Back in Canada Safe and Sound

We just wanted to post something to say that we have made it back to Canada safe and sound. Six plane rides are now behind us and we are settling in to life in Canada again. One thing we have noticed is all of the choices! It seems that life is more simple in Papua New Guinea yet more complex in other ways...

Thank you all for praying for safe travels and our first weeks back in Canada. We have felt the prayers.

We would love to have the chance to share with you about our life and ministry in PNG. A great way to do this is coming up on June 11th at 7:30 pm at the Rehoboth Canadian Reformed Church on Highway 5. We will have some worship, a presentation and some time for fellowship. We would love to see you there. Check out the Facebook event: click here

The girls enjoying dessert with their cousins. It's cold here!

"In peace I will lie down and sleep, for you alone, Lord, make me dwell in safety."

Psalm 4:8

Getting Ready to Leave PNG

We are now well underway with getting ready to leave PNG. While we are packing up our belongings here to put into storage in our new house we have been thinking over the past 2 years. PNG is just starting to feel like home. We have lots of relationships with both expats and Papua New Guineans. We just recently purchased a house that we will move into when we come back.

The first 6 months or so living here were a bit of an emotional roller coaster. We missed family and friends from Canada so much. Everything was so different here. We tried to learn Pidgin but weren't that successful at it. Cooking was a big challenge for me. I love to cook but because all the ingredients were different, I found myself learning to cook all over again. Attending POC was a turning point for us. We learned a lot about the PNG culture, learned how to speak Pidgin fairly well and developed great relationships. It was hard, don’t get me wrong, but we definitely do not regret doing it.

Getting involved with the Gwahatike language programs has been such a blessing to us too. Getting to know national translators and hearing their stories of their dedication to translating the Word has been an inspiration for us. So much so that when we return Jon will no longer be working at the software department here on center but will be working with the Gwahatike men.

We have dealt with some hardships in the last 2 years as well. We still struggle sometimes to understand Papua New Guinean culture. We pray for grace in those situations. Also in the last year we have had expat friends who have had to leave for multiple reasons. Some more serious than others. It is hard to see friends suffering and we continue to pray for them.

Despite hardships, we feel the Lord calling us back to PNG after our furlough. It is a good feeling to be excited to return in about 8 months. We are looking forward to seeing our supporters, church family, friends and family back in Canada. We will be leaving PNG on May 6 and arrive in Canada on May 12.

Prayer points:

• Jon will be leaving for Madang to teach a one week basic computer workshop. Pray that all the logistics work out and that the Gwahatike team learns quickly.
• Candace has had trouble sleeping lately. Pray for good rest.
• Pray that we can get everything packed up in time.

"Therefore since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ." Romans 5:1

Branch Conference 2015

Every two years SIL-PNG holds a conference at Ukarumpa (where we live) with all of the workers in PNG attending.  The purpose is to unite and encourage all of the members of SIL-PNG as well as to deal with any "official business" that is required.  This was our second branch conference and it was a blessing to be a part of it.  It was a joy to hear updates from all over the country of how God is blessing the Bible translation and literacy work in PNG.  God is truly at work in transforming peoples lives through the clear understanding of His Word.

Six full days is a significant chunk of time to set aside our daily work, but the benefits far outweigh this sacrifice.

The conference floor during morning worship

Near the end of the last day, we had a powerful time of prayer

Thank you God for this time of refreshment.

Now... back to work.  :)

Gwahatike Cluster and The Seed Company

We are very excited to share with you that the Gwahatike Cluster Translation and Literacy Program has partnered with The Seed Company.  This partnership is going to open many doors for the project and we are excited how God uses this team for His glory over the coming years.

Gwahatike Cluster

Asaro'o Program

Domung Program

Madi Program

Muratayak Program

Be sure to check out the project profiles on each page for more information on each of the programs.

"Unless the Lord builds the house, those who build it labor in vain.

Unless the Lord watches over the city, the watchman stays awake in vain."

Psalm 127:1

Alphabet Development Workshop in Bongu

When we first arrived in PNG we attended a course called POC (Pacific Orientation Course).  This course included a five week village stay in a remote village.  We were sent to Bongu and very much enjoyed our time there.  While we were in the village we heard a lot of interest from the people there to start there own translation project, but they did not know where to start.

It has been cool to see how God has orchestrated it that we were able to be the link between Bongu and the Gwahatike men.  For two weeks in January, Martin, Nafian and Roman (Gwahatike men) went to Bongu to run an Alphabet Development Workshop (ADW).  This workshop helps the language community to analyze their own language and communally agree on an appropriate alphabet.  This is one of the first steps that needs to be done before starting any translation project.

Interestingly enough, the name of the village has changed now to Boŋu

The workshop included developing and printing some books in the local language.
Computer and printers can be a challenge in the village because of the need
for electricity.  The team used a generator.

A lot of the learning occurs outside of the formal class time, during
breaks or meal time or around the campfire at night

The workshop participants in front of the church in Bongu

Faces of Bible Translation - Noel Diru

We would love to share with you about Noel Diru, one of the lead translators in the Gwahatike multilanguage Bible translation program. Noel works with a team of men in the Domung community to translate the Bible into the Domung language. He is a Gwahatike man and the Gwahatike language area is about a 9 hour hike through the jungle from the Domung area. This makes balancing home life and ministry work a challenge. The Domung language is completely different from the Gwahatike language and so when Noel goes to his ministry area, he does not speak their mother tongue. Despite all of these barriers and challenges Noel keeps going in this ministry because he has a deep belief in the importance of this work.

Nosingke (left), a co-translator from the Domung, working with Noel (right)

Noel believes that people, and more broadly, communities that understand the Word of God clearly will be transformed into the likeness of Christ and this is his primary motivation and reason behind his commitment. He has witnessed this transformation happen in his home community (the Gwahatike language) and wants to see this happen elsewhere. Check out this video to meet Noel face to face as he shares about his life and ministry and the journey that brought him to ministering to the Domung community.

Click here and enter the access code "translator" to view the video.

Noel is currently attending a one month workshop that centers around the New Testament books of the Bible. He will be learning about the historical, geographical and cultural background for the books of the NT. Please pray that this course would encourage and equip Noel for the ministry God has given him.

If you are interested to read more about Noel, follow this link to read another article about Noel (somewhat dated).

"Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who

has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth."

2 Timothy 2:15

Update and Prayer Request

We wanted to make you aware of some friends that have become very close over the last half a year or so. Although we have only known them for a short time, we know they will be lifelong friends of ours. There names are Jon and Adie Leedahl and they have taught us much about what it means to follow Christ and trust in the Lord day to day.

Jon and Adie with their three boys were living in Ukarumpa in order to have Jon receive training on flying in Papua New Guinea. They are with New Tribes Mission and had the desire to bring the gospel message to the far corners of Papua New Guinea. They were going to do that through the service of aviation. The realization of that plan is now uncertain.

On Oct 15, Jon was involved in a motorcycle accident that left him in critical condition.  After a medivac to Cairns, Australia Jon began undergoing surgeries to repair the damage. The doctor's did what they could for Jon's right leg, but it was too badly damaged to repair. They amputated Jon's right leg out of necessity.  Jon's left foot and knee required surgery as well. Needless to say, the road to recovery seems long and challenging.

Us with Jon and Adie

When Jon was medivaced, Adie went with him. We stepped in and helped watch there three boys for a week before flying them to Cairns to be reunited with their parents. This was the way that we could practically help them and we considered it an honor to be able to meet their practical needs this way. We ended up spending a couple weeks in Cairns supporting Jon and Adie and the boys in any way that we could.

The Leedahl boys. Jace, Jaeden and Levi

Jace and Macy

Candace and Adie

Both Jon and Adie have shown such strong faith through this testing period that the Lord has given them. We have seen through personal conversations and through the updates that they are relying on the Lord for there daily bread. Check out this blog for the latest updates and more specifically how to pray.

Please pray for this amazing family. We are going to miss having them in Ukarumpa but also know that God has something amazing planned for this family. Jon is still being watched closely by the doctors and recently has had a nagging flu. Please pray for that the reason for this flu would be found and his recovery wouldn't be interrupted.

"In all this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. These have come so that the proven genuineness of your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed. Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy, for you are receiving the end result of your faith, the salvation of your souls."

1 Peter 1:6-9