|
|
|
Prayer Letter - New Guinea
News
April 6, 2002
“That is where we feed our dead
ancestors,” the
Baining tribal man told me in the trade language as he showed me
around the village. “ And here is the 10 commandment post where we
have been reviewing the commands.” There I was standing next to a
grass covered hut dedicated for the feeding of the dead in the
village of Raigel and being told that they follow the ten
commandments! This mixing of animism (trying to please the spirits)
and a following of the “rules of the white man” is known as the
cargo cult. It is believed that if these two things are done that
eventually their “cargo” will come to them and they will be rich.
In this village and several others
that we visited among the Baining and Nalik people groups, they
expressed an interest and a desire for us to come when we explained
that we wanted to come in, learn their language and culture, and
teach them God’s talk so that they could understand the truth. The
one week survey that we (myself, 3 other men new to PNG, and 2 men
who have been missionaries here for several years) went on, just
reassured me of the vast need of thousands of people in tribal
groups who have yet to hear the TRUTH of God’s Word and not just a
few rules.
Many of you are wondering, “So how
does this affect your plans?” Since our survey, two of the couples
have joined up with missionaries already in tribal locations. We
and the other couple are interested in different tribes, but there
is still a possibility we may partner up. We have to have partners
to go into a tribal location. Please pray with us for direction and
that more “laborers” would come to fill the existing needs. For
now, we are filling a need here at the mission base, but are anxious
to get into a tribe.
We have also just finished the annual
missionary conference in the “Islands.”
Lori helped out with much of the music, and medical clinic work. I
organized and helped run a teen mini-conference, and continued to
help with supply and shuttles. It was a good time and we were both
able to meet fellow missionaries we had not met before.
Because He is risen as He said,
Aaron, Lori, and Avalon
|
