I’d like for you to think about these questions for a minute…

• How important is the Word of God?
• How important is the Word of God – in a heart language?
• Have you ever tried to read in another language?
• How important is the Word of God in your heart language; you know, the language that speaks deep inside your soul?
• When was the last time you danced for the Lord?
• When was the last time you sang to Him?
• How excited are we who have the Word of God in our language?
• How excited should we be?

Continue reading to experience how excited the Waran People are to receive the Word of God in their heart language.

Madang airport, just after take-off. See the Airstrip?

Recently, my teammates and I traveled via a small aircraft from Madang, to the middle of a jungle in Papua New Guinea, to a place called Likan. We landed on a grass airstrip and were greeted by many excited Waran speaking people! It was an absolutely beautiful experience! They danced and sang in celebration because their people would, for the first time in history, have the Word of God in their heart language. This dancing and singing to the Lord didn’t stop the entire time we were there… night and day it went on. It might still be going on, I don’t know, but I wouldn’t be surprised.

A short video of Konamby walking through the reception line.

I wish that I had looked up quicker to get more of his celebration walk! I will tell you more about Konamby in my next update.

We spent one night in Likan, in the house that William and Robin Butler built nearly 40 years ago and raised 2 kids in. I was impressed. I mean, it isn’t a mansion as many of you in America would imagine. But to me, as I saw it there in the middle of the jungle, it was a beautiful mansion that held countless memories of a family learning to live among a people group that God had put into their hearts many years before. I imagined sessions with translators and literacy workers (I don’t know any of this for fact, I just thought these things when I arrived). I imagined what it was like for a young couple to move from everything they knew, into a jungle when cannibalism was still alive and active in parts of Papua New Guinea. Back then, travel wasn’t like it has been for me!! Not even close. These were brave souls, these are brave souls. These are my friends Robin and William Butler. I am honored to know them! They raised two really cool kids, Tyler, whom I don’t know as well because he lives in America, and Bethaney, whom I dearly love! I was now seeing why she spent all of her days outside among the people, down at their beautiful river! I was standing among the people with whom she can speak fluently. By the way, I am horribly jealous of her language learning/speaking abilities!! Please Lord, help me to understand and speak Tok Pisin better! I need to. I would eventually like to speak my village mama’s heart language, Mawan.

The next morning we all got up… we had 57 white skins invade this beautiful quiet village – let’s pause a moment to talk about the logistics of getting 57 white people anywhere – let alone get them deep into the bush! We have one Logistics Coordinator and that person is Bethaney Butler. She went to the bush with our Summer Interns, readying things before any of us traveled there. So, it took 3 of us working (what we felt was) full-time to get all of the people and their luggage from the airport at various times and take them to the flat where they would stay. A good portion of my work was getting food in the flats before they arrived, so they would have dinner upon arrival to Madang and breakfast the next morning. We fellowshipped together over more than one meal in town. Then we had to somehow coordinate getting people to the office in the morning, with no communication between us, because they only had American phones. Then Aaron, our rock star driver, managed to get us all to the airport on time for our flights. It was a major job, let me tell you! I don’t know how Bethaney does what she does!

Aaron, the Rock Star Logistics Driver, taken from my seat on the plane

SO, the next morning we all got up from the many (!) different homes of people who let us share their space. We headed down to the river in groups where we would travel in dugout canoes with a motor. It was really cool!

Here are some of fun photos.

Here is a picture I took of some ladies and kids as we chatted under a tree.

A few of us went down to enjoy the river when we arrived. It is clear, cold, beautiful and swift! It felt wonderful after a very hot and sweaty day! This crocodile was caught on the river that night; the night before we traveled on it. So the next morning, we traveled nearly 3 hours down river to the village where the dedication would be held. Most (if not all?) of the translators live in Yar, so it made sense to dedicate their New Testament in their space.

The kids might have been finding a place out of the hot sun, but it also looks like a fun place to play. The river is just beyond the tree.

My teammate, Mac, snapped this awesome shot inside the canoe as they traveled – isn’t it cool?!?

Enjoy this video of the celebration:

Our PBT media team came from America to film the dedication festivities. This video has William narrating.

What an honor this has been! If you have heard the story of how I ended up in Papua New Guinea, you might remember that this is the language group that actually brought me here.

Pioneer Bible Translators contacted me and asked if I would pray about coming to PNG so that a translator who had been called away from his project for the previous 7 years, could get back to what the Lord had called him to do. That translator is William Butler. He selflessly worked in the finance office until he could be replaced and go back to his translation project. I doubt seriously if the project was completely stalled, as I have seen both his passion for it, and the Waran people’s passion to have the Word of God in their heart language.

One little story before I end this update.

I don’t think I quit smiling in a HUGE way the entire time – except for one time, when I got up to go to the outhouse in the night. When I came back upstairs, I stepped on something in between my friends and my bed. I reached down to move whatever it was with my hand, thinking that it was clothes or something.
It was soft, squishy and – hairy!
Klostu mi dai pinis!!! (I almost died!)
I must have squealed because William, from the next room said, “Sharon are you alright?” I carefully, but firmly, said “William come get the dead rat! Yikes! We had 20 people in the house. I was grateful that William heard me, and came to saved us girls!

Have you given thought to my questions above? Watch the video that William narrates again. The Waran people are dancing and singing to the Lord – because they have His word in their heart language. This is a priceless gift. The Waran realize the importance of this priceless gift, do you?

What can you do to help people who speak another language, to have the Bible in their heart language?

• Use this as a guide to find your place within Pioneer Bible Translators.
• The Workers Are Few
  Jesus went through all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom and healing every disease and sickness. When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.”
  ~ Matthew 9:35-38
• “The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’
  ~ Matthew 25:40

Prayer points:

• Pray for the Waran speakers to truly, within the depths of their souls, long and hunger for God.
• For many people to learn how to read for themselves, and for others, and for them to teach others to read, so that they can all learn more about the God who sent His Son, Jesus Christ, to save us all.
• For unity within their villages
• For unity within our team, both in town and in villages
• Good health and strong hands and feet to do the Lord’s work in Papua New Guinea

Watch for part 2. I’ll tell you more about Konamby. His life is SUCH a witness!! I’ll also talk a little about being in a canoe both to and from the dedication. It was 3 hour trip one way, but … on the way back… just a tad longer. Remember Gilligan’s Island?? Ha-ha!

AND I will show you more pictures!!

Thanks so much for all of your love and support. I am grateful for your prayers!