Progressing

Benjamin and Missy Hatton with Judah, Gianna, Tiernan and Silas serve among the Amdu people of Papua New Guinea. In December they plan to re-invigorate the literacy programme with a batch of new students and a once a week intensive teaching and practice class. Some adults already have basic reading skills in the trade language, and Benjamin and Missy believe that they will be able to pick up reading in their own language quickly. By doing the accelerated course they hope to double the amount of readers they already have, and press them all towards proficiency enough to be able to be confident public readers that they can use once they begin formal Bible teaching in the Spring.

They would like to draw on this group to read Scripture publicly during the Bible lessons once they begin teaching. In addition, as small group leaders who can take people through review questions on a regular basis; keeping people saturated in the lesson content they are hearing. Pray that there would be a special interest in participating in this way. One more tool that God may use to stir hearts to receive the good news of Jesus.

In the New Year they plan to begin weekly community discussions focused on all aspects of the Bible teaching that will begin in the spring. Pray that God would use these discussions to create a sense of urgency and need for hearing the Gospel.

In February, their desire is to build a teaching house and initiate a series of classes that will prepare people for the Bible teaching. Helping to create a place in the Amdu mind to put the stories of the Bible and showing them that they are stories about real places, real events and real people. Otherwise, the stories of God’s Word and the characters of the Bible may be placed in the same category in their minds as the characters from their own Amdu fables and traditions.

In March the annual, regional conference will be held in Wewak. After their return they hope to launch into formal Bible teaching. It will require many weeks of teaching 4-5 days a week to lay the foundations from the Old Testament. After months, they will have taught through the life of Christ and then the Gospel will be clearly presented as they portray the death, burial, resurrection and ascension of Christ as the pivot point of history that it is.

Benjamin and Missy are very grateful to all those who pray for them so faithfully. They have just returned to the village after a three week visit to town. They timed this trip so that their eldest, Judah, could take his PSAT exam and so that their three eldest could attend a kids conference with other missionary kids from around the field of PNG. It was a refreshing time and they are encouraged as they return to life in the village.

Pray for them as they settle back into the Amdu rhythm they know so well. Pray that they will be productive and can get back into home schooling, translation and lesson writing. Pray specifically that Benjamin can hit the target of writing four lessons a week. Pray for Missy who is going to begin translation in the book of Acts.