Excerpts from the Martin's Memos - May, 1993

Lenore returned to PNG on April 20th after an unexpected trip to the USA. On March 14th we received word that Lenore’s mother was discovered to have an inoperable brain tumor. Within three days Lenore was in California visiting with her mother and family (isn’t jet travel wonderful?!).

Her mother received experimental radiation treatment for 6 weeks and has since moved to North Carolina to live with Lenore’s older sister there. We were glad that Lenore was able to spend this time with her family. Her mother has gained some strength, although she must now spend most of her time in a wheel chair due to partial paralysis on one side. Even so, we praise the Lord that she is mentally alert and sharp.

Pray with us that Lenore’s mother would continue to experience the Lord’s provision for her physical and spiritual needs. Pray also for the other members of Lenore’s family.

Since Lenore’s return to PNG we have experienced two other sad events. On Thursday April 29, one of our good friends and fellow translator Edmund Fabian was struck by his language helper on the back of the head with an ax. He died at 7:15 that evening. Edmund had been concerned about his helper for several weeks because he had been hearing voices and acting strangely. While they were translating 1 Corinthians 13 that Thursday afternoon, the helper says that he "continued to hear voices and my mind went dark." He then grabbed an axe from nearby and hit Edmund on the back of the head with it. It was only after he had already struck Edmund that he realized what he had done to his brother. The language helper bolted out the door and ran away. This alerted Edmund’s wife Grace, that something was wrong. She found Edmund slumped in his chair with the fatal head wound. Grace called the Director, who alerted the clinic. The clinic staff transported Edmund to the clinic and did everything they could to save his life but to no avail. Meanwhile, the language helper ran to the police station where he confessed that he had killed Edmund. He is now in custody.

Edmund leaves not only his wife but four children as well. Two of the children, Jonathan and Dietlinde, are living in the U.S. The other two, Heidi and Kurt, are twins, and are Joel’s classmates and good friends here at Ukarumpa High School. Both Jonathan and Dietlinde were able to make it back to Papua New Guinea for the funeral. The funeral was on Wednesday, May 5, at Ukarumpa.

The other sad event, was that Joel had to put his dog Megabyte to sleep due to a chronic and advancing skin disease that couldn’t be controlled. We buried Megabyte here at Ukarumpa just two hours before we heard that Edmund had died.

By the time you read this Lenore and I will be out on Manus, involved in the translation work there. Joel and Jason will be in the children’s home at Ukarumpa. This is Jason’s first adventure in staying in the children’s home. The boys plan to join us out on Manus on June 22nd and spend their term break with us in the village.

We thank you for standing by us during this time. Although we have known great sadness during the past few days, we are all encouraged by a great sense of God’s unfailing love and faithfulness. It is our job to continue sowing the seeds of His Word.

Those who sow in tears will reap with songs of joy. He who goes out weeping, carrying seed to sow, will return with songs of joy, carrying sheaves with him. (Psalm 126:5-6)

Yours in the Love and Comfort of our Matchless Lord,

Bill, Lenore, Joel and Jason

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