When the Timing Isn’t Right

“For years a village in the small mountain above the coastal village where we worked has been asking if someone could go live with them to teach Patpatar literacy and to share God’s Word,” wrote Aaron and Lori Luse from Papua New Guinea.  “This was the same village where many of Tokiung’s [a church elder] clan and distant relatives lived, and he has been burdened to move up there with his family.”

But the timing wasn’t right.

When God Repositions His Children

“[Tokiung] had been one of the few initial Bible teachers that had worked alongside me with the small Patpatar church, and if he had left then, it would have had huge ramifications on the local believers. Too, he and his family needed to be more grounded themselves … be fed and taught from the Word and surrounded with other Christians,” wrote Aaron. “About a year ago that started to change. Another elder and three deacons were appointed in the church, and others were being trained. I started stepping into the background more and more, and so did Tokiung, allowing others to step up to the plate and lead.”

But stepping into the background didn’t mean God was finished using Tokiung. God was repositioning Tokiung for the next task He had planned for him.

When Persecution Spreads the Gospel

“Brother, they have driven us out of our home in the village … but we are not worried about this hardship,” Tokiung called to tell Aaron. “Instead we are thinking about the book of Acts when the persecution came on the church and helped the Good News go out. So we have talked with the church, and our family is going up to [the village on the mountain] to tell them clearly about literacy and God’s Word.”

Talk about a godly perspective! Pray for Tokiung and his family as they reach out to this mountain village with the gospel message. Pray for the Patpatar church in Tokiung’s home village as they will miss his wisdom and guidance. And pray for Patpatar believers who continue to face persecution.