Pawaian Church Update June 2020

For the best part of five decades Jack & Isa Douglas served the Lord amongst the Pawaian people of PNG. During that time many were converted and a church was established. Since their advancing years more recently prevented them from visiting personally and then Isa’s home-call, we have heard very little from the tribe. However, contact has now been renewed, and Jack writes with fresh news that is very encouraging as follows:

A fellow missionary in Papua New Guinea was recently able to visit the Pawaia and has sent me his report. I want to share the main points with you. Bill Michaud, along with five Papua New Guinean believers, was able to visit several villages along the Purari river to encourage the believers. It was encouraging to see the list of new villages where there are believers meeting and to see the names of leaders associated with those groups. It is obvious that the believers have been reaching out and teaching in these areas.

One man had persisted in false teaching and the issue had to be addressed during the visit. The man responsible and his small following listened to the corrective teaching calmly and it remains to be seen if they have changed their views and practices. 

The believers are making preparations for teaching in different areas and this will necessitate the use of Pidgin English since the people being taught will not understand the Pawaian language. There is a renewed enthusiasm to continue Bible teaching in the home villages too and this means there is a need to obtain more printed materials to assist in this. The materials we produced were left in digital format at our headquarters so that will all need to be found and dusted off so that it can be printed! There is a renewed interest in teaching literacy. This is the key to their young people being able to read the scriptures for themselves in their heart language.
 
This enthusiasm makes me long to revise those materials which were produced so long ago. I would need to be in Papua New Guinea with Pawaian helpers to do that. At my age and with the difficulty in obtaining travel/health insurance it means the Lord will have to make that possible if it is ever to happen.
 
Bill’s summary: The Pawaian Churches are functioning well together and are in a good place right now. There is a great group of zealous younger leaders as well as a few seasoned ones that are guiding them along. We do need to continue to invest in the relationships that have been established to help them reach the potential that they have to expand even more. My prayer is for the Pawaian Churches to be the ones to help us move into the Eastern Gulf and beyond.

This is wonderful news and there is much to give thanks to God for. Les us continue in prayer for these believers:
•	That the false teachers will be brought to repentance and the churches delivered from all error and heresy.
•	That the teaching ministry will bear much fruit and many will be built up in the faith.
•	That Jack’s teaching materials will be located so that they can be printed and used to help the Pawains grow in understanding.
•	That the young people will show a special interest in literacy so that they can read and understand the scriptures for themselves.
•	That Jack might yet be enabled to update and expand the materials to be of even greater help in helping the churches to stand fast in the faith.
•	That the leaders will be given wisdom and strength to guide their flocks and encourage them to persevere in the faith.
•	That the vision of Pawain churches leading the work of outreach into the Eastern Gulf region of PNG, and further beyond as well!