Martins' Memos News Briefs

*Martins' Memos News Briefs*
Dallas	Texas, USA	February 1996

Home is where the heart is

After Joel had been at college for a couple of months I asked him if he was homesick and he said:

"If you mean, do I miss you guys, then yes, but where is home?" After being uprooted from his "home" of 15 years he was now making his new "home" at college. Joel is very happy at his new home and is very thankful to the Lord for the opportunity to be able to continue his education at a Christian college. We are thrilled that he is content where he is, especially as we start planning for our return to PNG this summer. We are confident that Joel will do well while we are overseas for a two-year term.

"This world is not my home I'm just a passin' through, my treasures are laid up somewhere beyond the blue."

Our hearts overflow with gratitude that Joel is able to continue his education at Taylor. We are especially thankful that he is receiving good financial aid for his studies there.

We have just received word that Joel has been named to the university Dean's List for the fall semester 1995.

"Taylor University, established in 1846, is one of the oldest Christian Colleges in America. Taylor is an interdenominational evangelical Christian institution educating men and women for lifelong learning and for ministering the redemptive love of Jesus Christ to a world in need." (from the Taylor University Catalog)

"I left my heart in Papua New Guinea."

Jason has settled in well to high school here, but his heart is definitely in Papua New Guinea. He misses his friends, Ukarumpa High School and he especially misses the BMX track and the High School Band there. He has almost finished his driver’s education course here and works part-time at the Linguistic center which helps pay for his car insurance.

Food For the Heart from the Old and New Testaments

These commandments I give to you today are to be upon your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Deuteronomy 6:4,5

"The most important commandment", answered Jesus, "is this: 'Hear O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.' The second is this: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' There is no commandment greater than these." Mark 12:30-31

The Heart Language

Our job in Papua New Guinea is to help translate the word of God into the "heart" language of the people. We train national translators like Charles Kowak who is translating God’s word for his Lindrou people.

Bill and Charles Kowak. Charles faces many challenges and
sacrifices as he presses on to finish the Lindrou New Testament

In about five months we are due to return to Papua New Guinea. As we make plans to return, we see two important issues facing us:

The first issue is that of the need to increase our network of spiritual supporters. During the years we have already spent in Papua New Guinea we have become more and more aware that the work of translating God’s word for the people of that land involves intense spiritual warfare. We are excited that the doors are opening with many new opportunities to train Papua New Guineans to translate God’s word into their own languages. But the spiritual opposition also is increasing dramatically. We are keenly aware of the need for prayer partners who will do spiritual battle with us. We can well identify with the Apostle Paul when he told the Corinthians about his ministry in Ephesus:

"…a great door for effective work has opened to me, and there are many who oppose me." 1 Corinthians 16.9

Consider this: A large number of New Testaments will be nearing completion in the next few years in PNG. We have been involved with several of these over the years as we have helped to train the nationals doing the translation and continue to help with the consultant checking of those translations. However, as you read this, many of those same national translators are struggling with temptation and face strong opposition from elements in their community and culture. Lawlessness has dramatically increased in PNG in the past year so that even some of our close friends in PNG have become targets of violent attacks. It is clear that Satan does not want God’s word to reach the hearts of the people of Papua New Guinea.

The second issue is that of the need to increase our network of financial supporters. We are currently receiving about 70% of the monthly financial support that we will need for our living and Bible translation ministry in PNG this coming term. Please pray with us that the Lord will provide the additional financial partners that we will need before we can get clearance to return to PNG in July. We also will need funds for our airfare, entry visa applications, and for shipping of some of our personal effects to PNG.

The Heartbeat of our Mission

To love the Lord our God
Is the heartbeat of our mission
The spring from which our service overflows

I pray that we would all internalize these words from the song The Mission by Steve Green and that we would truly know how to love the Lord our God and that our service would overflow from that love.

Special Note: Bill and I will be celebrating our 25^th wedding anniversary this May (8^th)!

Heart Conditioning

On the advice of our doctor, Bill and I have recently started an aerobic exercise program to get our physical hearts in condition - a picture of how it takes effort to keep our spiritual hearts in condition too.

For physical training is of some value, but godliness has value for all things, holding promise for both the present life and the life to come. (1 Timothy 4:8).

Heartfelt Thanks to You!

This Valentine’s Day our hearts are especially mindful of the part you are playing in the ministry of Bible Translation through your prayers and support. We thank you and may God bless you!

Excerpts from the Martins' Memos News Briefs - February, 1996