God's Word in their hands

"It is amazing for me that I can now have God’s Word in my house!"

Missionary Lourens Laureti could sense the excitement in his Mengen co-worker’s voice. Many hours had gone into the translation of the Gospel of Mark and now the Mengens have their own printed copy.

The Mengen co-worker -- Edward -- shed tears as he asked the missionary question after question about a passage he read.

And God’s Word is having an effect upon the Mengen believers.

Tempers flared recently when someone from another village made some negative comments toward one of the clans. Even believers became agitated as tempers flew.

The next day, those involved were confronted and immediately admitted their wrong. One believer asked how the believers should deal with clan issues now that they are a part of God’s clan.

At a church gathering, the believers involved publicly acknowledged their wrongdoing and asked forgiveness. After the meeting the believers went to make things right with the other parties involved.

One believer told Lourens, "When I sin, I can feel it in my stomach. I can feel God being disappointed in me. I know I am not lost again, and I know God is not angry, but I can experience His stomach also being heavy. But when I make things right with God then I can feel Him forgiving me and I can experience our stomachs being one again."

Please pray that God’s Word will continue working in hearts and conforming the Mengen people to Christ’s image.