Many good things happened in 2020 but there were also hard things. Koen and Anne-Laure Verdonck have learned a lot.
News from different areas of Papua New Guinea last year:
Twelve people were recently baptised. There are more people ready to be baptised but there is also ‘war’ if you choose to be baptised. It is a big testimony and shows everyone to which ‘group’ you belong. There was almost a big tribal war and the young church would have been involved but fighting was prohibited through applied wisdom from God’s Word. Thank you Lord.
One team has almost finished with their language and culture study. They all hope that the people will soon hear of Jesus and His work, which sets us free, at the Cross.
Another church has been standing alone since mid-December. The missionaries are still in PNG but the believers need to have the space to grow on their own. They need to learn to trust in the Lord and run to Him on the day of difficulties, that for sure will come. This separation is also hard on the missionaries. The Bible teachers now carry the full responsibility for the church. They would like to start a ‘read-and write’ class on their own for the first time in a new area. Nine people recently trained to take care of the sick people in the community. A few spiritually mature women will start to lead the women’s Bible study for the first time.
Ethnos360 Aviation/NTM Aviation have had a SIL/Wycliffe helicopter pilot and his family at Goroka. He is being trained by one of NTM’s pilots to fly in PNG. They are thankful for this opportunity to work together with SIL.
They also had a CASA (Civil Aviation Safety Authority) audit starting on the 30th November, for the renewal of the licences to fly in PNG. It is over and the report card looks good. Of course, they have some things to adjust but they are thankful for the team that came to do that. Please pray for the certificates to arrive.
The helicopter will be out of service in January for about three weeks to be serviced. They are so ready for the new one to arrive. Koen has started with the preparation for the arrival of the new helicopter. There is a lot of paperwork.
Many missionaries have returned to PNG over the last two months; seventy people returning or coming for the first time in January. Preparations are being made for their care during their two weeks of quarantine. There are three families for the Aviation department. Thanks for praying.
A pilot who recently returned is now in training and will soon be checked out. He can then start to fly in PNG again.
Koen and Anne-Laure had two weeks off which was fun and much needed. The Lord has blessed them. Koen still had phone calls coming in or questions that needed answering but they had less responsibility and that was good.
Thank you so very much for your prayers.