Jungle Paul finding new a creepy crawler- don't worry he didn't eat it!

January has been a month of preparation.  2010 is going to be yet another busy, adventurous, yet by God’s grace fruitful year.  We continue to fall in love with PNG every day as we meet new critters (see picture above) and new people.  I have been busy making changes to the Bible College trying to find ways to make it more affordable for the people and churches here.  New applications are coming in from all over the country and this year promises to be another year full of wonderful discipleship, bible study, and leadership development at the Bible College.   I have revamped the practical ministry, added some classes, and changed the schedule to help the Bible College.  I have been able to cut the fees for one student for a whole year including books and everything to $200USD.  You can’t put a price tag on a trained Christian Leader ready for service but I think $200 is great deal!  If you are interested in helping sponsor a student or would like to aid the Bible College in other ways please email me (greerfamilypng@gmail.com).

We had a great meeting with local pastors the other day discussing ways we could better equip them.  There are 12 Foursquare Churches in what is called the National Capital District (NCD) which encompasses the city of Port Moresby and all the surrounding suburbs and settlements.  Finding more ways to help them put on outreaches, mobilizing our mobile clinic at their churches, and how the Bible College can partner with them by further equipping the pastors and leaders of these churches were the topics of our fruitful discussion.  The Bible College is open for pastors from these Foursquare Churches to  enrol to take as many classes as they like to learn and grow more in the knowledge of God.

Carina praying with settlement kids to receive Jesus at Moale Ministries

Carina has been really busy too as she prepares to launch Moale Ministries.  As you know Carina has been involved in Faith Club which is an outreach and nutrition program for local settlements. Along side of Ps David (my student last year), Carina has been asked to pastor and oversee the this ministry which is so close to her heart.   The name has been change to Moale (moe-ah-lay) which is a word in a local dialect called Motu and it means Joy.

Settlement boys in line for Moale Nutrition

In the middle of everything else Carina is helping improve the nutrition side , developing more in-depth discipleship for the teens, helping the children receive good Sunday school lessons, and trying to get a literacy program off the ground….. Yeah, don ‘t worry, she’s not busy at all.  Carina’s heart for literacy came as she began to talk and pray with the teens and mothers who simply want to read the word of God.

Margaret and Anna taking Literacy assessment test

Over the holiday season (summer vacation here)  Ps David, his wife Udu, and Carina organized a special day trip to a river/rapids just outside of Port Moresby for the Life Teens and leaders who have served in Faith Club.  Many of the teens have never left the streets and settlements of Moresby so this trip was a great adventure for all of them.  They barbecued and swam, ate, laughed and ate some more!  It was truly a day to remember for the teens who spend their lives in the harsh reality of the settlements and streets.

Mason (still toothless) and Ezra this Christmas

Mason and Ezra are doing great.  A special thank you to all of you who sent Christmas cards and gifts to our boys. Receiving cards, and gifts from our supporting churches and friends has made this Christmas so special for us.  Thank you!   Mason is our six year old and he is 4 ft 3 in tall.  He keeps amazing us as we watch him eat and eat and eat.  Ezra is talking more and more, and we are seeing him move from our “baby” to a little boy.  Everyday is fun with them!

Please pray for us— for ministry fruitfulness, that all the right students would sign up and that God would provide the funds for them, for Carina and Pastor David as they venture into Moale Ministries and feeding and educating the poor, starving, and abused.  Also for our boys, health and protection.

Graduation at Living Light Foursquare

With the close of our school year here in PNG we celebrated the graduation of Living Light Foursquare Bible College.  It was a wonderful time of celebration for the 34 students who graduated.  We had a wife and husband, brother and sister, and a father and son combo all graduate together.  The highlight of the ceremony was at the closing we had all the students stand in a line to be anointed and prayed over by fellow pastors and leaders.  It has been such an honour to the principal this year to these dynamic students.

Principal Paul praying over graduating students

Now many students will go their different ways as they are assigned to places of ministry in the Capital City, in the surrounding Central Province, and as far away as Solomon Islands.  Solomon Islands is a neighbouring country  where Foursquare missionaries from PNG have been sent and have now started a fast growing Foursquare Church.  Francis (pictured with me on the left) was sent from Solomon Islands, has now been trained up, and is  being deployed back to Solomon Islands for Pastoral Ministry.  Another student Rama is going back to KK (a village in central province) to become a children’s pastor to over 500 children in a church where revival has broken out.  Thanks to Foursquare Missions Press we were able to able to send both Rama and Frances back to their villages with Children’s Gospel Boxes filled with curriculum, puppets, evangelism bracelets and lots of other great resources.

Paul and Frances (student from Solomon Islands)

Paul with Rama and Roa (from village of KK). Rama is going back to be the children's pastor and Roa the associate pastor.

Mason also graduated this month, from Kindergarten!  We are so blessed at how much he loves life here in PNG.  The Living Light Foursquare Academy here at our church has made him grow and become an amazing little man of God.  For stories and pictures go to Carina’s blog: www.missionarymommy.wordpress.com.

Mason holding his diploma and his brother

A week after graduation, the whole family and I travelled to Goroka in the Highlands.  Carina and I were the speakers at the Foursquare National Pastor’s Kids (PK’s) Conference.   My friend Eli Taki, a fellow pastor’s kid whom I grew up with in Kainantu as a child, is now a successful business man and God has put it on his heart to organize and run conferences for Foursquare Pastor’s Kids.

Carina and I with Eli and his wife Celia (their new baby Chloe)

Hundreds of PK’s came from all over PNG, and Carina and I were thrilled to be preaching and ministering together to fellow Pastor’s Kids.   The first night we could feel the hardness of hearts and walls being put up, but the presence of almighty God broke through.

Carina teaching the morning sessions

Paul teaching the night sessions

Over the four day conference, tears were shed as the healing touch of God broke the hearts that had given in to bitterness and unforgiveness. We prayed over many who rededicated their lives, and wanted refreshing in the Holy Spirit.  Many PK’s shared how they had never knelt in worship to the Lord before.  Some also shared how God healed anger they had towards their parents and the church.  To close the week we had the PK’s turn and pray over each other, many received prophetic words of encouragement and we pray that the seeds planted will continue to grow.  As the praying ended the prayer turned to praise and dancing.  We love to sing and dance in the local dialect and see the joy of God in the faces of the PK’s.

Foursquare Pastors Kids worshiping the Lord after great breakthrough!

During this Christmas time, we would like to give a special thank you to all our supporters.  Thank you for your generosity, prayers, emails and packages.  Even though we are on the other side of the world, your love for us has caused us to still feel like we are close.  May God give you a wonderful Christmas and a hope-filled new year,

This is a super short video of Paul and the national youth pastors praying over the village crowd that came forward to receive Jesus and the Holy Spirit.