Show me the right path, O Lord; point out the road for me to follow. Lead me by your truth and teach me, for you are the God who saves me. All day long I put my hope in you. Remember, O Lord, your compassion and unfailing love, which you have shown from long ages past. - Psalm 25:4-6 (NLT)
Dear Friends and Family,
The Gospel is Coming... to the Mandara!
We want to thank God for the Mandara New Testament dedication on Thursday, May 20th 2010… 19 years after the project began. About 1000 Mandara New Testaments were sold including the 400 that were presold before the dedication day! The two main churches, United and Catholic, were working together in preparing for the dedication, calling it “The Big Peace Ceremony.” Saber MP3 players containing recordings of Scripture were also distributed. Many people came from other islands of the Tabar Islands group and people traveled 2-3 hours on the sea from some language communities of the main island of New Ireland Province.
The Mandara people live on three islands just north of New Ireland, Papua New Guinea.
The Mandara NT Dedication.
Please also pray for God to work during 3 New Testament dedications in Papua New Guinea (PNG) coming up in the next few months: July 27, 2010 – Molima NT dedication; August 07, 2010 – Yopno NT/Psalms dedication; August 15, 2010 – Sursurunga NT dedication.
We need your help!
We also want to thank God for continuing to provide for us while we are here on home assignment. We have been blessed with nearly 25% of the $8,000 we need for our return travel to Papua New Guinea (PNG). If you are considering a special gift toward our return travel, please include a note specifically designating it “for Metzger’s return travel to PNG.” We hope to return to PNG at the beginning of November after the PNG visa for our new baby has been processed. We are also still lacking partners that are led by God to join our team and commit to support us on a monthly basis. Since being in PNG for the last 3 years, the cost of living has gone up significantly and so also the amount Wycliffe requires us to raise before we can return. Currently we are looking for 10 to 20 new team members. Would you prayerfully consider your part in our ministry?
From left to right: Amount needed for return travel to PNG; Need of 10 to 20 new partners!
Matching gifts
We have an exciting opportunity for some of you that work for a company that has a matching gift program. Did you know that there are over 1600 companies in the US that will match your gift when given to SIL or Wycliffe through their gift program? Here is a short list of some of the companies: Boeing, Chevron, Dell, GE Foundation, Google, Home Depot Foundation, SAP, and Starbucks. If you are interested in knowing more about how you can partner with us in our ministry through the company you work for, please let us know!
Our plans
This next Saturday, June 26th we are moving to a duplex across the road from the SIL center here in Dallas. Could you please pray for us while we are moving? It is one more change for Kassia and Luke and it is starting to be a little stressful for them and for us as we pack. I (Kurt) will also begin to work at the SIL IT department shortly after we move as they are currently very short staffed.
In mid July we have a trip planned to Maryland to visit my dad’s side of the family, partners and a supporting church there. Then we are back here in Dallas for the birth of our 3rd child on or around August 24th.
Lukas is ready to go back to PNG!
Praise:
- For the Mandara New Testament Dedication.
- For what YOU our supporters have already given towards buying the tickets for our return trip to PNG.
- For your faithful prayers and financial support of our ministry.
- For a house that we can move into for the rest of our furlough.
Prayer:
- For the 3 New Testament dedications coming up in PNG.
- For God to provide the rest of what we need per month for our quota in order to return to PNG.
- For our move to another house this weekend.
From left to right: Kassia in her red shirt; Kassia, her cousin Valeria, and Lukas; Kassia in her uniform.
In His hands,
Kurt (for Johanna, Kassia, Luke and baby!)
