language and bush trip

Hi All

Very sorry you haven’t heard from me in a while but my computer decided to quit last Monday and I’m only now getting it up and running. But saying that it’s been nice to read a book without the distractions a computer brings at times. I’m still not fully operational at minute but should be up and running soon, I hope.

This week held a bit of a change for me and I’m sorry I didn’t tell u before about it as I would have valued your prayers on it. This week I had my first week of the ministry I will be doing in the near future, I was working on the grounds of the centre here. This held many challenges from being a boss to landscaper. Being a boss I had to deal with time keeping and people not showing up, training new staff and much more. I have to admit the Lord was good he gave me much grace through it all and allowed me to make some mistakes but also help sort them. It was also a good break from language and gave me an idea what I will be up against when I begin my new ministry.

As for language my next big challenge is the 15^th of march next Wednesday when I have my next language check, this one seems to be a bit bigger than the others as I would like to be able to start putting paragraphs together. To do this I need to get the tenses and personal pronouns right for example:

I went to town yesterday - mi bin go long taun asde

mi = me, ol= a lot of people or them or they, mipela = we, us not included the person you are talking too – mipela i go pinis asde = we went yesterday

Bin= been, past tense (bai = future tense)

Just to give u a wee idea what I’m up against, it’s not too hard but fitting it all in and remembering to put it in is a bit of a challenge.

Before I do my language check I get my first full on bush trip into Lae Lae this is a village in the middle of the jungle its part of the Mengan people group. I have been here before but it was a long time ago. We will leave on Friday morning, taking a truck as far as we can then it’s a 2 or 3 hour hike through the jungle to Lae Lae.
The last time I was in this village there was no established church now there is a growing church so I’m excited to see the difference.

Please pray for our truck trip and hike on Friday then back out on Tuesday the following week.
For the guys I will be working with in CMA (centre maintence) Mikel, Joshua and Joshua these are 3 national guys, I’m not sure if they are saved but pray I have good opportunities to build friendships.
For my language check and for my learning up to that point that I can get good chances to learn.

Praise for Gods goodness to me and my family at home they all seem to be doing well apart from my brother who cut the tendons in his finger so he is in a cast for a few weeks.
For the chance to go bush even for a few days and see a tribal church in action.

Thank You all for your prayers and support

Geoff