The Gospel IS the Power of God unto Salvation

April 2022

Profitable Trip to Kunai

A few months ago there was a string of serious events that happened at Kunai involving the church, its leadership, and the community. It was serious enough that the missionaries felt it best to leave.

Early this month I was able to visit Kunai with my son Matt, who began that ministry back in 2004. Over a period of several days we met with the church and its leaders, as well as with the community.

Kotidanga Baptist Church properties look little changed from the last ten years. Beautiful place!

There were many things that needed to be repented of, and there was much to be settled in regards to the land on which the church and ministries are located.

It was more than evident that God had heard the prayers of His people, for He was well at work even before we arrived. We saw God move hearts that had often been obstinate against the ministries, and we saw God grant repentant hearts to many. We watched true spiritual reconciliation between church members and open reconciliation between community members. We had prayed that God would do “exceeding abundantly above all that we could ask or think”—and He did! It was evident that all the years of preaching and teaching God’s Word by national pastors and expat missionaries was not in vain, but rather it had found fertile ground that needed these trials to make it shine forth.

The invitation times during the preaching of the Word on Sunday brought many tearful souls to pray and confess their wrongs. And as if that was not enough, one dear friend, for whom we prayed and to whom many of us had witnessed for over a decade, put his total faith in Christ on that day! Truly, it was awesome to see God honor His Word among His people.

The church is now in a place where they are in the driver’s seat, as it were. Pray with us that there will be much fruit in the days ahead, and that perhaps we can see missionary partnership with that local church in the future, in reaching the Kotidanga region and in training our people!

Passover Conference in Port Moresby

I returned to Port Moresby just in time to preach a three-day Passover Conference at Shalom Baptist Church. This is our second year of the conference, a Bible conference that brings to light Old Testament truths which help us grasp New Testament doctrine surrounding the Lord’s Supper, His atoning sacrifice for our sins, and His glorious resurrection. Great highlights of the meeting included the one brother who came to Christ during the preaching, and the six young men who surrendered to ministry. Some of those are already attending classes at our Bible college! Praise the Lord!

Six young men surrendered for ministry!

Thank you for your continued friendship and fellowship in the Gospel ministry here in PNG. Please keep Lena’s health in your prayers as she is fighting with continual infections aggravated by her Lupus. She is pressing on through the problems, and is such a helper to me in the work here!

Because He Is,
John & Lena Allen
2 Thessalonians 3:1 

Click here for printable copy


Baptist Bible Institute of Port Moresby: 
bbipom.com

Kotidanga Baptist Church
Kunai
Hiking to Mewari with Matt, Jon Amon, Judas Gideon, & Yali Tapuqueo.
Beautiful hiking day.
Don’t you love it when the photo doesn’t really show how hard the hike is? 🙂
I climbed with Yali up through the shadowed jungle on the left side of the ridge. Insane hike.
At Ben Luke’s house on top of the ridge, almost 5,000 feet elevation. And he is paraplegic! He grows all these onions himself. He’s an amazing brother in Christ.
Ben Luke and his wife Francesca (on his left) with their adopted baby, plus their children, grandbaby, and Ben’s mother, Elizabeth. They’ve been friends for many, many years.
John Mark sitting inside his new house. For being totally blind, he gets around in amazing fashion.
Yali & Patrisa, and their children Sina, Kalemi, & Willie
Here’s Kalemi when she’s not hiding behind the flowers.
This is Nancy. She worked for us at Kunai Health Centre. It was her husband who trusted Christ on the Sunday we were at Kunai. Their daughter Vila is also a miracle story from Kunai Health Centre.
This is Ilu, a new milk baby. She came with her parents Leonard & Leah.
Kunai from the air, looking northeast.
Send off by the elder landowners and three men from the church.

Beautiful Kerema town, capital of Gulf Province.
Nothing juicier than a Kamea pineapple!
Passover Conference with Pastor Tau Abary at Shalom Baptist Church.
Looking across the beautiful Tauri Valley to the multiple mountain ranges beyond.
Dawn at Kanabea Airstrip. May there be a new day dawning among our dear Kamea brethren!

We'd appreciate hearing from you!