Here is a report from a missionary I know rather well about Heartcry Missionary Society's recent visit to Papua. Pray for him and all who partner with him:
Brothers and sisters,
I humbly submit to you a recent Heartcry Missionary Society Video about the work here in Papua that we have been involved in for the last decade. We have experienced some God-given victories, but many tears and hardships as well.
We now have believers, some believers who want to and are in training or have become evangelists, we have a school now staffed by nationals and a clinic. Before, over half the people had skin disease and almost all were illiterate, but now they are healthier and many can read.
But we also have experienced conflicts, sickness, struggles with the government, and even false believers and evangelists in the church. And we still are only barely making a dent in the wider needs of the whole region (we have helped make the central village of D___ a strategic hub, but are trying to help 8-10 other surrounding villages as well and mostly failing it feels like as the needs are too heavy).
Two weeks ago we were greatly encouraged by a visit from Heartcry to see some of the indigenous evangelists they support in the jungles of Papua. Truthfully the visit came at just the right time as we have been exhausted of late, and hounded by the government here over reporting illegal gold mining.
Pray for the folks mentioned in the video.
Pray for me because I have had an infected tooth for a month, malaria that is only healing slowly (and coming back this week), giardia, and some mental exhaustion. I think my immune system is shot. Yesterday my son and I hiked 6-7 hours to visit the sick in a nearby village and also helped some healthworkers sent to a remote village, today I heard about the government possibly wanting to deport me for reporting on illegal gold mining (you'd think they would thank me if they were true public servants who defended righteousness), and Friday we are flying off-island to get some help due to health problems.
We are thankful to be represented so well and to be prayed for. The video actually brought tears to my ears and made me say, "Yes, we are not alone. Thank you, God!"
Honestly, we feel like we go from failure to failure here sometimes because there are so many struggles, but it is nice to step back and hear an outsider's perspective who does not focus on all the problems, as is easy to do when you are overwhelmed by them on a daily basis, but sees the larger progress over the last several years. It is painful work - like trying to chop down an oak tree with a butter-knife - but yes, God is, indeed working even though we feel like we are dying sometimes here (and that is, sadly, no exaggeration).
http://www.heartcrymissionary.com/asia-blog/post/video-jungle-of-papua-indonesia
Brothers and sisters,
I humbly submit to you a recent Heartcry Missionary Society Video about the work here in Papua that we have been involved in for the last decade. We have experienced some God-given victories, but many tears and hardships as well.
We now have believers, some believers who want to and are in training or have become evangelists, we have a school now staffed by nationals and a clinic. Before, over half the people had skin disease and almost all were illiterate, but now they are healthier and many can read.
But we also have experienced conflicts, sickness, struggles with the government, and even false believers and evangelists in the church. And we still are only barely making a dent in the wider needs of the whole region (we have helped make the central village of D___ a strategic hub, but are trying to help 8-10 other surrounding villages as well and mostly failing it feels like as the needs are too heavy).
Two weeks ago we were greatly encouraged by a visit from Heartcry to see some of the indigenous evangelists they support in the jungles of Papua. Truthfully the visit came at just the right time as we have been exhausted of late, and hounded by the government here over reporting illegal gold mining.
Pray for the folks mentioned in the video.
Pray for me because I have had an infected tooth for a month, malaria that is only healing slowly (and coming back this week), giardia, and some mental exhaustion. I think my immune system is shot. Yesterday my son and I hiked 6-7 hours to visit the sick in a nearby village and also helped some healthworkers sent to a remote village, today I heard about the government possibly wanting to deport me for reporting on illegal gold mining (you'd think they would thank me if they were true public servants who defended righteousness), and Friday we are flying off-island to get some help due to health problems.
We are thankful to be represented so well and to be prayed for. The video actually brought tears to my ears and made me say, "Yes, we are not alone. Thank you, God!"
Honestly, we feel like we go from failure to failure here sometimes because there are so many struggles, but it is nice to step back and hear an outsider's perspective who does not focus on all the problems, as is easy to do when you are overwhelmed by them on a daily basis, but sees the larger progress over the last several years. It is painful work - like trying to chop down an oak tree with a butter-knife - but yes, God is, indeed working even though we feel like we are dying sometimes here (and that is, sadly, no exaggeration).
http://www.heartcrymissionary.com/asia-blog/post/video-jungle-of-papua-indonesia
