It was a busy season for us as we finished up 2021 and began 2022. Here are some highlights:
Family Conference
In December I had the honor of preaching a family conference at a local church here in Port Moresby, just as we ended our Bible school term. There was a good attendance each night, and the people seemed to get help from the Lord and His Word.
Baimuru
Just a few days later I flew out to be with Wil & Trina Muldoon at Baimuru to preach for Pastor Danny and Baimuru Baptist Church hosted their youth camp. No roads will get you to their place; the youth came by canoes and a dinghy! There were a good number of youth from four churches, and a dozen of them made decisions for Christ. It was good to see the Lord’s work out there in the swamps of Gulf and to spend time with some of God’s choicest servants.
Baimuru Youth Camp
New Bible College Term
We began our new term in January with 23 students and a good number of visitors. One of our subjects is “Baptist Ecclesiology.” (As someone once said, “You pay the big money, you learn the big words.”) This class is a study of the workings of a local church, including its membership, its leadership, and its practices.
1st Printing of Kamea Scripture Portions
We achieved a milestone in our ministry in January. Through the generous giving of a church in South Africa, we were able to print—for the first time, and in one volume—all the books of Kamea scripture that have been completed and checked to date. It is 300 pages long, and includes Matthew through Acts plus several shorter epistles. To date Ben, Yali, and I have been able to complete 2/3 of the New Testament, and seeing it all bound in one copy is exciting to say the least. We were also able to print copies of portions of Mark’s Gospel in a larger font to use in literacy classes. Pray for the Lord to use His Word to reach the hearts of our dear Kamea people!
We always appreciate your prayers for us and the Lord’s work here. Thank you all for standing with us in prayer and support!
Because He Is, John & Lena Allen Colossians 3:23-24
For printable copy of this letter, click here. Baptist Bible Institute of Port Moresby: bbipom.com
Enjoy some recent photos:
Sunset from our back porchPastor Tau Abary, our friend (PC: Pastor Tau Abary)Back to class, January 2022 (PC: Pastor Tau Abary)Wil & Trina Muldoon, our friendsLoading up to leave from youth campPushing off into the river to head homeGood-bye, see you next year!“Kamea New Testament: Some Books of the New Testament”John 17: Tok Pisin revision (left) and Kamea (right)Literacy book using selected portions of Mark’s GospelA very important project we’ve been working on for a while now…details later!
This has been an interesting month for sure. Our nation has seen little of the ravages of COVID since the beginning of the pandemic, but that all changed a few weeks ago.
A new set of restrictions came down, but the only one that really affected us was maximum of 20 people in any meeting, including church and Bible school. Since the end of September, our students have been watching videos of the teaching on their own.
At the end of September, both Lena and I came down with the virus. At the time I am writing this, we are both back up and mostly normal (well, as normal as I can be, anyway). It was 19 days I’d rather not repeat again, ever.
Thank you all for praying for Lena’s Lupus, it did not seem to flare during her infection. She is still dealing with the effects of the Lupus, and as always, we appreciate your prayers for her.
Before everything went wonky for us, we were able to enjoy spending time with the Kunai team (Sam & Mary Beth, Sarah, Hannah-Rose) as they flew out here to the capital for their supply buy. Our new schoolteacher for Kotidanga Baptist Academy, Lizzie Adams, got out of her arrival quarantine at the same time, and we all were able to be together before they headed back to the village.
We were also able to attend a Missions Conference here in the city and a bride price ceremony for two of our students. Classes were really going well for BBIPOM, and we were averaging 70+ in attendance every week for our Marriage and Home class.
TJ, Sam, Bethany, Mary Beth, Leland, Hannah-Rose, Lizzie, Lena, & Sarah
We look forward to the abating of the virus and its deadly effects on our nation, plus lifting of the meeting restrictions soon. We are ready to get back to Bible college classes in person.
Thank you for standing with us and for helping to keep us here on the field. God bless you all!
Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might; for there is no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom, in the grave, whither thou goest. (Eccl. 9:10)
This season of life finds Lena and me living and ministering in the capital of our large island nation. While the previous 11 years had us laboring in a remote place with no external infrastructure (roads, power, water, communication), now we are based just outside a city that has all the things we “lacked” before.
During those years in the village, life itself took time. You walked (or hiked) everywhere. Very few manufactured goods are available out there, so all your projects revolved around the bush flights to town 4-5 times a year. If something broke, you fixed it or patched it or did without. To minister at another church meant a 3-hour hike or more, one way. Getting rained on was normal, sandals were the footwear of choice, and you got used to the ever-present moldy smell because your clothes didn’t always dry in the solar dryer (aka clothesline). Crossing through creeks was often necessary—and to be honest, sometimes it was welcomed by your sore feet.
The trail always seemed to need maintenance to get the Kawasaki Mule to the airstrip located five miles away over the mountain, just to transport patients or bring back medicine and supplies. The Mule always seemed to need maintenance from the beating it took on the trail, even though you babied it. There always seemed to be a piece of a wooden step or a bridge or something that had rotted because of the weather, and it needed repairing or replacing.
Pastor Don Mangus used to tell us, “God always works in the routines of life.”
Yet these were the routines around which ministry was framed. It was hiking single file down those trails where we did much of our discipling. It was in those more distant villages that the Gospel was preached, and the Word of God was taught. Those cold creeks cradled many believers as they followed the Lord publicly in baptism. The lack of the “necessary things” taught you a contentment that cannot be learned when everything is at your fingertips. The hiking helped keep your weight down and your heart strong. And it was in the quiet of the night in that remote place that great fellowship was had with co-workers and local friends.
There is still a team of wonderful missionaries and nationals serving at Kunai. We miss the place, but it is another season of life for us now.
Our last two months have been uniquely “city ministry”:
For the last several weeks, Lena has been counseling and sharing the Gospel with young people from a nearby village who were injured in a tragic bus crash.
Lena and I are currently holding a biblical marriage seminar for a large organization in the city.
BBIPOM (our Bible college) just began a new semester, with one of the courses being, “The Home, Marriage, and Relationships.” Thanks to the promoting done by Pastor Tau Abary and Shalom Baptist Church for this particular course (and our mutual desire to use it to reach our communities with the Gospel), the first night we had over 80 in attendance for the course —22 of whom are our students.
PERSONAL NEWS
We mentioned in our last update about Lena’s health issues associated with SLE (Lupus). She has continued having problems, and yesterday her doctor told her that she is in another Lupus flare. As you think of her, please pray for her strength and healing.
We are aware that your prayers and giving allow us to teach and train and translate and tell others about the Good News of the Lord Jesus. Thank you for your part in helping us stay at it here in PNG!
Because He Is, John & Lena Allen 2 Thessalonians 3:1
Enjoy this month’s photos!
Back to class, 16 August 2021! (PC Pastor Tau Abary)
Signing in for class (PC Pastor Tau Abary)
The class on Home, Marriage, and Relationships is open to the public. We had a great turnout on the first night! (PC Pastor Tau Abary)The Home, Marriage, and Relationships class on 17 August 2021 (PC Pastor Tau Abary)
Our friends at Kunai, the Sam Snyder family roasted this coffee themselves. I love what it says on the package! (PC Mary Beth Snyder)Yes, this stuff is for us Bible translators! Gotta keep us on our toes! PC Mary Beth Snyder
And here’s some family news–our oldest grandson, Ben, soloed this summer in a glider. He’s been working at this a long time due to Covid restrictions, but he finally made it!
Ben is ready to fly.The tradition of “cutting the tail off the new pilot’s shirt” after his first solo signifies that no longer will the training pilot in the back seat be tugging on his shirt tail to get his attention!
“And the things that thou hast heard of me among many witnesses, the same commit thou to faithful men, who shall be able to teach others also.”
We wrapped up another term of our Bible college here in the city this week. Our final exam last night was over Church History, where we covered 1,800 years in 18 weeks. Our other classes this term included the doctrines of the Holy Spirit, Satan, and Man, plus studying through the Pastoral Epistles and the Old Testament books from the era of the Decline and Fall of Israel and Judah. All 20 students did well in their course work, and I love seeing the Lord work in their hearts to stir them to ministry. Our students include two pastors, two deacons, several preachers-in-training, and several men and ladies already in some sort of teaching ministry. Among them are several husbands with their wives, which blesses me to no end!
We recently had one of our dear PNG pastor friends go home to his eternal reward. Pastor Philip was a champion and a close friend. His passing, plus thinking about my own students, has served to remind me of my own spiritual mentors. I’m sure if I tried to make a comprehensive list, I’d leave someone out…but those who poured the most into me in my early years were my pastor, the late Dr. Don Mangus; my main Bible college teacher and friend, Pastor Dennis Hardin; and my missionary friend, Dr. James Griggers. These men invested time and teaching into my life with grace, patience, and a kick in the pants as needed! I doubt any of us thought this lanky soldier boy would ever be doing what I get to do today—but by the power of God’s Holy Spirit and through the influence of these men (and many more!), Lena and I get to serve Him here. I can say that I have a “goodly heritage”!
PERSEVERING SERVANTS Nurse Stacie McCary finished up her time with us recently and has arrived safely back home. Thank the Lord for Hannah-Rose and the rest of the team who hold the fort at Kunai Health Centre. Please pray that the Lord will continue to use them to meet the physical and spiritual needs that they see daily.
PASSOVER IN PNG A highlight of the past couple of months was a three-day Passover Conference at Shalom Baptist Church where I was privileged to speak. It was a packed house as we taught (and preached!) through the connections between the Passover and the Lord’s Supper.
The second night we did a Passover Seder, showing the types of Christ throughout the meal and how much of the meal itself is displayed in the Gospel recollections of the Last Supper. There were many public responses to the Word and at least one precious soul trusted Christ.
PERSONAL NEWS Some of you know that Lena has health issues associated with SLE (Lupus). She has had a serious flare of the disease for the last three months, and is on IV antibiotics for a related infection even as I write this. On top of it all, she got Dengue fever, but that seems to be about over. She is not a quitter, that’s for sure! As you think of her, please pray for her strength and healing.
Because of your grace, prayers, and giving, we are able to teach and train and translate and tell others about the Good News of the Lord Jesus. Thank you for your part in helping us to keep at it in PNG!
Because He Is, John & Lena Allen 2 Thessalonians 3:1
Kunai Health Centre: KunaiHealthCentre.com Baptist Bible Institute of Port Moresby: bbipom.com
Christina & Glynn enjoy the lecture with Ps Justin and Sogona
Ps Justin, Ps Tau, Deacon Lawrence
Mama Lena with Ikoi, Flora, and Lucy
Time for kaikai!
BBIPOM/FBI class
End of semester fellowship!
Powerful words from a great servant of our Lord (PC Bethany BC, Makati)
Missing this dear pastor friend–one of God’s choicest. Pastor Philip Sorulen, Calvary Baptist Church, Lae PNG
Ps Tau & Ps Justin
Loita & Ikoi
Ps Tau and the new BBIPOM shirt
Smart looking crew!
Our new BBIPOM shirts!
Some of the staff of South Pacific International Academy at the Passover table
Lena & I with Pastor Tau and a lagatoi (Motu boat) they gave us
Saying blessings during the Passover
The Maraga family at the Passover table
The Abary family at the Passover table
Full house for the conference
Passover Conference 2021
Construction begins on the building expansion!
Groundbreaking day at Capital City Baptist Church
CCBC Port Moresby begins new construction to double the size of its facilities!
Black out–keep teaching!
Black out–keep listening!
Lockdowns let Raja the cat be a part of the FBI class.
We have delayed posting this blog so we could update you on the progress of the Kamea New Testament translation.
When we sent Sarah Glover and Hannah-Rose Winter up to Kunai with a load of supplies in February, Pastor Ben Samauyo and Bro. Yali Tapakoeo caught the plane back to Port Moresby. Together we did a two-week intensive read-through of the entire Gospel of John in Kamea. Lena cooked and washed and kept the distractions away while the three of us locked ourselves in the office and poured over the translation.
How does a read-through work? The first step in the process was the preparation of the document from which the work was to be translated. I did the front translation in Pidgin with notes, accompanied by the text in English. I emailed those up to our coworkers at Kunai, who passed them along to Pastor Ben. He then typed up his translation in the Kamea language. Once he translated and checked it, he passed it on to Yali, who then took the newly translated Kamea text and translated it back into Pidgin to see if the meaning was still the same.
When we all sat down together, Pastor Ben read the text out loud for Yali and I to hear and comment on. We made corrections in comprehension, wording, and spelling. When it agreed with the text, was clearly understandable, and sounded good, then we printed our draft.
Read John 3:16 in English, Tok Pisin, and Kamea!
A couple of notes for those who follow this sort of thing:
1. Teaching literacy in the Kamea language is a slow process. At present there is little interest in learning to read in Kamea, but a lot of interest in hearing the Scriptures read. They love hearing God’s words in their mother tongue.
2. We began our project in 2014. At present we have translated over 5,300 verses (about 2/3) of the New Testament, with mostly smaller books left to do. (Not bad considering all the other ministry things happening here!) Presently, we are working our way through our last large book, Revelation. All of our work will need further review by our people, but by God’s grace it keeps moving forward!
The God Who Loves to Answer Prayer
Since our last update, the Lord heard your prayers and opened the door for our first Australian nurse to join the team. Hannah-Rose Winter arrived just a couple of weeks before our first Canadian nurse, Becca Wyatt, headed home this week. We are so grateful for the team at Kunai Health Centre (Sam, MaryBeth, Stacie, Manandi, Jon Mark, Judas, Linda, Ellie, Piyaro, and Nancy) and their service for the King!
Becca Wyatt holding twins who are now on our baby milk program
Thank you all for helping us in prayer. It is our privilege to serve God with you!
Because He Is, John & Lena Allen 2 Thessalonians 3:1
Kunai Health Centre: KunaiHealthCentre.com Baptist Bible Institute of Port Moresby: bbipom.com
Lena and I sporting our new Bible college shirts.
Enjoy some recent photos from the ministry here:
New logo for BBIPOM!Baptist Bible Institute students busy during class.Watching our video class on Monday nights…Even after the power blackouts–just keep watching the teacher’s computer!Checking the read-through of John’s Gospel in Kamea.Making the edits and adding words to the dictionary.Finished draft of John’s Gospel in Kamea, printed and ready to go.Beautiful sunset after a big rain and long time with no sun.
All of us continue to adapt to a world that has changed much from what it was even six months ago. I realize that many of you are still under restrictions, yet in PNG we have only had 11 confirmed cases to date, none of them serious (on a side note…everyone is sure that it is here, it’s just that testing is very limited…and any severe cases may have been missed due to the various other sicknesses and diseases that take the lives of our people). As a church, we are able to meet pretty much normally, respecting those who wish to keep a distance.
Members of Capital City Baptist meet outside after services to praise God for His goodness!
New Classes
After a month-long lockdown, we were able to resume classes at Baptist Bible Institute of Port Moresby. We completed our latest 8-week course last week and plan to return to classes (Lord willing!) the first week of August.
Students in class for the “Life of Christ” course at BBIPOM.
New Opportunities
Because of the religious liberty in PNG, doors open up in places you could only dream about in other countries. Among other things we’ve done lately, we were able to go with Pastor Tau and Shalom Baptist to distribute Bibles at the University of PNG Medical School and speak to future doctors, dentists, nurses, and pharmacists. This is something we’ve looked forward to for over a year.
Some of the students at UPNG Medical School who received Bibles and heard a challenge from God’s Word to know the Lord and to serve our people!
New Construction
Lord willing, we hope to begin refurbishing our new home on the campus of Capital City Baptist Church soon. Through a series of “God-moment” connections here in Port Moresby, the Lord provided a used modular house for us, including the excavation work to prepare the site—at no cost to us! It will take a lot of renovation, but we thank the Lord for it, and look forward to the opportunity to use it for His glory!
This is where our refurbished bunkhouse will be located.
Same Great Bible
We have recently finished our draft of John’s Gospel and are working our way through the Book of Revelation. Keep this project in prayer! We are past the half-way point now, and long to see it completed!
Same Glorious Gospel
With all the problems we all see around the world, we must keep in mind that there is only one long-term (might I say, eternal) solution: The saving Gospel of Jesus Christ. From the global pandemic to the gender-based- and sorcery-accusation-related-violence here in PNG to the unbelievable unrest in countries around the globe, the one and only steady hope we have is Jesus Christ.
Same Great Need
Laborers are needed!
1. Pray with us for borders to open so we can get our new nurses for Kunai Health Centre. They are willing and waiting! 2. Pray for our students at BBIPOM that God will raise up laborers among them for His harvest. He is able!
Because He Is, John & Lena Allen 2 Thessalonians 3:1
Here are some more photos to enjoy. Some of these were taken by Pastor Tau Abary and the people of Shalom Baptist Church (used by permission).
First, some of our BBIPOM students!
Materua, Tamarua, Braxstone, Tau, Peter, Emmanuel, Ricky, and Lawrence. Good men!
Flynn and Loita–more good men!
Ray is our eldest student, and really sharp.
Lucy is one of our lady students, and she too is biblically gifted.
Preacher Justin looks after Salvation Baptist Fellowship. Praise the Lord for him and all our students!
It is a blessing to teach those who are hungry for the Word and eager to serve the Lord!
UPNG Medical students were eager to receive their free Bibles.
Pastor Tau, with Dr. Paul (dean of UPNG Medical School), Kurere (president of UPNG Campus Christian Fellowship), and Papa John.
Missionary ladies are a special bunch! Lena, Rebecca Florence, Chelsea Moorman, Danya Counts, and Trina Muldoon. All happened to be in town at the same time!After months in the remote mountains, the expression on Danya’s face as she looks at all that ice cream is priceless. Yes, we got her some ice cream 🙂A recent sunrise at Kunai–few places are more beautiful than this! (PC: Sarah Glover)
ONLY GOD When I wrote our last update in February, none of us had any idea what would soon transpire globally. Never have any of us been forced to say “if the Lord will” as much as we are saying it now, but regardless, our God is doing great things!
ANSWER TO PRAYER We have two new nurses who are scheduled to come once the borders re-open here in PNG. We can still use more nurses, but we praise the Lord for these two ladies who stepped up to the challenge.
FAITHFUL IN THE FIELD The team at Kunai are continuing the ministry there. As of this writing we have no active cases of the virus in PNG, but our staff are prepared as much as possible for what may come. There are no ventilators or machines available out there, and no way to fly out critical patients. Therefore, we ask that you pray for the team on the ground, not only for their protection but for their witness.
It may not look like much, but it brought lots of medical and school supplies!
CONTAINER ARRIVED Our container—filled with supplies that many of you donated—has arrived and cleared customs. At present it is difficult to find flights to transport the materials to our team at Kunai. Pray we can get these medical supplies and school materials up there soon!
BBI POM 1st class
BAPTIST BIBLE INSTITUTE OF PORT MORESBY We reported in our last letter that our first week of classes went very well. Praise the Lord, the rest of the six-week term went even better! We had 20 registered students and anywhere from 15-25 visitors in attendance for every class. We finished on schedule just before the mandatory shutdown. When we reopen, we have even more students who have registered, and we are looking forward to getting back to classes!
Start of BBI POM classes–with social distancing before it was cool!
Because we wanted to continue teaching our students, we have begun a video series on the BBI POM Facebook page called, “Daily Words.” It is a brief lesson about how to study the Bible for yourself, using the text of Scripture as a reference. It is designed with our students in mind, but since it is in English, we hope others around the world will join us. Lena has also posted videos of most of the live sessions from our first class at either our BBI POM Facebook page or on our BBI POM YouTube channel.
In the uncertainty of these days, may we examine our hearts to see what the Lord may be trying to say to us as a church? Daniel prayed during the Judean exile, repenting for his people’s sins against their holy God (Daniel 9). Have we done the same? The present pandemic, the Australian bush fires, the locust swarms in Africa, the devastating tornadoes in the US—all of these in the last several weeks—can we not at least seek God and ask for His forgiveness, His mercy, and His favor? We who long for the return of the Lord Jesus—can we not admit that these present distresses are at the very least pictures of the birth pangs of judgment to come? And in confessing these things, can we not beg God for an unprecedented outpouring of His Spirit in reaching the world for Jesus Christ?
Thank you all for your
faithfulness—and at such a time as this. The resourcefulness of God’s people to
BE the church when they cannot assemble as the church has been
amazing. May the Lord open doors of witness for us all, and may He do things
beyond what we can even ask or think. He is able!
Because He Is, John & Lena Allen 2 Thessalonians 3:1
Visit our Kunai Health Centre website for information about the clinic at Kotidanga
Some recent photos:
Baptist Bible Institute of Port Moresby
Lena giving a health talk update.
Getting to teach in culturally appropriate attire is a benefit of serving in PNG
Class learning about “How We Got Our Bible”
The class enjoyed the “show and tell” part of the class
We not only have several couples in the class; we have a mother and son (Lucy and Flynn)
The online services have allowed us to enjoy the preaching of men in Australia, PNG, and the US.
It has been a whirlwind of
activity the last few weeks since we arrived in the States. We have had some
wonderful meetings with our supporting churches—some of whom we have not seen
since we began this journey over 13 years ago! We have also reconnected with
friends we haven’t seen in over 40 years (!), and those times have been
precious as well.
We have met with many prospective
missionaries, including preachers, nurses, educators, and those who have an
interest in moving to the foreign fields for “secular” work in order to help
churches to be planted. There are so many ways to be involved in reaching the
world! Have you asked the Lord what He would have YOU to do?
Great News from Home
Sarah Glover, who has been at
Kunai since 2010, is starting a Christian school for our village children in
February 2020. This has been a prayer request of our believers at Kotidanga
Baptist Church for the last several years, and in just the last few weeks that
the Lord has made it possible. Praise the Lord for all the details He has
worked it out!
Packing Up
Thank you so much for the
incredible response we’ve received from those who have sent supplies and funds
for the clinic, the Bible Institute, and for shipping! The Lord always blesses
us beyond measure. When we finish up our meetings, we will return to Louisville
to pack the container in time to ship it just after the New Year.
Baptist Bible Institute of Port
Moresby
Soon we will be back in PNG, and preparations
to receive our first intake of students for the new Bible school are already in
full swing. We are excited to partner with the pastors of our fellow Baptist
churches to train leaders for the future of our city and our nation!
Will you pray with us for the need
we have for a venue for the school? At present, some of the city churches have graciously
offered to host a block Bible school course at their facilities, but none of
them are can serve as a permanent location. We are looking for a place that is
easily accessible to students from around the city with a consistent backup
power supply. Rent for such a venue in Port Moresby is astronomical and buying
land (and putting up a building) is even more out of reach. We are confident
that the Lord has the right place—pray with us as we seek to find a place and to
raise sufficient funds to obtain it.
Lord willing, the next time you
hear from us we will be back in PNG. One of the biggest encouragements we’ve
heard lately came from Rex Cobb, our missions’ mentor at BBTI. His words:
“Thank you for going back! Many don’t.”
Monument to the Haystack Prayer Meeting
While in Massachusetts, we visited the “Haystack Monument,” which commemorates five Williams College students who began meeting in 1806 to dedicate their lives to the serve in foreign missions. Many believe the American foreign mission movement came from these humble beginnings.* Oh, that we had such a fervor to reach the world in our own day!
David Brainard’s grave in Northampton, Massachusetts. Brainard’s life, immortalized in Jonathan Edwards’ “The Life and Diary of David Brainerd,” [sic] has probably impacted more men and women to give their all to serve the Lord than any other English book.
Thank you all for your heart for
the Lord and for us; you are the ones who make it possible for us to return. May
God bless you and yours during this holiday season, and may we all have “2020
Vision” in the year to come!
Transitions
are not always easy. They involve learning new people, new places, and new ways
of doing things. There was a day when those things seemed romantic, but now—not so much.
On
the other hand, in the last four months we’ve seen the Lord work as we’ve
ministered in different places around PNG, India, and Australia. Believers have
been helped, unbelievers have been challenged (and some saved!), and we’ve had
specific answers to prayer. So all in all, we praise the Lord for His goodness!
…IN THE CLINIC
Since
our last letter, we’ve had a lot of transition at Kunai Health Centre. Emma
Stout and Marie Bell have returned home to the US after completing their time at
Kunai. Chelsea Moorman, Danya Counts, and Kyle & Lauren Murphy have joined
the team. We are grateful for each one of them, and only eternity will reveal
the full impact they make in the lives of our Kamea people. Fully investing
themselves in the medical ministry, they also are acutely involved in Kotidanga
Baptist Church and with our people.
Ellie, Marie, Sarah, and Laura-Lee standing with Yaniamo and her family.
Reports
from the team include the salvation of Yaniamo, a mom who was medevac’d by
helicopter earlier this year. She returned to the village recently, and has
since put her faith in Christ.
I
never want to forget the great work our PNG national staff does at Kunai. We
rarely mention the opposition any of us face on the field—but these faithful
believers stand strong and are exemplary in their walk with the Lord,
regardless of the troubles they face. Praise the Lord for them!
Using a borrowed big screen to transfer translated text into the Paratext program.
…IN BIBLE TRANSLATION
Checking on the revision of the book of Luke in Kamea resumed today. It was the first book we translated back in 2014, and having learned a lot since then, Pastor Ben and Bro. Yali wanted to work through it again. I’m grateful for Laura-Lee Alford being on the ground at Kunai to walk through the revision and back-translation with these men.
Last
month I was able to begin our translation work on the Gospel of John. It is a
wonderful book (aren’t they all!) and seeing its truths with fresh eyes is such
a blessing!
…IN OUR LIVES
We
are thankful for the gifts God gives to men, and even more for those who use
their gifts faithfully. Dr. Mitch reviewed Lena’s MRIs and CT scan, and he says
she does not need surgery for her neck pain. Dr. Nathan and Dr. Lewis were able
to give her increased mobility and some relief from the pain with physical
therapy and chiropractic care. We ask that you continue to pray with us for her
healing from the constant pain.
In
a couple of days we get to drive down the bouncy Highlands Highway to Lae and
back for a supply run (3rd trip there in three months). The road is
physically rough on Lena, but she needs to hold face-to-face meetings with
medical officers there. When we return, amidst our other duties, we will pack
up our boxes again as we prepare for our move to Port Moresby later in May. Sarah
Glover is out of the village on a break, and we’re glad she’s here to help us.
Watching the Kamea language “Jesus Film” in the rain on the clinic porch.
It
certainly isn’t the romantic part of missions, but it is needful nonetheless in
order to transition to the ministry the Lord has for us. We are learning that
the best way to lighten our own load is to help others carry theirs. God is
always in total control, and when we cast our care upon Him, He gives us His
yoke. And as we learn of Him, we find that His burden is easy, and His yoke is
light.
All glory to Christ, John & Lena Allen 2 Thessalonians 3:1
Following are photos of happenings in the last couple of months. (Photo credit to Lena Allen, Marie Bell, Mary Beth Snyder, and historical photo archives)
This young wallaby hung around the house where we stayed in Australia.
Another baby helped through the Baby Milk Program.
Lena was interviewed by Alice Ashwin of NBC (PNG) about the Baby Milk Program.
Chelsea and Danya, ready to fly up to Kunai!
It was a privilege to attend the ANZAC Memorial Day services at Bomana War Cemetery in Port Moresby. I’m standing next to Phil Parry, one of the deacons of Capital City Baptist. Phil is a highly decorated Australian war veteran.
One of the ANZAC Day remembrances each year is the work of the “Fuzzy Wuzzy Angels.”
During WWII, especially during the battle of Kokoda Track, these Papua New Guineans bravely carried supplies to the front…
…and carried the wounded out to safety.
This iconic image of their sacrifice to help the soldiers reveals the heart behind their mission.
Michelline Rausi, TB coordinator for World Vision. TB is rampant in our area, and Michelline is a great help in obtaining what we need to treat the patients as we work toward eradicating the disease.
We thank the Lord for His provision each year for baby milk for our clinic ministry. In 2018 we purchased 270 cans of formula, serving many infants and young children who are malnourished.
In some cases, the mother has died in childbirth, or shortly thereafter. In other cases, the parents have given the child away as they are unable to feed another mouth…and yet others of our “baby milk babies” have mothers who are unable to produce sufficient milk to feed them.
The baby milk program began in 2009, and it has served over 340 children since then. Some of these children are school-aged now, and by God’s grace, they are doing quite well. Here is a progression of one of them:
When Filemon first came, he was very malnourished.
As he got started on baby milk, there was quick improvement!
Here he is about a year later. Praise the Lord!
Maikalin was one of our first milk babies. She is doing great!This was a post done recently by one of our nurses, Marie Bell. The baby is doing fine now, and is sucking on his own. Thank the Lord for His provision of baby milk, and for His providing such loving caregivers!
Thank you to everyone who joins with us in prayer and financial
support of this vital program. We are grateful for those who give
monthly, and we are also grateful for the special offering we received
at the end of the year that really helped out with our annual expenses.
And our children thank you too!
2018 Income: $9,118.42 (including a generous gift of $5,000 on Dec. 31, 2017!) Expenses: $4,063.79 Total cans purchased: 270 Cost per 2 lb. can: $15.05 (increase due to extra air freight costs) Babies served: 30
2017
Income: $4,180.41
Expenses: $5,341.75
Total cans purchased: 420
Cost per 2 lb. can: $12.72 (price decrease due to exchange rate)
Babies served: 45
2016
Income: $5,715.00
Expenses: $5,638.34
Total cans purchased: 400
Cost per 2 lb. can: $14.10 (price decrease due to exchange rate)
Babies served: 50
2015
Income: $6,875.00
Expenses: $8,280.37
Total cans purchased: 558
Cost per 2 lb. can: $14.83 (price decrease due to exchange rate)
Babies served: 29
2014
Income: $1,320.00
Expenses: $6,468.40
Total cans purchased: 400
Cost per 2 lb. can: $16.17
Babies served: 44
2013
Income: $6,414.16
Expenses: $8,396.37
Total cans purchased: 471
Cost per 2 lb. can: $17.82
Babies served: 58
2012
Income: $627.51
Expenses: $10,446.22
Total cans purchased: 547
Cost per 2 lb. can: $19.10
Babies served: 58
2011
Income: $1,415
Expenses: $5,325
Total cans purchased: 300
Cost per 2 lb. can: $17.75
Babies served: 42
