Volume 2, No. 3 MARCH 1979

Dear Brethren;

"The nonsense that missionaries are a special people with special strength and unusual devotion has caused enough harm. I've never met a missionary who believes this myth, but there seems to be hardly a church member who does not."

This statement appears on a prayer card of one of my missionary friends and I believe it. Effectual prayer of James 5:16 is the prayer for REAL, not imagined, needs!

How can we know these needs? Look into your own heart. Except for geography it is the heart of the missionary.

1. Pray the heart need of FAITH will be met in the missionary. "Lord, strengthen the missionary's faith. May he trust YOU for every need." Visible results are often slow in coming and great faith is needed when sowing the seed. Pray he will leave all results, or lack of results with God. 1 Corinthians 3:6

2. Pray God will grant real WISDOM. Wisdom is needed in dealing with one's spiritual children, fellow missionaries and our own families. Wisdom in speech and actions is important. incompatibility is easily the mission field's most deadly virus. James 1:5,6

3. Pray he will have and maintain a CLEAR PICTURE of what is happening on the field. The missionary must not exaggerate "results", nor should he miss a blessing when the Lord sends it. "God grant the missionary the ability to see the spiritual impact of the Word on lives." I Corinthians 2:10-16

4. Pray the missionary's LOVE will increase and that his love for the lost will not grow cold. Pray his willingness to forgive will remain active, not in word only- but also in heart. John 13:35

5. Pray he will have JOY day by day. Routine often destroys this. Pray he will newer forget to laugh. It is good medicine. Pray he will never lose the joy of his calling. 1 Cor 7:20

6. Pray he will have PEACE, no fear at all. . Jer 1:8-10

7. Pray the missionary will be AT HOME in the place he is working "Whatever you are, be all there" is good advice. Pray about that "culture stress" and language adjustment. To swing into a diet of foreign food and a foreign language can create acute homesickness. Philippians 4:11,12

8. Pray for PURITY. "Lord keep the missionary pure in mind." The field of service makes no difference. How easy to falter here. 1 Timothy 4:16

9. Pray for VICTORY. "Lord make the missionary victorious with his own children" Our children are the greatest mission field we have. Noah was a success with his own children and was honored of God in Hebrews 11, the faith chapter.

10. Pray for TIME. "Lord help him not get too busy." Missionaries as all Christians, need time for prayer and personal devotions. Missionaries either grow or deteriorate. Sadly, there are many "sour" missionaries on the field. Only the sweetness of His presence can change that. Mark 1:35

Above all, PRAY. Your prayers will produce a fruitful ministry for the missionary and growth in your life in the Same areas. Your needs are real needs; so are his.

February began a new school year here in Papua New Guinea.
Terasa and Jason were enrolled at the Goroka International Primary School in Grade 3 and Grade Prep. Last year's cost was $800-US each but this year it was $900.US each. This cost was met by the generous contribution of you brethren. Thank you so much. The government runs and supports the majority of the schools here in PNG. All schools have each week a period set aside for 'Religious Instruction. Currently Lance Friis is teaching in three of the local schools here in and around Goroka. We are kept busy writing and printing materials for these classes.

During the week of Feb. 11-16 another Village Leadership School was hosted by the workers here in Goroka. We held it in the village of Watabung where Andy and Catherine Scott currently work. It is located 30 miles outside Goroka There were 32 in attendance representing 7 congregations. Topics were taught by Lance Friis and Andy Scott: "Preaching principles and the work of an evangelist - Timothy" and "Love'"(in Pidgin English Love is translated "Pasin bilong givim bel"- the way of giving heart). We drove the bus from Goroka up to the village congregations in Chimbu and brought the men back to the school. After the school was dismissed on Friday we took then home as well.
To get to Watabung one has to cross Dalo PAss which is 8000' at the pass. The government has just completed the paving of the road over the top but still lack someplaces on the other side. The major problem now is that the rain (which is continuing to fall on the average of 1-2 inches per day) cause landslides. These landslides cover the road at times making it impassible. This is really fun when you have crossed the pass in the morning and in the afternoon white trying to get back to Goroka you find yourself blocked out. Usually these slides are cleared within several hours but sometimes it takes days. On out way back to Goroka on the Sunday taking the men to the school we passed 6 landslides which covered half of the road. On the Friday we came upon three new slides two of which had covered the entire road during the night but had been cleared by morning. Coming back to Goroka on Friday the bus engine began making a loud clattering noise and we lost power. This was not too good because we hadn't crossed the pass yet and the engine in the bus is only a 4 cylinder. Usually one can make the pass in 2nd gear with 1st gear in the steepest parts. That day we crept up in 1st gear and there were some parts we weren't sure whether we were going to make it or not, but we did. The normal 1 hour trip took 2 hours.

When we got back to Goroka I found that one of the valve rocker arms in the engine had broken. That was why we had no power we were only using three cylinders instead of four. Never a dull moment around here! My landcruiser is parked in the workshop now . I am having to weld up cracks on the roof, doors and floor which resulted from the tremendous stress which comes from driving (navigating) the main and bush roads here. The car is 8 years old and I only hope it lasts this tour for us.

The printing press has been really chunking out the materials this month. We completed the printing of a song book in Pidgin English which will be used in the services of the church throughout Papua New Guinea. We are now in the process of collating the parts and binding it. I have been spending considerable time on the Topical Index we are translating and getting ready to print. The printing press has been an invaluable tool. Our only problem is that it takes money to run it which we don't have. Please pray with us that we can find $500 a month to maintain the printing needs !

During Feb the Goroka congregation averaged: 221/Thursday night; 707(22 Christian,6) Sunday Morn and we had 9 responses.

Thank You for your prayers and support.

IN THE MASTER'S SERVICE

THE HUFF'S