Rage and suspicion replaced by God's peace
At a recent meeting Inanbimali believers in Papua New Guinea were talking about the impact that Bible teaching is having on their family lives and the stories that their children are now growing up with.
"My children are growing up in this Talk so well," Edward said, "but I have a worry. If I die, how will I know that my children will continue to get this Talk fed to them? Who will do it? Tonight I want someone to stand up and promise that they will teach my kids if God decides to close his fingers on my time (call me home)."
The rest of the night the believers went around making agreements to each other on who would teach whose kids if their lives were suddenly ended.
"Unfortunately we have had a spate of deaths in the village lately and there are others who are very sick and nearing the end of their days," wrote missionary Brooks Buser.
One couple, Lawrence and Gloria, just lost their four-day-old baby boy, a big blow to them. But the reaction to the death of this child was unlike any that the missionary team had ever seen in the village.
As they buried the boy, Lawrence stood and said, "God Papa, You hold all of us in Your fingers, and You decided that the time of this boy of mine was only four days. Death will take us all someday Papa. It is the promise all the way back to the time of Adam. That is just the way it is. But Papa, You know me. You call me child. So I will not let the liver of my stomach turn black (be bitter) over this. You marked my boy’s days and You have marked mine, but You have put me in the heart of Your stomach (You love me) and I know there is a reason for this. You always have thinking for Your children (a reason why things happen to believers)."
The incredible thing was that a father never speaks at a child’s funeral and if he does it is with rage and suspicion over who or what caused the death. So it was shocking for everyone to hear what he said.
Please pray for these believers as they learn to trust God more. Most of the believers have only learned to read and write in their language within the last year and a half, and dealing with the written Word is a real treat for them.
Two Sundays ago one Yembiyembi man, Robert, said, "Now that the Bible is starting to be translated into our language it is like drinking clean water instead of dirty. I can taste the sweet in it because it is my language. I can see the root of it so clearly."