Travel and transition Dec 2,2021

We have been back in the states a month now. It’s been good. We feel like we are “back”. I do not feel like we are in a groove of any sort but more of a rat race. I tend to forget how fast the “American” life is. In PNG we do the same old…every day. With that being said, when I am in PNG I long for all the freedom and things that I am missing. But now that we are back and will be for these few months I realize how wonderful it is. Just to do the same thing each day and to not have to worry about where we are going and what we need to buy, is freeing.

We pictured America very different upon our arrival, but to our surprise, and I believe the timing, we are thankful that things are much more laid back then we perceived to be.

Caleb and I both noticed a difference in our kids and their transition. All the years before as we have come back to the States they have been young. Now that Elijah will be 12 and Bella is 10 they see things differently. I believe they have transitioned fine. I can tell you that they both miss their freedom to run and jump and play sports. They also are not used to the cold here and have been getting used to that as well. Here are some of their quotes since returning,

1. “ Why are there lines in the middle of the road”- Elijah

2. “ Are the food stores always open?”- Bella

3. “Why are the cars going so fast?”- Elijah

We don’t go out at night in PNG, let alone to a store at night. PNG does not have lines in there non -paved, pot hole road, making it almost impossible to drive fast anywhere.

We praise God for His hand upon us while we traveled and giving us the neg. Covid tests to return. The time with family has been priceless and we look forward to making many new memories with them.

We haven’t forgotten our Moka people and actually miss them so. I pray often for them by name. We are praying for the Lord to do a work in the village while we are gone. It’s hard to explain but once you hit American soil and start living your everyday life here, it feels like PNG is a dream. To go from living in the jungle and eating bananas on my porch to living in a house in NJ where I can get in the car and go anywhere I want and buy good food and COFFEE. We must not lose our focus. I can see how easy it is for Americans to lose the focus of missions. “Out of sight out of mind” It is such a true statement. Please pray for your missionaries overseas. Think of them, encourage them, and Pray!

The power of prayer is so important, we know we live by it! 

Prayer requests.

• That God will save the Moka people

• For Kobe, in the village and that his life would be spared from organ failure.

• For our time in the states and that we would stay focused on Christ

• A good and healthy holiday season with family.

Aug 14, 2021 (journal)

Yesterday my in-laws left to go back to the mission compound. They were with us for 11 days and it was a wonderful visit!

Bella would rise early with my father-in-law and read her Bible along side him. She never has had a desire to do this before therefore I was greatly encouraged. Mom taught her how to make bread, and they baked it a few times throughout the week. Both Dad and Mom worked with Caleb on translation and language learning. They were able to give him pointers and see how the Kaser language differs from the language they know in their village. Elijah had a good time with them as well. He enjoyed having others in the house. We were able to take walks with them throughout the village. Dad preached/ taught, for our workers meetings and the one Sunday they were with us. Unfortunately it rained the whole time they were here except for the day that the plane came to pick them up!

When we brought them to the air strip, our cargo came in on the front load. Some of our friends sent in a special box with gifts and treats! We really enjoyed that, especially the candy.

Today we polyurethaned the floor in our bedroom. It really came out wonderful! I really am so thankful for this house, it is our home. Being in the village is not always easy and having a home to retreat to helps! When you are the reality TV it can get to be a little much.

(The pics below are from our time with Calebs parents, and for those of you who don’t know they have been missionaries in country since 1999. We are not in the same area as them. Dad helped build the house with Caleb so Mom came to see the finished product a year later)

Coming Home Soon!

I will write out some journal entries in the next few weeks but I wanted to tell you some highlights of our time in the village. We are out of Moka and are planning to be back in the states the First of November. 2021 was a huge step for us in our ministry. We have seen the Lords hand upon us and really are amazed by His wondrous works. I have read many wonderful missionary biographies this year and have been greatly encouraged. If anybody tells you that suffering for the Lord is not a thing, please don’t listen to them. This is a theme through out all of the books. I too can relate with them one way or another. 

“we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance” Romans 5:3

We have been blessed by all that we have endured this season in Papua New Guinea, good and bad. We have been able to accomplish almost all that we had set out to do in 2019 upon returning. 

• complete construction of our house

• the boat and motor

• learning the language (still ongoing but great progress)

• medically helping people

• operation newborn

• the airstrip (continuing with slow progress)

My in laws were able to come and join us for 2 weeks in the village during August. Mom got to see the house for the first time and they were able to encourage Caleb with language learning and translation. Dad did all the preaching for workers meetings, midweek meeting as well as Sunday. We had a wonderful time with them despite the rainy weather everyday. 

Caleb was able to translate (initial translation) many verses from Genesis, Ezekiel, Matthew, Mark, John, and Acts. After he would translate these, he would preach on that particular passage all week. We were able to bring the Gospel down river as well as to a village up river~ that we had previously not evangelized.

Our relationships with the people have grown and we have really gotten to know them much better. It would take a lifetime to understand them culturally but we keep chipping away. There are so many things that are animistic it's hard to understand, plus they don’t share that side of themselves. We have seen things this term that have been very eye opening to us. One being a demon possessed woman.  

For the first time we were able celebrate PNG Independence Day, Sept 16th, in our village. It was great fun. They have a week long time of sports, Rugby, Soccer, Volleyball, as well as Basketball. Then on the 16th they have competitions and awards. Elijah and I participated a little, I played basketball till I fell in the mud and gave up and Elijah did things with the kids. Caleb was gifted a Kina shell. Ιt was a lovely day and we really enjoyed it!

For me and the kids we have gotten a lot of school done. Elijah is in 6th and Bella in 4th. I love homeschooling for the most part, and feel like I learn so much from teaching. This year is a lot of US history which I am proud to teach! The Lord has stretched me beyond what I thought I was capable of. Dealing with children being bitten by snakes and dying, Others bitten by snakes and living, by the Grace of GOD! Helping TB patients (making sure they are taking their meds) and the best one, Delivering a Baby! I am beyond humbled on how the Lord had chosen me to be this NJ girl who hated camping into a missionary in the jungle of PNG. For those of you who know me, oh you know!

The books that I read that you might want to read:

“Becoming Elizabeth Elliott”

“Nate Saint”

“Hudson Taylor and Maria: A Match Made in Heaven”

We pray that we will see all of you again real soon!

Prayer Request:

• The Holy Spirit to work while we are away from them

• Traveling mercies as we navigate travel restrictions and numerous airports

• The kids transitioning back to the USA

May 16 and 30

Sunday May 16... we had a great meeting with the people despite the horrible rainy weather. When I woke up in the morning I figured no one would show due to the rain, but God had other plans. We read and sang and Caleb preached. While he was preaching a few people walked by to go into the bush, one of them being Elsi. I thought, “Oh I wish she would come listen rather then go hunting… but she strolled by”. After the meeting I made hot chocolate because it was so damp out and afterwards we talked on the radio to Caleb’s parents who are at the mission base right now. I wasn’t feeling well all week so I was about to lie down when we heard a voice close to the house. I told Elijah to check because I really was too tired. Then I heard Simoi say it was Elsi his wife and wasn’t sure if she got bit by a snake. This is the same Elsi who I saw go into the jungle, hours before. My tiredness was overcome by adrenaline and I went to see. She was in the wind house and sure enough a snake bit her left hand. Apparently she cut a tree branch and it fell and when she went to pick it up something bit her. She did not see what it was but it left two holes on the top of her hand. As I stood there all I could think of is that she is under some kind of attack, she was bitten on that hand 2 years ago and then had the demon in her a few months back. Now I stand here again fearing her death and where she would spend eternity. She is so hardened to the truth. The poison did weird things to her but about 2 hours later she was sitting up and eating.

A week later she came and planted coconuts and a trees called “two-leaf” in our yard (similar to spinach). I gave her a bottle (something for her to put stuff in), and paid her for her time. Later that day I saw her try to steal from me and felt so upset. Why? Why would she do that, she is my friend. I have helped her over and over again. I care for her and her children. I have stood beside her as she has been close to death. I continue to share the gospel with her, yet she is overcome by her temptation to steal and controlled by her sinful heart. This is just one example of why the Moka people need Jesus!

May 30- It’s the Lord’s Day today and as we sat waiting for people to come we talked about things that we miss from our families in America. We waited a while and thought no one was coming but then David and his family came as well as Kobe. Caleb preached in their language. It’s great that he is getting over the hump of learning the language and he seems to be understanding more and more. (As for me I’m far behind, Homeschooling takes up the first part of my day. I have come to terms with that I might not learn the language like I thought, but that’s ok. Teaching our kids is very important to me.) Kobe understands so much he can tell us everything that we have said and we can see he understands. Sadly he doesn’t truly believe. Their customs are strong and they hold them to the death. You will truly see a change of heart in a true Christian for when they leave their sorcery customs behind. After our meeting the family and I walked the village to see how everyone is. That’s when I came across a situation very much like Haggar and Sarah in the Old Testament. As we know the in story, Sarah gives Abraham her maid servant who bores him the son Ishmael. She is treated unfairly from Sarah and has to leave in the end. It’s the same here. The first wife has the right to boss any other wives and take the children of the other wives.

Rachel, is the second wife to one of the men here and when I was walking through I noticed her in the doorway looking “sick”. I asked her if she was ok but as I got closer I could see she was in pain. Her hand was cut by a knife from a fight with the first wife. The first wife , claims that Rachel’s son is hers and they were fighting over that. Yes these ways still exist. This is something we face in the village a lot. Polygamy is common here and not looked down upon. Having children is there heritage and if the first wive can not produce then they will keep getting a wife until one does. Not everyone does this, but I feel like enough do.

Continue to be in prayer for this dark place.

the one picture is of Elsi after she got bit by the snake.

Journal entry, May 6-11, 2021

May 6-11

Another week has passed and we are settled in.

We’ve had some excitement going on, starting with Kavin who has sent for us at 8:30 pm. He thought he was bite by a snake in the village while he was walking home. Two ladies came to our wind house and called but I didn’t hear them. I was laying in bed with the fan on. Thankfully Elijah was in his bed and thought a ghost was calling his name, as he says. When I looked out I saw a fire in my wind house and they were waiting. It’s funny to me because they weren’t running to the house alarmed or anything but just calling out to me hoping I would hear? I don’t know why they do that. Caleb and I both went because it was night and I didn’t want to go alone. We locked the kids into the house and off we went. I wrapped the leg and sucked the one hole with the extractor. Then we waited to watch for signs. Caleb spoke to him about truly believing in Christ, for now is the time. After about an hour he didn’t have any symptoms so we all figured it was some sort of insect that bit him and drew blood. He never saw a snake and it is extremely rare for them to be bit in the village. We just wanted to be safe and were thankful that it wasn’t anything.

On Monday the 10th, we went down to the three villages to evangelize We had about 8 people from our village traveling with us. At the first village there were only two people in it due to people leaving for town and going to their garden. Caleb still read the Bible and spoke with the two women there. Afterwards we were given 3 coconuts. At the next village there were a lot more people and Caleb preached in their language from Revelation 20:15, on the Book of Life. We were there about 2 hours and then moved on to the last village of the day. This village is the headquarters for this area for the SDA’s. Even so we had a good turn out and Caleb preached for the third time that day the same thing. It’s always a long day the Monday’s we go but totally worth it.

As I said Caleb preached in the language, this is where the biggest change has happened in our ministry. Caleb has made a break through with his language learners. He is able to work each day with men from the village who help him with learning their language, translating scripture passages, and putting his preaching notes into the language. Caleb has his notes that he translated and has now preached in their language the WORD OF GOD! This is huge. This is the first time anyone has put the Word of God into the Kaiser language! Praise be to God!

May the Holy Spirit open then eyes of these people so they will be saved.

You can go to the picture video page and see him preaching in the language.

Caleb as the skipper, as we travel to the villages

Returning to Moka

April 26-May 2

We praise God for His goodness to us! He brought us back into the village when many thought it would be impossible due to regulations of the country. God granted us permission to fly. We also were greeted by a truck at the airstrip and were brought to the river. We then prayed for a boat and a motor to be available and the Lord answered prayer. We were well on our way to Moka in less then and hour and a half.

Upon our arrival to the village we were glad to see that the grass was cut! The airstrip work was not really done but we figured that, being it was rainy season and one of the main landowners passed away from a long time sickness. They take the mourning process differently then an American. It goes on for a very long time in the village.

Two families continued to meet on Sundays while we were gone. They read the Bible and sang. We were so encouraged by this. We are praying for each of them. David and Dorika are a young family who have been coming and Kobe is one of the oldest men in the village and I truly believe the Lord is working in him. He is not doing well so please pray for him.

Bella’s rooster, “Saragi” was babysat by a family here in Moka and they took great care of him. The chicken is like no other. He comes when we call and allows Bella to literally do anything to him. He is a fighter when it comes to Jersey and steals her food. It’s the little things that makes the kids happy.

We got the house in order in about three days and I was able to decorate a little. We now have a bathroom mirror!

We really are looking forward to seeing what the Lord has in store for us this time in the village.

”Sing praises to the Lord, who sits enthroned in Zion! Tell among the peoples his deeds!”

Psalm 9:11

Bella and her chicken

traveling on the river

the house

Remember the Savior.

Introduction

Before I give you my journal entries below, let us acknowledge the significance of this day we celebrate as Good Friday. Let us consider the life of Christ and how He died for His people on the Cross. This humbles me, especially because I am a sinner saved through this death. Jesus suffered and died the shameful death of the Cross, but ROSE from death to fulfill the Father’s perfect prophesied plan - salvation for sinners. Nothing you or I do can be good and righteous enough to make us worthy of heaven; but the Gospel tells us that Jesus was good and righteous enough to make us worthy of heaven. I give glory to God for all he has given us is His Son. Are you confident you are justified before the Father through the Son? If you are unsure of where you stand with God, now is the time to make it right. God says that we “all have sinned,” but that is not the final word, the same passage goes on to say that “whoever calls upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.” So may we all be repenting of our sins and believing the Gospel. This is the message for all peoples in all times in all places. Let this truth be the backdrop as you read my journal entries below.

Feb 7

Yesterday one of the women who is often with me, Aina, was bitten by a poison snake. She came to my wind-house to ask for help. I only saw one hole in her foot (not the normal two) and proceeded with the wrap. The suction (to draw out the poison) did not work because her foot is calloused like a stone. I was hoping that she had a scorpion sting instead of a snake bite. Once the pain proceeded moving up her leg I knew it was indeed a snake bite. Over the next two hours I watched Aina step onto death’s doorstep. By then most of the village was at her side, and I was pushed aside. I kept weeping in fear for her children - she has eleven, five of which live with her under the age 14. (Her husband died Sept 2019 from TB.) I kept pleading with God to spare Aina. She began the death-rattle (loosing air and voice) and then lost conciseness. Not long after this though, she began moving again and tried to talk. By God’s mercy Aina did not die that day. The Lord has now saved her twice (she is the same woman I wrote about back in 2018 when she was seizing giving birth to her last born). I continually talk to her about how Jesus has given her two more opportunities to live on this earth. I pray that God would mercifully save her from sin and ultimate death in hell, and that she would turn from her animistic ways and to the truth of Christ - the Gospel Caleb preaches to the villagers week after week.

Feb 14

We had such a cute Valentine’s Day. We made homemade cards for each other, and we enjoyed chocolate cake at the end of the day. After we finished our cake, I was about to clean up when Simoi ran to our house and told us their was a spirit no-good (demon) on Elsi, his wife. (You may remember Elsi from one of my previous posts: she had been bitten by a poisonous snake in 2019, I prayed all that night, and the Lord did not allow her to die then.) As we all approached the wind house (gazebo) she was thrashing on the floor, tight lipped, and eyes shut. First I checked if her problems was possibly medical, but it clearly was not. This was no medical seizure; there was a demon in her, and it was controlling her. Caleb and I have never seen anything like that before so we watched for a few minutes and asked questions. Elsi could not even respond to our talk. As we began praying over her she would thrash more. Her hands were in a death grip, grabbing the people next to her. We had a very similar experience to Jesus’ interactions with demons in the Gospels. Elsi had no control over her body. Her heart rate and breathing were both normal. She told me this later, that her mind was hearing the demon speaking to her, but she couldn’t hear us talking to her. The demon continued to bang her head against the floor, and her limbs jerked in unnatural ways; her body shook uncontrollably. Finally her body went limp and she pointed to the corner of the house and said the demon was there. I kept telling her, “Jesus is the only one with the power and authority to deliver you; only He can give you true life; He is the light.” I told her over and over to call out to Jesus, for only His Name has power and authority to deliver her from evil. Her husband told us that the demon has been going into her for the past two months, and it always comes at night. Let me tell you, if I wasn’t a believer in Christ I would be terrified of what a demon could do to me.

Elis later told me that she can see the demon coming to her and it overtakes her “heart” (i.e. her soul). We prayed over her numerous times that night. The windhouse was crowded with people. Caleb and I spoke once again of the Gospel, and of Jesus’ ministry in the Bible. Jesus himself, as well as his disciples, often dealt with this demons. This was ordinary for them, but for us, it was a first.

Pray for the Holy Spirit to make these people born again through His Word, so that they would turn to Christ and be saved from their sin, the control of the devil, and eternal hell.

Two days later I went to talk with Elsi about what she thought had happened to her. She had no recollection of what had happened with the demon. She said that she can see the demonic force come at her and before she loses consciousness it fights her body. The demon makes her roll around in the grass hitting her, banging her head, and causing her to fall. Elsi said she went to hit it with a knife. I explained to her a demonic force you can’t fight with a sword but only with the true sword which is the word of God. When I started to talk to her about God and how she truly needs Jesus, she tuned out. She told me Simoi (her husband) is afraid that it will come in one night and throw her into the river to die. She just laughed it off like it would never happen. I told her that he’s right and she should be very afraid of it. Blows my mind that she would be so afraid of other things and yet not afraid of this. Please pray for Elsi. 

I walked away feeling defeated and frustrated but I can’t save her the Lord has to open her eyes.

“Jesus healed many who had various diseases. He also drove out many demons.” Mark 1:34

Back into Moka

This is how Paul describes some of his adventures during his pioneer Gospel mission work

“Three times I was shipwrecked; a night and a day I was adrift at sea; on frequent journeys, in danger from rivers, danger from robbers, danger from my own people, danger from Gentiles, danger in the city, danger in the wilderness, danger at sea, danger from false brothers; in toil and hardship, through many a sleepless night, in hunger and thirst, often without food, in cold and exposure. And, apart from other things, there is the daily pressure on me of my anxiety for all the churches.“ (2 Cor 11)

January 12 we left the the mission compound around 9am. We were able to get to the airstrip around 10am. God answered prayer and there was good weather for the plane to land. A vehicle from the lumber camp came thinking that our plane was for them, and so we asked them if they could help us by driving our cargo to the river. I always give them cinnamon rolls for their help. On arriving at the river Caleb went to get our fuel. I chatted it up with some people in the market finding out that apparently there was no boat or motor to bring us to Moka. I was praying that we would get to Moka with a motor, otherwise we would to have to paddle a day and night to get there. I also was concerned about the 25kg of meat that was in our cooler. It would spoil if we could not get to Moka that day. I started to doubt, Elijah reassured me that there would be a motor and a boat, and so not to worry. We waited for about 15 minutes until Caleb came back and I automatically went right to him telling him that there was no motor available. He told me that he heard from another guy that he has a motor but it had been 9 months since he used it last, so they weren’t sure if it would work. After about an hour the motor and the boat were at the river ready for us. I always feel like I’m doubting; but our caring Father answered our prayers again. I had to praise the Lord right there, and say thank you for hearing my prayer. I know in some sense it was a small concern compared to others, but I also know that our Father always is watching over and caring for us because we are His children doing His work.

That day we did get to Moka village. Thankfully on arrival there were no issues/problems with our house or the boat house. It took me a few days to get the house in order (which is normal). I had to put all our new cargo away, all the food onto shelves, and clean up the mold and dust.

One of our friends had a baby while we were away from the village. The mother had delivered a boy and she asked Elijah to give him a name: Elijah chose the biblical name, Joseph (I was happy since that’s my brother’s name). The people were happy to see us again as we were to see them.

The first week back in Moka seems to have gone by quickly because we were busy. Next week I start school again and we start back into our normal routine. Lots of decoration stuff came in so my house now definitely feels like home.

Trying Times

We are frontier missionaries. What does that involve? Well, nothing that you would ever be prepared for. No one but God Himself can prepare a couple to do pioneer Gospel missions. Jesus, by His Word and Spirit, gives us the power and grace to do this work. 

Frontier missionaries face circumstances in different ways. We have dealt with betrayal, demons, lying, stealing, being called false prophets, and seeing many die. As I read through the Gospels again I am seeing them in a new light. Christ’s words, what he went through, and how he handled problems, all these were done perfectly and with no sin. Even though we are faced with these difficult situations we are here in this place because Christ has called us to this work: to proclaim the Gospel of Jesus Christ. We are bringing it to such a lost and dark place, knowing that this is where the Lord has called us to serve Him. 

I often think of the great missionaries of the past. Consider John Paton, one who was in constant danger for years and still brought the people the Word. David Brainerd ministered to the American Indians while sick with TB and living in harsh conditions. Think of Jim Elliot, and the others with him, who followed God’s calling to the South American natives, and in their obedience were killed. But their deaths were not in vain, for through their deaths many came to Christ and it opened the door for Elizabeth to go back to those same people. And what was the outcome? The people were saved.

As we face these trying times we continue to pray for the harvest of God’s people. I pray for it; what a glorious day it will be!

Mark 5

 Caleb has been preaching recently from Mark 5 about the man with the demons in the cemetery.  It's such a great passage to teach on since they are all too familiar with demons themselves. We have had some great conversations with them regarding the demonic force and how to turn from it. We explain to them that if they let go of this evil and turn to Christ the Holy Spirit will come to live in them and they will be shielded and protected from the demons coming to make camp inside them. Sad to say I believe there was a young girl in our village with a demon. She was "long, long" as they say in pidgin, meaning crazy. I would talk to her and at one point helped her with a sore on her hand that was literally eating away half of her flesh. The sad thing is that in October she drowned in the river. Reality check.... yes demons are real, and yes they want you dead. I was so heart broken by this, but have been using it as a teaching tool to others that they do not have to fear this if they turn to Christ.

On another note, 2:45am Caleb and I were woken up to our names being called outside. It was like a weird dream, for you heard your name being called but there was no knock at the door or anything, just this faint whisper. We both jumped out of bed thinking that there must be something no good happening for why would they wake us up. My heart always starts to pump that adrenaline and get me ready for the fight or flight of what is coming. When we turned on the light and walked outside there was Elsi and Simoi holding a bamboo torch and telling us that MORE FUEL WAS STOLEN. Yup you heard me if it wasn't enough to to steal 15 gallons before they had to steal another 15 gallons~ oh  I was so mad. You see two days before we took down the motor house because obviously it was too easy to break into to steal. So we took it down and Simoi was going to build a bigger and better one. We had the fuel in 55gallon drums on the grass next to his house not thinking at all that someone would dare steal it again and out in the open like that. YUP, we were wrong. We know its an inside job and one of our Moka people stole it. We now have a court order out for them since no one will tell us who did it. I feel like screaming and crying at the same time. I mean I told them we help you, care for you and share the Word of God with you and this is how you treat us. I am not the first missionary nor the last and I know that many, many missionaries have gone through this as well as much worse. 

Please pray for us

*that they will not continue to steal from us

*that they will be saved

*that the Lord will protect us and care for us.

*that our hearts will be in the right place!

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Day 24: Moka: Saturday, February 10, 2018

Hebrews 9:27 “It is appointed for each man to die, and then after that comes the judgment.”

Ps. 69:3 “I am weary with my crying out; my throat is parched. My eyes grow dim with waiting for my God.”

THIS ENTRY IS A LITTLE EXPLICIT. SO BE ADVISED.

This morning is sobering for me. When I woke I went and got my breakfast and was making coffee when 3 ladies came into our yard. I normally don’t have anyone help me on Saturdays because I know they too have their house work. I asked Caleb through the door to tell them I don’t need help today. But that is not why they had come. One of the women of the village was in childbirth in the village and they came to me to ask for medical gloves. I asked them why they needed medical gloves, and they told me they woman had given birth, but her placenta was not coming out. I decided to go down with them to see what was happening. When I got to the shack where the woman had given birth, I saw the woman on the floor and I could see the serious concern on all the women’s faces. Garo was there with a plastic rice bag as her ‘glove’. That alone probably had cut the inside of the woman. I handed the gloves to Garo and then asked the women who were present all the questions I could think about regarding a placenta (I am no mid-wife and don’t know everything regarding childbirth, only what I have experienced with my own child-birthing). They all said they had tried many things, but the placenta would not come out. The woman was still laying on the floor, and there was blood everywhere because of the bleeding. She was moaning, and her black skin was now yellow. I asked how long she has been bleeding, and they all advised me that it had been hours. I realized that this was much worse then I thought, so I yelled up the hill to Caleb to send me our Satellite phone (thanks again to all of you who donated to that project; our sat phone is our only mode of communication in Moka, and it is vital to our ministry). Elijah came running down with the phone and I immediately called a nurse at the mission-base clinic. I was able to get through (which is not always the case). As I was explaining the situation to the nurse over the sat phone, all of a sudden I heard all the women begin calling out the woman’s name. I walked back over to where the patient was, and I saw she was dead. Just like that her soul was gone from her and her body was limp. I cried out to the nurse on the phone, “SHE JUST DIED!” I was beside myself. I couldn’t save this woman from death; I didn’t even help her. I felt helpless myself. All the women of the village started to wail; at least 20 women were standing with me and they were screaming and crying. Many were throwing their bodies on the woman who had just died. She was lying there naked with a newborn baby by her side, but now she was dead. I was the missionary lady, with the sat phone, with no answers. It humbled me to think that I am a missionary and I knew I WOULD see difficult things like this. I just wasn’t expecting this during the first trip to Moka. The woman who died was in her early twenties. She had come to my house a lot during the past month. I knew she was pregnant. I just talked to her the other day about the skin fungus that was all over her body and how I would bring her medicine the next time I come to Moka. We ate dinner at her parents’ house the first week were here. She had never heard the Gospel message; she never once came when Caleb preached the Word; and shame on me, I never personally told her the Gospel either. They re-dressed her dead body and placed her on a dirty foam mattress. From the shack where she had given birth they carried her to the underneath of Garo’s house. This is where they would hold the “funeral”. To see them all, with no hope, throwing themselves on her body, was very sad. Caleb and our two kids came down. I was crying and so sad. My merciful Bella didn’t really understand but she did know that I was sad, so she too started to cry. The wailing alone of the people can overwhelm you. The four of us went back up the hill to our stick house. I could still hear the wailing from our house, and I was told that this wailing can go on for days. By God’s mercy the baby lived, it was a boy. Now the grandmother will be taking care of this baby. The husband is not in the picture; he has abandoned his family. I am tired from crying; I feel weak. Please Lord, “Use this situation for Your glory and the advance of the Gospel.” Later in the day some men came to tell us that nobody “just dies”. As animistic people, they believe that if you are doing ‘bad’ then the evil spirits will get you. The evil spirits might “get you” through a snake, or a crocodile, or a tree falling on you, or in this case, dying in child-birth. Because this woman died, she obviously was doing ‘bad’ (according to the worldview of the animistic people of Moka). We went on to teach them that their customs/traditions/worldview, and what the LORD says are two very different things. The worldview of animists in Moka is contrary to the Scriptures. The whole world lies under the influence and power of the Evil One (1 John 5). We are all dead and doomed in sin and only Jesus holds the key of life. Caleb told these men we all deserve death because of our sin. At the very beginning when our first father Adam sinned, we all sinned with him and died with him. Caleb quoted Scripture, one being Hebrews 9:27. The men didn’t seem upset with what we said; instead one of the village leaders asked Caleb to come down and preach at the funeral. “Oh Lord I see good coming from this; let your word go forth!” About an hour later we went back down the hill to be part of their “viewing”. Her body still lay on the mattress. Her newborn baby was placed next to her head, and the dead woman’s mother was wailing over her. Our family sat down under the house with everyone else. We sat for a while, then Caleb preached. He preached from John 11. Lazarus had been dead in the tomb for 4 days, but Jesus raised him to life. In John 11 Jesus says, “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in Me, though he die, yet shall he live, and everyone who lives and believes in Me shall never die.” Caleb preached the Gospel to the people. About 40 adults were preset and heard as Caleb preached the Word in the national language. Caleb pointed at all of them and then said we don’t know the time that God has appointed for us to die, so you must be ready NOW, not tomorrow, not a year from now… OH how I pray that many were touched by the power of the Holy Spirit and His Gospel. The people of Moka are slaves to their animistic customs/traditions (in much the same way as Americans are slaves to comfort, entertainment, and money). We are praying for the power of the Gospel to transform this village. I am praying that the Holy Spirit will be working in all the hearts of the Moka people. Elijah and Caleb left shortly after that. All the men were leaving to go dig the grave so there was no need for them to sit there anymore. Bella and I stayed a little while longer. Bella would whisper to me and ask things like, why does she have a baby? Why did she die? Why is only her head sticking out of the sheet? All are good questions. All are part of life here in Moka, and everywhere in this cursed world. There is no “shielding” my children in this life we live as pioneer missionaries bringing the Gospel for the first time to a remote unevangelized village. May the Lord give me strength to answer questions wisely and biblically. Only through God’s Word can you have a true worldview. May my children learn from all the circumstances we will come across. Most of the world experiences death differently than America portrays it. My prayer for this day is that God’s glory will out-shine all evil, and may His Word go forth with unstoppable power. May we not grow weary in doing good, knowing that in due time we will receive our reward if we do not give up (Gal 6:9). Thanks be to the Lord Jesus that He has defeated death for all those who believe in Him. He was raised from death because it was not possible for death to have power over Him. In Adam we all die; but in Christ we will be made alive (1 Cor 15). Lesson #24 You never know when your time is to come…We must be ready!

Hard times

October, 23-25th Both of these days will be forever burned into my memory. Sunday the 23rd started off as any other Sunday. We started meeting under Jamica's house because the village said they didn't want us meeting in the school building anymore. We waited to see if anyone would volunteer to have the meeting on their property and he did! We sang and had a regular meeting about 5 men showed up so we are thankful. That afternoon Jamica and his wife, Nano said there were going into the bush (the jungle) to get sak sak which is their staple food from a tree. My day went on and we went about our business until it was coffee night. Coffee night is something we do for every Sunday afternoon where we serve coffee and have a devotional. This time normally leads into some great conversation about Biblical things. Well anyway we were all talking when a kid ran up to tell his mom that another kid got bitten by a poison snake. I over heard this and ran into the house to get the snake bite kit and started down towards the river. When I arrived I found out it was Jamica's granddaughter, and she was already dead. They were wailing over her and holding her up. It is such a hard thing to be a part of because culturally it is so different. There is no satin sheets or a beautiful box it is just raw straight up reality. A dirty body that died of the poison of that awful snake. But worse then that is the evil one just keeps winning another one. Sandra was about 10/11 and was walking the jungle with her grandfather to cut little trees to make a shelter. She was bit on the leg but not really aware of it and within three hours was dead. I found it to be ironic that it was the granddaughter to the man who had opened his house up to have the Sunday meetings under. The gospel was heard that day and the evil one was not too happy. Satan is real and he is not thrilled about us. Please pray for this village, please pray that the Word will go forth and His Holy Spirit will save.

Oct 25th Wednesday was the day Caleb was coming back from the village 8 hours away. I didn't sleep well that night. I had fear and felt overwhelmed by many things. I was making supper around 3:30 pm figuring I would get it all ready for when he arrived. Elijah yelled out to me while I was chopping onions, that a man was in the yard. It was Sibona, I ran to see what he needed and he yelled that his son was bitten by a poison snake. At first I honestly thought he was joking. We just had buried the other girl the day before. I was like are you sure? I saw his wife in the windhouse (our little gazebo type building on the property) with the boy on her lap. Elijah helped me gather the snake bite stuff and we went running. He was alive and talking. I first went right to the wrapping and then the suction of the poison. I did that for about 15 mins and just started praying. His name is Benjamin so I asked him questions and he knew who I was and was well aware of what was happening. He told me that his side was in pain and I figured the poison was already raging through his body. Bella and Elijah were sitting there as well. I couldn't get a good timeline of when he was bit so I was not sure what would happen. I told them I would be right back for I was going to call out on the radio to my in-laws to have them pray. By the time I came back the whole village was there and they were doing their custom stuff on him. I think at that point I lost it. I started talking really loud that none of this would save him. Nothing could save him now other then God Himself. I could feel this oppression of evil pushing down on me. Benjamin was screaming now and the pain was making him convulse. Yes people this is real and this was happening. I was watching his little body die and the people have such fear in their eyes. I was holding his hand at one point and his parents were screaming his name in his ear. We were losing him to the poison. I felt like I was defeated. I felt helpless and surrounded by no hope. Caleb was still gone so I was on my own with Christ as my warrior. Why couldn't he save him? And then he died. I wailed with tears rolling down my face. He was gone and he was only 5. Why? Lots of why's, ran through my mind. Doubt crept in at points. My children see and are apart of things not many children in the states are. They see real life is ways many might think they shouldn't but this is reality we all die and there is no sugar coating it here. Right after he died they whisked him down to the village to cry and with that everyone was gone and the kids and I were left alone. As I cried I feared as well, What if it was my children? Lord why do you have so many people here die from TB and snakebites help me... Please Lord guide me through the struggle help me I need you more than ever because I feel so stripped of all things. (side note, I found out later that he was about an hour away and his father ran to my house from the bush to get help. So he was bit over an hour before he got to me.)

For he will command his angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways; they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone. You will tread on the lion and the cobra; you will trample the great lion and the serpent. Psalm 91: 11-13

There is no one holy like the Lord; there is no one besides you; there is no Rock like our God. 1 Samuel 2:2