...Tidings of Comfort and Joy

This is Karen, sporting her new necklace which was given to her by this lady. We were walking through this settlement by Kamkumung church 'trying' to talk to the people and meet them. Karen also was given a bilum (a large purse) by another lady in the Bumbu settlement. As you can see she is such a beautiful princess!

Hi everyone, we hope that you are having a great Christmas season! I cannot believe it is dec 22 already. We are dreaming of a white Christmas, but its only a dream. However, we are not complaining at all, we are quite enjoying the incredible blessing of being here in PNG. The weather is quite beautiful again today, very hot, and once and awhile we get a nice, cool breeze coming in. I am trying not to burn myself again, as it only takes a few minutes in the sun.
Karen and I wanted to say Merry Christmas to everyone, and the LORD's blessings during this Christmas period as we look to wrapping up 2006. To all our friends and family back home, our friends and family around the world, including those in Haiti, are soon to be new home - Merry Christmas!

On Thursday Karen and I, the Wildeboer's, and the Vanderheide's, went and helped out at the VBS at Kamkumung Church. It was much the same program as the other church, just all different children. It was a lot of fun. There were about 40 children who came out and participated.
In the afternoon, Ian and I went to the hospital to visit one of the church members who was recovering from TB. Ian took the opportunity to share a message, not just with him, but the whole hospital ward. Every opportunity you get, you share the gospel, the good news of Jesus Christ!

Today, we had VBS again, which was a lot of fun. We sang, and coloured with them, and played some games, and the story of the wise men who saw the new star and came and looked for Jesus Christ, the new King. This afternoon we did some shopping, driving around, and now we are preparing to have a dinner at the SIL compound, to see if our dog kennel is still standing.
Since we usually go to a hospital and old age home on Christmas day back home, we decided to do that here as well. So on Sunday afternoon, we are going to the hospital to do some carroling, and Ian is going to present the Christmas story and do a talk for them, so that should be exciting. We hope that will be a blessing to the people, to encourage them, and to tell them of God's love for them. And we also look forward to Christmas day, celebrating with the church - we are having a combined service - the two congregations, and quite a few visitors. A time to worship our Saviour.

Ian is also trying to get me in shape. We are running the track near his house - well, he is running and I am trying to catch up. And we are also doing a lot of swimming. So, hopefully i will be in shape soon.

One of the things I am really enjoying is just talking to Ian and Nadia, and Andrew and Natalie about mission strategies and how to live out the gospel in another culture, especially in a poorer one, with all the implications that go with it. How do we best love our brothers and sisters here and all the people around us? This trip has been so challenging in that regard. Discovering culture, and how the gospel is embodied and contextualized in each culture. There requires a lot of humility in all of the work because there is so much to learn. That's why the confession is always, Unless the LORD builds the house, the labourers build in vain! In the LORD's strength the work must be done, seeking always to Praise and glorify Him!

Well, i have to be off now. I was hoping to download a whole pile of pictures but it takes so long, and half the time it doesn't work. So i will have to try again later.
God's blessings to all of you. May you find in Him your treasure, and may this season of Christmas be one of peace and joy.

Blessed Christmas - Randy and Karen