Conference fills, reunites
Many believers hiked for days in order to attend a national believers conference in Papua New Guinea this month.
"They were willing to sit there for three hours every morning and listen to two speakers, back-to-back," missionary Tom Tanner wrote.
More than 1,500 believers from Papua New Guinea attended and approximately 100 of the church groups present were involved in working with NTM missionaries.
"Everyone was hungry and wanted to be filled," Tom wrote. "I was able to share about the strengthening of our faith. The other brother who shared was an elder from one of their own churches. He spoke on the grace of God."
Tom was also able to reconnect with his "village father" from the tribe he grew up in.
"When I was a little guy in the tribe, he became my adopted village father," Tom wrote. "I went everywhere with him and he took care of me. I remember when he got saved while I was still young. He had such a desire to walk with the Lord."
While Tom was in high school, his village father turned away from God and led a life of sin for years. Since then, Tom has prayed for him.
At the conference, Tom was caught off guard when his village father was one of the first faces he saw.
"We gave each other a huge hug and he told me that he gave his life back to God last year and told God that he wants to grow in Him again," Tom wrote. "Tears fell as I embraced him and thanked God for answered prayers. It was so good to see that God did not give up on him."
The conference was encouraging to Tom as he saw so many strong believers who have a desire to know God even more.
Please pray that these believers will remain strong in their faith as they face heavy opposition from peers and families.
"It is not easy, but they are willing to ... do what God is asking them to do," Tom wrote. "Continue to pray for the churches in this country as [they] desire to spread the Gospel."
"They were willing to sit there for three hours every morning and listen to two speakers, back-to-back," missionary Tom Tanner wrote.
More than 1,500 believers from Papua New Guinea attended and approximately 100 of the church groups present were involved in working with NTM missionaries.
"Everyone was hungry and wanted to be filled," Tom wrote. "I was able to share about the strengthening of our faith. The other brother who shared was an elder from one of their own churches. He spoke on the grace of God."
Tom was also able to reconnect with his "village father" from the tribe he grew up in.
"When I was a little guy in the tribe, he became my adopted village father," Tom wrote. "I went everywhere with him and he took care of me. I remember when he got saved while I was still young. He had such a desire to walk with the Lord."
While Tom was in high school, his village father turned away from God and led a life of sin for years. Since then, Tom has prayed for him.
At the conference, Tom was caught off guard when his village father was one of the first faces he saw.
"We gave each other a huge hug and he told me that he gave his life back to God last year and told God that he wants to grow in Him again," Tom wrote. "Tears fell as I embraced him and thanked God for answered prayers. It was so good to see that God did not give up on him."
The conference was encouraging to Tom as he saw so many strong believers who have a desire to know God even more.
Please pray that these believers will remain strong in their faith as they face heavy opposition from peers and families.
"It is not easy, but they are willing to ... do what God is asking them to do," Tom wrote. "Continue to pray for the churches in this country as [they] desire to spread the Gospel."