Well friends and family...God brought our team safely through PNG while preaching the gospel. I am thankful to be back in the states because there is nothing quite like sweet bar-b-que boneless wild wings and potato wedges with ranch dressing! But that is absolutely nothing compared to what we experienced in PNG. God was mighty to save in Chambri. Before I get into all the stories let me clarify a few things from my last blog. It is not a six hour hike to Chambri. In fact, we canoed right up to Karimbit village which is on the very edge of Chambri Island. So, maybe it was a six second walk across the airstrip to the first hut!! The hike would have happened had we gone to Yimbe but for some reason the Lord kept us from going there. One possible obvious reason is that Yimbe was having tribal wars with some other tribe. I guess it wasn't my time to be martyred...HAHA!! Anyways, we did meet Prisca and she is quite an amazing and beautiful woman. I also learned that there are a few other believers in her home village where she lives no more because of the persecution she faced. However, Prisca did come back to Chambri island because she heard word that we would be there...thus, we met Prisca. Prisca faithfully attended all the bible studies that we had. I would like to tell you the story of how the church was established in Chambri in case you didn't get around to listening to David's sermon on the website. I wanted to include it in the newsletter but as you will see my newsletter was long enough....I am sorry I am so longwinded. Well, here is the story:
On David’s short term trip in 1995 a native believer died on Chambri island. The Chambri people have a ritual they do when someone dies in order to find out who is responsible for the person’s death. David knew if they performed their ritual that it would not be good and that Satan would deceive once again and another innocent person would die. Especially since the one who died was a believer and there were Christians on the island, David knew who Satan’s prime target would be. So David and the team went to the area where this ritual was taking place and prayed. What they do is chant around a bamboo pole and it will levitate and point to whoever is responsible for the person’s death. As the people began to chant the bamboo didn’t levitate. David began to yell out verses of scripture that declare God as Creator and God above all gods. The people were angry at David and began to chase him and the team and throw coconuts at them. Eventually they stopped chasing him so David called the team back. Suddenly, out from the jungle stepped a woman named Rosa, a witchdoctor. She began to try harder with her chants to levitate the bamboo. David yelled out, “Rosa, if you can levitate this pole we will follow your gods but if you can’t levitate this pole then you must follow our God.” Again, the pole didn't move. This angered all the people because their ritual had been broken and destroyed so they began to chase the team and throw coconuts at them again. One man, Bob, began chasing after David with his machete. David had nowhere to run, they were on an island, so he just turned his back and waited for the machete to come down on his back. But it didn’t. A man jumped in between David and Bob and told Bob not to kill him because he feared what David’s God would do to them if they killed him. The next day Bob came up to David and said, “I almost killed you last night.” David said, “I know. But you saw what happened so you need to repent and believe in Jesus and follow Him.” Machete Bob didn’t believe that day but he became David’s right hand man and best friend. When David and another team returned the following year, there were approximately fifty new believers. Within the next few years Bob became a believer. Now instead of machete Bob he is brother Bob!!
So, thus God established a church on Chambri island. What I didn't include in my newsletter is that the man who saved David's life that night was Casper. Casper is one of the six who were saved and baptized in Chambri!! Isn't that amazing!! Praise the Lord! I would also like to tell you how David first heard of the Chambri people and came into contact with them:
When David and his wife Tommi were missionaries in Wewak back in 1989, Tommi took some guitar lessons from a man named Leo Wasi. Leo Wasi was from Chambri island. Sure enough, through the sharing of the gospel, Leo was saved!! Not only was he saved but he wanted to take the gospel back to his own people. So, David and Leo set out for Chambri island. A six hour truck ride and three hour canoe ride away was Leo's home and the place where God would use David and countless teams to establish His church. The first time Leo preached there a riot broke out and punches were thrown as well as insults and rocks. But they pressed on. What you will rejoice in learning, that I wasn't able to put in my newsletter, John Wasi, brother of Leo Wasi, was saved and baptized in Chambri this trip!! Nearly 18 years later!!
So, we were more than blessed on this trip! My newsletter tells the rest and I believe everyone who reads my blog will receive the newsletter. I hope it blesses you.
Some verses to chew on:
Sing to the Lord a new song; sing to the Lord, all the earth!! Sing to the Lord, BLESS his name; tell of his salvation from DAY to DAY. DECLARE HIS GLORY AMONG THE NATIONS, his marvelous works among all the peoples! For GREAT is the Lord, and greatly to be praised; he is to be feared above all gods. For all the gods of the peoples are worthless idols, but the Lord made the heavens! Splendor and majesty are before him; strength and beauty are in his sanctuary.
Psalm 96:1-6
Ask of me, and I will make the nations your heritage, and the ends of the earth your possession.
Psalm 2:8
For from the rising of the sun to its setting MY NAME WILL BE GREAT AMONG THE NATIONS, and in every place incense will be offered to my name, and a pure offering. FOR MY NAME WILL BE GREAT AMONG THE NATIONS, says the LORD OF HOSTS.
Malachi 1:11
PRAISE HIM!!
Philippians 1:27....Cara
