NEW GUINEA

NEWS
Forwarding Agents
Mr. utui Mrs. Dale Dunlap
Hduli' l(>, Hlu'u Koad
Knoxvillf,'I'N
Missionaries:

Jahn and Himtla I'rynr

iit.x fW7

Madang, i'apua Now Guinea

Jesse, Bonita, John, Joshua Pryor

May 1987

Volume 11

GREETINGS FROM PNG!

It is hard for us to believe that we have been
hack on the field for six months. Where have

they gone? Well, I'll tell you. When we

returned to the village last October, we found
our house in need of a lot of work. We needed a

classroom for the hoys, a guest room as ac

commodation for their new teacher, extra

storage space, all new screen wire for the

house, and a new set of interior walls.

The screen wire came first. Gaping holes

were letting in too many little flying critters.

In the meantime, Bonita was cleaning,

reorganizing, emptying drums of stored
goods, washing pots, pans, plates, etc., and
just generally making our house become home
again. It did take us awhile to adjust to village
life again. The hoys, on the other hand, made
immediate adjustment to village life. Even
though they had enjoyed America and all it
had to offer, down deep they're just hush kids.
Next came the new classroom/guest room
area. After we poured the floor,the classroom
went up fairly easily, considering the ground
erosion and the fact that we had never

planned to build under the house. Once this

was done, we poured more cement and added
close to 400 square feet of storage and work
shop space. Then we moved upstairs.

Originally, we had put hush material walls

in the house. It was less expensive, plus we

had avirtually inexhaustible supply. Whatwe

didn't know was that this material was the

traditional home for the local ant population,

and the gaps in the walls provided a haven for

John receives Kood help in putting up the antenna.(P^irst

contact by our radio was made on April 27 to America since
John's return in September.)

other four-legged creatures. So we removed

course. We invited whoever was interested to

the bush material,treated the studs and plates

with insecticide, and put up masonite. After a

attend. Sixteen people responded. The first

part covered the material in the transition
primer which we had published beforetheend

coat of paint, the walls really looked great. We

also remodeled the office shelves,the bedroom

of our last term. The involvement was most

clothing shelves and added a set of book

encouraging to us. The second week of April

shelves for the boys' room. There are still a

we held part two which involved actual trans

few odd jobs left to complete the project, but

lation work. The purpose of this course was

two-foldto find potential language helpers,

our house work has been placed on the back

burner in order that we might move back into
our language ministry.
Since the middle of February, we have been

and to squelch any talk of favoritism in our

selection ofjust who worked with us. Another
result has been that we have potential in some

in full-time language work again. Besides re

of the folk to work in areas of our work other

viewing all of last term's language material,

we have been trying to plot this term's course.
First on the agenda was a mini translation

than translation, such as literacy. We are

hoping that we can maintain these folks'

interest over the long haul of the work ahead.

MEET MERRI LYNNE

i-r "

March 17th was a big day in Sambarjk. The

boys' new teacher, Merri Lynne Smith, ar
rived. Even though Bonita has enjoyed teach
ing the boys, over the last few years, she has
had an intense desire to be more fully involved

in the language ministry. During our last fur

lough we sought a teacher who could come
and teach the boys, allowing Bonita to fulfill
her desire. Merri Lynne is a 1983 graduate of

Johnson Bible College. She graduated from

Ohio State in 1986 with a MA in Early Middle
Childhood Education. She taught in

Lexington Park, Maryland for two years

before attending OSU. Bonita met Merri

Lynne at the'86 NACC/NMC through John's

mom, Olive Pryor. After another visit in',Sep

tember, she decided to pursue the offer we
gave her. She had the majority of her support
raised by January of this year, and. . mow
she's here. Praise the Lord for answered

prayer. Please be in prayer for her as she ad

justs to the culture and climate of PNG.iShe
will begin full-time teaching with the boy$ the
first of April.
i
At that time, Bonita will begin an intensive

language program. In preparation for begin

ning the translation of Genesis and Luk^ we

will be attending a grammar workshop in
July and August. Preparations will include
the taping and transcribing of several texts.
You remember that Martha Wade worked in
Samban while we did administration work in

Merri Lynne, Aisi and Wongat (Merri Lynne's village

parents).

Madang in '81/'82? She has donea lot of work

will be very helpful preparation for our up

in the basic grammar of Botin. So we will be

concentrating on the discourse structure. This

coming translation work. In the meantime,

we will also be studying Genesis and Luke.

JESSE AND

CORNER^ ^A'S
sot a whole packet"^?'

Sonset
Press

that all my

what,I

class back at Can n .Valentines ffi'om

'hem,so I maJe^as^'
J's great to be back h

my
^ had tL answer

fun.
Mukokgo to the bush ofJ"'
Jielping
bush house. That's in^ P"'^a'e'.Pjiildhis
shooting
mynow
slingshot
between knowt
marjbie;s and
bke
to read
It ^
'vhat,I

before, but thaTwa^w'^n"jhhei

aaeyttwas. Gotte go^^J/""

chfun
how

fel'
lVnd Churcr'
'
'heir
missionarfes
'^'^'Christ
and

eould really sing "InI~ ,r' 'Christ

y'wo front tfeth r-^^'^hrisfmas:

ptten how mano r j " hnow, Ihi
but I've got lots. And we d
ia shoo"^ "f'h'n.

Ca/I us at

615-577-9740
Sonset Press/Mic
ress/Mission Services a

ya

P.O. Box

Knoxville, TN 37901-2427

ion

Mission Services
Box 2427

Knoxville. TN 37901-2427
oox^cTKm Mouisra

f Non Profit Org

U.S. Postage
PAID

Knoxville, TN
37901-2427
Permit 0374

PRACTICING HOSPITALITY

The best way to learn about a group of people is to learn

their language, since their language is an actual expression of

themselves.

The Botin people,among whom we work^use the body

parts to convey ideas via idiomatic expressions, in a way not

unlike we English speakers do. For instance, we say "you said

a mouthful" or "my heart is broken," which really have nothing
to do with their literal meanings, but mean something altogether
different. That is the wonder of language. These types of
sayings cannot be solicited in isolated circumstances, but can
only be learned in the ebb and flow of daily conversations.
One day my husband's village father came by for a visit, as
he does quite often. As I handed him a plate of food, he said to

me, "Wun lam nyaam es," meaning "your eyes are big." Since one
of my village nicknames is "long nose," I just thought this was
another descriptive nickname. Another man present attempted to
explain that the comment had meant that "I ate with lots of
people." Again I was confused as to how eating with lots of people
made me have big eyes. I finally determined, after more questioning,
that what was really meant was that I was being complimented for
being hospitable. The Botin people consider hospitality a very
important virtue. Earlier on in our work, we were trying to
ascertain what the Botin concept of a "good man" was. The first
characteristics mentioned were that he was generous and hospitable.
The head man of our village always opens his home to people
passing through, just as people in Bible times were encouraged to
do. Like them, the people here have no decent hotels for
travelers and so must depend on the hospitality of others. That
hospitality includes both food and lodging. So our head man has
even built a larger house to be prepared for visitors. I often
feel put to shame when I see how these people share out of their
meager resources with those who pass through our village.
Peter encourages us in his first letter (4:9) to "practice
hospitality"ungrudgingly! Paul also wrote to the Romans to

"practice hospitality."

Times change, don't they?

Whereas in Bible

times, it was considered more or less the head of the household's

responsibility to extend hospitality, the role today is more in the

area of the woman of the household. The point is, Christians are
to be hospitable. The Hebrew writer illustrates this with the
example of Abraham, who entertained angels without being aware of
it. The requirements for church leaders in I Timothy and Titus
both include the characteristic of hospitality.
Our greatest example in this area is the Lord Jesus Himself.
Regardless of how tired He was, or how inconvenient the situation.
He never turned away anyone. In fact, we are told that when we stand

before Him, He will ask us about how we took care of His "little
ones." Ministering to them will in fact be ministering to the Lord
Himself.

Being hospitable is not something that comes naturally.

Fortunately, I have always been influenced by excellent role models.
Very early I learned by watching my parents and grandparents practice
genuine hospitality. As wonderful as their examples were, however,
I have grown to a deeper understanding of hospitality by coming to
know more intimately the message of the Gospel. From Jesus we learn
the real meaning of life. "In Him was life and the life was the
light of men" (John 1:4). With His living in us by His Spirit we
become more submissive and sensitive to His leading us to respond
to the needs of others. We learn that so-called "personal rights"
must be surrendered if we are to be servants to persons in need.
We can pray and ask the Lord to help us be sensitive to the
needs of others, but it is not always easy. Sometimes the need is
obvious, but our motives are wrong. We respond out of a sense of
duty, and maybe even grudgingly, which the Scriptures admonish us

not to do.

So when I have a line of people waiting to have their

sores bandaged or to take medicine, or when someone comes to ask for

a cold drink, or someone else needs some kerosene for his lamp, or

another needs some batteries for his flashlight, or someone else is

hungry, I endeavor to remember my Lord when He was on earth and how
He responded when the crowds were pressing in upon Him with their
many needs. And I pray that I can respond as lovingly.
And when I stand before His throne, I hope to hear Him say,
"Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance,
the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world.
For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty
and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you
invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and
you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me."
Matt. 25:34-36 (NIV)

Noyember 18, 1987

Deer Mom and Dad,

This time of year is always very special", in regard to our

thankfulness for all God has done for us.

As I write this, there is a gentle rain here in Samb|in,''find I ca^/hea^ ^

our water storage tank overflowing. From 1 ast May uri t i 1 thl'^m i *K^e ofe'
October, our area, as ^4.el 1 as most of PNGj, underwent a S'eyMsre dr^^ght'f^
We had only 12 inches of rain in those six months

no"!: much,

considering we average-bver a hundred a year. Whi le we were at

Ukarumpa our tank went;dry because of the lack of rain. It was
supplying water;ffor about everybody in the area. We even had to wait
unti l, it had ra+rted before we could return. " Since our return in early

October, it has;;\st i 1 L l^en dry, but we have always had what we needed,

and now water i^' in 4^undance again. Thank you. Lord.

Many of ^the local pe'dpTe have given us watermelons and corn from their
drough t-dec i mated-:gap de'jis
an expression of love that means so much
to us. This is- evidence of the Lord's working through His people.
Praise

Him.

'

There have been some truly wonderful answers to prayer as wel l .

Among our PBT personnel , newborn Brigette Relyea contracted cerebral
malaria, yet the Lord saw her through to complete recovery.
Among our local

folk:

--An-dsm.:Ls--A^w-bat>^r

-w-'-^h -a- 1 urrip- on tiTs head , -i s we l 1 .

- - - -

Kema's de1 i very was difficult with afterbirth comp1 i cat i ons, bu t
following prayer she was del ivered of those problems.
Emi ly, a girl in the vi llage had a terrible sore on her l ittle leg;

it is on the road to being well .

The head teacher's baby, who was skin and bones when we left for
Ukarumpa, is now a chubby picture of health.

Jackson, though snakebitten, was not bitten by a very poisonous

snake.

A newborn at a nearby vi 11 age had diarrhea, very critical to

newborns here, but is now wel l .

On old man from a nearby vi l lage who was badly burned is improving.

God is faithful to answer our prayers.

As always, we are very thankful for your continued love and concern

for us and our ministry here. Thank you for your continued prayers
and financial support. Let's just praise Him together.

Ule trust that this hol iday season wi l l be a great blessing for you and
yours. "Give thanks to the Him; bless His name. His 1ovingkindness is
everlasting. And His faithfulness to al l generations,"

*V,

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