Missionary pilot Daren Spence and his wife Cindy and their three children spent New Year’s Eve deep in the jungles of Borneo. They visited a Punan village and enjoyed taking part in local customs.

A community meal of rice porridge was shared and then the village children performed a “bird dance” complete with real feathers dangling from their fingers.

One of their jungle experiences, though common to the Punans and to the David Searcy family who live in the village, was a new skill for the Spences. At the river’s edge a long notched log is laid against a 45 degree bank for access from the river to the village. Though Cindy admitted to extreme fear, they now consider themselves at least novice notched-log climbers.

Daren and Cindy were thankful for their time with the missionaries and the Punan believers. David and Theresa Searcy are teaching and discipling the Punan believers and their daughter Rachel is working on translating the Scriptures into the Punan language.

The believers heard lessons from the book of Acts during the bi-monthly three day fellowship and Bible study. David reports that the attendance swelled from six to 60 and they all crowded into one room for the meeting.

Pray for the Searcys as they minister to the Punans and make God’s Word available. Pray also that the Scriptures will be clear and understandable and will impact and change lives among the Punan people.