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Prayer Letter - New Guinea
News
January 19, 2002
Friends and Family,
Friends and Family,
The first “shuttle” will be from
the missionary base to the tribe of Mengen. After dropping off some
of the freezer and refrigerator goods to the missionaries the
helicopter will load up some of there extra bags of cement and go to
the Kol tribe to drop off the cement, their supplies, and the
language consultant to check the progress of the missionaries in
that tribe. The next morning the helicopter will leave with the
language consultant and go to the nearest road where a truck will be
waiting with the generator and fuel to be taken over the jungle into
the Mengen tribe again. After getting back to the missionary base
the helicopter will pick up a missionary family here and go the
opposite direction to their tribe, Maleu. Once they are dropped
off, the chopper will fly to the nearest airstrip to meet the small
plane which should have just landed and the transfer the remaining
supplies to Maleu for the sixth and final “shuttle” of the two day
supply run.
With the helicopter only being
available about once a month, part of my job at the moment is to
help coordinate with all the missionaries in “helicopter only”
locations who need supplies. After Jay and Kelly (two of the
missionaries here on base) gather the orders, we try to plan the
most efficient and inexpensive way to get them their supplies.
Taking into consideration the cost of operation for the helicopter
and how much weight it can handle from each “shuttle point” we often
entail the use of a truck or plane to get the heavier things a
little closer to the tribe. Needless to say, for the time being I
(Aaron) have been plenty busy working in both the supply department
and the joinery making it possible for the missionaries in the
“bush” to continue their work without having to make time consuming
trips in and out of their place of ministry.
Meanwhile, we are getting excited
about the way God is leading us toward our place of ministry. We
now have a survey planned for the first part of March into the
Bainings. Myself, two men on leadership in the islands region, and
possibly one or two other new missionaries will visit with
government officials and go into several different villages among
the Baining people to investigate our possible ministry among them.
Please continue to pray for direction and wisdom. We also ask that
you start praying for the Baining people.
Besides planning for helicopter
shuttles, I have been recuperating from my first official case of
malaria. Just as I was getting better, Lori tested positive with
malaria for the second time. In addition to that Lori and Avalon
have just finished their medicine for treatment of giardia, a type
of amoeba. And to finish the week off Avalon has been having some
symptoms of a digestive infection. Though physical illnesses can be
devastating in this area of the country, God has allowed us to
recover with relative ease, and we have plenty of wisdom from other
missionaries as well as good medicines to help us through it. We
don’t share this information to gain your sympathy or give cause to
complain, but want you to know what we are going through and how you
can pray for us better.
Feeling the threat of a dog owner
toward a burglar (Sick em)
J,
Aaron, Lori, and Avalon
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