Dear Family and Friends:
Can you believe that it has been a month since we talked to you last? I’ve had some people ask what our typical day looks like so I thought I would briefly describe one. The Village wakes up at about 5:00 a.m. not too long after you can hear the 5:00 a.m. plantation bells ringing for the workers to get up. Sort of a communal alarm clock. Of course, it never really was that quiet during the night as the jungle is full of indescribable sounds of tropical birds and animals and the occasional coconut that crashes to the undergrowth unexpectedly. The sun is officially cooking at about 6:05 a.m. We are on a hill of sorts, so any breeze that goes by filters through our open fly screen. We get up, look out, and yep another clear hot day ahead. We eat breakfast together and then Alex and I start school and if Victor has meetings or needs to get supplies for the bible school, we send him off with: bug spray, water, and an emergency kit . We are back together mid afternoon. Alex plays with the village kids (see picture) from about 5-6 p.m. and then the sun goes down every day just after 6:00 p.m. and I am cooking up vegetables, that I may or may not know the name of, that we eat in coconut milk over rice. It is the “in-between” times that things really happen. The surprise visits from people when you have to greet them in your night gown, but thankfully they don’t realize it. Or the pastor that shows up to talk right as you were leaving to go somewhere. Or the swarm of bees that are in your house that need to be encouraged to evacuate. Or the day you wash clothes and get into the container because it is just cooler and a group a people appear out of nowhere to watch.
A few weeks ago we had a spirit of fear walk into our house. Victor and I took authority over it in Jesus' name and threw it out. A couple days later Victor preached here in our village about the Supremacy of Christ and shared our experience as an illustration and example of Jesus’ power over all. Later the head pastors (Pastor Mary and Labette) came to us and told us that they heard God speak during the service and that, for some time, they have sensed that the village has been under the attack of the spirit of death (fear, and illness). More people were sick then they could remember and people were afraid. A young mother recently died after eating a lime she bought from a man who deals in witchcraft and the people were uneasy. Well as you know, we have been frequently sick (we are well now), as have Komet (see picture of Komet voting at the recent elections) and Regena and their family living below us, so we spent time talking and encouraging Pastor Mary and Labette and praying with them. It was a wonderful time of sharing and reminding each other how great our God is and that nothing is impossible for Him.
The Wednesday morning marriage/pre-marriage counseling classes we teach are going well. The attendance has been good. In the classes, we are learning just as much from the pastors about the culture here and how they view their world. They have really opened up to us. They told us that they were closely watching us when we came and they laughed and joked about what they thought about us initially. It was nice to see them relax and talk to us. That was very encouraging.
This weekend we are going to a combined church service in the Tavui #3 village in Rabaul. A combined service is a quarterly service that is attended by all who are leaders in the Foursquare churches here in East New Britain Province. Tavui #3 is in an area that has suffered from volcanic ash and it doesn’t have fresh water or gardens as the ash has killed a lot of vegetation and the usual greenness is instead dry and brown. The people don’t want to move or they will lose their tribal lands so they commute to their gardens remote from their village and have to carry water long distances. The new church is a spiritual light in the area and it will be a joy to see our new friends again. We have several large containers and will bring them fresh water.
The Foursquare Medical Ministry continues to progress here. We continue to share our vision with government health officials, and we have been well received. We have written up a proposal for the Medical Ministry Center which includes the overall Church of the Foursquare Gospel Vision, the Medical Ministry Center Missions, Vision, and Values’ Statements, a Five-Year Project Timeline, a Project Description, a Cost Breakdown, a Medical Ministry Center Site Plan, and Acknowledgements. Pastor Komet Malari gladly accepted the position of administrator for the Medical Ministry Center, and we are listed as the Foursquare Medical Missionary Supervisors. When the final drafts are ready, these documents will be available for viewing on our website and blog sites. We are planning a medical/evangelism outreach in October to the Lambom Islands which are part of New Ireland (see picture of Warangoi Haus Sik).
The Bible School construction is nearing completion. The roofing is now complete as is the exterior wood siding. The interior walling and molding is now completed. We will put the fascia boards and badge moldings in place soon and install the window louvers. The doors will be made and the interior will be painted in the near future. The kitchen will be furnished with appliances soon. We are in the process of designing an interior floor plan for the Medical Ministry Center building, which we have estimated will cost between 3,000 – 4,000 U.S. Dollars. We have already identified where the wood for the project will come from (a couple of trees in a nearby plantation), and groundbreaking is planned for October 2007. We are still searching and praying for the right land vehicle for the ministry.
Thank you for your continued financial and prayer support. We can really sense your prayers. We could not be here without you. You are so…......vital for all that we do here and we share equally in the fruit that God gives the increase for.
Blessings,
Can you believe that it has been a month since we talked to you last? I’ve had some people ask what our typical day looks like so I thought I would briefly describe one. The Village wakes up at about 5:00 a.m. not too long after you can hear the 5:00 a.m. plantation bells ringing for the workers to get up. Sort of a communal alarm clock. Of course, it never really was that quiet during the night as the jungle is full of indescribable sounds of tropical birds and animals and the occasional coconut that crashes to the undergrowth unexpectedly. The sun is officially cooking at about 6:05 a.m. We are on a hill of sorts, so any breeze that goes by filters through our open fly screen. We get up, look out, and yep another clear hot day ahead. We eat breakfast together and then Alex and I start school and if Victor has meetings or needs to get supplies for the bible school, we send him off with: bug spray, water, and an emergency kit . We are back together mid afternoon. Alex plays with the village kids (see picture) from about 5-6 p.m. and then the sun goes down every day just after 6:00 p.m. and I am cooking up vegetables, that I may or may not know the name of, that we eat in coconut milk over rice. It is the “in-between” times that things really happen. The surprise visits from people when you have to greet them in your night gown, but thankfully they don’t realize it. Or the pastor that shows up to talk right as you were leaving to go somewhere. Or the swarm of bees that are in your house that need to be encouraged to evacuate. Or the day you wash clothes and get into the container because it is just cooler and a group a people appear out of nowhere to watch.
A few weeks ago we had a spirit of fear walk into our house. Victor and I took authority over it in Jesus' name and threw it out. A couple days later Victor preached here in our village about the Supremacy of Christ and shared our experience as an illustration and example of Jesus’ power over all. Later the head pastors (Pastor Mary and Labette) came to us and told us that they heard God speak during the service and that, for some time, they have sensed that the village has been under the attack of the spirit of death (fear, and illness). More people were sick then they could remember and people were afraid. A young mother recently died after eating a lime she bought from a man who deals in witchcraft and the people were uneasy. Well as you know, we have been frequently sick (we are well now), as have Komet (see picture of Komet voting at the recent elections) and Regena and their family living below us, so we spent time talking and encouraging Pastor Mary and Labette and praying with them. It was a wonderful time of sharing and reminding each other how great our God is and that nothing is impossible for Him.
The Wednesday morning marriage/pre-marriage counseling classes we teach are going well. The attendance has been good. In the classes, we are learning just as much from the pastors about the culture here and how they view their world. They have really opened up to us. They told us that they were closely watching us when we came and they laughed and joked about what they thought about us initially. It was nice to see them relax and talk to us. That was very encouraging.
This weekend we are going to a combined church service in the Tavui #3 village in Rabaul. A combined service is a quarterly service that is attended by all who are leaders in the Foursquare churches here in East New Britain Province. Tavui #3 is in an area that has suffered from volcanic ash and it doesn’t have fresh water or gardens as the ash has killed a lot of vegetation and the usual greenness is instead dry and brown. The people don’t want to move or they will lose their tribal lands so they commute to their gardens remote from their village and have to carry water long distances. The new church is a spiritual light in the area and it will be a joy to see our new friends again. We have several large containers and will bring them fresh water.
The Foursquare Medical Ministry continues to progress here. We continue to share our vision with government health officials, and we have been well received. We have written up a proposal for the Medical Ministry Center which includes the overall Church of the Foursquare Gospel Vision, the Medical Ministry Center Missions, Vision, and Values’ Statements, a Five-Year Project Timeline, a Project Description, a Cost Breakdown, a Medical Ministry Center Site Plan, and Acknowledgements. Pastor Komet Malari gladly accepted the position of administrator for the Medical Ministry Center, and we are listed as the Foursquare Medical Missionary Supervisors. When the final drafts are ready, these documents will be available for viewing on our website and blog sites. We are planning a medical/evangelism outreach in October to the Lambom Islands which are part of New Ireland (see picture of Warangoi Haus Sik).
The Bible School construction is nearing completion. The roofing is now complete as is the exterior wood siding. The interior walling and molding is now completed. We will put the fascia boards and badge moldings in place soon and install the window louvers. The doors will be made and the interior will be painted in the near future. The kitchen will be furnished with appliances soon. We are in the process of designing an interior floor plan for the Medical Ministry Center building, which we have estimated will cost between 3,000 – 4,000 U.S. Dollars. We have already identified where the wood for the project will come from (a couple of trees in a nearby plantation), and groundbreaking is planned for October 2007. We are still searching and praying for the right land vehicle for the ministry.
Thank you for your continued financial and prayer support. We can really sense your prayers. We could not be here without you. You are so…......vital for all that we do here and we share equally in the fruit that God gives the increase for.
Blessings,
Victor, Lori, and Alexander Obregon
"Attempt Great Things For God.
Expect Great Things From God."
William Carey
Expect Great Things From God."
William Carey
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