20090309 Our March Newsletter

Dear Family and Friends:

Good morning. Sometimes I wish that you could hear the PNG people here praying for you and America. This morning one of the Pastor’s dropped by and we sat on the floor to pray together. She poured out her heart in Tok Pigin and quoted Bible Scriptures so powerfully that my own heart just rose up within me. How great is our God! Though we represent very different cultures and languages and are located on opposite sides of the world, when we pray in unity the Holy Spirit shows up and covers us with peace.

We had told you last month that we were planning to go to the Pomeo area for a medical/evangelistic outreach. After practical research and preparation, we had to put that trip on hold as it would actually take 12 hours to sail via our banana boat in the ocean. That is a very long way and time to be in a little boat on the ocean. The Pastor who wanted to go to this area was unaware of the distance. Here in PNG distance is measured very differently. If someone says a place is not too far, that could mean anything from just up the hill to 12 hours away. So, we are researching more how much diesel we will need for the trip and how the budget ought to look like. In the meantime, our medical outreach this month was held in the highlands of Enga Province PNG as you will read below.

The airport here in Rabaul opened just when Victor needed to fly out to go to the Highlands for the annual Foursquare Pastor’s convention in Goroka in Eastern Highlands Province. This represented a couple miracles as the airport had been closed for weeks due to the volcanic ash fall out. The airlines refused to sell new tickets and the people that held tickets couldn’t use them because of the ash, So, long lines of people wrapped around the Air Niugini building as everyone tried to get their tickets refunded. A couple days before Victor was supposed to go (we had been praying and asking God to help us) the ash changed directions and the airport opened up. Even though the ticket we had was old and weeks past the 24 hour hold – the airlines gave us a ticket at the cheaper fare. Amazing. Then, when it was time for Victor to come back home, God opened up a window and Victor was able to fly back home. The last few days the ash has returned and is covering the plants, cars, and my clean laundry. Alex usually likes to run at dusk along the beach near our house but has been unable to that as the ash gets into his eyes, mouth and lungs.

While Victor was in the PNG Highlands, Alex and I remained here in East New Britain doing home-school. During that time, I spoke to the United Foursquare Women’s Regional meeting on “Walking in the Spirit” to start off the church program for 2009.

In Goroka, Victor spent four days at the National Pastor’s conference (see picture). There, he met Jonathan Hall the overall Missions Coordinator and director at Foursquare Missions International. Pastor Hall and Dr. Jerry Stott preached some powerful sermons that impacted and encouraged all who were present. For example, at the end of one sermon, hundreds of Pastors and leaders went forward to renew their commitment to preach the gospel to all nations. Very powerful. People were spontaneously repenting and worshipping and drawing near to God. After the conference, Victor travelled by bus across several provinces to Enga Province to visit with the PNG Foursquare President, the Reverend Timothy Tipitap. Ps. Timothy had recently dedicated the U.S.K. Kuncumanda sub-Health Centre up in the Tsak mountain region near his home in Wapenamanda and it was now operational. The sub-health centre emphasizes women’s and children’s care. Victor had the opportunity to see many patients (many of them women) and to work with the two staff nurses and two community health workers (see pictures). One lady walked for two days to the health centre because she had heard that there was “a man of God” coming. Ten years ago she had placed a curse on herself to keep from having children and now no matter what she did she couldn’t get the “curse” off. The lady repented for not turning to God for help and cursing herself and then Victor and Ps. Salome (Ps. Timothy’s wife) laid hands on her to break the power of the curse off her in the more powerful name of Jesus. After prayer time, she was told that she no longer had to live with the guilt and shame of that curse – that Jesus had place the curse on Him at Calvary and that God had plans for a future and a hope for her. She left the clinic with peace on her face and a smile on her lips.

Ps. Timothy took this opportunity to share the PNG Foursquare Health vision with Victor. For example, Ps. Timothy shared that he wanted to build a nursing school up at U.S.K. where people from all over PNG, including the islands, can come and be certified as community health workers for the Foursquare Health projects throughout the nation. Later, there are plans for the school to be a nursing college as well.

While Victor was with Ps. Timothy, he also had the opportunity to preach at the Sunday service in Wapenamanda and share at the United Foursquare Men’s Ministry night on Monday. He also had the opportunity to hear Ps. Timothy’s heart for the new four year Bible School that is being built in his home town.

Well, that is our update for now. As most of you know already, we are planning to come back to the U.S. for a furlough for about three months in May-July and then come back to PNG. We are planning to visit family, reconnect with Northwest Church, and attend Victor’s graduation from the King’s Seminary in California. While back in the U.S., Victor will also sit in for the International Foursquare Pastors licensing interview. We are need God’s wisdom and guidance for His plans for us this next year. Thank you so much for your prayers and financial support. We thank you in advance for your continued prayer and financial support during the furlough. Please continue to pray for our protection and for our travel back to the U.S. We look forward to seeing all of you again.

Blessings,

Victor, Lori, and Alexander Obregon

Attempt Great Things For God.

Expect Great Things From God.

William Carey