This month Jan and Annette Wols have been hosting a team of literacy consultants at the mission centre in New Ireland, Papua New Guinea. The team generated a new literacy programme in the trade language (Pidgin) using a special computer programme. Four local people helped to check the use of the language. The purpose of the programme is to allow people who have been brought up in a trade language speaking family to learn to read the Bible.
For Annette it was a hard ten days of work, as she also continued to take care of things that Jan would normally have done. Nevertheless, the good results made it worth the effort.
The following week, they hosted five couples from the Madak language group (leaders and trainees from their local church) at the centre. They had come with questions on marriage and family life. They wanted to learn more about how they as families can be a better example in their church and how they can lead more effectively and better answer the requests for the teaching of the Good News in other villages.
They studied the Word of God together with Jan and Annette who gave some practical application to help them become strong husband-wife teams. They all hope to teach and disciple and become the examples that makes the life of Christ real to those who see and listen to them.
One of the centre night guards interacted with the Madak people during their visit and became more interested in the life he saw in them. Jan challenged him and offered to study the Word with him, he has responded positively. They have started following a series of evangelistic Bible studies on the eternal God and the creation of the world with him. Over the next three to four months, they hope to go through to the resurrection of Christ and offer him the choice of life by faith. The fruit of the studies is a matter of faith in Christ and the work He did.
Whether they are helping to produce a good functioning literacy programme, encouraging church leaders or teaching the Good News, Jan and Annette are depending on His grace and love. The believing prayers of His children are part of the work that He is doing! Thank you for your part in the work through prayer.