Jon and Katie Ruse Serving In Papua New Guinea CROSS-Cultural Friendships!
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- Katelyn & Chloe With Work Meri’s
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- Jojina Outside Her House
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- Boy With Appendicitis
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- Katelyn & Margaret Making Tortillas
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- Ellaina and Village Kids
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- Aute, Ben and I
It is very exciting to have a part in tribal outreach! Every time we hear an update from our dorm kid’s parents about another book of the N.T being translated, or a new teaching of God’s Word to their tribe we are reminded how the ministry as dorm parents is such an important part of the “big picture”.
Although we primarily function as a support role for tribal missionaries, we have the opportunity to develop friendships here with our neighbors, the Bena Bena and Ungai people groups. The two national ladies (Margret & Amo) who help us with laundry, dishes, cooking, gardening, and cleaning are a vital part of the dorm ministry. We could not do this without them. We work beside them, pray with them, and eat breakfast together 4 days a week. Our kids love them! However, times of miscommunication in “Pidgin” do occur (and can be stressful) as we think through different cultural views. We’ve had to learn how to work those things out and adjust to others being in our house ALL the time! Pray we can live our lives in such a way to show Christ’s love and truth to them.
While the dorm is functioning, we are not able to spend much time with other national friends. However, we continue to stay in touch with Aute and Jogina and their extended family who live across the river. Jogina commented that there was something different about us and how we live as a family. She thought the difference must be God and His Word. Praise the Lord for that! She could give us no greater compliment!!! This term, their nephew was diagnosed with Appendicitis—a very dangerous thing for them if you’ve seen their “hospital”. We were able to be a blessing to them in many ways through that difficult time, and the Lord answered prayer for healing without him having surgery! Pray it does not reoccur. Pray for these precious friends and their families to learn God’s truth clearly—in a way that cuts beneath the cultural chains of darkness or work based religions.
“Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven.” Matthew 5:16 NASB
Third Term in The Dorm
Dorm Girls making a Rap Video
What a whirlwind of emotions, activities, trials, and blessings! Here’s a taste of what spun around this term… 5 birthday celebrations, our 11 year anniversary, saying good bye to our closest friends here, meeting new friends, helping a dorm daughter through a personal trial, additional meetings to help her, helping her and her sister move out of the dorm, readjusting as a dorm family, enjoying a fancy Valentine’s dinner, spoke in chapel on relationships, proudly seeing all our girls dressed in formals for Banquet and helping them get ready, 30 youth over for a movie after Banquet, many sleepovers, losing our dorm coordinators, working through cultural differences with our national house helpers, 2 motor bike accidents, Jon assistant coaching the boys Varsity Basketball team, taking video of the girl’s soccer games, helping Ellaina with her school work (as possible), helping Ben with his behavior in school, Elementary reading week (helping Ellaina and Ben read, read, read), Elementary Musical, baking with Katelyn, cuddling with Chloe (and cleaning her messes), Transitions Seminar for 11-12th graders, 3 girls making Home Ec. meals, a trip to the Steak Haus as a dorm (a rare treat) and second hand shopping (left the store early for safety reasons), Skyped with our sending church, played Djembe for a worship service, countless mentoring opportunities, helping with Algebra, planting a garden, new twin nephews, Katie’s brothers’ engagement, a friend’s daughter getting cancer again, a couple closer earthquakes, and a wind storm! We praise the Lord for His provision of wisdom, strength, patience, care, health, and perseverance through this term!
Basketball and Dorm Parenting
Katie & Rachel
On the other hand there are some things that are just plain fun like having a birthday party, playing in the rain, taking a group of teens tubing down the river, watching a movie, singing and dancing, cheering them on in sports, or just having a good talk. One of those fun things Katie enjoyed this term was playing basketball with our dorm girls. Let me explain! We had 4 girls who were on the high school team and their only official games are during 2 tournaments. So, in the weeks leading up to the tournaments they scrimmage the women (New Tribes moms, singles, etc.) for “practice”.
Women's Team
We are excited as we look towards next term. A few of our girls will be playing soccer and I(Jon) will be assistent coach for the guys high schoool basketball team! The men usually play basketball every Monday night so it has been great to develop relationships with some of these teen guys that I will be coaching. I am excited to see how God will use this avenue for me to be an example and impact some of the young teen guys here!
*Pray for Katie and I that we will balance our time & responsibilities well this next term as coaching will take extra time away from our family and the dorm!
Tags: New Tribes Mission, NTM
Christmas In Papua New Guinea
There are certain things in life that are completely different than you ever expected. This can be good and bad and is mostly both. I can’t explain all of the feelings we went through over this holiday season but one thing I know for sure. It was hard & different, but full of God’s grace.
After a “unexpectedley” lonely thanksgiving (dorm girls were gone because Katelyn had Mumps) we pulled out our box of Christmas decorations that we had shipped over here from Michigan. In the Dorm Storage here we found a Christmas tree, a few decorations, and a large blow-up Frosty-the-Snowman later nicknamed “Ricardo” don’t ask me why! So we started with the small decor’ around the house. By the weekend the dorm girls were back and we put up the tree, ran lights around the porch, kitchen, and dining room. Then I set up Frosty “Ricardo” and he was a hit around the neighborhood and became the dorm girls favorite man. They named Him and gave Him hugs everyday. First, strange experience: hooking up christmas lights through a transformer, and buying some 240Volt lights off another missionary. Second strange experience: decorating the porch outside without being cold or having numb fingers. Next came going through the Christmas gifts we had shipped over and wrapping! Third strange experience: not going shopping for Christmas presents, recieving Christmas gifts by mail, and wrapping some gifts from our parents for our kids!
“Dorm Christmas” was a blast. We had a party with snacks, gifts, and my mom’s famous “Egg Nog” made not so famous by me! This was a taste of home but felt strange doing an early Christmas with our adopted girls before they headed home to their own families for break. Then came time for our own very different Christmas. Strange: the weather wasn’t snowy and cold but rainy and 70 degrees! We “traveled” to Grandpa & Grandma Ruse’s house for Christmas eve by opening their presents under our tree while taking video and pictures. Then Christmas morning we had our somewhat normal traditions and opening of gifts as a family. Christmas afternoon we “hit the road again” to Papa & Grandma Jurgensen’s house by opening their gifts under our tree while skyping and talking on the phone with them and taking pictures! It was so hard to be away from our home and family, but we are so thankful for technology. To be able to see their faces, and talk to them and see things familiar even through the computer was a great comfort.
New Years eve we joined some other couples here for games, and then rode the motorcycle around campus at Midnight supossedly as loudly as possible! Strange New Tradition: however, my bike’s headlight went out right away so we went back to the house and went to bed. Instead of watching football games and enjoying the warmth of the large Ruse Family gathering on New Years Day, I checked ESPN online to see game scores, we played wii as a family, and we skyped with my parents. It was very cool to be able to walk around my parents house and see everyone hanging out, see the food, see my new baby nephew, find out my sister-in-law is pregnant, go to the basement and see all my nephew’s and niece’s playing together, and feel like we were almost really there. Strange: we are 13 hours ahead so many of these experiences with family were after we had already celebrated or the next morning!�
I don’t think I will ever forget this first Christmas away. It was hard for us, but God is good and brought joy to our families despite the miles between us all!
Tags: New Tribes Mission, NTM
Speaking in Student Chapel
Grades 7-12 Student Chapel
It seems like such a long time since I have been able to speak to a large group of teens. Believe it or not it has already been close to 3 and a half years since I was working at Rotbbury Community Church. Well, this Tuesday I was able to speak at the Student Chapel for grades 7-12. This was so much fun and God guided me in what to share, but I forgot how much time it takes to be well prepared to give a solid message. It did not help that I was sick the week before with Strep Throat and had little energy to give. Thankfully, I was feeling better by Moday and able to finish.
Speaking at Chapel
midst. Right after chapel, I had to leave (late) along with the other dorm dad and go to town for the “mail run” (every Tuesday). While in town, we drop off and pick up mail for everyone living here on center, then we go the open market for our dorm produce & fruit and to the stores for any needed groceries (if we are lucky) that we can’t find at the center store. After, we get back it’s a rush to get all the produce washed, lunch prepared, eat, clean up, and then it’s time for our “Dorm Meeting” (every Tuesday afternoon). It already looks like there are many potential students hoping to enter the dorms next year (one part of our meetings discussion). This means we may have to cram them into two dorms, do home placements, or find another set of dorm parents and open a third dorm. Granted there is still a lot of time before next July, and many changes will happen by then but this is definately something we would love you to pray about with us.
First Term in the Dorm
Ever wonder…What is it like to have a family of twelve? Fun, busy, loud, crazy, tons of food, not much sleep, games, family devotions, great conversations, piles of laundry, hours of homework, and great times! We know God perfectly picked the 6 teen girls that would best fit with our family and we have truly enjoyed getting to know each of them. Each is very unique– different needs, talents, personalities, etc. and we love each one. We are overwhelmed with how the girls have embraced our own kids. They love having older sisters who read them books, walk with them to school, sit by them at meals, and play with them. This is an answer to prayer! Along with the joys, there have been many adjustments as a family and trials along the way. However, the Lord has been faithful to meet all of our needs and give us the energy and grace needed each day. We praise Him for this and thank Him for your prayers on our behalf! We couldn’t do this on our own!
One of our highlights has been supporting the girls (4 of our 6 who played on the softball team) by going to games and tournaments. We also watched band performances, took pictures of them doing class projects, hosted sleepovers, helped with homework, played games or baked with them, scrubbed stains, cared for the sick, shared hugs, had deep conversations about the Lord and life, and enjoyed praying together. We love serving these girls and their families in this way! Each girl has returned to spend time with their families in a remote tribal locations for the 2 1/2 week school break. We are now resting, regrouping as a family, catching up on things, and looking forward to their return on October 10th.
The Depths of God Found in Difficulty
If we are all honest, there are times in our lives where we don’t understand what God is doing and all we can do is ask why? Why This? Why Now? Why Me? Aren’t I trying to be godly and aren’t I following your will and direction in my life, then why is this so hard?
“Oh, the depths of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments and how inscrutable are his ways!” Romans 11:33
God has brought us across the world to serve Him as missionaries in Papua New Guinea. We have left our home, family, and friends behind to do what we know is His will for us. The transition was difficult but filled with God’s grace. Finally, we made it through language learning and were excited to begin the “Dorm Ministry”. We did not expect to spend our first term helping Ellaina struggle through schoolwork, making visits to the medical clinic, staying up in the night with Katelyn in pain (suspected appendicitis), Ben having breathing problems, two with conjunctivitis, a staff infection on Ellaina’s leg, removing a bead stuck in Chloe’s nose, and having Katie not physically able to help because of back problems.
In the movie Evan Almighty God says, “Remember that whatever I do, it is because I love you.” After a series of trials and difficulties Evan replies, “Can you love me a little less?”. We will never fully understand the wisdom and purposes of God. We don’t have the knowledge or foresight to even question His ways, but we may think sometimes: “God, love me a little less!”. Wouldn’t that be easier than trials?
Thankfully, God is not able to love us any less than His best even though it hurts sometimes. What would I be like today without His work in my life or without His loving hand allowing difficulties and at the same time carrying me through them when I am unable to stand on my own? Would I really know God without the difficulties, without having to place my Trust & Faith in Him when nothing makes sense at all?
Josh & Ellaina
“Faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see” Heb. 11:1
God, help us all to walk by faith! Heb. 11:1
Please Pray with Me for my brother James, his wife Becky, and their 11 year old son Joshua. After a few intense days in the hospital they have just learned that He has Leukemia!
*God, please give the doctors wisdom!
*God, strengthen and guide James and Becky with the many difficult decisions.
*God comfort them when they see their son in pain and help them Trust You through the Trials!
Where God Has Brought Us
Now, two days into the dorm ministry we lo0k back and are amazed at all that God has done. Providing for our needs while going through missionary training and paying for our unsold home, selling our home, providing enough supporters for us to go to PNG. Then there was the mad rush to get our things on the container before it was too late. Christmas, birthdays, and goodbye parties, and long flight, and a new home on the other side of the world. God has brought us through sickness, helped us learn a new language, build relationships in the community and share our love for the Lord Jesus Christ.
We have prayed for and anticipated serving in this ministry for over 3 years and we are loving it. I am sure there will be bumps in the road and struggles but we have already really enjoyed getting to know each of the girls God has placed in our dorm and we can see why it is His best. We know that God has given us a special ministry here and we are so thankful. It has also been exciting to get to know each of the parents and hear about their work in planting churches and translating scripture so the gospel will continue to go forward throughout PNG.
Last night we had a “Special Dinner” with candles and no utinsels. Our time ended with a spaghetti noodle fight in the back yard. Everyone had a good laugh!
Preparing for Dday
It seems like since the day we landed we have been busy preparing for the Dorm Ministry in many different ways. Learning the culture and Language of PNG was a big and important part of that time. There have also been many various projects from sanding & refinishing chairs and a table, repairs, decorating, yardwork, making hamburgers, and errands for dorm supplies that have consumed our time over the past month. We have also had many dorm meetings, correspondence and meetings with parents, learning about finances and taxes to fill our time.
In the midst of all this we were able to go into the bush for a week, try to maintain our friendships with some of the nationals we have built relationships with, help with vacation bible school, celebrate a birthday, and get ready to recieve 6 wonderful teenage girls into our home & family. We hope you will enjoy a few pictures from the past 2 weeks.