Last Saturday, a group of us traveled by Land Cruiser to the village of Olna, in the Jimi area of Jiwaka Province. The region is extremely mountainous—so rugged that the only way in is by Land Cruiser. Scattered high in these mountains are thousands of people living in villages carved into the hillsides, far removed from any town. Many have been influenced by works-based cults, yet have never heard the gospel of grace.
As we made our way up the mountain, I spotted a new convert I had mentioned in earlier reports—a man named Peter. He was standing in front of a haus kunai. When Trevor Wells stopped the vehicle, Peter ran toward us. As I stepped out, he embraced me and wept with joy that we had come with the gospel to this spiritually dry place. It was a surreal and deeply moving moment.
When we arrived, around 40 people gathered to meet us at the hospital (haus sik). We distributed King James John/Romans portions and gospel tracts. Afterward, I preached the gospel, and many appeared to come under conviction. Several said they had never heard this message before.
On our way back, we stopped in a few populated areas to quickly share the gospel before returning home.
This week, Peter made the long journey from Jimi to the mission house to ask for Bibles. He shared that after we left, nine people came to him wanting to trust Christ as their Savior. They went to his home with questions, and he read to them the highlighted salvation verses we had previously marked in his Bible. He asked me to counsel them.
Peter has also been visiting schools, distributing gospel tracts and Scripture portions to students. He said there is a growing hunger among the people to hear more from the Word of God, and he asked me to return and preach again. I’ve hired a driver and plan to go back this Tuesday.
Peter has been studying his Bible and it was evident by the worn edges. He also carried with him all the notes he had taken during his time with me after his conversion. Because of this, CPR Missions bought him a pair of reading glasses because he has a very difficult time reading up close. Although the glasses didn’t cost much money in American standards, it was big money for PNG standards.
The Lord is also working in Nebilyer, about thirty minutes south of Mt. Hagen. We’ve now held two Wednesday evening meetings. At the first, I gave a clear gospel presentation, and several came under conviction. One man came forward to receive Christ, and two others raised their hands but were hesitant and left without speaking further.
At the second meeting, I preached on eternal security, how believers deal with sin, and again presented the gospel. This time, those two individuals came forward, and after counseling, each placed their trust in Christ alone for salvation.
I’ve printed songbooks in both English and Pidgin, as music is a powerful tool for learning doctrine. We are also beginning a weekly memory verse to help people hide God’s Word in their hearts. Please pray for this work.
Your support has made a tremendous difference—helping provide materials, cover travel expenses, and open doors into places that are difficult and often dangerous to reach. Travel throughout PNG is costly, but necessary to reach these remote areas. Thank you for allowing the Lord to use you to meet these needs and to help bring the gospel to those who have never heard.
The Mt. Hagen Missionary continues to go well. There is no shortage of work here, which provides many opportunities for ministry, along with a safe place for us to live.
As a family, we are still adjusting to a new language and culture—one that is deeply challenging and has been without the light of God for many years. It’s a difficult process, but one that simply takes time. We are trusting the Lord as the roots are growing deeper.
Thank you for taking the time to read these weekly updates.
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