The States of Ministry

Things change in year, and many of those changes are beautiful and wonderful.  They are changes nonetheless and until we had definite news it has been hard to keep everyone posted.  Yesterday, as I sat with my parents in New Hampshire, I laughed a bit thinking we are now in various "states" of ministry.

Neil went to Missouri yesterday to begin working with Life Publishers on the next step of the Fire Bible in Melanesian Pidgin.  The start has been delayed twice, not for our part, but a reality that occurs when you try to coordinate the schedule of so many people.  After these three days he will likely plan his return to PNG, and then a transfer of the work to Bangkok.  I'll write more about that in our next letter. 

Anthony is a first semester junior at Northpoint Bible College.  If you don't recognize "young Tony" in the photo above, it is because he is now a young man who has exceeded all height expectations for anyone with our surname.  (He's in the blue jacket with the brown pants on the right).  The photo was taken last week before the ten students pictured headed to the Super Bowl to work with an organization dedicated to rescuing victims of human trafficking.  We've learned a great deal about the terrible plague of human trafficking through Anthony's passion to minister the love of Christ to the victims as well as to those who traffic.  In keeping with that call on his life, he spent the weekend in New York and New Jersey. We sense that he will not be "long for America" after he graduates but likely minister overseas in the future.

For my part I continue to teach a women's Bible study on the Gospel of John to some 50 women every Thursday. I enjoy it a great deal. I had a bout with my liver enzymes again reaching elevated levels but my appetite has returned.  I continue to enjoy good mobility though I've had my times when my legs have given out and I needed a physical "lift" into the apartment.  Though I did not envision a stretch in the US to exceed a year, I recognize it is a gift to me and this time has made it possible for a million people in Papua New Guinea to have access to a study Bible.

So the "states of the Vanaria's" yesterday were New Hampshire, New York and Missouri. (Though, the NH state was a "location" not a ministry). I'll soon have a letter out with the specifics of the Fire Bible and updates on Mesem's continued use of the New Testament as well as the work Neil has produced as an additional Bible aid to Mesem speakers.  That we were in Papua New Guinea a year ago at this time seems unreal at times, but when I look around I know that I have led a blessed life that is so rich that a year passes and there are so many rich moments, it seems hard to believe only a year ago we were celebrating the culmination of 25 years in Papua New Guinea.

So as the radio plays, "With everything, with everything, we will shout for Your glory", I say, "Amen".  Till next time, thanks for standing with us.

A Time For Every Purpose

This year, has had some amazing moments, most notably, the dedication of the New Testament. Reports of its use, the interest, and the change in the spiritual atmosphere are so encouraging.  

This year has had some surprising moments.  I had a surprise surgery in January, an unexpected illness in February, and doctors orders for a prolonged period of rest in May.  Got a liver biopsy in there too just for fun. I'm doing just fine but have an excuse not to eat foods I dislike without appearing impolite.  I still tire easily but everyone says the same thing. "We ain't 30 no more." 

We've had inspiring moments.  We had a wonderful time at Missionary Renewal in June.  We had our third 10 day vacation in 34 years in July and in August had hoped for Neil to begin training for the Fire Bible. That was delayed for reasons beyond our control but we have needed to "re-fund" our work as many of those who first supported us have gone on to heaven, or retired and are no longer able to continue so we've needed the time to meet with pastors and interested individuals to explain our work. We've had time to concentrate on chaplaincy and Bible teaching, our most frequent non-missionary activities. In October, Neil will be participating in Convoy of Hope here in Marlborough, which we pray has a tremendous impact on the local community.

Anthony is in his second year at Bible College and sure of his call to missions, though to a very different ministry than we had. It makes my heart glad his call is unique.

My parents are moving to New Hampshire to be closer to my sister as they are in their late 80's and they need a home that is easier to maintain. Neil will soon be traveling overseas for extended periods again as soon as we can make necessary arrangements and I can handle the travel schedule alone. 

When I am honest, this is not how I saw 2013-14. I thought my folks would be nearby, my health would be robust, and we'd be moving to Southern Europe already. But I am thankful for the health I have, the friends so close, this time while I can live in the same country as our son, for a husband of 34 years who is smart and funny and compassionate, and of whom I am most proud.  (I might add he has never once cheered for a non-New England team). I'm thankful that the Lord knows the timing of all things and how events in Papua New Guinea impact that work and how our age, and health, and families fit into our ultimate calling to my other passport nation. 


Isn't it good to know, that every time has meaning ordained by the Lord, and none of it is without purpose?  "Return to thy rest oh my soul, for the Lord has dealt bountifully with thee".

Why the Fire Bible?

I wanted to use the entry to explain a bit more in detail why we are delaying the move to Europe to initiate the Fire Bible project in Papua New Guinea and to answer questions that you may have, more in depth than what would normally be included in a news letter. Here's a sample of the questions we've been asked, and please feel free to ask anything I don't cover it here. The first thing we've been asked is, "What about Sicily?"

 
We still feel sure of God's call to Sicily. The work is being set up in such a way that Neil will be able to continue to work with the translators even after we move on to Southern Europe. However, to gather a team of translators, equip and train them will require prolonged stays in Papua New Guinea, a great deal of travel within the country, and meetings that really need to be face to face. Once the translation team is in place and has demonstrated they can work with remote supervision, we will be free to move on Europe and still encourage the translators in Papua New Guinea with Neil making periodic trips to assist the translators.

Another question I've been asked is, "Are other churches involved in translating this study Bible?"  The answer to that is "Absolutely".  The translation team will include Christians from a variety of evangelical backgrounds.  The notes for the study Bible were written by a Nazarene missionary named Donald Stamps.  He was working in South America and realized that even for those who owned a Bible, they struggled to understand it as they had no Bible studies nor any other Bible helps.  In fact, many pastors had neither additional study materials nor any formal Bible training. Stamps was gifted to write clearly and in such a way that the Bible has become an invaluable tool for many indigenous pastors and believers, who are able to use the notes for exegesis, topical study, and to understand the basis for foundational Christian doctrine. 

Another question I've been asked is, "Wouldn't a vernacular Bible be better?"  The vernacular is always the best choice but for a generation of Papua New Guineans who grow up in settlements or are the offspring of parents who married outside their tribal group, Melanesian Pidgin is their vernacular. There are more than 6 million people in Papua New Guinea, and 5 million speak the language to some degree. It is estimated that more than a million people speak it as their first language!

"What is your time table?" is another question that has come our way.  At this point, we expect it will take 2 years to get the work in Papua New Guinea on firm enough footing that it can be maintained from a distance.  Internet is still a challenge in PNG and computers are also difficult to maintain.  Within two years we believe people can be trained to the point where they will be able to send the work via email.  Due to the heavy travel requirements, the ruggedness of Papua New Guinea and the exceptionally high cost of living, it is actually more economical for me to remain stateside so Neil can travel with a minimum of costs and we are not spending extra funds looking for a place where i can live safely. Our vehicle was taken and destroyed before we finished there so Neil can travel on public transit which is not possible for me.  My doctor requires I spend a year recovering my immune system and rather than sitting in "idle" we will be able to resume ministry full time as soon as our funding is in place.  Neil will travel back to Papua New Guinea as soon as I am able to over our stateside duties. He is already working on the initial logistics and looking forward to returning to Papua.  

I may not have answered all your questions but feel free to send them along and I'll do my best to get back to you. You can contact me at kathy.vanaria@gmail.com.

Thailand and the Fire Bible

When we first returned from Papua New Guinea in mid-February I did not envision a trip to Thailand. I rather thought we'd be reviewing a budget for Southern Europe and raising our support to begin that chapter of ministry.  But I had been feeling exhausted for some time and had a series of symptoms from slurred speech to forgetfulness that were troublesome, so in conjunction with my primary care doctor we went back to Bumrungrad in Bangkok where I had surgery in January.  I have a severe case of hepatitis, a resurfacing of Type A, which I had in 1994.  I thought one could not get it twice, but apparently if you get it once, it can come back if you become exhausted. I met the criteria for exhaustion.

Shortly before we left for Thailand, the leadership of AGWM, as well as our Southern New England leadership asked us to pray about delaying ministry in Southern Europe so we could devote our experience in translation to the "Fire Bible" in Melanesia Pidgin. The Fire Bible is a study Bible with helpful notes and teaching aids in addition to the translated text.  Melanesian Pidgin is the trade language of Papua New Guinea and spoken by millions of people.  However, like all trade language it has a very limited vocabulary and theological concepts are very difficult to translate.  By creating a study Bible in the language there is an opportunity to provide helpful notes to prevent people from reading in wrong understandings of the scripture. Another purpose of the study Bible is that there are many untrained pastors who serve in Papua New Guinea. With no formal Bible training they benefit greatly from having good study notes to guide them in sermon preparation as well as helpful charts. 

The Fire Bible name comes from Luke 24:32 where Jesus encounters the disciples on the road to Emmaus who, after hearing Him explain Messiah in the law and prophets say, Were not our hearts burning in us while he was talking to us on the way, making clear to us the scriptures?"  The Fire Bible is meant as a tool to support and encourage the indigenous church. Bishop Giegere Wenge of the Evangelical Lutheran Church, who has long supported us in our service with AGWM, has received a copy as well and spoken of his gratitude for a study Bible.  We believe it will serve many churches around the country of Papua New Guinea.

So how dos our trip to Thailand relate to the Fire Bible?  It is clear that my health is such I cannot make any kind of international move at this time.  Neil, however, is free to come and go to Papua New Guinea and begin the work of organizing and setting up the translation work among Papua New Guinean Christians. We can both read the language fluently to proof the notes.  AGWM has agreed that I can remain in Massachusetts and with todays' technology Neil can spend half time here in the US with me while I recover.  We need to replenish our donor base as well, and this arrangement allows us to maintain a vital ministry while preparing for the next phase in Southern Europe.  Our experience in the language is a tremendous boost to the project and our experience is very helpful.  Al in all, it seems the Lord's timing to enable me to recover and the two of us to continue to make a contribution overseas.  We are truly thankful for the opportunity and trust that our second translation project will be much speedier than the first!

The Month After

It has been a month since we returned to the US and it's taken sometime to recover from jet lag, post-lag (when your desk has three months of mail) and communication lag (when you've got hundreds of unaswered letters in your inbox).  I feel for my part, I need more time to really reflect on what the Lord has done and how amazing has been the work He has accomplished through His Spirit during this time.

It is true that the response exceeded our wildest expectations.  Every prayer was answered exceeding abundantly above all we could ask or think.  We sort through photos, and still are doing so, that we might be able to ready a video that accurate portrays all that happened that day.  We want to share it with all of you in the way we feel you so richly deserve to see it. It was an amazing event that many people contributed to in prayer, sacrifice, and love.  There's no other way to say it. 

Life moves on and with it our need to transition to our next phase of ministry. We've been asked to consider putting church planting on hold for two years to give full attention to assisting with a study Bible project that is greatly needed. We've so longed and waited for the chance to begin in church planting, yet feel a sense that our experience is well suited to what we are being asked to consider that we are still talking over how we might best proceed.  

Personally, I am exceptionally tired.  There has not been down time since the scriptures were published and my body is telling me in many ways with many voices, "You are 55, not 25 and you just had major surgery in January".  I find that I am a better listener than I once was simply because I can no longer bend over and slip on my shoes as well as I once did.

In the coming weeks we have many speaking engagements and talks with leadership as well as conferences we are to attend to share the work as well as plan what comes next.  I very much hope to get a vacation in there at some point even if we can't go away.  To have a couple of weeks without commitments to re-energize and reflect on what God has done would be a welcome gift.

I cannot help but say, though, that were I to die tomorrow, I would be a woman who had lived such an extraordinary life with so many gifts just given to me for no other reason than God's grace.  Yes, I lived in the rain forest. I found that hard. I've also been in England, Germany, Switzerland, Italy, the Philippines, Singapore, China, Dubai, Australia, Canada and Mexico in my life. I've taken photos of our son with a Beef Eater in London and a Swiss Guard at the Vatican.  I've wandered through the jungle and ancient Roman ruins.  I've walked through the streets of Salisbury and see the magnificent cathedral there. I've ridden in PMVs and Jeepneys.  I've been married to a wonderful man for 34 years and have a son who loves Jesus.  I am so blessed.  I just thought I would take this space today, to say so.

The New Testament Dedication

After a couple of hours with a new "user friendly" interface, I still don't know how to do things I could do before the website got so helpful!  As a concession to my age and that fact it is 3 AM, I know you will help me out by taking this extra step to get to the photo album of the New Testament dedication. 

We put together an album called "Thirty-five Hundred Reasons to Praise" and hope you will enjoy it and it will give you a flavor of the day.  As it is not possible to put the album or the direct link to the album here, I hope to make this easy and worth your time.  Start by going to the website below.

http://www.vanaria.org

The menu is on the left hand side. You will see one link called "The New Testament Dedication Blog".  Click on that and you should be able to view this 24 page color photo album of the dedication.

Thanks for taking the extra time to do this and know we love and appreciate you all!click here

Why I Love Hope

Biblical hope is waiting for that which is assured.  It's not wishful thinking. It's not crossing your finger and having a positive attitude. It's waiting for what you know will happen.  There's a world of difference between the hope this world gives and the hope of heaven.  "Gospel Hope" is an anchor for our soul.  It's firm and secure and we can stake our lives on it. 


Waiting for the New Testament has been a bit of a frustrating experience.  How many times have we been told it will be on the next boat?  I've lost count of dates and delays. But this morning I was thinking to myself that the great thing about an experience like this is that it reminds me that this kind of waiting, this kind of hoping, is not the kind of hope on which my life is based. This fulfillment of this hope depends on a shipping company, conscientious employees, and calm seas. Will the New Testaments eventually get to their destination? Yes they will. Will it be on my perfect schedule? No, we blew that out of the water weeks ago.  This kind of waiting is frustrating because we don't know what is going to happen.  So really, that's not hope. That's waiting around for people to match the container to the manifest.  We pray they do it on time and every hindrance is removed, but we are not staking our lives on that hope.  What God guarantees is so precious it can't be delayed or affected by human will.  

So with every rescheduling notice, the great Hope for which we ultimately wait looks sweeter all the time.  Even in the midst of delays, there's a chance to give thanks.

We'll keep you updated on when our earthly waiting for the scriptures is completed. In the meantime, he's a picture of Tony and Seth enjoying Madang town.

A Preview of Things to Come

This portion of scripture and illustration are taken from the Mesem New Testament. Jesus is explaining to Nicodemus that God's Light (Asakng) has come into the world.  While in the US we have many translations of the scriptures, available in soft cover, hard cover, vinyl or leather....the Mesem people will get one version of the scripture and it the one that so many have worked together to provide for them.  The cover will be blue, with a fold over flap to protect the pages, and a snap that is "rain forest friendly".  One of the things we learned in our years in Papua New Guinea is that cockroaches love to eat books.  So Carolyn, at Life Publishers suggested a cover to discourage digesting the Word for the wrong reasons.

Neil will depart November 3 for PNG where he will meet with church leadership to coordinate the dedication and then go to the port to get the scriptures and bring them through customs. He will need to find a place to store them as well.  We have some challenges: we don't own a vehicle anymore and he has no easy way to move 3500 copies of the scriptures.  We need a safe storage facility.  He will need a place to stay and he hopes to work on a book about Bible customs as well.  While he is gone, I will keep our previous ministry commitments.  Tony is away at school, so I may be bribing one of you to drive me when I need to travel a longer distance.  Feel free to volunteer :).

We are looking at our direction for missions after PNG and have need wisdom concerning our next step.  For several years there has been a need for a study Bible in Melanesian Pidgin and we are well qualified to take on that project. At the same time, we have looked forward to this stage when we could pursue a long held call to Southern Europe.  Should we try to do both at the same time, or should we begin the study Bible and then go on to Southern Europe?  At this point we are seeking the Lord for His direction.  We know our call to missions continues. Thanks for faithfully staying the course with us. Together we can say, "Hitherto hast the Lord helped us".

We've Got a Date!

We are thrilled, really, to have a date to announce for the Dedication of the Mesem New Testament. It is now scheduled to be held January 26-27, 2013 in Morobe Province, Papua New Guinea. Though there have been many delays over the years, I was reminded of the words of Jesus last night when praying with someone, "Any time seems right to you".  Jesus always intended to the do the Father's will.  What his brothers had in mind and what He had in mind may have looked the same but were very different in purpose. We have wanted the Mesem to have the scriptures. We've spent years working to that end.  In my mind, it's been, "The sooner the better" because I've grown quite weary at times. Yet the Lord foresaw all the events, knows all the people, realized that it was not safe to travel this summer and so many other things we could not have known. He will still accomplish the right thing at the right time. Is't that a fantastic promise?

Dedication Dates and Other Moving Targets

For months now we've been looking forward to announcing a date when the dedication of the New Testament will be a reality.  Recent political changes in Papua New Guinea have affected our ability to pin down the date.  The elections are a time of significant unrest and would be a huge distraction from something as important as the Mesem scriptures being distributed.

Last week a decision was made to postpone the dedication until January 2013.  While it is yet another delay, it is one that was not unforeseen by the Lord. Our current plan, Lord willing, is for Neil to return to Papua New Guinea when the New Testaments are due to arrive, and ensure they are securely stored until we can return for dedication.  When we do dedicate, Neil will need to spend about two months in the interior distributing the scriptures and teach people how to use the helps.

During this time we are asking the Lord's guidance as to our next steps. We are sure we are called to remain in missions but have been given three choices all of which we want to take as from Him and consider in prayer.  We believe we know where we are to land long term, but would the Lord like us to "linger a bit" and help other works in Papua New Guinea move forward? 

A long awaited newsletter will soon be out. We've joked that dates in PNG, like wild pigs, are moving targets. We will be as relieved as you when we have a firm date on which all church leaders agree!

Perspectives

Today I uploaded more photos to the Google web album. I had to re-upload several as I have not yet figured out how to keep them on the web without cluttering my hard drive. I'll figure that out later.

The news from PNG has been difficult. Election turmoil has made a delay in the New Testament inevitable.  The dedication cannot possibly take place before December. Neil will need to return at some point without us, and Tony and I will follow, Lord willing, at a time when the dedication does not preclude Tony attending. Communicating that the college school year in North America and the school year in Papua New Guinea are not the same is not always easy.

After 25 years of life in the South Pacific, delays are common. Few things run on the schedule we would have liked. I am by nature one to plan and well, that and South Pacific living are things that can be mutually exclusive. I learned a long time ago that I need to "let go" of my need for things to run according to some plan of mine. It has always belonged to Him.

In looking over these photos of days gone by, I cannot help but say, "Hitherto hath the Lord helped us". I did not think I would always make it to see the day when the New Testament would be completed. I smile at photos of doing the laundry by hand, which is more fun looking back than at the time, and I see photos of Tony growing up barefoot in the rainforest and remembering many good times as well. It gives perspective.

It was in 1990 that I wrote in my Bible, "God is more pleased by contentment than control".  Amen. He is the one to be in control. We can be content in that. <

A First Term Lesson-The Grace Given to Fruit Bats

(This was written circa 1991)

 

It was a hot night in Madang and as usual, we were hiding under the mosquito net protecting ourselves not only from the annoying mosquitoes but from geckos, rats and other creepy crawlies. The “fwop-fwop-fwop” of a bat flying through the night registered somewhere in the back of my mind. Those solid leathery wings make a distinct sound as they hit the air. It was the unanticipated sound in the sequence that surprised me.

Fwop-fwop-fwop- BONG!

The sound of a dull collision with our metal water tank caught me by surprise. A bat had hit our water tank? Sure enough, just outside our window was an unconscious little fruit bat lying on its back. I couldn’t tell if it was the victim of bad fruit or bad luck. 

I was stunned. How many times had I seen and heard science documentaries that spoke of the astonishing radar of bats. Bats could circumnavigate every obstacle, even in the pitch of night, using their sonar. Yet, here in Papua New Guinea, home to thousands of bats, one of these creatures, unfamiliar with the science, had flown head long into a tree and knocked himself senseless.

An analogy for missions was born.

Prior to becoming a missionary, I read every mission biography I could possibly lay my hands on. I marveled at CT Studd. I felt a lump in my throat reading of Amy Carmichael. I was practically discipled by Helen Rosevear, who was a personal favorite because of her down to earth approach to writing. I had seen movies, read books, listened to famous missionary speakers and they seemed sure of where they had been and where they were going. They seemed humble, joyful, purposeful, and always anchored in truth.

Then I became a missionary and realized that missionaries, like bats, fly head long into objects, get knocked senseless and must recover.

This was a very encouraging realization. I am honest to a fault. I discovered that it wasn’t too long before I looked at others and found myself asking, “Am I the only one wondering about this?” Years later I realize that I am one of the few giving voice to what everyone is thinking.

God use ordinary people just as He uses ordinary bats. The encouraging thing is that there are no special bats or special people. The discouraging thing is that there are no excuses. You can’t look and say, “That person is so amazing to go there. I could never do that”. The person you are looking at can’t really do it either without an amazing portion of grace that cannot muster in and of themselves. It’s a huge grace trip from beginning to end.

So I’m thankful that bat flew along and reminded me that ordinary is OK. The bat, by the way, recovered and flew on. So will we.

A Rodent's Reaction to Espresso

In an effort to record those “stories we didn’t tell in church”, I am trying to give a weekly recap of memorable moments that never made the prayer letter. 

In 1990, Neil and I returned to our home in Dusin. We opened the door and were horrified to see more rat droppings than I have ever seen at any time in my life.  We’ve seen a lot of rats. We dispatched a lot of rats to the place that rats go when they are dispatched.  We just never quite saw the distribution of rat droppings that littered our house.  The Dusin house was entirely bamboo and had but one closed cupboard.  Our pots and pans were covered.  The bookshelves were littered.  As we made our way into the house, stepping gingerly, we had no choice but to put the boxes of supplies down on top of the mess.  Then we began to notice other things besides the droppings.  We had a really nice short wave radio on which we got all our outside news.  The antenna had been gnawed through.  The curtain cord was in shreds. Books were gnawed and toilet paper…a rather precious commodity, was no longer useable. (I am now a self-confessed "tp hoarder".)

I peeked into our extremely small bathroom and the plastic medications had holes in them.  The tips of everything from antibiotic ointment, to other medical tubes were totally gone and had to be tossed out.  We couldn’t figure out the cause for the devastation but began to clean, wash and boil.  (The Dusin house had only cold water so we had to heat the water if we wanted to shower or do dishes).

The loft was almost as bad as the downstairs, but we were grateful, after shaking off the droppings from our bed, that the Codan radio with which we communicated with the outside world was graciously untouched but for droppings on top of it. That could all be swept up.

I heard Neil call me and went to see what he’d found.  We’d been cleaning before we unpacked so things would be sanitary enough for the next several months.  The last place we looked was in the place where we stored our food because, well, there was never a lot of food left.  Neil dangle before me a desecrated bag of espresso coffee.  Suddenly the lights went on in our minds.  Yes,  “il ratto” had gotten into the espresso and “ZINGO” that had lit up its little body and thus began the carnage. We were looking at a rodent's reaction to espresso.

We cleaned that area really well too, though it was not nearly as bad as the rest of the place. I guess he started there, got his high and move on to more chewable things.  I had been counting on that coffee to get me through the next few months and was annoyed, albeit also amused, that the rat had taken as much as he had.  I actually debated throwing all the coffee out since I didn’t want the rat to win but I think I came up with what looked like a healthy compromise. We’re both still here, so as the saying goes, “If it doesn’t kill you, it makes you stronger”. I don’t know if that is true about most things, but it can be said about the remaining espresso.

If you are looking for a moral to the story here it is: keep your coffee in a metal can.

Giving by Receiving

Every Wednesday I meet a friend for a time of ministry in Boston. As we talk together,  I find that I often remember some story from Papua New Guinea that I had completely forgotten. It is good to record these stories, for while some of them are very funny and some less so, those stories speak of God’s amazing faithfulness. This story speaks of sacrificial love.

 Over the years I have had a number of surgeries for my spinal cord injury, as well as several additional surgeries for various things that seem to show up where they shouldn’t be, or for things inside that decided they wanted to check out before I do. I joke that “we shall meet the Lord in the air” because so much of me is buried on different continents that I will have to be reassembled mid-resurrection.

At one point I had terrible pain with gallstone. A decision was made to medevac me and Tony so I could be checked out and sure enough, my gall bladder and I had “irreconcilable differences”, necessitating that we part company quickly. By this time, I’d already had surgery in PNG without enough anesthesia and I found I cope best if I sleep when some part of me is removed, so I knew Australia was the place to go. Neil was still in the village and I conveyed the message to him on short wave so he prepared to hike out and meet me so he could care for Tony, freeing me to go to Australia for surgery.

 Neil knew from experience that the night before we left Samanzing was always very hectic. Everyone who had a need would come and the house was always crowded with those who wanted one thing or another. So it was no surprise to Neil that the house filled to capacity even as he hurried to fill his backpack so he could depart before dawn for his 10 hour hike to the nearest road. 

Very late at night, after things quieted down there was yet another knock on door.  The village headman arrived with a small bag.  He gave it to Neil who looked inside and realized it was full of money. Now the Mesem are desperately poor people. Inside this bag were many coins as well as “treasures” that people had held on to for years in case of an emergency. One man had placed a 20 yen note from the Japanese occupancy in the bag. Several had given silver sterlings that pre-dated independence by more than 30 years.  When Neil tried to give it back the village elder said, “You must take it, you are one of us now”.

I am always grateful we took it.  There were many lessons in that act. People need to give and we need to receive to show they have value. We needed to show that they, too, had something to offer us. Had we not taken that gift, we would have been saying that we didn’t need them, and being “one of them” was not important.  It was in the humility of receiving we were initiated into the relationship which we most desired to have with them. They showed sacrificial love and by letting them love us, we loved them in return.

It’s good to give and I like to give, but we always have a certain control when we are giving. We are in a different position, relationally, than when we take. One of the difficult things for me in becoming a missionary was living on support, because we had always been generous givers and enjoyed doing that. Being a recipient is a humbling thing.  But I have come to realize that when we receive acts of love, we are loving and affirming the love of the one who gives and that is a good thing.  

I share this story before I forget again. I share it to remind myself that in receiving God’s love, I am loving Him back.   

The Woman with Nothing To Give

I was telling a story this week to a friend about the first Mesem book of scripture ever published. It was the Gospel of Mark.  I told a story that many of you might not know, but which touches me to this day.

One morning I spoke at my home church and at the end of the service one of the ushers came over with tears in his eyes.  He had ring. He said, “I don’t know what to do. This woman said to me, “I have no money to give but give this to that missionary” and she ran out so fast I didn’t get her name or anything.” Then he handed me a beautiful ring. It was delicate ring with red stones.

I was leaving the US the next day and asked my father to have it appraised but the jeweler told him that it was not his area of expertise because the ring was antique.  I realized that gift, which I knew to be great was a greater sacrifice than I initially imagined.

Ultimately, we sold the ring for $220.  We felt that a gift so precious needed to be used for a special purpose.  In 1995, we bought the paper on which the Gospel of Mark was printed with the proceeds from that ring.

If you go to our website there is a video of that dedication and part way through I appear, much younger, dressed in PNG clothing and the story I am telling is how the first gospel was given to the Mesem, by a woman who said she had nothing to give.

I am not sure who she is, nor if she ever knew.  But I know that great sacrifices do reap great rewards, and though it was sewn in her tears, it will be harvested with rejoicing.  And if you who gave that ring are reading this, please get in touch….