Unfortunately baby Cletus died in the weeks to come. Since the death of his first born son Merenge has drifted from fellowship and has increasingly become distant from us; ended relationships and is now very negative towards the church and ourselves. Please pray that God would work in Merenges life and bring him back into fellowship with himself. Pray that we would know how to relate to Merenge and how to help him. Pray that the love that we would show him would show him His Saviors heart for him. Let’s pray and see what God will do in the months ahead.

Thanks for your prayers,

Simon, Annika, Nya and Noah

Thanks for praying,

Simon, Annika, Nya and Noah

We gave out 60 copies and guess what? People didn’t put it in their bags to read at home; they sat down just where they were at and started to read, some sitting for an hour or more before moving on.

It was amazing timing that we were able to get Acts into the believers hands the same week as they went through the worst period of persecution to date. God knows what He’s doing!

Well done to Rebecca and Keri for the work on the translation.

Thanks for your prayers and support – they are making a difference!

Much love in Christ,

Simon, Annika, Nya and Noah

In general PNG culture and particularly the Mengen culture family ties are very important. If you are in a good family, you will gain a good name, you will always receive help in times of trouble; if your gardens fail, if your children need a babysitter, if you get in a fight, if you are making a garden or building a house, if you need to borrow tools, if your are short on money for school fees, your family will help you out, they’ve got your back. Now if you behave badly or step out of line, your family will threaten to remove all of that help and will turn their back on you in order to force you back into line.

These family pressures have been wearing hard on some of our believing families; we believe the story of the, “police, a dead and a growing family” have helped the family of God in our Mengen village to come together like never before.

Easter Sunday: We had a great service, 20 believers took part in reading through the story of Christs last days on earth. We started with the upper room, reading through Gethsemane, Golgotha and finished with the empty grave. Many believers were touched in their hearts as they thought on Christs struggles in the garden. Many for the first time, hearing that His burden was not just great because of the physical pain awaiting Him, but the burden of carrying our sins and separation from the Father were almost too much to bear.

As we finished our service the local Kevung cult leader came down the hill drunk, threatening the believers and challenging me to answer his questions. Some believers restrained him and we gave him time to talk. As he started to walk back up the road his friends came down the hill and a fight broke out on the road. I went to bring our believers back and thankfully no-one was badly hurt or injured. This group of drunk men went up to the main village as one of the believers houses are there. They proceeded to break up the the believers house with their axes. This brother went up to defend his house and property and got beaten up in the process.

At this time word was sent to surrounding villages were the Kevung cult is prominent to come down and fight against the church. They blew there shells as a sign they were on their way; at this point our believers and big men in the village got very worried and asked us to call the police as they were afraid a fight might break out. The community leaders gave money to us to help pay for the police and came and made the call to get the police in. Word quickly spread that they had called the police and that they were on their way also. The police came in and our wives and children went out; Lourens also came in with the police and we stayed to be a help and support to the church. We are thankful that the police came in as they were a calming influence on the community in general and their presence stopped any further fighting. The police did stop a group of drunk men coming down from the village above that night and they disbursed quickly.

In the next days the guys who caused the trouble hid out in the jungle; the police made every effort to find them but were unable to. Our village grew quite empty during this time as many went and hid in the jungle or slept in their gardens for fear of further trouble. We are happy to tell you that on Sunday past the community came together as a whole, the culprits came out of the jungle and with the help of the police they held a village court and sought a resolution. It seems that the situation is resolved for now and it looks like things are getting back to normal.

When these whole series of events unfolded you wonder what on earth is the Lord doing? The stress, fear and worry grip you and it’s hard to see the purposes of God. But it seems that one purpose has come into focus; I am sure there will be more to come as we serve a good and faithful God. The Mengen branch of the family of God came together under this time of trial and fear. It has helped them to see the body in action, it has showed them that their earthly family are quick to become their enemies simply because they trust in Jesus for their salvation. The church came together on Thursday night like never before, they sang, prayed and shared, encouraging their hearts in the Lord. Many who have been far off because of family pressures have came back and some shared how the church family is now their true family. They are seeing they can receive greater support and security through the love of their brothers and sisters than they ever could have in their family groups. Pray that the Lord would continue to grow them in these things and that the church would mature and be grounded in God in these days.

We will write more soon. Thank-you for your prayers during this time. Please continue to pray for restoration and peace in the community at large.

Much love in Christ,

Simon, Annika, Nya and Noah.

Thanks for keeping us before the throne. We are having really rainy weather, it’s is black skies, rain and even fog in the house! We are walking through swamp now for the most part and it is hard to get cloths dry just now! Things are ticking on as far as teaching goes, I am now teaching the fulfillment of Gods promise of the world flood and then next week we will be teaching on the tower of Babel. Please pray that people will see clearly again that we are all sinners, because of the sin in Adam and that we are in need of a redeemer. Pray that teaching through the story of Noah will show that we are just like those people who died outside of the boat. Pray that they will see that God keeps his promises and that there is only one door and one way to eternal life and peace with God. Some general prayer point: -

1) Pray for me as I would like to start and teach two new lessons per week in a while and that I and the hearers would be ready for the increase in information. Pray for the trainee teachers as this will increase their workload.

2) Pray for this new discipleship opportunity at our local high-school. Pray that the believing children will be strengthened in their faith and that teachers and other students may be challenged and see their need of the teaching.

3) Pray for Annika as she continues to learn Mengen that she would keep encouraged and progress well.

4) We have had some opportunities again with our local catholic leader, pray God would save his soul.

5) Our tractor shed and tractor at the airstrip are being damaged on a reasonably regular basis pray that we can find a solution.

6) I am developing bible studies for our trainee teachers on being a disciple, bible studies on marriage and child training. Please pray for wisdom as we teach through the basics of these topics.

7) Pray for longer periods of health, we seem to be down with illness on a regular basis.

Pray we will stay close to our Savior and rely on Him for the strength and encouragement we need daily.

9) Pray our regular monthly support would increase in line with the economy and expenses in PNG.

Thanks so much for your prayers and partnership in the gospel,

Simon, Annika, Nya and Noah

Pray for a door to open for us to go to other villages in the next year.

Click here to hear of one Mengen man’s interest in the gospel.

It has been a big week or two here in our village. I have been able to finish up language and culture study which is a huge weight off my shoulders. The test lasted for three days and covered many subjects; I had to explain how paper is made, how the rain works, from evaporation onwards. So I got a thorough going over in my evaluation which I am happy for. I had my speech recorded and then played back to Mengen speaker checking each section for mistakes etc. Needless to say I am very happy to be done but now a different type of work awaits me. Please continue to pray for Annika as she learns language and culture. She is doing wonderfully well but needs your prayers also. Get you knee pads out as we need your prayers. I will be starting to teach the phase one gospel lessons from tomorrow morning. I am also working on writing 6 course two lessons which I will translate back to English. (Course 2 lessons are used to teach the believers that we are now to meet as Gods family to be taught from his word and praise God) – These lessons will then be used by consultants to check that my lessons are communicating well and that the content is all there; they will check them in the back to English translation but then also come in and check them with native Mengen speakers in person. I am also going to be working on translating the book of Ruth, the first chapter is done, but there is much work to be done. This week’s gospel lesson: The story of Cain killing Abel. The main points we are teaching are below.

1) God is gracious and gives Cain and us opportunities to humble ourselves and trust in the Redeemer.

2) If we do not humble ourselves before God sin will destroy us.

3) God has the right to judge Cain and us all.

4) If we do not humble ourselves and trust in Gods strength alone we are enemies of God now and will spend eternity separated from Him in the place of fire.

Please pray for:

· Mande, the wife of one of our teachers Alex. I will be teaching them a lesson on their own at night because Mande is part of the Kevung cult and gets much pressure from her family to not listen to the gospel teaching.

· Wante, has made a profession of faith, pray we can discern her understanding as we teach and do discipleship with her.

· Lule, that she would grow to understand the main truths of the gospel.

· Trinde and Alphonsia – pray they would continue come to the teaching with their family in the midst of adversity and would trust in the redeemer.

· ME – Simon, that God would help me to be clear as I teach the gospel lessons and that I would have freedom in the Mengen language.

· Pray for our trainee teachers as they take on more responsibility in the Friday lessons.

· Pray for Annika and myself as we do discipleship in the village, that God would water the seed planted.

We need your prayers! Thanks for joining us in the work of the gospel, Much love in Christ,

Simon, Annika, Nya and Noah

He has always had power over the people because he is possessed by a spirit that gives him power.

Click this link to see how he is losing control over the Mengen believers!

Pray that God continues to deliver precious souls from a life of fear.

The cup

Magic and manipulation of the Spirit world is part and parcel of life amongst the Mengen people.

Click this link to find out about the first ceremony performed on a newborn baby.

Pray the Lord will free more Mengen people from the grip of the evil one.

Well this was really the out Alex had been looking for, what a joy for him to be able to move his wife and now four kids away from the direct influence of this cult. Quickly we helped Alex to move and what a joy it was to see the believers join together to move his house and help him build a new house in just two days! We believe the Lord has opened this door and Alex now lives closer to us and is surrounded by believing families. Please pray with us that the example of the believers will challenge and convict Alex’s wife Mande and that soon we will be able to write to tell you of her salvation. How wonderful it would be for this couple to be one in Christ and work fully for Him.

Alex has just been out at our translation workshop with us, he is showing great potential as a translation helper and future leader in the church.

Thanks for being part of our team in reaching the Mengen people for Christ,

Simon, Annika, Nya and Noah