Dear Family and Friends;
Boina Malana (or, “Good Morning” in the kuanua mother tongue here). We had a 6.9 earthquake last night that lasted for a while. We were on our way out of the house when the rumbling and shaking finally stopped. The house was bending and bowing, and the window frames and louvers were really shaking. We praise God because there was no damage to the house or the water tank. One of our alarm clocks woke us up this morning; that is, one of the many local roosters who has been crowing every 10 seconds since last night, I am sure. And yes, believe it or not I actually counted the seconds between crows. We have been up early as Pastor Komet and Regina, who live below us, recently purchased a Dyna truck to take the villagers to the market and back. The whole village is happy and you can hear laughter all up and down the road as people come to get on the truck for its maiden voyage. Last night, Victor was asked to dedicate the truck which is named” Press On,” and pray for the driver Bernard. Pastor Komet and Regina invest their lives and heart in “pressing on toward the high calling” by buying the truck to use both practically for the village and for any other kind of kingdom work (see picture). The small fare proceeds will go toward the church, and outreaches. We’ve never met anyone like them.
Victor and I had the privilege of dedicating Pastor Lebet and Pastor Mary’s granddaughter “Victoria” here in Rallubong earlier this month. We did not realize the family connection when we were called up to the front during the service. We are still learning all the connections between people here. It really can be quite complicated, until you begin to learn the culture more.
We have seen God do amazing things. An example is Ruby. Ruby is a young single teacher that teaches in a poor very remote area. She was sitting in her house one day and a rascal (bad person), shot a gun into her house and the bullet grazed the top of her head leaving an open cut on top of her head. The wound became infected and the infection moved down into her right eye and filled her eye socket so that her eye was shut. By divine appointment, we met her at her house. Well as God so often arranges, we had to go to town and Victor found some oral penicillin and a topical ointment that could be used for both the wound and directly in the eye. We went back to Ruby’s house and I put the first dose in her eye and had to use a clean leaf to apply the medicine on her head wound. All the children were gathered around watching and talking. Then we laid hands on her and asked God to multiply the effects of the medication and heal her and show her how deeply He loved her. Then we left. A day and a half later we were at the airport waiting for Keith and Cindy Bickley to arrive and a young woman came walking quickly to our truck and I didn’t recognize her until Victor noted that it was Ruby. Her eye was completely healed and I couldn’t even see her head wound. I was so blown away. I don’t care what kind of medicine you give – only Jesus can heal like that. It was so wonderful! We talked to her about Papa God who loves and healed her and she was smiling and nodding her head. She knows that God alone healed her.
A couple weeks ago Cindy Bickley and I walked about a mile into the jungle to visit a man who we suspect is diabetic. I brought my glucometer so we could check his blood sugar. He wasn’t at home but the group of small houses where he lived had a lot of people and we were able to visit and pray for them. I could do that every day. The only difficulty was that on the way back we had to pass through a group of drunk men on the road. I had to take my umbrella down and hold it like a sword and we did a lot of heart-felt praying for protection as we safely and quickly walked between then.
Alex, our 12 year old is doing well and slowly adjusting (see picture). Just the other night, I sent him out to scatter food scraps for the chickens and free range pigs (the local village garbage disposal units), and he never returned. Victor and I heard scattered laughter at the back of the house and we saw Alex wrestling with two of the village boys that I think he had been chasing. Today, we are going to the nambis (the beach), to rest and play. It is an odd thing to swim in the ocean and watch a live volcano smoking across the bay.
We went to Pastor Leonard and Martha’s fellowship they began near a village called Ganai out in the bush (see family picture). Keith and Victor prayed out a young man named Jonas to pastor a fellowship there. Jonas is planning to attend the Bible School when it starts again in February 2008. We all had an opportunity to share at the service, and we all celebrated how the Spirit of God is moving mightily here in the islands of PNG. We plan to do a medical outreach in the Ganai area soon, and we are praying that God’s outreach there will accompany evangelism and ultimately church planting as an integrated activity.
The New Guinea Island Foursquare Medical Ministry continues to move forward here. We are continuing to network and partner with the both the political and medical community here, especially the administrators and the directors of the medical services at the local hospitals. Together with the Foursquare Regional and Provincial Supervisors, we have prayerfully planning for about 10 medical outreaches a year which will emphasize evangelism. Specific outreaches (including the one to the Lambon Islands in New Ireland with the Northwest Church team this October) have already been scheduled through July 2008 and most of them will require us to sail there. Some smaller local land medical outreaches will be scheduled as well, which will include HIV and TB (tuberculosis) teaching and training by the local hospital officers in charge (OIC) of these services. Domestic violence teaching will also be scheduled as well. Plans for the shell of the Medical Ministry Center building hub, which will be built next to the Bible School, are almost finalized as well (see the attached .pdf file site plan at the village of Birar). In all this, we do not presume to know how to do what the Lord has called us to do. So like Solomon in 1 Kings 3:7-14, we are cleaving to the Lord and depending upon Him for wisdom. Thanks so much for your prayers in this area. We can really sense them.
We thank you again for supporting us – for your prayers, your giving, and your relational support. We are you extended to the people of the Islands of Papua New Guinea!
Blessings,
Victor, Lori, and Alexander Obregon
Attempt Great Things For God.
Expect Great Things From God.
William Carey
Boina Malana (or, “Good Morning” in the kuanua mother tongue here). We had a 6.9 earthquake last night that lasted for a while. We were on our way out of the house when the rumbling and shaking finally stopped. The house was bending and bowing, and the window frames and louvers were really shaking. We praise God because there was no damage to the house or the water tank. One of our alarm clocks woke us up this morning; that is, one of the many local roosters who has been crowing every 10 seconds since last night, I am sure. And yes, believe it or not I actually counted the seconds between crows. We have been up early as Pastor Komet and Regina, who live below us, recently purchased a Dyna truck to take the villagers to the market and back. The whole village is happy and you can hear laughter all up and down the road as people come to get on the truck for its maiden voyage. Last night, Victor was asked to dedicate the truck which is named” Press On,” and pray for the driver Bernard. Pastor Komet and Regina invest their lives and heart in “pressing on toward the high calling” by buying the truck to use both practically for the village and for any other kind of kingdom work (see picture). The small fare proceeds will go toward the church, and outreaches. We’ve never met anyone like them.
Victor and I had the privilege of dedicating Pastor Lebet and Pastor Mary’s granddaughter “Victoria” here in Rallubong earlier this month. We did not realize the family connection when we were called up to the front during the service. We are still learning all the connections between people here. It really can be quite complicated, until you begin to learn the culture more.
We have seen God do amazing things. An example is Ruby. Ruby is a young single teacher that teaches in a poor very remote area. She was sitting in her house one day and a rascal (bad person), shot a gun into her house and the bullet grazed the top of her head leaving an open cut on top of her head. The wound became infected and the infection moved down into her right eye and filled her eye socket so that her eye was shut. By divine appointment, we met her at her house. Well as God so often arranges, we had to go to town and Victor found some oral penicillin and a topical ointment that could be used for both the wound and directly in the eye. We went back to Ruby’s house and I put the first dose in her eye and had to use a clean leaf to apply the medicine on her head wound. All the children were gathered around watching and talking. Then we laid hands on her and asked God to multiply the effects of the medication and heal her and show her how deeply He loved her. Then we left. A day and a half later we were at the airport waiting for Keith and Cindy Bickley to arrive and a young woman came walking quickly to our truck and I didn’t recognize her until Victor noted that it was Ruby. Her eye was completely healed and I couldn’t even see her head wound. I was so blown away. I don’t care what kind of medicine you give – only Jesus can heal like that. It was so wonderful! We talked to her about Papa God who loves and healed her and she was smiling and nodding her head. She knows that God alone healed her.
A couple weeks ago Cindy Bickley and I walked about a mile into the jungle to visit a man who we suspect is diabetic. I brought my glucometer so we could check his blood sugar. He wasn’t at home but the group of small houses where he lived had a lot of people and we were able to visit and pray for them. I could do that every day. The only difficulty was that on the way back we had to pass through a group of drunk men on the road. I had to take my umbrella down and hold it like a sword and we did a lot of heart-felt praying for protection as we safely and quickly walked between then.
Alex, our 12 year old is doing well and slowly adjusting (see picture). Just the other night, I sent him out to scatter food scraps for the chickens and free range pigs (the local village garbage disposal units), and he never returned. Victor and I heard scattered laughter at the back of the house and we saw Alex wrestling with two of the village boys that I think he had been chasing. Today, we are going to the nambis (the beach), to rest and play. It is an odd thing to swim in the ocean and watch a live volcano smoking across the bay.
We went to Pastor Leonard and Martha’s fellowship they began near a village called Ganai out in the bush (see family picture). Keith and Victor prayed out a young man named Jonas to pastor a fellowship there. Jonas is planning to attend the Bible School when it starts again in February 2008. We all had an opportunity to share at the service, and we all celebrated how the Spirit of God is moving mightily here in the islands of PNG. We plan to do a medical outreach in the Ganai area soon, and we are praying that God’s outreach there will accompany evangelism and ultimately church planting as an integrated activity.
The New Guinea Island Foursquare Medical Ministry continues to move forward here. We are continuing to network and partner with the both the political and medical community here, especially the administrators and the directors of the medical services at the local hospitals. Together with the Foursquare Regional and Provincial Supervisors, we have prayerfully planning for about 10 medical outreaches a year which will emphasize evangelism. Specific outreaches (including the one to the Lambon Islands in New Ireland with the Northwest Church team this October) have already been scheduled through July 2008 and most of them will require us to sail there. Some smaller local land medical outreaches will be scheduled as well, which will include HIV and TB (tuberculosis) teaching and training by the local hospital officers in charge (OIC) of these services. Domestic violence teaching will also be scheduled as well. Plans for the shell of the Medical Ministry Center building hub, which will be built next to the Bible School, are almost finalized as well (see the attached .pdf file site plan at the village of Birar). In all this, we do not presume to know how to do what the Lord has called us to do. So like Solomon in 1 Kings 3:7-14, we are cleaving to the Lord and depending upon Him for wisdom. Thanks so much for your prayers in this area. We can really sense them.
We thank you again for supporting us – for your prayers, your giving, and your relational support. We are you extended to the people of the Islands of Papua New Guinea!
Blessings,
Victor, Lori, and Alexander Obregon
Attempt Great Things For God.
Expect Great Things From God.
William Carey
0 comments:
Post a Comment