It has been a week now since I posted the prayer request about our good friend Richard and his daughter Caroline. Since I posted that last week, Over 600 people from 19 different countries read about Richard and Caroline on our blog. As I was telling Richard about that the other day, he almost started crying. He said, "I can tell that people have been praying for me. God has been guiding me and giving me strength and wisdom. Can you tell them thank you for me?" So here is my way of saying thank you to all of you, by sharing with you how God has been working in this situation.
Last week, a lot of parents at the school that Caroline goes to called for a meeting with the school board. At the meeting, there were a lot of people in attendance. Parents, school board members, a lot of community leaders, and Richard. Although it is culturally normal for all community leaders to speak whenever there is any sort of meeting, Richard was asked to speak first. He got up and told the story of what happened, then went on to speak passionately about the need for everyone to work together to stop this sort of thing from happening. After he finished speaking, it was decided that he had spoken so clearly about what needed to happen that there was no need for anyone else to speak. The school board said that they would make a decision of what to do based only off what Richard said. That decision is yet to be announced.
Yesterday (Sunday) at church, the place was packed. It is my opinion that mare people are coming because of what they have seen in Pastor Richard. After a great service, Richard finished off by saying that he wanted everyone to know that his house was always open. He said "if you want to talk, come see me. If you are hungry, come and I will give you food. If you have no where to sleep, my house is always open." And everyone knew that he really meant it.
So thank you for praying for Richard and his family. I can't say that Caroline is completely over what happened, but that isn't to be expected this soon after. But God has definitely been answering your prayers as he has worked in this situation to grow His church here in Papua New Guinea.
Thank you also for praying for Erica and I as we help minister to Richard and Caroline and the rest of the family. If you want to hear more stories about what God has been doing here in PNG, check out our latest newsletter by clicking here.
Last week, a lot of parents at the school that Caroline goes to called for a meeting with the school board. At the meeting, there were a lot of people in attendance. Parents, school board members, a lot of community leaders, and Richard. Although it is culturally normal for all community leaders to speak whenever there is any sort of meeting, Richard was asked to speak first. He got up and told the story of what happened, then went on to speak passionately about the need for everyone to work together to stop this sort of thing from happening. After he finished speaking, it was decided that he had spoken so clearly about what needed to happen that there was no need for anyone else to speak. The school board said that they would make a decision of what to do based only off what Richard said. That decision is yet to be announced.
Yesterday (Sunday) at church, the place was packed. It is my opinion that mare people are coming because of what they have seen in Pastor Richard. After a great service, Richard finished off by saying that he wanted everyone to know that his house was always open. He said "if you want to talk, come see me. If you are hungry, come and I will give you food. If you have no where to sleep, my house is always open." And everyone knew that he really meant it.
So thank you for praying for Richard and his family. I can't say that Caroline is completely over what happened, but that isn't to be expected this soon after. But God has definitely been answering your prayers as he has worked in this situation to grow His church here in Papua New Guinea.
Thank you also for praying for Erica and I as we help minister to Richard and Caroline and the rest of the family. If you want to hear more stories about what God has been doing here in PNG, check out our latest newsletter by clicking here.