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December 23 2018
MERRY CHRISTMAS! Gifts are overflowing under our TREE.
What do we do for CHRISTMAS? We get HOT….Sweaty….run sports competitions for a week….and SHARE JESUS with a whole community that need so desperately to meet the PRINCE of PEACE!!
This week has been even more amazing than we had hoped. GOD has truly answered prayer.
The CHRISTMAS GAMES are ON!!
WE have had TONS of people and LOTS of great games and LOTS of great fun. Everyone up and down the road to KENEMARO is so excited and so appreciative that we sponsored this huge community event this year. IT has been a bit funny. They are calling out to BILL not as “Pastor” or “missionary” but as UNCLE BILL!! Their welcome for us is truly as family! One of the village Elders told Bill that he was married to
“his daughter”, as I am the mama to their babies. I guess we are now truly a part of this place. It is a Christmas miracle!! It shines with impossible victories God has done!!
Just a few years ago our Pastors were stoned and run out of Kenemaro when they tried to share Christ in this very place. But, God had a plan to reach into this very intense, violent community. Just as His love took human form in the tender shape of a baby at the Nativity scene over 2000 years ago, it took a precious baby to get us an open door into the hearts of these dear ones. Our precious Daniel, born with trauma as his mommy gave her life for his birth, then loved by us with all our hearts only to be lost to a painful death of neglect when returned to Kenemaro and his family …..his death opened the door, however, to new LIFE for his family as his daddy and his step mom are now transformed by the power of the GOSPEL! Seeing them both radiating the Gospel now in their community now is just an amazing GIFT from God that reminds us our ways and plans are NOT His.
GOD gave us two more opportunities in the form of twins born to a desperate mom. She also has come to know Jesus. Though her life is still a challenge and she could not care for both her sons along with all her other children, GOD has given our precious JAMES an amazing Christian mom and dad that adore him. James and his twin, Matthew as I dreamed, will still grow up knowing each other, though not living together. They are both safe and cared for which is another GIFT from God.
GOD has given us yet another Kenemaro baby boy. Andrew is in my arms as I type this note. His mommy, married to a man that was the first one saved at Kokinaga and a part of that church being started, became a young widow that married a man from Kenemaro. Having her tenth baby was her undoing. Though she survived, she is very weak and slowly recovering. GOD brought her ANDREW into our arms, and she and her husband now into the FAMILY OF GOD! They also are beaming the GOSPEL this week to their community…changed lives by the power of the GOSPEL. Andrew is a tremendous gift. This week his mom’s seven children from Kokinaga were playing with their church team at the Christmas games. ALL the siblings are faithful at church up at Kokinaga. NOW their mommy and her husband also know JESUS! It is a bit of a mixed up family situation….but unified in JESUS there is hope for great happiness. They met for the first time their half brother, Andrew. HE is LOVED for SURE! What a gift. WE will see what GOD will do with this unique family of 12!
We have seen at least SEVEN come to know JESUS this week. WE still have ALL Christmas EVE day of tournament , all night with meetings and a “sleep” over/ fellowship all night through until CHRISTMAS morning. We are eager to see what additional GIFTS GOD will bring this CHRISTMAS SEASON. Many place GIFTS under a TREE, but GOD placed HIS GIFT on a TREE … a cross. May GOD use HIS WORD being shared in word and deed this week to bring many to Jesus..the REASON for this SEASON!
Today another gift came as well in the form of miraculous change of heart of our Aaron’s biological family. We had originally agreed to purchase our church property in Makia for K8000 and they told us today, despite HUGE pressure from the local SDA mission to give us our money back and get us out, they will follow our original agreement. The local church there is teaching salvation by WORKS. Following the law….worship on the Sabboth…..baptism into their church family. We are proclaiming salvation by faith! Lives are being changed and the community is seeing a difference. WE are amazed that GOD has intervened despite huge political pressure. PRAY that they will stand firm in this decision so that we can see the POWER of the TRUTH of the GOSPEL shine in Aaron’s family’s place!!
PLEASE BE IN PRAYER:
*we would LOVE to invite over 100 of the kids at this Christmas Tournament to come to our youth camp. WE would need $2000 to reach into the lives of these kids that way. Many are the “least of these” that Jesus came to seek and save…..please pray for our BENA kids. Building a youth group one teen soul at a time!!
*Pray for our camp week…soon upon us. January 7-11
*Pray for LOTS of teens to come
*Pray for GOD to work in hearts and lives!!
*Pray for good weather and enough food to keep a LOT of teens full and happy.
*IF you want a part in teens coming to camp it will cost $25 for a week of GOD’s Word, food and fun to reach into the lives of these precious kids….our future leaders! ANY help is amazing help!
*PRAY for our family. WE are really tired after this incredible week. WE will be driving to the coast of Madang for a few days of refreshment and family time leaving early Boxing Day morning
*Pray for safety on the road
*Pray for finances to cover this needed time away.
*Asapa transitioned to his biological family this week. WE saw him go from extreme malnutrition (less than birth weight at 4 months old )to over 100% PRAY for him to thrive at home. PRAY for ESTA and DAVID to come to Jesus!
Its almost CHRISTMAS. We found a few little cheapy gifts in town to wrap up and put under our Christmas tree for the boys, but there is very little there this year. IT has been exciting though to be able to teach our boys that the TRUE gifts of CHRISTMAS are not under the Christmas tree but LIVES brought to the TREE of Calvary. Those gifts are eternal and worth far greater celebration! WE are TRULY blessed with many gifts under THAT tree this year!!
No restraint. NO retreat. NO REGRET. Fearless . Faithful. BLESSED!
Merry CHRISTMAS
BIll, Lori and the boys.