Kurt, Johanna, Kassia, Lukas and Matthias

Our family in Papua New Guinea | 2012

Ukarumpa and Aiyura Valley

Ukarumpa is SIL's center of opperations in Papua New Guinea and where we live and work.

Miniafia New Testaments from the dedication in 2010

"God is a Miniafia Man," the loincloth-clad speaker exulted! "Before He was English, and American, and Australian. But today He has become Miniafia!"

Doini Island

Photo by Tim McIntosh (SIL PNG's boat manager in 2008) | Many of the 100's of islands in PNG can only be reached by boat.

Where do you play when you live on an island?

Children from Nubwageta village playing near the shore.

Miniafia New Testament Dedication

New Testament dedications in PNG usually include elaborate processions to welcome the Bibles.

Saturday, December 23, 2017

Merry Christmas from the Metzgers

For unto us a Child is born,
Unto us a Son is given;
And the government will be upon His shoulder.
And His name will be called
Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
{Isaiah 9:6-7}

Dear Loved Ones,

We would like to wish you a Christmas full of wonder and excitement as we celebrate the birth of our Savior! We pray for each of you this passage from Romans 15:13 - "May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope."

Thank you for praying for our family as we are all feeling much better.

Come Lord Jesus,

Kurt for Johanna, Kassia, Lukas & Matthias too!

Friday, December 01, 2017

{Metzger Ministry Update} December 2017 | "Rejoice with the Kasua"

“Don’t be dejected and sad. For the joy of the Lord is your strength” – Nehemiah 8: 10b (NLT)

Dear Friends and Family,

Celebrate with us! The Kasua people in the Western Province of Papua New Guinea (PNG) now have the New Testament in their own language!

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(Kasua New Testament Celebration in Papua New Guinea at the end of October)

Thank you for loving our family so tangibly; your faithfulness is a joy and encouragement to us! God is faithful and his love endures forever. He never changes even though our circumstances might change constantly. Thank you for praying for us when we serve in PNG and while we are here during our Home Assignment. Since we arrived in the United States (US) two months ago, we have had the privilege of formally speaking on four different occasions, two of those at our partnering churches; and we have also shared informally with many of you. Thank you for listening to our story!

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(Kassia; Matthias likes bread!)

We are encouraged because in the last month some of YOU have decided to partner with us financially on a monthly basis and through one time gifts. Lord willing, we plan to return to our ministry in PNG in July 2018. However, for that to happen, we must have 100% of the monthly financial budget that Wycliffe requires before we will be released to return. Would you like to partner with us? If so, click here. We will need $826 more per month to reach our ministry budget prior to our return. Would you please pray with us now that God will raise up new partners for our ministry so that we can return? We know He is able!

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We need to increase our ministry income by:
$826 per month

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Our time here in the US is coming to an end and, Lord willing, we will travel to Colombia at the end of this month. The kids will start school in Bogota at the beginning of January and Johanna will begin teaching at the school our children will attend. Thanks for praying as we transition. We are looking forward to meeting Johanna’s niece’s baby (Tommy) who was born yesterday!

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(Lukas with his favorite animal at the Fort Worth Zoo; Baby Tommy – one day old!)

Blessings and Love,
Johanna for Kurt, Kassia, Lukas, and Matthias too!

Friday, November 10, 2017

{Metzger Ministry Update} November 2017 | "Faster Internet"

Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus. - Philippians 4:6-7 (NLT)

Dear Loved Ones,

Thank you for your continued prayers and encouragement. We started this month out by sharing about our ministry twice already! Thanks to those who have listened to us either in a group setting or in person. God has used YOU, our partners, to love on us during this home assignment time.

(Send us an email if you’d like a high-res copy of our new prayer card!)

Praise God that after two years of planning, running fiber-optic cables, and installing wireless links, our new faster internet connection is online in Ukarumpa! It will allow better communication between translators and consultants working in Papua New Guinea (PNG) with those working remotely. It will also allow us to stay better connected with our families, friends, and ministry partners in our home countries.

My coworker, Andrew Campbell, and I (Kurt), worked closely with a technician from the new internet provider. He shared that during university he and his classmates went to our center, Ukarumpa, to attend Bible camps. Because of his familiarity and positive experience with our organization he made it a priority to get us connected. While this new connection is still probably slower than the internet you have in your homes, it is a huge improvement for us! Thank you for praying for me and the rest of the IT team as we worked toward this new internet connection!

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(visiting with family: Kurt with his brother Eric; Matthias with grandpa “Mel/Miguel” and cousin Miguel)

Each month we are humbled by your generosity in your partnership with us. We are encouraged because in the last month we received one time gifts that help towards reaching our goal. Lord willing, we plan to return to our ministry in PNG in July 2018. However, for that to happen, we must have 100% of the monthly financial support that Wycliffe requires before we will be released to return. Would you like to partner with us? If so, click here. We will need $1,000 more per month prior to our return. Would you please pray with us now that God will raise up new partners for our ministry so that we can return? We know He is able!

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We need to increase our support by:

$1,000 per month

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Blessings and Love,

Kurt for Johanna, Kassia, Lukas, and Matthias too!

Wednesday, November 01, 2017

Wycliffe Ministry Partnership Invitation

You are so important to us! We invite you to partner with us financially so that we can return to Papua New Guinea in July 2018. We are only lacking 11 ministry partners that are able to give $100 per month or 22 that are able to give $50. We trust that God will provide! Your faithfulness in helping to fund and pray for our Wycliffe ministry is such an encouragement and joy to us.

– Kurt, Johanna, Kassia, Lukas & Matthias

PS – Please email us, we'd love to send you our family picture for 2017!

Friday, October 13, 2017

{Metzger Ministry Update} October 2017 | "Transitions"

“In the future, foreigners who do not belong to your people Israel will hear of you. They will come from distant lands because of your name, for they will hear of your great name and your strong hand and your powerful arm." - 1 Kings 8:41-42a

Dear Friends and Family,

Again and again, thank you for your love and care for our family. We know that we would not be able to do our work in Papua New Guinea (PNG) if it wasn’t for your faithful partnership with us! Thanks also for praying for us as we traveled from PNG to the United States (via Australia). We arrived about a week and half ago and are starting to get a little settled. Our travels went remarkably well and we have truly sensed your prayers as we get over jetlag (15 hour difference). God is faithful!

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It has been wonderful to be able to see many friends and family in the last couple of weeks. We had the privilege of meeting Kurt’s dad’s wife (as you might remember Kurt’s mom passed away over 11 years ago and he remarried this year). Johanna’s parents arrived in the US after we did and that has been a gift to us as well! We were generously welcomed by our home church family as they overfilled our pantry for our arrival. Thank you, Faith Bible Church, we are humbled by your generosity and love for us.

The kids are adjusting and though they miss PNG they are also enjoying spending time with family and friends. They have already gone fishing, swimming, shopping and even to the Texas State Fair! Please continue to pray for our family as we transition and begin our speaking engagements. At the end of October, we will attend the Wycliffe Connection as a family. We are excited and blessed to attend as this is a re-entry program that will greatly benefit us!

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Lord willing, we plan to return to our ministry in PNG in July 2018. However, for that to happen, we must have 100% of the monthly financial support that Wycliffe requires before we will be released to return. Would you like to partner with us? If so, you can give online at http://bit.ly/wycliffeusa. We will need $1,073 more per month prior to our return. Would you please pray with us now that God will raise up new support for our ministry so that we can return? We know He is able!

Blessings and Love, Johanna for Kurt, Kassia, Lukas, and Matthias too

Wednesday, August 02, 2017

{Metzger Ministry Update} August 2017 | "Home Assignment"

And since we are his children, we are his heirs. In fact, together with Christ we are heirs of God’s glory. But if we are to share his glory, we must also share his suffering. - Romans 8:17 (NLT)

Dear Loved Ones,

Thank you for lovingly praying and encouraging our family. Thanks also for praying for Kurt’s knee as it has been recovering from surgery in January. His knee is healing nicely and Kurt has been able to play sports again. Praise the Lord!

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We also praise the Lord for His timing and provision for us to go to the United States and Colombia for our Home Assignment. Lord willing, we will be arriving in the US this coming October. Thank you for your prayers and faithful financial support. We could not do our work in Papua New Guinea without YOU, our partners!

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(from top: Lukas; Matthias with a friend)

The kids have started their first term of school (until mid-September) and are really enjoying it. Kurt will continue to work as the Network Manager and Johanna will be involved with the Adult Literacy Project until we leave Ukarumpa. Please pray for our family as we begin to pack and get ready for transitioning back to the US and to Colombia. We hope/pray to be back in PNG for the start of school in July of 2018.

Now we are really starting to look forward to seeing many of YOU!

Love from cold, rainy Ukarumpa,
Kurt and Johanna (for Kassia, Lukas and Matthias too)

Sunday, June 11, 2017

{Metzger Ministry Update} June 2017 | "Nukna Dedication"

And you must commit yourselves wholeheartedly to these commands that I am giving you today. Repeat them again and again to your children. Talk about them when you are at home and when you are on the road, when you are going to bed and when you are getting up. – Deuteronomy 6:6-7 (NLT)

Dear Friends and Family,

We praise God for the dedication of Luke and Acts in the Nukna language last month. Hundreds of people came from many villages, there was singing and dancing, feasting, speeches, and lots of praise to God. We rejoice with our friends Matt and Christy Taylor who work among the Nukna people of Papua New Guinea.

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(The Nukna people celebrate the dedication of Luke and Acts)

Kassia finished 6th grade this month and will be starting middle school in July, Lukas completed 3rd grade and will be starting 4th grade in July, and  Matthias finished kindergarten this month and will be starting 1st grade in July. We thank God that our kids can attend Ukarumpa International School (UIS) and for the amazing teachers they are privileged to have!

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Thank you for your partnership with our ministry and family here in Papua New Guinea (PNG). We are grateful for your faithful prayers, encouragement and financial support! Lord willing, we are praying/hoping to go on Home Assignment in less than 4 months and we are really starting to look forward to seeing YOU, our partners and family in Christ. Thanks to those of you who have been giving for us to be able to buy our tickets. This is the last month that we will be receiving funds specifically designated to buy our tickets through our Launch Account. On a separate note—not on the check—please write “Kurt and Johanna Metzger Launch Expense Account 71 – 285553” (send a check to the usual Wycliffe address below). After June, please designate all funds to our main Wycliffe account.

Blessings,
Johanna (and for Kurt, Kassia, Lukas, and Matthias)

Monday, April 24, 2017

{Metzger Ministry Update} April 2017 | "Exciting Changes"

Jesus looked at them intently and said, “Humanly speaking, it is impossible. But not with God. Everything is possible with God.” – Mark 10:27 (NLT)

Dear Loved Ones,

We are grateful to God for His lovingkindness and faithfulness to us. Truly, His mercies are new every morning!

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(Lukas and Kassia)

Kurt and I (Johanna) have prayed and asked God to direct us in our time serving here in Papua New Guinea (PNG). We have felt led to become a part of the Aitape West Translation Project (AWTP) part-time. The AWTP is a multi-language Bible translation and literacy project that includes 11 languages and dialects that are spoken west of the town of Aitape in Sandaun Province in northwestern PNG. It seems to us as though we have been part of this team for years, ever since 2006, when we first met Ben and Mandy in the United States (Ben is the leader of the AWTP team). We have told you about them in many of our previous updates and they are some of our precious friends. Kurt first went to the village they work, Arop, in 2011 to install their VSAT satellite internet system. And last year (2016) he was also there helping Beth Fuller (a Scripture Use specialist with AWTP) install an electric solar panel system for her house.

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(AWTP translation center)

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(AWTP Final consultant checking of Titus & Philemon in 10 languages)

See videos of the AWTP ministry here:
Pehrsons in Papua New Guinea
God Calls National Translators
Arop: Sacrifice, Tragedy, Transformation

Please pray for us as Kurt works with AWTP as one of their project managers and helps them in developing partnerships. Pray also as his main role will continue to be the Information and Communication Technology Manager here in Ukarumpa, serving all of SIL in PNG.

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(from top: Matthias lost his first tooth; Johanna and Kassia)

We are always humbled by YOU, our partners, as you faithfully pray for us and encourage us month by month. Lord willing, we are praying/hoping to go on Home Assignment in less than 6 months and we are really starting to look forward to seeing YOU, our partners and family in Christ. Thanks to those of you who have been giving for us to be able to buy our tickets. We have set up a special Launch Account (send a check to the usual Wycliffe address below). On a separate note—not on the check—please write “Kurt and Johanna Metzger Launch Expense Account 71 – 285553”.

Love from cloudy Ukarumpa,
Johanna (and for Kurt, Kassia, Lukas, and Matthias)

Friday, March 17, 2017

{Metzger Ministry Update} March 2017 | "Pray Continually"

Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. - 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

Dear Loved Ones,

Thank you for your faithful prayers and encouragement for our family. Kurt continues to enjoy his work at the Communication and Technical Services here in Ukarumpa. His job enables our colleagues to do their tasks, both expatriate and Papua New Guineans, and also those involved directly in translating the Scriptures and support workers (like us) who in many ways help the translators. Kurt’s knee continues to heal and we are SO grateful to God for that and for your faithful prayers.

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(Lukas at the school book fair; Kassia at the Living Museum)

I (Johanna) very much enjoyed helping teach the Adult Tok Pisin Literacy Course that ended in December of last year. I am now helping my Dutch friend (and the main teacher of the course) organize a curriculum to train Papua New Guinean teachers so that they can teach the Adult Literacy Course themselves, in their villages.

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(from top: Johanna teaching at the literacy course; Adult Tok Pisin Literacy Course graduation)

God’s love never fails and His mercies are new every morning, to God be the glory! Please pray for our marriage to remain strong in Christ and for wisdom and love as we parent Kassia, Lukas and Matthias.

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(Matthias with his friend Noel)

Home assignment is a time for us to re-connect with our partners and family after being on the field for several years. Thanks to those of you who have already started giving for us to be able to buy our tickets. If you would like to help us purchase our tickets for our home assignment, we have set up a special Launch Account (send a check to the usual Wycliffe address). On a separate note—not on the check—please write “Kurt and Johanna Metzger Launch Expense Account 71 – 285553”.

Love and blessings,
Johanna and Kurt (and for Kassia, Lukas, and Matthias)

Wednesday, February 15, 2017

{Metzger Ministry Update} February 2017 | "Financial Update"

"You are the light of the world—like a city on a hilltop that cannot be hidden. No one lights a lamp and then puts it under a basket. Instead, a lamp is placed on a stand, where it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your good deeds shine out for all to see, so that everyone will praise your heavenly Father." – Matthew 5:14-16 (NLT)

We are so blessed to have many of you as part of our amazing partnership team! Together, we are more than 500 individuals and families, all praying for and supporting the Bible translation work going on in Papua New Guinea. Of those, 59 of you are giving recurring or one-time gifts for our Wycliffe ministry. We also wanted to thank you for praying for Kurt’s knee surgery and his recovery. It has been 3 weeks since the procedure and he is recuperating well. We are blessed beyond measure by your prayer support and encouragement and love.

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(Kassia, Lukas and Matthias)

The ministry of Wycliffe Bible Translators is unique and is funded by those who believe in its vision of reaching all the people of the world with God's life changing Word. Wycliffe has carefully produced a budget for members to cover the cost of living and working here in Papua New Guinea. We are currently lacking about $1,500/month in financial support and the shortfall in funds has been made evident due to unplanned for expenses this term on the field. We invite you to invest in Bible translation through partnering with us in our Wycliffe ministry by giving financially, encouraging us, and/or advocating on our behalf.

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(Matthias loves his mom!; It’s rainy season here in Ukarumpa and that means MUD!)

Home assignment is a time for us to re-connect with our partners and family after being on the field for several years. If you would like to help us purchase our tickets for our home assignment, we have set up a special Launch Account (send a check to the usual Wycliffe address below). On a separate note—not on the check—please write “Kurt and Johanna Metzger Launch Expense Account 71 – 285553”.

With much gratitude,

Johanna and Kurt (for Kassia, Lukas, and Matthias too!)

PS - If you are interested in helping with some of our immediate needs, Johanna’s niece has setup a GoFundMe campaign.


Wycliffe accepts tax-deductible contributions by mail or online at www.wycliffe.org. If by mail, please use the address below and include a separate note indicating, "Preference for the Wycliffe ministry of Kurt and Johanna Metzger, Account #285553." You may call 1-800-WYCLIFFE or visit http://bit.ly/wycliffeusa if you would like to set up automatic electronic payments. Each gift will be acknowledged with a tax-deductible receipt.

Please make checks payable to:

Wycliffe Bible Translators

PO Box 628200

Orlando, FL 32862-8200

Phone: 1-800-WYCLIFFE (1-800-992-5433)

E-mail: info.usa@wycliffe.org

(Wycliffe is a non-profit religious organization and a charter member of the Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability).