# Back in-country and checking on our interior house



## Pergamum (Feb 8, 2010)

Hello,

We are back on the coast of P Province now now. 

We got here 2 weeks ago and I immediately (before we even unpacked our stuff here on the coast) went interior to check the village, and I just got back out. 



Here's the situation in the village:

My house is good. The solar electricity still works and the water, too. No termites eating any wood. We will spend 80-85% of our time spent interior this term - 8-10 weeks in at a stretch and 1-2 weeks out each time until we learn the language. 

23 Dani airstrip workers are also living in the village and they want the land-airstrip done by July (usually the process takes 5 years or more, but these guys are hard workers). This is an extremely ambitious timeline and I have sent some food into them to keep them strong. Right now we have opened a water strip, but the nearest land strip is 22 hours hard hike dowriver.



Burying a baby - first act back in the village:

My first act back in the village was to bury a two and a half month old baby that had died earlier that morning and conduct the funeral. Very sad. We spoke about the resurrection at the funeral. I thought I was gonna pass out from heat stroke because the dry area we buried the baby at had no big trees to shield the sun.


Other deaths, including Konderius:
Then I found out that 7 others had died, too, in my village during my furlough in the States - including my language helper Konderius. Me and Perin and Jimmy Weyato (the teacher) had been concentrating on teaching Konderius the most. Konderius is reported to have had a good testimony to his friends at death, saying that he was going on ahead of everyone and going to heaven because he believed in Jesus, but they all, too, would die and so they need also to believe in Jesus. So, this Konderius might have been a saved young man. He could not read, but repeated Bible verses that he had memorized all night while he lay dying, Perin reported. The community threatened Jimmy and Perin at arrowpoint and dragged them out of Konderius' hut and prevented them from praying for Konderius and the K___ tribes-people sent someone in to do their traditional medicine/spells/chants on him, but Konderius refused to receive it, instead praying to God.

Was Konderius saved? What is the bare minimum of knowledge one must have before they are saved? I don't know. We taught him an overview of Christian doctrine, but we were not sure of how much he understood.

Also, since I was away from Danowage on furlough in the US, there were about 4 fights in the area, 4 people shot with arrows and one beat over the head with a log. 


The first Christian wedding in the region will happen next month:
Good news! Perin, the Dani evangelist lady living on the other end of our house is getting married to Jimmy Weyato, the teacher. Both are very faithful workers and solid Christians and they want to get married in the village as the first Christian wedding ever in K__ Tribe territory, to become an example to the people. 

In the future, Perin and Jimmy will both live in our house and maybe, at some point, open a school to especially focus on the kids and also the evangelists' children as well. This way, if the school is near my house, Noah will always have kids to play with, and me and Perin and Teresa and Jimmi all can make sure that the younger generation are effectively reached.


Our airstrip is progressing, and the Dani airstrip workers are hungry for teaching, too:
When I was in D__ village, we had Bible studies with the Dani (Christian) airstrip workers, too, and these guys are hungry for the Word. Three days ago when we had a study, it started at 5pm and all 23 or so stayed until 130am in the morning wanting to ask questions and study other topics (topics such as the way of salvation, problems in GIDI- the national church, Pentecostal doctrine, total depravity, perseverance of the saints, the church and Israel, the problem of the young people falling away, Christian family issues, etc). In addition to direct evangelism of the K__ Tribe, I am also making significant efforts to make sure all Dani aistrip workers, evangelists and anyone associated with this K Tribe work are thoroughly evangelized. I have been copying and distributing Dani Bible literature, etc, and got to give some more stuff to these Dani airstrip workers as well. My strategy is to bless the K__ Tribe by blessing the indigenous Christian movement here in P Province so that the P Province churches are able to move forward in the work of evangelism (making disciples who can make disciples...II Timothy 2:2). 


Speaking to coastal churches, too:
Also, when I am on the coast, I try to visit and speak to those in the churches as well, especially the churches associated with my tribal group (i.e. those churches that have sent me evangelists or workers). 

Now, we are back on the coast and I just reported to a local church here on the progress of the K__ Tribe work, because this coastal Papuan church prays for these efforts. As the Dani pastor prayed for the K__ Tribe, he broke down in tears, pleading with God to allow the Gospel to penetrate that culture. Praise God for this love towards others not having the Gospel.


How are the kids?: Alethea is a bit whiny. Noah and I are chasing geckos tonight and we already got some other lizards yesterday. .



The 16th we go to B City in another province, where Heartcry and some other Christian groups in Indns will meet us. Teaching from Charles' Leiters newly translated book on Justification and Regeneration will happen and also I will show a new person, Kyle, around, because he is in the pipeline to come out as a long-term missionary soon. I am starting a major literature translation ministry, as well, putting solid books into print. One book - Charles Leiter's Justification and Regeneration is already translated and is in the final stages of checking. Paul Washer's One True God is on chapter 3.


Pregnancy:
Also in B City we will get an ultrasound. Teresa is at the very same time in her first trimester as she was last time when the baby died. So, she is worried. We will set aside time in B City to go to the good hospital there (Santosa) and confirm that the baby has a heartbeat. Pray for Teresa, she has many anxieties about this pregnancy.

After B City we will go to B Island, where my missions team will gather for a regional conference of leaders. I was invited because they tagged me as a recruiter/mobilizer for the Asia Region. Then, we will return to P Province and transition mainly to living interior for the next 4 years.


PICTURE: Konderius laughing it up with me and Paul Snider during a trek. Of all the young tribal guys I worked with, Konderius had the most bible knowledge and died after 4 days of illness, repeatedly reciting John 3:16; John 14:6; Romans 6:23; Genesis 1:1 and John 1:1 and urging his friends to believe in Jesus. "I am going to heaven first, you can come afterwards, if you believe in Jesus and leave off your sins..."

TandTfamily: Hey! What's this guy laughing at????


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## a mere housewife (Feb 8, 2010)

Pergy, you have been in our prayers. Please let your wife know that she will be in my prayers very much right now.

Thank you so very much for the news, and especially for Konderius' testimony.


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## au5t1n (Feb 8, 2010)

Thank you so much for the update. You guys are in my prayers.


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## LawrenceU (Feb 9, 2010)

Perg,
Thank you for the update. Your faithfulness to the people there is a blessing. We are praying for y'all.


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## Mushroom (Feb 9, 2010)

Praying for you all. Allow for acclimatization, brother.


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## Pergamum (Feb 10, 2010)

P.s. I am still recruiting new workers to come and join the effort. Check out the website here: World Team Papua. There is a Bible School opening needed, as well as a number of other needs.

Also, for those that don't want to live in the Third World but want to help out the cause of missions, there is a home office opening for an accountant, in Warrington, PA. I can send the info to anyone who desires.


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## kjat32 (Feb 19, 2010)

We just had some Papua New Tribes missionaries on baby leave/deputation come report at church last week. What a wonderful opportunity you have there! The Enns also reported something I hadn't really understood - that you are allowed in as evangelists because many Papuans are considered "Christians"? What a challenge too. I pray that more workers will be sent out soon!


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