With some of the team on home assignment since April, Sasch, Charissa and family who serve in Asia-Pacific, have been busy and they are very thankful for their Buru coworkers.
Sasch works on Bible translation Monday through Friday drafting new sections and checking things with his translation helper during the morning and noon hours of the day, but often it stretches until evening. Translation continues to progress well. The first half of Acts is finished along with two of the three necessary checks for several chapters. Hopefully the rest of the book of Mark and maybe some of the chapters of Acts will be able to have the final consultant check early next year and printed. Pray for continued good progress. Saturday evening Sasch meets with whichever men are around to go over final preparations for the Sunday sermon.
Charissa and the kids start school after breakfast and work to it mostly finished by lunch time. In the evenings Charissa spends time revising the next Sunday school lesson, visiting people, selecting and brainstorming the next ladies’ study topic, attending meetings, and on Saturdays meal prep or extra baking for the upcoming week.
Having all permits and such in hand, building began in June on the new dorm building and progressed steadily. God has been truly faithful to provide funds. The kids and dorm parents were officially able to move in at the end of October; however, things are still not finished. Please continue to keep the dorm project in your prayers, as well as the dorm parents and kids, both those who have already been part of the dorm, and those who will likely join now that there is much more space.
The outreach in the south is still running strong. Sasch and the elders continue to take turns travelling there to help teach every weekend. The chronological lessons were completed in May, followed by a review with an emphasis on Jesus’ fulfilment of the Old Testament, and now they are beginning to teach through Acts. Pray for continued faith and growth. The building of a small meeting house there has also been recently completed to the point where it can be used.
There are currently six singles and one couple from Buru studying at the mission training centre. Pray for growth in faith, and that they may all be equipped well to minister to others.
Just after Easter a young boy was swept away in the river and drowned. Pray for his family, who are all unbelievers. Pray for a believing family that has a false accusation against them, that God will move in people’s hearts for this to be resolved soon. Praise God for answered prayer regarding village ‘clan’ issues. Pray for resolution of a land dispute that the outcome will be beneficial to the whole village, and that the airstrip can open again.
Pray for the church to have a hunger for the Word, and realisation for the need to not only be saved, but to grow and become more like Christ. Pray for the missionary team as they seek to teach, encourage, translate, moderate problems, and be a blessing. Pray for parents to realise the importance of giving their children a good foundation in the Word. Pray for the youth and the children, to choose to know God for themselves, and to not be distracted by the attractions of the world.
Sasch and Charissa are so thankful for each of their four children, for how God is moving in their lives, and for their love for each other. Pray for them as a family. They are thankful for the task God has granted them among the Buru people, to be little reflections of His light in this small corner of the earth. There is no greater blessing.