APRIL 1987

Dear Brethren;

"I rejoice greatly in the Lord that at last you have renewed your concern for me. Indeed, you have been concerned, but you had no opportunity to show it. I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do everything through him who gives me strength. Yet it was good of you to share in my troubles .... for even when I was in Thessalonica, you sent me aid again and again when I was in need."  Philippians 4:10-16

JULYDAY JULYDAY
As I read Paul's letter to the brethren I am reminded of similar circumstances in our service of the Lord. Time and time again you have sent against our needs in Bible School and then to Papua New Guinea and now here in New Zealand. Thank you so much! Many of you will be receiving the newsletter after a period of silence on my part. I apologize for that. Up until last month we had to mail each newsletter at regular postage rate. We have now received a mailing permit from Joplin Mo. and will be bringing everybody back onto the newsletter mailout as we can mail at discount rates again.

This month has been a soul searching time for our family. Those who follow us through our newsletter will know that for several months we have been trying to get our monthly support up to a level where we can serve effectively. Many factors come in play as to our financial foundation. When we left the states last May to come over to New Zealand we came with approximately $1700 in US dollars. This amount was as we felt just sufficient to get us started here. This amount included $500 per month needed to support the Mesa family while they attended school here for two years. When we arrived in NZ we were able to change US dollars at a rate of 1.97. That is we received $197 New Zealand dollars for every $100 US dollars. The buying power was about the same as there in the States. The last check I cashed we exchanged on a 1.71 rate. (i.e. $171 NZ$ for $100 US$.) In reality a 13% decrease in value of the US $. At the same time our house rent and living expenses have increased 25%. During the same time span (May 86- April 87) we have had our monthly support decrease by $400 for a 24 % loss in support.

The only reason we are still here at all is that some of the missionaries heard my call and send support for the Mesa's schooling and Kathy has been working as a secretary for the Bible College and her wages go for the Mesa's support as well.

One of the restrictions on our visas to enter New Zealand was that I was the only one who could work for wages. This means that the kids cannot get jobs, even though the orchards are needing pickers for the coming kiwi fruit harvest. I ask the labor department for a bit of help here but they said no. So whatever the kids want to do like go on ski trips, camps etc all has to come from available funds in the family budget. With a young lady who is going to be taking her driving test this week and a young man wanting to be with his friends this is very hard on them.

Because of this situation we have decided that if monthly support does not become available to enable us to remain to the end of our visas in May of 1988 we will be looking at returning to the States in July of this year. July would allow is to get back in time to settle-in before the kids had to start school in September. (Hence the phrase JULYDAY, JULYDAY. MAYDAY would not have been correct!)
As stated this course of action would only occur IF we cannot get sufficient support to enable us to continue the work program we are trying to establish. This work program is: (1) the establishment of a printing ministry in conjunction with the South Pacific Bible College; (2) the following up of Bible Correspondence Course contacts throughout the South Pacific; (3) the conducting of Bible Training Schools in the islands. At the present time we are only in stage-1. If we have to leave in July it would be borderline as to whether the printing ministry would be sufficiently strong to continue after we left.

Sufficient support would need to be in the neighborhood of $800-1000 US dollars per month.

BIBLE SCHOOL TERM FINISHES
Kathy will continue to work and help the Mesas support. The Mesas will graduate in Dec. of this year and return to work in Papua New Guinea. They are still one of the best values for money that I have seen in a long time. Both Jab and Becky are thought of highly by both staff and students of the College as well as the brethren throughout New Zealand. Jab is in the second year of studies and Becky has been taking some morning courses.

Becky had the following grades this past term: Genuine Discipleship-95.3%; Bible History 14.5(90%). Jab finished the term with the following grades: Evidences-96%-, Life & Teaching of Christ-92.5%; Romans-91.3%; Minor Prophets-90%; Hermeneutics-97.5%; 1 a 2 Timothy-83%; 1-3 John-92%. When Becky attends the morning class she takes little Tobey with her and he plays in the corner of the classroom while class is conducted. Sometimes I am not too busy to go and retrieve him from the corner and take him outside and play with him in the grass or on the floor in the office. Tobey is growing like a weed and is crawling everywhere. All of Becky's plants at home have been stripped bare. Abraham complains that Tobey is always getting into his toys. Little Tobey will be walking in no time, then look out!

TIDBITS FROM TERASA
Hello, Terasa here. This I do believe is the first time dad has let (“forced”, ed.) me write something in the newsletter. Only of course, because he doesn't have anything to talk about. Me I'm going to talk about my friends in the youth group here. The group is only about 20 people from 13 years to 18 years old. It meets every 2-3 weeks on a Friday or Saturday night. In Tauranga we don't have very many places to go so we have a lot of games, evenings when we get together and mix and watch a video and/or go to the beach in the summer. This weekend we are having a student dinner for all the South Pacific Bible College students. The youth are getting together at 3:00 pm Saturday afternoon to fix and prepare the dinner and then serve it at 6:00 pm. The College students are just like big kids so we get on really well together. Most of the youth group either go to the Boy's or Gir's colleges (college here is high school in the states). Only about 6 or 7 of us go the Otumoetai College which is coed. We are trying to rebuild our youth group and have just now brought in the new 13 year olds and we're wishing that we hadn't (just kidding).

When I first got here it was hard to adjust to the schools with their uniforms. You have two uniforms, the junior and senior uniforms (Jr.:3-5 form; Sr.:6,7 form) and then you have winter and summer uniforms. Good grief! But you do get used to them. We do get a day every term to wear human clothes. On Muftiy Day you pay for the privilege from 50¢-$1.00. One good thing about the Otumoetai College where I attend is that they help other people by giving blood. The blood bank comes in 2 or 3 times a year and anybody 16 years old & 8 1/2 stones (110 lbs) can give blood. I gave! I hate needles and mum said I'd never do it. So I killed two birds with one stone, I got over the fear of needles and pain and I helped somebody. My blood will be out of date the 6th of May. Oh Boy, out of date blood!

Our family is in the middle of changing houses again and everything is everywhere. We have gotten it down to a fine art. First all the knick-knacks go and from then on everything else. I think I'll start my own business when I get back, a home packing one.
I am now going to say hello to everybody in Joplin and ask the few people who are meant to be writing me if they have all broken their arms or just forgotten to write. Anybody else who would like to write is quite welcome. Daddy also likes letters, ones that contain cheques are the best. Please write.

That's all I can think of to talk about. So HAERE RA, good-bye in Maori, from the land of the Long White Cloud, New Zealand. May God bless you all. Happy birthday Gary Morrison !
Terasa

THIS 'N' THAT
The seasons are surely changing. The nights are cool here now and earlier in the month frost was forecast around the area. In the printroom this month I have printed over 59,843 pieces of literature. I have been publishing a monthly magazine called "Communicator". As of this month it will be bi-monthly to save on mailing costs. I sometimes forget how much time it takes to setup a 16 page magazine. I'll get to working on it and before I know it several days have gone by. Working on the word processor is a time consuming labor. Just this weekend I put all the labels on the computer for this newsletter. At present we have over 1200 names on the labels list. We would be happy to put more names on if you want to send us their names and addresses.

We feel that the time from now until July will give us some indication of whether the Lord desires for us to remain here or not. It can be very frustrating at times when one considers the time factor in our communication. By the time you receive this newsletter it will have been 23 weeks from the time I printed it. And then any response will take another 3-4 weeks to filter through the system back to us. We are desirous of remaining here to complete the work we have begun. We have been notified that we will not be receiving permanent resident status here in New Zealand and thus May of 1988 will see us leaving as previously planned. We can only pray that we will be able to stay until that date. But, The Lord's will be done! It might be that the Lord is showing another direction to take. We can only pray and search.

Until a congregation desires to act as our sponsor funds should be send to: OCEANIA OUTREACH FUND: TOBEY HUFF HIGHLAND STREET CHURCH OF CHRIST 443 S. HIGHLAND MEMPHIS TENN 38111

They are still handling our funds. If you want to give a lump sum to be used over a period of time or for a special need, please indicate your desire.

You can correspond directly with us if you desire and that address is on the front of the newsletter. I still have a number of 1987 calendars with New Zealand scenes for anyone writing and requesting one. If you haven't received one this year it was probably because you didn't write us last year.

I know things are tough financially there in the States but I do believe that the Lord will continue to provide whatever is needed in our lives as we live daily for Him. God bless your work in His kingdom.

Your servants because of the cross of Calvary,

the Huffs