Great expectations....failed dreams
Linda Krieg
As so often happens in our walk with the Lord, after great triumph and victory in one area, God allows Satan to test us in another. It happened to Elijah, and it is happening to the leaders of the Siawi church. It was the very fact that the Siawi New Testament was brought to completion and the Bible given into the hands of the people that brought on this challenge to their faith.
Among the group of believers meeting together in Siawi, there have always been some whose primary interest is not in learning to live the life of faith, but of learning how to control the power of God. They are convinced that Christianity holds the key to how to get cargo to be delivered at your doorstep, and they want that key.
These folks have kept a low profile, because they have learned that, if they mention their desire to be told the secrets of attaining this power, the missionary not only doesn’t share it, but actually tries to dissuade them from thinking there is one. But the time to keep a low profile passed when the big Bible dedication celebration came and went, and all the missionaries left…without finally telling them how to get this power.
They could no longer be silent. The Sunday following the exodus of all the missionaries-visitors and those who had served in Siawi in prior years, some of these men stood up, during the church service, to make their anger known. In no uncertain terms, they told the six church leaders, “Either you tell us the secret that Jason taught you, as he met with you secretly (mentoring sessions, which they took as clandestine training times), or we are going to attack you with grass knives!”
Please be praying for your Christian brothers and sisters, as they go through this refining fire. Praise God, they have the solid foundation of the whole New Testament in their own language to provide them with the truths of what God has promised. 1 Peter 1:6-8 can help them meet this time with wavering in their faith; and, even in the time of trial, to “…greatly rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory.”
This will be a good thing for the church family. We know that is true, because God has promised that he will work all things for good, for those who are according to his purpose (Romans 8:28). We know that having wolves among the sheep of the Lord causes constant turmoil, as they try to pull believers to follow the old nature, so it will be really good for the church to be cleansed of these folks. Please be praying that, because of their realization that the secret they seek will not be forthcoming from God’s Word, they will stop gathering with the believers.
The six men serving as church leadership (Beiyem, Mabou, Nokee, Saisu, Yakob, and Yaniwi) and Jason Swanson really need your prayers, as they meet this challenge head on. They need the Holy Spirit’s wisdom in answering these men, and the Lord’s courage, that they not falter, no matter what the consequence of their stand. Jason needs the Lord’s wisdom as to when he should go in to Siawi to do corrective teaching, and the finances to make those flights-$500 per round trip. Our Father isn’t short on either wisdom or finances, so please be praying much for his guidance and leading.
Thank you for praying with us, as I have been finishing up my time here in PNG. Robert and Ofamo flew out to Wewak a week ago, and we were able to complete the comprehension testing of the Exodus portions and Jonah. Because we got done early, we were able to print up both books and have the two men go over them with red pens, marking misspellings and any errors they noticed. I was extremely pleased with the input they were able to give, both in the comprehension testing and in the perusal of the text!
An added benefit of these two men coming out that Monday was that they were present the morning before, when the Cargo Cult mentality men stood and challenged the church leaders to either tell them how to get the power to get the cargo flowing or they’d be attacked. They were able to give Jason an eye witness account of that and fill him in clearly on what was going on. Once again, we were able to see the Lord’s perfect timing and control of the situation.
In just three days, I begin the long journey back to the USA. I’d appreciate your prayers, as I travel. If the Lord provides the way, I’m hoping to upgrade to business class, for the Fiji to Los Angeles leg of the flight, but I’ll wait to see what he has planned for my seating. My knee is doing okay-a bit painful at times, but not bad at all. I’ve held back from trying to exercise it much, waiting until I can get x-rays to see just what damage, if any, was done in the fall. (I have an appointment with the orthopedic doctor for August 30.)
We have the final consultant check of the Exodus portions and Jonah scheduled for the last of January, 2014, so I’ll be coming back to PNG one last time then. We are working toward setting up a special project account, for funds to be given toward that trip, rather than the money being sent to my personal account. If we can do that, then I will probably officially retire, soon after getting back to Sanford, Florida. Okay, okay, I’ll be continuing to work for a good while-through the first year, probably; but I’ll be able to take time off, from time to time, and also definitely will NOT be working 8 hours a day, 5-6 days a week, as I had been doing. There is still a lot that I need to do, that can be done while I am there in Sanford. And that is good, because I’ve heard from several retired friends that retirement can be unsettling, as you feel adrift. There won’t be any time for my ship to drift for a while!
How I love and appreciate you, as you stand with me in all this! We could never have reached this point in the ministry, had we not allowed the Lord to mold us into a team that he could use, to help reach the Siawi people group with his word. Thank you so much for your part in that!
Laborers together in the Lord’s harvest fields,
Linda
Email: Linda...@ntm.org
Home address: 232 Brazil Court, Sanford, FL 32771
Home phone: 321-275-8925
Hdqts: 1000 East First Street, Sanford, FL 32771-1487 www.ntm.org