Unexpected blessings …

Joe came to our reception window enquiring about the availability of a room for he and his wife. On hearing the cost, he headed back out to his vehicle. Perhaps it was more than he intended to pay on this occasion.

He soon returned, explaining that God convicted them to stay with us as the money would support mission work. While checking in, Joe noticed the PNG map in our foyer showing the many language groups which have had a translation work commence. He located his home area and asked if there was anything produced in Arapesh (vernacular language).

Armed with our new digital source of translation material, SaveLongGod (see our June 2016 Newsletter), Elspeth was able to provide Joe with an audio version of Mark’s Gospel which he immediately had playing on his mobile phone. Joe will return soon to collect a CD with additional material, including the complete New Testament in pdf and other recordings.

God is good. Joe came to us willing to support the ministry of Bible translation, using his finances in a thoughtful. intentional way, and God provided a blessing for him that he had not imagined.

 There are thousands of people in PNG who have moved away from their traditional home regions – away from the tok ples language they learnt in their youth. In Joe’s case, he was unaware of the Scripture resources available in Arapesh, but is now excited at the opportunity of sharing this with  other Arapesh speakers in his home village and wherever he meets them throughout PNG.

Joe just needs his phone and a willing audience.

As the rain and the snow  come down from heaven, and do not return to it without watering the earth and making it bud and flourish, so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater, so is my word that goes out from my mouth; It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it.  Isaiah 55:10-11

Please pray …

• that Joe, and many believers like him, would have opportunities to share the Gospel with their families and other tok ples speakers
• for us at the Lae Centre to have wisdom in making best use of the Scripture resources that have been made available
• for the hundreds of language groups yet to be reached with the Gospel in tok ples