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 10 2019 | Thank you for your prayers!

"For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms." – Ephesians 6:12 (NIV)

Thank you for standing with us in prayer and lifting us to the Father of heaven who has conquered death and has won the victory over Satan and the spiritual forces of evil. We have sensed your prayers in the last few months as we have felt spiritual oppression. Thank God we are covered by the blood of Christ and no weapon formed against us will prosper (Isaiah 54:17).

(Kassia | Grade 9)

 
Last month Kurt assumed the role of department manager for the SIL PNG Communication and Technical Services Department as the previous manager had to leave suddenly due to family health issues. Also in September, he began helping the Aitape West Multi-Language Translation Project (AWTP) as a Project Manager helping with administrative tasks and funding initiatives. Aitape is located in the Sandaun Province of Papua New Guinea (PNG).

(Lukas | Grade 6)

Johanna has started teaching Social Studies to the students in grades 2 and 3 at the Primary Campus here in Ukarumpa. She is teaching them about Colombia this school term and really enjoys doing that.

(Matthias | Grade 3)

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

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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 08 2019 | 15 Years!

Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. Seek his will in all you do, and he will show you which path to take. - Proverbs 3:5-6 (NLT)

Dear loved ones,

Thank you for praying for us and faithfully partnering with our ministry and family all the way from the United States, Colombia, and other parts of the world. God provides for us through YOUR generosity!

(Our family on a recent trip to Madang on the North coast)

(Matthias' first day of Grade 3)

We praise God for what He is doing around the world and also in our lives and the lives of our children. In July, Kassia began grade 9, Lukas grade 6, and Matthias grade 3. They love their teachers!

We give God the glory for allowing us to serve with Wycliffe for the last 15 years. Today we celebrate that Matthias (our youngest) is turning 9 years old. How time flies and how faithful our Lord is!

(Kurt and Kassia)

(Kurt and Johanna)

Please continue to pray for our families that are in the United States, Colombia, and Russia!
Love from 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–February 2019 | Weariness and Rest

Then Jesus said, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy to bear, and the burden I give you is light.” - Matthew 11:28-30 (NLT)

Dear Loved Ones,

Thank you for your continued encouragement for our family and ministry as we live and serve in Papua New Guinea (PNG).

This year is going quickly and we have been busy. Kurt has recently been working with PNG DataCo (the operators of the national telecom transmission network) to bring fiber optic cable from the nearby town of Kainantu to Aiyura valley. Our datacentre here in Ukarumpa will host the distribution hub for internet services to other valley communities and entities, such as Aiyura National High School, a national agricultural institute and the local level government offices.

(Kurt and I celebrating our 19th wedding anniversary; Lukas)

I (Johanna) have been helping in Grade 2 (Matthias’s class) two times a week which I very much enjoy. Lukas continues to like playing the baritone and he is learning to give speeches in Grade 5. Kassia, Grade 8, is very busy in school and this term she is playing soccer and loving it!
Please let us know how we can pray for YOU. If you would, please specifically pray for the health of our family. We’ve had lots of colds in the last couple of months. I have shingles and my immune system is weak. However we are very thankful for our clinic here and the doctor that prescribed antivirals that are already working.

(Matthias opening a coconut; Kassia with a frog)

Praise God that Kurt's father, Ron, and step-mom, Jane, were able to visit, encourage and distribute New Testaments to the Carapana community of South Eastern Colombia, last week. The Ron and Lois Metzger family worked with the Carapana for many years in a translation project and have not been able to visit since 1993 because of subversives in the area.

(Kassia scores a goal over the keeper; Kurt's family in one of the Carapana communities in Colombia)

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

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Metzger Ministry Update - January 2019 | Only by God's Grace!

Each time he said, “My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness.” So now I am glad to boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ can work through me. - Corinthians 12:9 (NLT)

Happy New Year 2019! Thank you for your faithfulness in loving our family during 2018. Your words of encouragement, prayers and generosity have been evident. 

This month we celebrate 12 years since we arrived in Papua New Guinea (PNG). Kassia was 2 years old the day we landed in this country and she will turn 14 this week. Kurt and I will also celebrate 19 years of marriage this month and at the end of the month Lukas will turn 11. All of this has happened only by God's grace!

 

 

(pictures from top: Kurt and Johanna - 19 years ago; Kassia and Johanna; Matthias; Lukas)

God is faithful and we are so grateful for the joyous times as well as the hard times that made us depend more on Him and His grace. He is the one that enables us each and every day as we continue to minister here, parent our children, and grow as a couple.

Love from 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 - September 2018 | 1,000 and 100

So now there is no condemnation for those who belong to Christ Jesus. 2 And because you belong to him, the power of the life-giving Spirit has freed you[b] from the power of sin that leads to death. - Romans 8:1 (NLT)

Dear Loved Ones,

We have been back in Papua New Guinea (PNG) for over a month and a half and praise the Lord for that. His mercies are new every morning and His faithfulness lasts forever!

{pictures: Kassia recently won a regional HS Touch Rugby tournament with the UIS girls; Matthias love crafts}

On August 12th of this year in Uganda, the Keliko people celebrated the completion of their New Testament! It's the 1,000th New Testament Wycliffe and SIL International have had the privilege to help facilitate. Please join us in praising God for this milestone!

100 years ago in Cameron
Townsend’s diary he committed
his life to translating
the Scripture into local languages
and reaching the
people for Christ. This
commitment later resulted
in the formation of the
Summer Institute of Linguistics,
and then Wycliffe
Bible Translators.

The kids started school on July 18th and will soon finish their first term (there are four terms per school year here). Kassia is in 8th grade, Lukas in 5th, and Matthias in 2nd. They love being back in PNG with their friends and wonderful teachers! God is good and His character never changes.

{pictures: Lukas loves our cat Mittens; Johanna enjoying fellowship with friends from South America here in Ukarumpa}

Please pray for Kurt who has been busy at work. The power supply for the entire Ukarumpa datacenter failed last weekend (September 1st and 2nd) and he had to work long hours trying to figure out what was happening. All of our servers, networking and internet were off! He is still tired this week as he and his co-worker are trying to rebuild and restore everything that broke during the failure. Pray also for Kassia who has a busy schedule this year, that God would hold her hand each day. She is in choir, band (plays clarinet), Soul Purpose band (for the youth at church) and doing sports after school (this term she is playing Touch Rugby). Lukas loves being in his first year of band playing the baritone, pray for him too. Matthias is learning how to read more fluently so please pray as he strengthens both his reading skills in Spanish and English. Johanna is teaching our kids (Mother Tongue Studies MTS/Spanish) about 4 hours a week and helping out at their school one morning in Grade 3.

Love to you from sunny Ukarumpa,
Kurt and Johanna Metzger (for Kassia, Lukas)

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Metzger Ministry Update - August 2018 | Safe Return

Not to us, O Lord, not to us, but to your name goes all the glory for your unfailing love and faithfulness. - Psalm 115:1 (NLT)

Dear Friends and Family,

Thank you for your love, encouragement, giving, and prayers. We would not be able to do our work here in Papua New Guinea (PNG) if it wasn't for your partnership with our ministry! Thanks for praying for us as we traveled back to PNG in July. We have been in Ukarumpa for 3 weeks and are slowly getting settled.

(Our family traveling back to Ukarumpa in July)

The kids started school a couple of weeks ago and on that same day, Kurt went back to work at the Communication and Technical Services Department as the Network Services Manager. He enjoys being back at his job. Johanna has been unpacking and organizing our house as well as making food from scratch (such as granola, yogurt), doing laundry, etc. We thank God that we are back "home" but we ask you to pray as we are still in transition. Please pray also for good health for our family as Kassia sprained her ankle today at school and we have been experiencing some sickness since we returned.

(Enjoying our last days with Johanna’s family in Bogota, Colombia)

We thank God that we have been able to return to our ministry in PNG and we also thank Him for the friends that welcomed us back who have become like family in the last 11 and half years since we first came to this country.

Thank you also for helping us make some wonderful memories while we were in the United States and in Colombia during the last 10 months (and in Australia passing through). We thank the Lord for that special time!

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

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Metzger Ministry Update - July 2018 | Transition

I trust in the Lord for protection. So why do you say to me, "Fly like a bird to the mountains for safety!" - Psalm 11:1 (NLT)

Dear Friends and Family,

Thank you for praying for us; and through your prayers, carrying us through the last 10 months of home assignment. We have loved being in the United States and in Colombia with many of you and will take many memories with us to Papua New Guinea (PNG).

(With family enjoying Colombia’s run in the World Cup)

This week we read a testimony of a Papua New Guinean Bible translator. Michael said:

I am so grateful that we now have access to many books of the Bible translated into our language. Reading and studying God’s Word in Seimat enables me to understand it so that I can share it with others. My desire is for many more Seimat people to get to know the truth and experience God’s direction and power in their lives so that they can stand firm in Christ. Especially in the presence of some spiritual influence and teachings that sometimes mislead people and they become double-minded or unstable in faith. It is hard for me when that happens. I pray that God’s Word translated into Seimat would change the hearts and thinking of my people.

Yes! This is why we want to return to PNG. The reason we are willing to make the sacrifices of leaving family, going through another major life transition, and facing uncertainties in many areas is to see people understanding God's Word, allowing it to transform their lives, and sharing it with others.

(Celebrating Johanna’s niece’s high school graduation; Early morning in Ukarumpa – photo by Karen Weaver)

Please pray for us as we begin our return trip to PNG this week. Lord willing, we will arrive in Ukarumpa (where our home is) on July 11th.

Love from Bogota,
Kurt and Johanna Metzger

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