Mankins) return from furlough because of paperwork. We never planned on having to be alone here in the tribe, but it’s the circumstance that we find ourselves in now which the Lord has allowed- obviously to draw us closer to Himself and to teach us a few things about being content! The weather has not been the best lately. We are coming up on rainy season and we are beginning to experience those colder temperatures & rainier days and nights that our partners have warned us about. We’ve gotten some good use out of our wood stove lately and we’ve had to pull out some of those rainy day surprises for the kids as well! In addition to these things we’ve all been sick. Jason came down with Malaria again and we’ve all had the flu on and off. I think we’re all back on our feet now, but it was not fun. Our financial support has also been down quite a bit for the last few months which affects our food supply & flight frequency, and then Jason’s computer went kaput! Please believe me when I say that I could go on and on about all of the negative things that come to my mind right now about our circumstances. It’s not easy to live here in the bush at times like these! When we are so isolated and the only white people around for hundreds & hundreds of miles only accessible by aircraft, we begin to see that we are NOT in control!! HOWEVER, what an invaluable lesson in God’s sovereignty and available strength that we are learning!!

No doubt the Lord has allowed these hardships to cause us to put our focus on Him. We can relate more now than ever to some of the hardships that Paul faced on some of his missionary journeys. He went through more than we ever hope to go through, but these circumstances caused Him to focus on the Lord and the strength that is available through Him to not only face these conditions but triumph over them. Through our present circumstances we are privileged to see the Lord’s strength seeing us through and bringing us joy in spite of everything. It’s a daily- ok, minute by minute- choice of having to train our minds to think on the things that are true, lovely & praiseworthy (Phil 4:8) - things that are positive, rather than everything that is negative. We have had to choose to pray with thanksgiving, rather than to worry about our present circumstances (Phil 4:6). And doing these things has brought us God’s promise of experiencing His peace which has guarded our hearts and minds in Christ (instead of on our circumstances!). (Phil 4:7) We praise the Lord for His Word and the promises throughout!

Please be in prayer with us over the following things:
•That the Mankins would receive quickly their long awaited paperwork from the PNG government and be on their way here soon!
•For the Knapps as they have received some discouraging health news since returning to the States
•That the Lord would burden more people’s hearts to get involved financially in our ministry and through that see our needs met for a new computer.
•For good health and endurance to continue on in language study
•For a strong mental focus on the Lord through whatever circumstances we find ourselves in

This Tuesday we have our first language evaluation to help us see where we’re at in the language and to help with problems we’ve been facing. Please pray for a smooth time throughout the evaluation, and that we would be encouraged when it’s over.

Thanks for standing with us through it all and encouraging us along the way!
Your sometimes weary but being strengthened hands & feet,
Jason & Nisae, Kadynn, Judah & Eden