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Prayer Letter - New Guinea
News
October 21, 2001
Friends and Family,
As most of you are experiencing
cooler weather, it is starting to warm up here in
Papua New Guinea. Two of the
phrases, we have heard quite often out in the villages lately are,
“san i hat tumas” (the sun is very hot) or “san i traipela” (the sun
is huge). We are in-between the dry season and rainy season, and so
it will continue to get hotter until the end of November when the
rain will cool things down a bit. Needless to say, when we are out
learning the language we often find the people under a tree in the
shade and are more than happy to join them there.
Language study is going well. We
have passed check #2 of the trade language of PNG and are now half
way through completing the Tok Pisin course. We continue to go
through the orientation sessions each week as well. I mentioned in
the last email that our family would be going into a “helicopter
only” location in the jungle to help finish a missionary’s house.
We will be leaving this Tuesday and will go by truck as far as the
road will take us. From there we will hike for two to three hours
to get to the village. Aaron will be doing finishing carpenter work
for the house: hanging doors, windows, cabinets, shelves, and
finishing up plumbing and electrical. Lori will be helping the
missionaries by: cooking, cleaning, and helping with finishing
touches on the house. Avalon will be making friends with the other
missionary kids and the children of Lele, as well as, having her
first true jungle experience. After a week there we will catch a
ride back to Hoskins on a helicopter that will be bringing supplies
out to the missionaries.
Thank you for your prayers. Language
and culture study are going pretty much as scheduled and the
helicopter shuttles that took place last week went smoothly.
Many of you have been praying and
asking about the hostages taken by guerillas over eight years ago,
and for the hostages taken in the
Philippines lately.
Here is some
information about Dave, Mark, and Rick so you can know what has
happened and can be praying for the families:
Special Report:
Hostages
Dear Ones,
We now know that Rick, Mark and Dave did not survive, and it's God's
time for closure. Since 1996, the picture has been confusing. Had
they been killed, or were they still waiting in a guerrilla camp?
Slowly the story has emerged of a military attack and the ensuing
fatal shots from the captors' guns.
I sat in a Colombian prison in early September with a guerrilla who
once guarded Rick, Mark and Dave. His words, "They are dead," were
final and emphatic, confirming what we had heard from several other
insurgents. The years of tears and anxiety for our dear brothers
have ended. They have gone to a far better place. They rest in the
presence of the God they served so faithfully. Colombian authorities
and the FBI will continue to search for those responsible, but we
now have the answer we need.
Many of you have prayed for the hostages, their families and us.
Eight and a half years have brought countless answers to your
prayers. Our path has moved alongside presidents and humble
peasants, guerrilla commanders and archbishops, self righteous and
spiritually hungry. Three martyrs have gone to their reward.
Families of the hostages have discovered God's sufficiency. And we
have seen Him work in such unique places and in lives of people we
would never have met. What a privilege! Thank you for accompanying
us with your prayers.
Lovingly in Christ,
Dan Germann
Here is some information about the
Burnhams taken captive this spring; please pray fervently:
MANILA, The
Philippines (Oct. 19, 2001):
New Tribes Mission is asking Christians to pray fervently for the
safety and release of kidnapped missionaries Martin and Gracia
Burnham.
The situation they face is currently dangerous but promising. Pray
for their safety, especially as there is fighting between the
Philippine military and the group holding them, the Abu Sayyaf
Group. Pray also for good weather. And please pray that they and the
others hostages would soon be released unharmed.
Martin, 42, and Gracia, 42, from Kansas, were kidnapped May 27 by
Abu Sayyaf from a resort off the island of Palawan in the
Philippines. The Burnhams have been members of NTM since 1985.
Thank you for
your concern and prayers. There is more information about the
hostages on the New Tribes Mission website at
www.ntm.org.
For His Glory,
Aaron, Lori, and Avalon
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