Metzger Ministry Update | "Bible Sunday Celebration 2019"

So, my dear brothers and sisters, be strong and immovable. Always work enthusiastically for the Lord, for you know that nothing you do for the Lord is ever useless. - 1 Corinthians 15:58 (NLT)

Dear loved ones,

Thank you for your encouragement and for the sacrifices you make to love our family through your prayers and partnership.

We are celebrating with the Gumawana people of Papua New Guinea (PNG) who dedicated the New Testament in their language this month. Praise God with us! We also celebrated as a community, on

Sunday, all the Scripture portions produced by SIL translation teams in Papua New Guinea this last year. God truly is faithful!

(Gumawana New Testament Dedication in Milne Bay Province - SE PNG)

(Publications displayed at our 2019 Bible Sunday Celebration)

2019 Bible Sunday Celebration - Publication List
(Alphabetically by language group in each category) 

New Testaments
Gumawana NT - Milne Bay Province | Print and audio
Kandas NT - New Ireland Province | Print
Mato NT - Morobe Province | Print
Migabac NT - Morobe Province | Print and audio
Mussau-Emira NT - New Ireland Province | Print 

Scripture Books
Lote – East New Britain Province | Genesis
Sos Kundi - East Sepik Province | Jonah print and audio
Uni Ramo - Sandaun Province | Titus, Philemon, 1,2&3 John and Jude 

Audio Scriptures
Arop - Sandaun Province | 1&2 Peter and 1&2 Thessalonians audio
Bauni Barupu - Sandaun Province | 1&2 Peter and 1&2 Thessalonians audio
Bauni Pou - Sandaun Province | 1&2 Peter and 1&2 Thessalonians audio
Binumarien - Eastern Highlands Province | Mark audio
Gadsup - Eastern Highlands Province | OT portions audio
Gapapaiwa - Milne Bay Province | NT audio
Halia - Autonomous Region of Bouganville | Mark audio
Kala Laugui - Morobe Province | Mark audio
Madi - Madang Province | Mark audio
Malol - Sandaun Province | 1&2 Peter and 1&2 Thessalonians audio
Nyindrou - Manus Province | NT audio
Onnele Goiniri - Sandaun Province | 1&2 Peter and 1&2 Thessalonians audio
Onnele Romei Barera - Sandaun Province | 1&2 Peter and 1&2 Thessalonians audio
Pele-Ata - West New Britain | NT audio
Sissano - Sandaun Province | 1&2 Peter and 1&2 Thessalonians audio
Sursurunga - New Ireland Province | NT audio 

Scriptures in Film
Nali - Manus Province | Luke Video
Siar Lak - New Ireland Province | Jesus Film

Kurt most recently has been working on rebuilding and upgrading multiple application; file, network control and web servers, that he was involved with building nearly 10 years ago, because soon the operating system software on those servers will be unsupported.

(Johanna teaching Social Studies about Colombia; Lukas and Matthias selling their crafts at Craft Fair; Kassia and Kurt on our way to Church)

Please pray for the health of our family as we were quite sick last month with a nasty cold that lingered for several weeks. Thank the Lord we are feeling better now! Pray also for spiritual protection for our family and community.

Love from sunny Ukarumpa,
Johanna and Kurt for Kassia, Lukas and Matthias too!

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Metzger Ministry Update 09 2019 | Rejoice with the Mato!

It is the same with my word. I send it out, and it always produces fruit. It will accomplish all I want it to, and it will prosper everywhere I send it. You will live in joy and peace. The mountains and hills will burst into song, and the trees of the field will clap their hands! - Isaiah 55:11

Dear Friends and Family,

Last month (August), the Mato people of Papua New Guinea (PNG) dedicated the New Testament in their language. We praise God for bringing His word to His people! We rejoice with them.

(The Mato people of Papua New Guinea receive the New Testament - photos by Susan Frey)

Thank you for praying and loving our family in tangible ways. The kids are almost done with the first term (of the four yearly terms) of school and are thriving. Kassia just finished Touch Rugby season and loved playing! Lukas continues to enjoy playing the baritone and likes being at the secondary campus in middle school. Matthias had a wonderful Sports day and loves his teacher.

(Kassia playing Touch Rugby; Lukas had "crazy hair day" at school; Matthias at Sports Day)

Kurt has been busy with many things as the Network Manager here in Ukarumpa. This month he and his co-workers ran fiber optic networking to the remote HF radio site that we use for communicating with translation teams in their village allocations.

Love from sunny and dry Ukarumpa,
Johanna and Kurt for Kassia, Lukas and Matthias too!

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Metzger Ministry Update 07 2019 | The Word became human!

"So the Word became human and made his home among us. He was full of unfailing love and faithfulness. And we have seen his glory, the glory of the Father’s one and only Son." - John 1:14 (NLT)

Dear Loved Ones,

Thank you for praying for our family and ministry as we live and serve here in Papua New Guinea (PNG).

(Steve and Debbie McEvoy opening the shipment of Migabac New Testaments here in Ukarumpa.)

We praise the Lord with Steve and Debbie McEvoy who are thankful for God’s faithfulness over the past 22 years as they’ve served Him among the Migabac people. The McEvoys write “We are so eager for July 26th when the Migabac people will hold God’s Word in their own hands and read his Good News in their own language!”. Please pray for the upcoming dedication of the Migabac New Testament and that people will use it both in its written and audio form.

(Kassia has finished Grade 8 and was awarded Ukarumpa International Middle School's Female Student of the Year, Sportswoman of the Year and Citizenship Award. Matthias completed Grade 2 with flying colors; now reading in both Spanish and English!)

(Lukas, pictured here on his last day at the primary campus of Ukarumpa International School, was awarded with the character trait of "Fearless" from his teachers for his work this year in Grade 5.)

Please keep praying for my (Johanna's) mom; that God would give wisdom to the family and the doctors regarding her health issues.

Thank you also for praying for us when our water tanks broke during the earthquake in May. Both tanks have been replaced and it has rained plenty so that they have filled up. Praise the Lord! Our claim forms have been filed with the insurance company to cover some of the costs of the new tanks, please pray that we will receive the reimbursement.

Love from rainy Ukarumpa,

Johanna and Kurt for Kassia, Lukas and Matthias too!

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Metzger Ministry Update - December 2018 | Scripture Celebrations

It is the same with my word. I send it out, and it always produces fruit. It will accomplish all I want it to, and it will prosper everywhere I send it. - Isaiah 55:11 (NLT)

Thank you for standing beside us through your faithful prayers for our ministry and family and through your inspirational financial partnership. God was faithful during this year of 2018 as we were able to spend the first half of the year in Colombia, during our home assignment, and the second half of the year we have been readjusting to being back here in Papua New Guinea (PNG). Thank you for being a very important part of what we do as we serve here!

(pictures from top: Lukas and Matthias selling crafts at our local Craft fair; Johanna and Kurt; Kassia playing in the middle school band concert)

As we celebrate Christmas and the gift of Jesus this year, we rejoice with our Papua New Guinean brothers and sisters that now have the gift of God’s word in a language that speaks to their hearts! In November, during our church service here in Ukarumpa, we celebrated all of the New Testaments, Scripture portions, one Jesus film, and audio recordings completed this year in Papua New Guinea. There were 41 different items (the list below follows the pattern of Language name (PNG Province) – scripture portion):

NEW TESTAMENTS

• Baruga (Oro Province) – New Testament + Audio Recording of the NT
• Binumarien (Eastern Highlands Province) – New Testament Revision + 5 OT books
• Doromu-Koki (Central Province) – New Testament + Audio Recording of the NT
• Menya (Morobe Province) – New Testament + Audio Recording of the NT

SCRIPTURE PORTIONS and AUDIO RECORDINGS

• Arop-Sissano (Sandaun Province) – 1&2 Timothy, Titus, Philemon + Audio Recording of 1,2,3 John and Jude
• Bauni Barupu (Sandaun Province) – 1&2 Timothy, Titus, Philemon + Audio Recording of 1,2,3 John and Jude
• Bauni Pou (Sandaun Province) – 1&2 Timothy, Titus, Philemon + Audio Recording of 1,2,3 John and Jude
• Edolo (Southern Highlands Province) – John
• Enga (Enga Province) – Matthew
• Gizrra (Western Province) – 12 Epistles
• Madi (Madang Province) – Mark
• Malol (Sandaun Province) – 1&2 Timothy, Titus, Philemon + Audio Recording of 1,2,3 John and Jude
• Nama (Western Province) – Mark + Audio Recording of Mark
• Nek (Morobe Province) – Esther, Ephesians, Colossians and Titus
• Onnele Goiniri (Sandaun Province) – 1&2 Timothy, Titus, Philemon + Audio Recording of 1,2,3 John and Jude
• Onnele Romei Barera (Sandaun Province) – 1&2 Timothy, Titus, Philemon
• Onnele Wolwale (Sandaun Province) – 1&2 Timothy, Titus, Philemon + Audio Recording of 1,2,3 John and Jude
• Sissano (Sandaun Province) – 1&2 Timothy, Titus, Philemon + Audio Recording of 1,2,3 John and Jude

ADDITIONAL LANGUAGES with AUDIO RECORDINGS

• Angor (Sandaun Province) – Audio Recording of Mark
• Bouni Sumo (Sandaun Province) – Audio Recording of 1,2,3 John and Jude
• Kombio-Yanimoi (East Sepik Province) – Audio Recording of Matthew and Jonah
• Kombio-Wampukuamp (East Sepik Province) – Audio Recording of Matthew and Jonah
• Lote (East New Britain) – Audio Recording of the NT
• Mangseng (West New Britain) – Audio Recording of the NT
• Misima (Milne Bay Province) – Audio Recording of 1&2 Samuel, Ezra, Ruth and parts of Genesis and Psalms
• Patpatar (New Ireland Province) – Audio Recording of the NT
• Ramoaaina (New Ireland Province) – Audio Recording of the NT
• Uni Ramo (Sandaun Province) – Audio Recording of 1,2,3 John and Jude

JESUS FILM

• Mouwase (Gulf Province) – Jesus Film

Love from Ukarumpa,

Johanna and Kurt for Kassia, Lukas and Matthias too!

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Metzger Ministry Update - October 2018 | Doromu-Koki NT

For God is not unjust. He will not forget how hard you have worked for him and how you have shown your love to him by caring for other believers, as you still do. - Hebrews 6:10 (NLT)

Dear friends and family,

Thank you for praying for us as we support Bible Translation here in Papua New Guinea (PNG). God is faithful and His character never changes. We thank Him for the privilege of being able to serve here in PNG. Thanks for the part you play in our family and ministry here. We could not do this without your prayers, giving, and love for us!

(Kassia; Lukas with his Grade 5 teacher; Matthias)

Praise God with us that on September 22nd the Doromu-Koki people of Papua New Guinea received the New Testament in their language for the first time! Pray that they will read and listen to the New Testament in their language and that they will hear from God and grow in their faith.

(Doromu-Koki celebrate the New Testament in their language; Kurt linking the remote radio via fiber optic cable)

Kurt has been busy these last several weeks. He was able to connect a remote radio for our aviation department via fiber optic cable (which will allow the ground staff to hear the pilots while they are flying), track down an issue that was causing devices on the center network to go off-line randomly, and work with other staff to lift, rotate and re-tune our 3.7 meter VSAT dish so that we could connect to another more reliable and cheaper satellite internet provider.

We don’t get letters or packages often; it’s expensive to send things around the world! That means they’re extra-special when they arrive. For anyone interested, here is our address:

Kurt and Johanna Metzger
SIL Box 1 (161)
Ukarumpa EHP 444
Papua New Guinea

Love from rainy Ukarumpa,
Johanna and Kurt for Kassia, Lukas, and Matthias too!

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{Metzger Ministry Update} March 2018 | The Menya Rejoice!

Yet I am confident I will see the Lord’s goodness while I am here in the land of the living. Wait patiently for the Lord. Be brave and courageous. Yes, wait patiently for the Lord. - Psalms 27:13-14 (NLT)

Dear Loved Ones,

We rejoice with the Menya people of Papua New Guinea (PNG) who dedicated their New Testament (NT), after more than 40 years of work, on February 23rd! We also praise God that the following language communities of Papua New Guinea will soon receive the New Testament in their heart language:

Baruga NT
Oro, Province, June 2018

Doromu-Koki NT
Central, Province, September 2018

Kandas (NITI), September 2018

(The Menya celebrate the NT Dedication after more than 40 years of work – photos by North Cady)

Almost There!

Thank you for your love and care for our family. Every month we are humbled by your generosity, encouragement, and support. 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! 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 http://bit.ly/wycliffeusa. We will need $124more per month to reach our ministry budget prior to our return. 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!

We need to increase our ministry income by: $124 per month

While here in Colombia, Kurt has been able to help my (Johanna’s) brother in law, Augusto, who is the main Pastor of the church Vida Bogota. He has been improving and maintaining the church office network and servers.

(Lukas and Kurt; with the kid’s cousins; Johanna and Kassia)

Please pray with us for my niece’s son Thomas. He is two months old and is undergoing medical testing to see why he has not gained much weight. We are so glad to be here during this time with our family!

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

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{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!

(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!

(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!

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

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!

(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!

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{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.

(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!

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)

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{Metzger Ministry Update} November 2016 | "Faithful"

"The grass withers and the flowers fade, but the word of our God stands forever.” - Isaiah 40:8 (NLT)

Dear Loved Ones,

Praise be to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! We marvel at his creation and its beauty. Below is a picture of Kurt’s orchids that bloomed this month. Thank you, Jesus for allowing us to enjoy what Your hands have made.

 
(Diplocaulobium chrysotropis)

We also thank God for you, our partners, who faithfully and generously minister to our family every month. Thank YOU! Please pray for us as we seek to raise Lukas, Kassia, and Matthias in a way that honors Jesus and that honors them.

(God is faithful! Today we celebrated these scriptures in print, audio and video format produced here in PNG in the last year.)

Pray with us for our friends Ben and Mandy Pehrson and their family and for our friend Beth Fuller. They are in the village in the Sandaun Province of Papua New Guinea (PNG) right now. They work with the Aitape West Translation Project (AWTP) and will be in the village for two weeks.

(from top: Kassia with Ellie Pehrson; Lukas; and Matthias with the roses he picked for mom)

Thanks again for your love and encouragement for our family as we serve here in PNG.

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

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{Metzger Ministry Update} September 2015 | "Pray for Rain"

Rejoice in the Lord your God! For the rain he sends demonstrates his faithfulness. Once more the autumn rains will come, as well as the rains of spring. – Joel 2:23 (NLT)

Dear Friends and Family,

Thank you for loving our family and faithfully praying for us and our ministry here in Papua New Guinea (PNG).

Kurt traveled to Lae (an important Port in PNG) the last week of August. He installed new networking equipment to improve the Regional Office's connection to the internet and the center managers were very grateful.

There are people from approximately 20 different countries in the Ukarumpa community where we live. We all work together in several capacities. It is important to learn how to understand our own culture and cultural biases so that we can better love others. This week and next, I (Johanna) will have the privilege of taking part in a Cultural Self Discovery Program taught here in Ukarumpa. This is a one-week workshop and I am looking forward to being one of the facilitators for this course.

(Johanna and Kassia)

We were excited this last week to hear from Kurt’s dad about the Bible translation project he has been working on for the past 15 years and would like to share a portion of his update with you!

"Well the day has finally arrived—at least one major mile stone has arrived! I remember way back in 1992 when my family and I were on furlough here in Dallas that I was called to the International Linguistic Center’s Printing Arts Department. I was told that an advanced copy of the Carapana New Testament had just arrived by airmail from Korea, and that I could see it when convenient. Needless to say, I immediately went over to see what it looked like. And I was not disappointed: it was beautiful in every way. Now, less than two weeks ago, I had the same experience! I was called over to the same building to get to see our second translation: The San Andres Islander Creole New Testament (ICE NT), and it is just as beautiful as the Carapana New Testament was in 1992. All glory goes to the Lord Jesus Christ! He is the one that ultimately made it all come together for both translations. And you my dear friends and family added your prayers, financial support, and other acts of encouragement in so many ways to this mix for so many years. Thank you very much!" - Ron Metzger

(from top to bottom: Kurt’s dad showing Johanna’s mom the completed ICE NT; Matthias’ 5^th birthday; Lukas)

Here in PNG we’ve been experiencing one of the most pronounced droughts in recent history. We usually rely only on rain water for drinking but our tanks are now mostly empty. Please pray for rain, and that the people of PNG would continue to have food to eat. Please also pray for wisdom as we consider how best to support those around us whose food sources are starting to dwindle.

(Smoke from grass fires has filled the sky over Ukarumpa recently)

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

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