Our original plan for Mt. Hagen was to do three weeks of bible seminars teaching pastors and leaders how to better study their bible. It was a good plan but not one that worked out, first we couldn't get flights until late in the week which meant that one week of seminars would be out. Once in Mt. Hagen we meet with some of the pastors to see what time they would like to start on Monday, but they said that most of the pastors are busy this week so we would have to start the following week – another week out. Three weeks of seminars down to one, now you could see this as bad and annoying but honestly when on outreach you just have to trust that God will work something out for the best, and I think he did. By chance we got connected with an American family who have lived in PNG for about 20 years, and we were able to go up to their village (about 2 hours away) where we had the chance to speak to about 800 youth at a high school, then help organize there library (they had thousands of used books given to them). We also go to visit a hospital and were able to pray for around 50 patients, and put on a little skit for them! Yes, it sucked that the seminar week fell through but the amount we got to do and the contact that we made with this family (we are wanting to send more teams up to them in the future) I think made it a worth it – it was better then just being mad and annoyed that the original plan didn't work out. We came back to Mt. Hagen after spending two days with that family and we had two evening church services and one on Sunday morning. We were also able to squeeze more then 10 hours of bible reading into the week – we’re not here to waste time. We were able to finally start our bible seminar for the pastors on Tuesday evening and it went until Saturday night – it as powerful!
(our little trip up to Enga Province)
People in PNG are so hungry for the word and for truth, so it is amazing to be able to offer something to them. We went through the method of inductive study, which just means using these tools: observation, interpretation, application, and then proclamation. We help them see the bible in context, so taking in historical setting, who was it written too, who wrote it, and why was it written. Also teaching them how to look at the book in a whole and not just taking single verses out and making something out of it but showing them how to have a larger perspective to what these books have to offer when you look at it holistically. And man it was powerful! It is such an incredible feeling when you are able to give something to people when they are so hungry for it. We had to fight for this seminar but I really believe that we as a team broke through something and I think that all teams that follow after us will be able to do so much more. Something powerful has started, and a hungry for truth has been stirred – I cant wait to see what God does with this!
So over all our trip up to Mount Hagen didn't turn out the we had planned (far from it) but the had of God was over us and lead us to some amazing opportunities. It is a place that I now want to return and keep equipping the pastors, leaders, and anyone who is hungry for truth. It is just so powerful when you give control over to God, it pushes you in your trust in him, but man its worth it.
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