Gong calls believers
This year Siawi believers in Papua New Guinea planned a holiday celebration quite different from anything we are used to.
At 6:30 Friday morning the clanging of an empty gas bottle used for a gong could be heard throughout the village. It was a clarion to tell everyone to get up and have some breakfast. Then at 7:30 another gong sounded, telling everyone to finish and get ready to go. When the bottle clanged at 8 a.m. people began streaming into the meeting place.
"The building was packed, as we met to worship and think about God’s promise of a Savior," wrote missionary Linda Krieg.
Three Siawi believers spoke to the group and reminded the believers over and over that now they knew the real reason for celebrating Christmas. It was not a day for soccer games or a big meal, but a time to rejoice over God’s gift to mankind.
At 10 a.m. on Christmas morning the group met again to celebrate the coming of Christ.
Beiyali, one of the speakers, read from Luke 2:8-14 in the translated Siawi portions of Scripture. "On this ground, those people with whom God is habitually pleased, to those people the way of peace has certainly arrived," Beiyali said. "That message from the angel is true, and the message has come all the way to us, here in Siawi!"
"There were a number of folks who came drifting into the service late, wanting to get in on the planned community meal that was going to be cooking on hot stones soon thereafter," Linda wrote. There are many who still haven’t understood clearly the message of peace given by the angels. We all still have a lot of work to do, taking the message of God’s Gift to those around us."
Pray for the Siawi believers as they rejoice in the message of the Savior who came to deliver peace and forgiveness of sins to those who trust in Him. Pray that they will begin to reach out to those who have not yet understood.
At 6:30 Friday morning the clanging of an empty gas bottle used for a gong could be heard throughout the village. It was a clarion to tell everyone to get up and have some breakfast. Then at 7:30 another gong sounded, telling everyone to finish and get ready to go. When the bottle clanged at 8 a.m. people began streaming into the meeting place.
"The building was packed, as we met to worship and think about God’s promise of a Savior," wrote missionary Linda Krieg.
Three Siawi believers spoke to the group and reminded the believers over and over that now they knew the real reason for celebrating Christmas. It was not a day for soccer games or a big meal, but a time to rejoice over God’s gift to mankind.
At 10 a.m. on Christmas morning the group met again to celebrate the coming of Christ.
Beiyali, one of the speakers, read from Luke 2:8-14 in the translated Siawi portions of Scripture. "On this ground, those people with whom God is habitually pleased, to those people the way of peace has certainly arrived," Beiyali said. "That message from the angel is true, and the message has come all the way to us, here in Siawi!"
"There were a number of folks who came drifting into the service late, wanting to get in on the planned community meal that was going to be cooking on hot stones soon thereafter," Linda wrote. There are many who still haven’t understood clearly the message of peace given by the angels. We all still have a lot of work to do, taking the message of God’s Gift to those around us."
Pray for the Siawi believers as they rejoice in the message of the Savior who came to deliver peace and forgiveness of sins to those who trust in Him. Pray that they will begin to reach out to those who have not yet understood.