Barbara Kuecken Just another weblog Jesus Will Meet You There
Powerful words, “Jesus will meet you there”.
How many times have we faced trials, when the unbelievable happens, and we find ourselves reaching out to the Savior, because there is no one else to help? 
The boss calls a meeting with news that the plant is closing, or the doctor tells you the awful results of the tests. “Jesus will meet you there.”
The missionaries living in a very remote village suddenly find their 4 year old son is desperately ill and must get to a hospital. But the helicopter is not available. “Jesus will meet you there.”
You are planning a trip, departure is imminent, but the passport office has not returned your travel documents. Only a miracle will allow you to join your group. “Jesus will meet you there.”
Composer and Christian musician, Steven Curtis Chapman faced one of those unbelievable tragedies with the death of his daughter, and from that came this most beautiful reminder of the constant presence of our Savior. “He will meet you there, ‘cause He’s already been where you’re going.”
Recently we were privileged to sing this beautiful song in the church choir. But I had no idea how poignant the song would become to me. Two days later, as the song continued to play out in my head, the last verse became reality. “When the phone rings in the middle of the night with tragic news, whatever valley you must walk through, Jesus will meet you there.” 
The call came as I was already in bed, saying, “Daddy has fallen” and I had better come home. But throughout all the arrangements, the journey and the time in the hospital, Jesus was there with His everlasting arms. Every step I took in that valley, He was there.
I know that the Lord has met my needs, and I trust Him to meet the needs of my mother and my family as they travel down that road as well. I know that there will be times when the grief is hard to carry but I know that He will meet us there.
We had a wonderful celebration of Daddy’s life at the church, remembering the joy, the laughter, the special times. In so many ways that bittersweet time will remain for me a time of healing and family more than sorrow and parting.
I would like to share with you a little bit of who my father was. He is one reason that I walk hand in hand with the Lord. His faith and spiritual leadership taught me much.
Daddy would put us to bed at night, reading Bible stories from both the Old and New Testament. He taught us the importance of prayer, showed us the truth of God’s father love.
Daddy was an inventor, a writer and he loved to challenge my creativity. Daddy holds more than 90 patents and one of his final instructions for us was to pass on a note of humor at the memorial service concerning one of his patents. But …… I will share more of this in a separate entry honoring my Dad.
Our gracious Heavenly Father loves to challenge and nurture us and carry us through the tough times. My earthly father is only a picture of the Heavenly Father. And each time I remember Daddy’s love and strong leadership in my life, I know that it is a reminder of the deep love our Father had for us in sending His Son to die for our sake. “Jesus will meet you there.”
I know that the Lord will meet each of you there as well. And I want to thank each one who has upheld each of us in prayer, and send such wonderful memorials and words of comfort. The Lord has held me in His loving arms.
Tis the Season!
What's a 4-poster bed for? Drying Laundry of course?
Here I sit surrounded by my laundry. To be sure, ’tis not the season for LAUNDRY today! I have hung my week’s laundry on lines above my bed. I have clothes lines across my room as well as on the bed. The sheets and towels, and a week’s worth of clothes are festooning my room under the fans in hopes that they will dry eventually.
So what IS IT the season for?
Rainy season still has us firmly in its teeth, and after three months of severe rains, we begin to wonder if we need to build an ark! The South Pacific has experienced a large number of category 5 Cyclones this season, according to the weather maps, from which WE receive copious amounts of rain.
Perhaps you saw my January letter and pictures, where we flooded the office building.
My office is the green building
We had 2 to 3 inches of standing water in the office on that afternoon! The poor security dog behind the building was nearly drown as well!
And of course we have recognized a new water sport here in Papua New Guinea.
4-wheeler surfing
What do you do on the soccer field when it is raining so hard?
Dads sure don’t want to be left out of the fun!
SO what season is it?
‘Tis the Season for ….
LAWN SURFING, of course
Long before there were 4 – wheelers there was Lawn Surfing. Big kids, little kids, even sometimes the adults like to play in the rain here. But the best time is when the standing water brings out the lawn boards.
Big kids, little kids
But if you want to go out and play in the rain, you better not hesitate. Don’t stop to finish what you were going to do…
GO right away …
Once the rain stops, you’re done!
(This picture was taken an hour later)
So, what are the spiritual applications of all this?
Making the most of the opportunities God provides us with, is VITAL on the mission field. We don’t know how long the Lord will leave the doors for ministry open here in Papua New Guinea, any more than we know how long the rain will last. Once the doors close, our opportunity is finished.
But the exciting thing here is to see tribal churches reaching out cross-culturally. The Mouk elders have left their home villages and moved into other areas where they have studied the language and are teaching. The first work is among the Lusi and now a new outreach among the Kombe is taking off.
The Ata church is now reaching beyond the Mamusi boarders, their first cross cultural work. They continue to encourage the many churches bordering their traditional lands.
The Maleu elders have traveled around the country encouraging brand new believers in many other language groups. Most recently two of the elders went as far away as the Sepik for a church planting seminar, where they went without sleep in order to encourage the young believers!
Praise the Lord for his abundant blessing which he pours out as heavily as the rain in this country!
Please pray for these churches as they continue to press on carrying the Gospel message across their borders!
Thank you
Tags: Fun on the Field
Changing Times
January 2010
Dear Praying Friends,
Wow, is 2009 already past? It surely doesn’t seem possible. Life in PNG has been very busy and I wonder sometimes how I would cope with the busyness back home. I guess I will soon find out, as furlough is fast approaching. And this furlough will be my last as a part of the team for NTM in PNG.
I have been a number of places with in PNG over the past sixteen years. I have visited the highlands several times and find them breathtaking. (Literally. It takes me a good two weeks to be able to breathe easily going up and down the side of the mountain at 5000 ft,) But there really is no place like this in my past experience. PNG is a land of many cultures and much variation.
I have visited the tribes a number of times as well and had the pleasure of seeing the translation completed and presented to the church among the MYU people.
What a pleasure and joy to see the New Testament in the hands of eight different people groups over the years. What exceeding joy to know that there are now brothers and sisters in Christ among these tribal people groups as well.
Sixteen years is a long time to live in a place, it becomes a part of your heart and it will be difficult to say goodbye to all who have become family here. I have seen so much here from the different trees and flowers which make up this land of the unexpected, to the different geographic features of mountains and coastal flats.
But the overwhelming impact on my heart, which I will take home with me are the memories of the people. Treasured brothers and sisters in Christ, both among my co-workers and among the tribal churches, will be in my heart and in my prayers forever. I am not certain how I will be able to board the plane this last time, knowing that I will not be returning. But the Lord is gracious and HE will be with me in this as He has been with me each time I leave my family to come here.
SO what is next? Good question, I have been invited to join the administrative team working at our USA home office , where I hope to settle for the next phase of my ministry. The Lord has opened this door at just the right time, and has given me the assurance that this is the His plan for me. I plan a time of furlough so that I can visit with many of those who have supported my ministry here in Papua New Guinea for these sixteen years.
My sincere thanks to all who have prayed and supported the ministry of New Tribes Mission and Barbara Kuecken. It has been such a privilege to be a part of the team sent out to PNG, your representative. I pray that the Lord will continue to bless you all richly as a part of the team.
Is 9:2 The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; those who dwell in a land of deep darkness, on them has light shined.
It amazes me how this scripture truly applies to the work here in Papua New Guinea.
Prayer and Praise
1. Praise the Lord for all His work here in PNG, it has been an amazing time being a part of the tribal church planting work.
2. Please pray for the transition as I phase out, others phase into my role, and I pack and prepare for departure. Please pray especially for Maria as I know my departure will be especially hard for her. We have been together for so very long, she is my true sister.
Update Prayer requet
The second term of school began yesterday. 
In my last report, Malango School was short a teacher for grades 4-6.
Praise the Lord with us, the delayed family have arrived and will fill the much needed roles of teacher and administrative assistant in the school.
I sometimes feel like the ministry is about how many jobs you can do all at the same time. It is nice to have these two roles filled so that all of us here on the mission center can focus more effectively on our own ministry.
And in another answer to a long term prayer request our new Gymnasium/ multi use building is finally advancing. Soon the multiple use building will be finished. The crane came in to hoist these heavy beams for us. I am continually amazed at the need for a solid foundation in all things. When the builders undertook this new construction they had to plan for both earthquake and strong winds. In addition with 19 feet of rain each year they have had to seek ways to deal with the run-off so that it doesn’t erode the foundation. The solid foundational truths of the Gospel are what we are all about, and it is exciting to see this example of the truths we teach.
For The Body Is Not One Member, But Many (1Cor12:14)
I cut my finger recently. I cut through skin, and nerve. I may have also chipped the bone. The wound is on the middle joint of my left index finger running from the top of the finger to the bottom, about an inch long. It happened quickly with the slip of the knife while I was cutting frozen bread. We bandaged and splinted the finger to prevent it from bending, reopening the wound. When the splint came off a couple of days later, the wound looked good, but the finger did not move. It was stiff and swollen. I started thinking about the physiology of the finger, what might have been injured.
I remembered Psalm 139:14 which says, “I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; marvelous are thy works, and that my soul knoweth right well.”
I thought about all the parts of that finger which could have been injured by a small slip of a knife. Bone, muscle, cartilage, nerves and tendons, all the parts which make the fingers and hands move in the marvelous ways that God has enabled us to move.
How often do we take for granted the inner workings of the body God has created for us? I studied anatomy and physiology in college many years ago, yet I do not think of the physiology of the hand when I pick up a glass of water to drink, or sit down at the piano to play.
The body of Christ is precisely the same. It says in 1 Cor 12: 14-27 that we are all of one body, but there are many parts of the body. No one part is more important than another part. None can function independently of another. “But now are they many members, yet but one body.” (v20)
How very important every member of the body of Christ is to the functioning of the church and the work of tribal evangelism. Our new school year began in August. Yet we have one family significantly delayed, who would teach in the school. Our school is functioning like the hand with a splinted finger. We are making do with what we have available, but not functioning fully.
If we are not able to supply a solid education for our missionary kids, families will have to move from the tribe, perhaps even leave the field.
At first glance the mission school may not seem to be an important role in the scope of tribal evangelism. But in light of the disruption to the work when parents are forced to leave the tribe because of their children’s education, we can easily see how vital that role truly is.
PLEASE PRAY that we will be able to fill teacher’s role for grades 4 – 6.
One final word: my finger is fully functional, the wound is healing. But I am truly thankful to the Lord because I realized how severe this injury could have been.
Gospel Presented in Mengen
Several months ago a request for prayer was sent out along with 
pictures of the Mengen translation helpers. The teaching began in February and now, all 70 lessons have been completed. Missionary Dave Wright taught twice each day, and his enthusiasm for the gospel brought in the numbers to the village teaching, time and again. Now we may rejoice to call another thirty or forty Mengen men and women, brothers and sisters in Christ.
During the teaching, Dave used an expression which means "It is finished", time and again. In the Mengen culture a debt is signified by a rope with knots, and when the debt is paid, they use this same expression. Our sin debt has been paid, by Christ on the Cross. One young man, with great excitement, has been telling everyone that he had a great debt which he could never pay, but it has been paid by Christ.
Praise the Lord for the excitement that the Gospel has raised among the Mengen people.
What does it Take?
In a recent "exploration" of the internet, I stumbled on a picture from World War II showing how many people were needed to keep the B-25 Mitchell bomber in the air.
There were the ground crew, of mechanics, radar and tracking personnel, commanders, and other essential personnel. There were those who supplied the fuel and oil necessary for the plane to fly, and the medical personnel necessary because of the dangers of war. And of course there were the crew of the plane. In all, I think I counted about 30 people on the ground in front of the B-25 Mitchell. I doubt I gave each one an accurate title, the picture caption was the whole detail of the story, but it spoke volumes to me. Lt. Peddy and his crew of 6 men were lined up in front. (You may find this picture in the Wikipedia article on the B-25 Mitchell Bomber)
In many ways, the ministry here in Papua New Guinea and many other mission locations is like that.
What does it take to reach 
this man for the Gospel of Jesus Christ?
Like the Pilot, Co-Pilot, Navagator, bombardeer, and gunners of the B-25, our tribal teams are out in front, and hold the "glory" jobs. Tribal church planters study the language and culture of the local people. Translate the scripture and the Bible Lessons into the mother tongue of the people and teach them chronologically from Creation to Christ.
But these church planters could not be in the tribal locations without the "ground crew" and even those who would not "be in the picture" with that B-25 crew. Those tax payers who supplied the funds to put fuel and oil in the tank of that engine would be much like the home churches who support each of us through prayer and financial gifts. YOUR Role in reaching the LOST is not small. YOU are a vital part of a tribal church planting team.
So who are the men in the middle. Those who make up the ground crew, mechanics, flight chiefs and radar men? That’s where I come in as an administration worker. I handle important details which are necessary to keep the triblal workers on the front lines. But which are often forgotten by the newspapers. This is not the GLORY JOB in ministry. But it is no less important than those who send us to the field, and those who are on the front lines.
Reaching the lost is an important work, but it is not simply the front line worker who is involved. Every member of that crew was essential to keep that B-25 in the air and help to win the war, both in Europe and with Japan. And every member of the ministry team is also a vital part of the work of tribal evangelism.
PLEASE continue to pray for the many outreaches going on. Most dear to my heart at this moment is the work among the Patpatar people. But there are many other works.
Thank you for your part in the work of reaching the lost.
Patpatar update
New Guinea News 12 October 2008
We Have To Be Good
Patpatar men listening intently to God’s Word.
An area that has surprised us since the teaching has started here among the Patpatar is how vocal they have been with us about their thinking concerning the Bible lessons. It has been incredible to hear them share with others what they are learning and how they all need to apply those things. This week we heard them testify to realizing the Greatness of God. They’ve also told us of how they are learning that God’s Word is our guide to living, and that we should follow what God wants us to do. Those were all great things. However, there were many people who voiced this conclusion, “we have been taught we are sinners and it is true, so we have to try harder, we have to be good, we have to try our best so God will accept us.”
A similar cry rose out from the Israelites after there exodus from Egypt when they told God that they wanted God’s blessing and would follow all of His ways to get it. Then the law came. The laws of God: God’s standard by which we are judged; God’s measure by which we all fall short.
The fact is, as sinners, we can never appease the wrath of God with our actions. The fact is that Jesus Christ was the only one that fulfilled law and made a way for us to be accepted by a holy God.
The Patpatar people’s conclusion of trying their best so God will accept them is bound to be shattered this week as we teach on the 10 commandments. We will show how God teaches that we have broken his laws. We will teach how the breaking of just one makes us as guilty as breaking all of them…the standard is perfection. As the Israelites needed to know their incapacity to get to God of their own accord, so that reality needs to sink into the hearts of each one of us, and each of the Patpatar. After all, Christ came to call sinners to Himself, not the self-righteous. We won’t be covering the fulfillment of the law this week in the person of Christ, but we pray that God will prepare the Patpatar people for the promised Messiah. Pray that they will see their shortcomings. Pray that they will see themselves as “lost” so that they can be “found.” Pray that after they hear these principles that they will want to come hear more to find the answer to their predicament. The teaching this week will be contrary to what they have lived and heard their whole lives.
Prayer and Praise (aside from what is mentioned above):
Remember we asked prayer for those who were only attending periodically to be there regularly? This week (aside from our introduction week) was the largest amount of people per day we have seen. Most of them had been coming at some point in the teaching, now they are all coming at once. Thanks for praying and keep it up.
We are pretty healthy right now (even that boil on Aaron’s face is now just a lump).
We are so grateful for the good weather God has given us. Sunshine in the morning and an occasional shower in the afternoon.
Coming this week:
God provided manna and water in the wilderness.
God gave the Israelites His law.
God gave instructions for the Tabernacle.
Aaron and Lori
Aaron, Lori, Avalon, Sierra and Kylee Luse
Missionaries with New Tribes Mission
To the Patpatar of Papua New Guinea
www.tribalmissions.com
www.ntm.org/aaron_lus
Update on Prayer for Co-workers
It is wonderful to be able to share what the Lord is doing in the lives of co-workers.
Theresa has returned to PNG and to her ministry. She is still recuperating from her surgery. This will be slow going, but she appreciates your prayers. She is gaining strength.
Joel had surgery on his sinuses and ears and is doing much better. He and his dad are waiting to return to PNG due to flight availability. His parents also thank you for praying.
The time is short, the Mengen people will soon be hearing a new Phase teaching
Some years ago the team of missionaries taught the Mengen people through the the chronological lessons. At that time only a handful put their trust in the Lord. Some of the team are no longer on the mission field, and the Lord is expanding the efforts of the remaining members as they prepare to teach once more through the Chronological lessons. Missionary Dave Wright has returned from his extended furlough, refreshed his language and cultural understanding and is digging deep into the understanding of the people in his local area. How much do they really know or understand of what was taught?
Dave is working on preparing a new phase one lessons, reviewing these lessons with his tribal neighbors and adjusting things for a better cultural understanding of the truths of the Gospel.
The people will hear the new phase one lessons beginning in January.
Please be praying for the people and for Dave as he prepares lessons which will speak to the hearts of the people.
I have attached a copy of Dave’s prayer sheet detailing specific people to pray for. Please feel free to open this and print it off for your prayer time.
Thank you for your partnership in prayer 