One of the young men of the church in Andakombi, Papua New Guinea, told Robert and Nicole Westerveld, during their stay there this summer, how Joshua 1:8 helps him to spend as much time as possible in God’s Word. ‘This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it.’
In checking Joshua and translating the remaining chapters there was much more that strengthened the believers to serve the Lord with their lives.
Robert and Nicole are thankful that the translation of Joshua is done for now. Robert is working on the back to English translation so that they can send it to the translation consultant who will do the final checking. They then started working on the translation of Ruth. The first translation is done and now he is working on the next book, Ezra.
Robert and Nicole had a very good time with the believers in Andakombi. At the end of their time there, they had a great service with testimonies and songs and after the service, several believers from different villages were baptised, both young and old.
Two believers from the other side of the tribe enjoyed spending time with the Iwalaqamalje believers and went with Robert and Nicole to Goroka where Robert worked with them on their translations for several days before they could fly to their side of the tribe. Once there they continued working. For both dialects, Matthew and Mark are done and for the Iqwaye dialect, they made a good start on checking the translation of Luke. At the end of their time there, Robert and Nicole went to an Iqwaye village where Robert taught. The believers are building a house there that will be used for literacy teaching and meetings. A man who is from the Gwase dialect and has worked with Robert for quite a few years brought his wife this time. She expressed that after many years of resistance she also wants to follow the Lord.
On both sides of the tribe, their time was very encouraging, seeing not only growth in numbers but also spiritual growth.
Robert and Nicole’s son Jorim, was with them for the second part of their time in PNG. He enjoyed being in PNG again after not having been there for four years and was baptised while there. Elianne, their daughter, had a good time at an outreach in Switzerland, and they had a wonderful day in late August at Amos and now daughter-in-law, Emmy’s wedding.
Thank you for your prayers.