PNG Update

We’re in our last 2 weeks here in PNG. It has been quite an exciting time! The fighting has stopped and we thought we would be able to travel up and down our valley…and then we had a 6.9 earthquake…followed by a massive landslide that closed the only highway! Sadly, a 5th grader and his little brother were swept away. As of today, the little one’s body had been recovered but not the older one’s.  They were having his “cry” or day of mourning using his shirt and trousers.  Two other children were killed when the mudslide buried their house. There has been so much rain lately that when the earth shook, things just started to slide.

We hear that the road is now open so we’re attempting to go to Mt. Hagen tomorrow where Missionary Aviation Fellowship flies so we can drop off a load of cargo to go to our most remote area, the Hewa. Seminary break for Easter starts Holy Thursday and students return Tuesday. Today we travelled to a teacher dedication at a small primary school. The school has been open for 6 years and they said this is the first time anyone has come for a dedication—they were so excited!  Though this is a Lutheran school, two of the teachers are Seventh Day Adventists. We always give the teachers wooden cross necklaces and these two teachers just held them. Apparently they don’t believe that Jesus is their Savior. They could use your prayers…as could all the rest of us.

Next year, the seminary is initiating an English curriculum. It will be a challenge but with God’s direction it will come to pass!

We do appreciate your prayers. We will be at a new mission area Saturday, spending the night so Ron can preach there on Easter. We thank God for sending His Son to save us…and we thank Him for sending us here to PNG! 

Our prayer is that we never get so caught up in the work of the Lord that we forget the Lord of the work!

Happy Easter!
-Pastor Ron and Mary Anne