Levi and Robyn Lenz Serving with New Tribes Mission in North Wahgi, Papua New Guinea Breaking the Silence…From the Lenz’s View- August update 2011
Breaking The Silence… Its time to break the silence as it seems that the last update we wrote was in April. It amazes us how quickly time has passed since we came home last September.
Our travels have taken us from Michigan to Missouri twice, Kansas, Illinois, Ohio, Indiana, New York, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Washington D.C. & West Virginia. We will share bits and pieces of our time stateside over the next few updates so we can try to not overwhelm you. ☺
The Fish’s Tale Though we’ve done a lot of travel we have not been alone. In April we picked up two Beta fish for the boys who have been excellent travel companions. The boys have enjoyed having them along for the trips and showing them off to the families we stay with. Amazingly enough, they’re still alive! If only fish could talk, the tales they would have to tell…like being spilled on the floor and nearly stepped on by Levi’s size 13s during one of our packing frenzies.
Encouragement, Refreshment and Reflection Throughout our travels we have made a lot of wonderful friends and have had the chance to catch up with many old friends. It has amazed us how small the world seems as a part of God’s family, or perhaps it’s just that God’s family is so large. Either way in many regards the saying is true, “strangers are only friends we have not met yet.” The boys have done a great job with all the travels we have done. We thank the Lord for their flexibility and thank You for your prayers!
In June we were able to attend the New Tribes Mission Missionary Refreshment Course in Camdenton, Missouri where the current Missionary Training Center (MTC) is located. It was a full week of reconnecting with many families and individuals that we had known throughout our own training days and first few years on the field as well as get acquainted with many co-workers that have been veterans for years all over the globe. We were spiritually fed and uplifted by Pastor Harry who spoke passionately from his heart and challenged us with truth from the Word of God that was refreshing to be reminded of and much for us to continue to reflect upon in our own lives and in the ministries God has given us. I told Levi that it was nice to be surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses where we had such a deep connection simply by our lives of ministry.
Unexpected Opportunity… Last weekend we were able to attend my (Robyn’s) dad’s side family reunion and reconnect with several family members, including one of my cousins and her family who are missionaries to Eastern Europe and just arrived back to the USA about a month ago. We had a wonderful weekend reconnecting and catching up on each other’s lives. It was also during our time together that I was made aware of a possible opportunity to attend a special training course that focuses on helping to determine learning disabilities and how to be better equipped as a home schooling mom. The course will be taken through the West Michigan Specialized Language Development Center. Their commitment is to bring the power of reading, writing and spelling to all individuals with dyslexia or other unique learning styles, enabling them to achieve their full potential.
The principals taught in this course will be helpful whether our children end up having any kind of learning disability or not. It will further equip me as a teacher to my children and because our family has dyslexia on both sides it is a very high possibility that perhaps one or more of our children could also struggle with it, as dyslexia is a genetic learning disability. We felt this to be a valuable opportunity as it will equip me to identify the signs at an earlier stage so that we can help our boys learn without becoming defeated and frustrated. This is an intense two week graduate course that if I was pursuing my education degree at a graduate level I would receive 3 credits upon completion. Unfortunately, that is not our situation but that does not change the work load. It has been an intense but enjoyable first few days going back to school! We were able to get the course materials second hand (Thank You A. Pearl and Becky) which helped to reduce the cost to $525 (from $750). I have been learning so much about learning styles and the benefit of teaching in a multi-sensory way that will enable all children to learn in the style that is best for them.
The Final Countdown…less than 7 weeks remaining… Things for our family are now changing course and picking up speed in another direction. Over the last few weeks we have been working with several travel agents to find the most reasonable fares for our return to Papua New Guinea. We now have a reservation being held for us departing on Michael’s 6th birthday (October 11). We are trusting the Lord to provide for the $6,500 for our return tickets. We were happy to find such a great deal for our family as this is approximately the same cost of our tickets when it was just the three of us heading over in 2006 for the first time.
Though we are looking forward to going back to Papua New Guinea, we are going to miss a few things here in the USA. We will miss our family and friends most! This is one of the harder areas where we feel that we count the cost of ministry. A few other things include: that I, Robyn will be once again giving up the freedom of being able to drive and go to town and of course stores like WalMart Supercenters. Levi’s going to miss hunting and fishing. Michael has told us that he will miss McDonalds and their hamburgers and all the fun things that we can do in America. Daniel will miss those too. Both boys are excited to get back to our home, friends and their kitty Mickey Mouser. Matthew will be young enough that Papua New Guinea will become home to him very quickly, but I know that he will miss carpeted floors to crawl on and his snuggles from grandparents, aunts and uncles and I know the feelings are mutual for all the boys and our families.
During the many road trips, the boys have learned most of the fast food signs. Just about everywhere you go in Papua New Guinea the fast food consists of fried or fire baked sweet potato, fried chicken and french fries along with the ever available flour balls which are flour, yeast, and water made into balls and deep fried. The boys used to really enjoy these, so we are hoping that they will again.
A Call to Prayer… So much has been happening in North Wahgi since we left last September. We will try to quickly capture the past year of hard work, discipline, devotion and answered prayer through unexpected health issues. Great steps forward have been made in sewing seeds of interest among the people and countless hours have been spent in writing, preparing, translating and organizing the Yuwei (You-way) Literacy Program, with hopes to begin teaching the first course next month! (September 2011) Lord willing, the first phase of the Chronological Bible teaching will begin late this autumn (November 2011). These areas alone need so much prayer! Please join us in bathing these precious Wahgi souls in prayer, as well as our co-workers, their health, strength, wisdom, discernment, unity, discipline, faithful helpers, and for a hedge of protection around them.
Praises and Prayer Requests: • Andrew and Dan, two of our co-workers, have recently had the completed translated portions of the Word of God in the Yuwei language evaluated and have been given direction and guidance for revisions. They have been working through Genesis and Exodus all while also working on translating the chronological Bible lessons.
• Please continue to pray for our Team as the men continue to work on Scripture and Bible lesson translation.
• Pray for the strength, encouragement, health and energy for our Team as so much is on their shoulders right now.
• Please pray that the Lord would continue to draw the hearts and minds of the precious souls of North Wahgi, preparing them to hear the Words of God in their own heart language, Lord willing, starting as soon as this November!
• Pray that the Lord would direct the leaders in the village and our co-workers to the right place to teach the chronological Bible lessons this Autumn / Fall.
• Pray that there would not be resistance or objection to the teaching by surrounding religious sects.
• Pray that the enemy will be bound in this area so that the Truth of God can penetrate the hearts and minds of the people at a worldview level.
• Pray that each of us would be diligent in spending time with these precious people and building relationships with them so that the Word of God is lived out in our lives before we even speak it in their language.
• Pray for our family as we wind down these last weeks stateside and prepare for yet another transition.
• Pray for the funds needed to cover the extra expenses this month with Robyn’s teaching class ($525) and our airfare back to Papua New Guinea. ($6500)
• Pray for our families and friends as they and we are saying farewells for another possible 4 years before we reunite again.
• Pray for Levi and I to be faithful with learning the Yuwei language and culture upon our return & for our family to be faithful in building relationships with our Wahgi friends.
• Pray for our family as we transition into a home schooling home and all that this entails with a K/1st Grader, Pre-schooler and soon-to-be toddler.
We thank you for your love, prayers, and encouragement. It is certainly our privilege to have you as a part of our ministry team.
As we are less than a week away from going to Wahgi with our team for house building, let us share some specific prayer requests.
Pray for this next week! “Be Still and know that I am God! I will be honored by every nation. I will be honored throughout the world.” Psalm 46:10 AMEN!
**Pray for our men to arrive safely Monday (your Sunday) with all of their luggage with no problems or hang ups along the way! Lord willing!
**Pray for honesty among the men that we have hired to cut and prepare our lumber. We have been told that the remaining timber for our house will be delivered Monday! (your Sunday)
**Pray that Levi will be able to find and hire reliable trucks that can carry the weight of the lumber to the tribe that can also forge the river and make it up the hills.
**Please pray that the Lord would hold back the rain for the next week at least and then for the sun light hours in the weeks ahead! We are still in rainy season here and it can make the road to the tribe unconquerable especially for big trucks with the loads they will be carrying.
**Pray for safety as we work to get our house built and closed up in the next 3 weeks!
Pray for the continued needed finances to come in to help cover the costs of this huge undertaking!
Praises!! “Sing praises to God, sing praises; sing praises to our King, sing praises!” Psalm 47:6
**Praise the Lord for Levi’s safe trip to Wahgi and back this last Thursday/Friday! The truck broke down half way through and they had to arrange for and wait for another truck to meet up with them, unload and reload and continue on their way. This delay resulted in them having to cross over the partially destructed bridge with a 4 ton load in the dark. We Praise the Lord for our wonderful co-workers who drove down to meet them at this point and showed the driver the exact route to follow over the bridge (Refer to pictures from the last update) and then turned around to face the bridge in order to point his headlights to light the way. Levi said his faith grew tremendously as he prayed each turn of the wheel over that thing! And GOD lead the way!!
**Praise the Lord that our lumber is expected to be done in record time! We were told that with 5 weeks, it will never be done! Usually an order like this would easily take 5 months or longer! (One Mountain that God moved!!)
**Praise the Lord for His provisions!! Last month we received several generous and very sacrificial gifts that brought our needed funds level received up to now $25,000 of the shared need of $35,000!!!! This is a true showing of God moving another mountain as we are so aware of the financial crisis going on at home right now. We know that these gifts were sacrifices of love to the Lord and for us! And we rejoice and praise Him for it! We
THANK YOU for this huge showing of love on our behalf!
Praise that God has allowed our father’s and friend to come and help with this stage of the ministry God has given us!
Praise God for His ability to supply for every need of all of His children!
Off To A Good Start!
In mid-July I, Levi, along with our associate builder, Tim, were able to go to the site of our new home in the Western Highlands and begin to build its foundation. With the help of one of our co-wokers and some of the local people, we were able to get the remaining 6 posts in place, all of the bearers on the posts, and most of the floor joists in place in the short amount of time we had.
We are excited, nervous, and at times overwhelmed as we begin this process of allocating into the location where the Lord has lead us. The countdown is on as we are now less than a week a way from allocating into the language group that we will very soon be ever so diligently trying to hear, distinguish, learn and replicate among the North Wahgi people. We will be challenged probably more than we have ever been challenged before. We will face death in an eternal perspective closer than we have ever faced it before! We will feel the urgency and the pressure of these souls needing to hear quickly and clearly the message of the Gospel in their heart language and with a clear understanding of their culture so that we know how to pit the everlasting Word of God against their worldview! We ask for your prayers! For your encouragement!
We know that there will be many days when a simple line of “We’re thinking of you and we’ve prayed for you just now and wanted you to know,” could very well be the exact instrument that the Lord gives to us to press on! We have both heard and experienced this to be true ourselves and from others! Never underestimate how the Lord may choose to use you and bless you by your obedience to the promptings and urgings of the Holy Spirit!
Thank you for your prayers. We will try to keep you updated as we progress.
Levi, Robyn, Michael and Daniel
The Countdown Begins
We are seeing things come together in relation to kicking off house building in North Wahgi next month. Plane tickets have been bought by some individuals coming from the US and so now the countdown is on!
With 4 weeks to go we are hoping and praying that the sawmill will be able to cut our lumber in time to start building in early-August. We’re not able to go pick up our lumber at the local Lowes or Home Depot like in the US. Very few places have that kind of stock on hand. Rather, we have to give them a material list and they mill it for us.
Please continue to pray with us that we’ll see the Lord move mountains as we look toward house building.
Prayer Points:
- Pray that we’ll have materials in time to start building in August.
- Pray for the remaining needed finances to purchase materials.
- Pray for travel details to work out for the individuals coming to help.
Praises:
- We have some individuals who are coming to help build our house in North Wahgi.
- We have hopefully found a sawmill which will be able to complete our order.
- We serve a mighty God and this is all in His hands!
Thank you for praying with us.
Prayer Request:
- Pray as we continue to transition to Highlands life and culture.
- Pray for the finances for all the house building and allocation needs.
- Pray for our family- that we can be careful to have focused family time with the boys, wisdom in parenting and strength in our marriage.
- For our co-workers:
- Daniel, Rachel, Ben & Georgia Hulley on home assignment in Wales. Pray for health and safety as they travel around and share about the ministry in North Wahgi.
- Andrew, Nellie, Debi & Joshua Wilson. Pray them as they continue to learn the language and culture. Pray for encouragement and wisdom as parents with their kids being on their own there in the tribe as well as for safety as they will be traveling out of the tribe soon to meet with us next week for 2 weeks.
Praises:
- God is faithful.
- God’s Word is going out in many of our church planting locations field wide!
- God’s provision in our lives!
- God’s Word is alive and active!
- God’s work in each of our lives, you included as He seeks to bring glory to His name!
Moving Day and New Beginnings
Our final week in the Madang Province Levi was able to finish up a long-time on-going project as well as several small maintenance projects before stepping out of the ministry that the Lord has graciously allowed us to be a part of for the last 18 months.
On Friday, May 29, we had a tear filled good-bye with our family line from Riwo Village where Levi had done his national language and culture study. Led and Katel had adopted us into their family line and have faithfully worked to maintain that relationship with us, and we have truly grown to love them. Katel used a family member’s pre-pay cell phone to call us our first night in our new home because she was thinking about her “grandsons” and worrying about them. She was very happy to hear their little voices tell her good night! We pray that we will be able to maintain that relationship through the years as our travels take us to and from the Madang Province. Please pray for more laborers to come and reach the Bell and Kar Kar language groups of the Madang Region with a clear message of the Gospel of Grace! For unknown reasons, the Lord has not chosen that for us and we are trusting our precious friends into His care.
The Big Move…
We had a beautiful flight flying low around the coast and then keeping low through the mountains as we flew to our NEW temporary home in the Highlands Region of Papua New Guinea! Michael got excited as he pointed out “all the beautiful things that God created.” Like the “broccoli (looking) trees”, the “camoflauge river” (muddy tributaries where many small streams are trying to form a river), the “snake river” as it winds and coils like a snake around the valleys and mountains pushing its way towards the ocean. It was fun to hear his descriptions!
We have now settled into our new little home for the next couple of months and are trying to allow our bodies and emotions to process all that has been going on the past whirlwind of months!
What’s next?…
This last week we have been meeting with our main Technical guy here in the Highlands that has helped us in determining the needs of electrical and plumbing materials we will be needing for our house. We have also met with the main builder and have begun discussing our house building plans and creating a materials list.
In just over a week we are planning to head to another coastal town where one of PNG’s main ports is located to see what items and materials we have available for purchase. We will be spending one week there and are excited as our partners here in PNG, the Wilson family, will be joining us to help with these initial intimidating steps.
We pray that the majority of our building materials can be purchased in country as costs increase tremendously when they have to be shipped.
We will be keeping you all updated as things start coming together! It is hard to believe that in a few short months, Lord willing, we will be allocating into North Wahgi!
***There have been a few of you asking about ways that you can help. We hope to put together an e-mail shortly with some more hands on ideas that individuals, Sunday schools, businesses even 
etc…could possibly be involved.
Thank you for your prayers, your love & encouragement, and for your daily sacrifices for the Lord as you help to keep us here as an extension of your hands and feet for the Gospel!
Beginning or On-Going…
Beginning or On-going…
During our years of missions training it seemed as if the emphasis was on the methodology and the strategy of ‘how to’ plant an indigenous New Testament Church that would grow into a mature and continuing church with a clear translation of God’s Word in the Heart language.
Though stories were shared and the need was presented, the need for new co-workers in on-going church planting efforts was almost hidden in the shadows of being possibly the less glamorous choice to go where others have already gone before.
It was during our 3rd year of the training that we were made aware of the need for couples to ‘Go’ with the intent of joining an existing or on-going church planting effort. As a couple, we talked about whether or not we could see ourselves fulfilling one of these roles. Without knowing much about this possibility we rested in knowing that the Lord would direct our paths and that we would be willing to consider this as a possible option for us. Now, over 5 years later, we find ourselves at the brink of doing just that.
We have felt the Lord lay on our hearts the burden for both ‘roads’. We would love to be a part of pioneering a NEW language group to see the Gospel presented for the first time clearly in their heart language, while at the same time, we see the huge task and need for assistance in seeing the infant church brought to a mature and self-functioning Body of Christ, that is sending out their own people to reach others with the Gospel as God has designed it.
New Tribes Mission projects that to see this BIG PICTURE Church Planting Model be a reality it could take approximately 20 years. Some have seen less, some have needed more. The factors are many but the need for workers has never changed! This 20 year Big Picture Model would include handing over a completed translation of God’s Word in the heart language of the people. This is no small task. You add this tremendous task on with the responsibilities for teaching literacy, developing a self- sufficient and continuing program, Bible teaching, discipleship, medical, culture requirements and so much more…you come to understand why it becomes a life time commitment.
This experience has allowed us to see into the depths of the work involved. Though we will in no way be able to fully understand the work that it takes until we actually are living it ourselves. However, we sense the urgency like never before and we feel the heartbreak of the lack of workers to see these needs met and filled. It has given us a renewed excitement of looking at existing/on-going works and considering how the Lord might use us.
In the coming days we hope to be able to announce our future allocation into one of these on-going church planting efforts and moving interior to one of the 863 languages found in Papua New Guinea.
Please pray with us for:
Wisdom as we make these decisions,
Wisdom in creating an adequate house plan,
Faith in seeing God raise the needed funds to build and allocate,
Strength and encouragement as we pack & move,
Encouragement in all the adjustments ahead for ourselves and our boys,
Unity for building new relationships with our future co-workers
Brokeness in the hearts and minds of the precious souls we will have the amazing privelege of serving for the sake of the Gospel
Ability for us to learn yet another language and culture- that the Lord would give us wisdom and insight in discovering and learning about their culture and way of life- Worldview