play in groups all around. An old man in a traditional wrap-around skirt
lingers nearby, curious but not wanting to stare. And inside the cooking
hut, all is silent.
A note on the chalkboard (ironically intended for illiterates) reads: "I
have a talk for you. Do not write on the chalkboard during non-literacy
class times. And also do not make damaging marks on the board. These
behaviors are not good, do not do them. That is my talk."
The teachers' hands shake as they begin to describe how the class will go.
Yet through the nervousness there is an air of confident enthusiasm that
will build as the class progresses.
18 students are huddled together, teenagers and adults, hearing for the
first time in their language the principles of reading left to write, top to
bottom. They practice holding their pencils loosely. They write straight
lines, circles and zig-zags on their pages, complaining between completed
lines about how cramped their hands feel.
Adam and I sit back and watch, content to be just observers. We're watching
the 3 teachers we trained as they do it all, and we know they'll do a great
job for the entire 3-month-long class.
Please join with us in praying for these teachers (Gelio [GAY-lee-oh], Pawus
[PAH-woos], Toni [Toe-knee]) and students, and also for the following
requests:
-Our airstrip, damaged after multiple strong earthquakes in July, is still
not repaired. Please pray for the repairs to be completed soon so that our
regular way in and out of the bush is open once again.
-Adam has reached the halfway mark of Bible lessons that need to be written
for the upcoming evangelistic teaching. Praise the Lord for the progress
he's made, and please pray for the second half still to be written.
-Our co-workers the Warners are diligently plugging away in language and
culture study, and they will have their first official evaluation in October
or November. Please pray for their minds to absorb all the information
they're trying to process day after day.
-I (Julie) continue on in Bible translation, and am working with 2 married
couples as my helpers. Please pray for the newest couple, Lukas and Watlo,
as they're still being trained how to help me translate.
-Our other co-workers the Colemans are still on a medical furlough in the US
and have seen no real improvement in Ryan's health. Please pray for healing
for him.
-Adam's father, who has been chronically ill for several years, is currently
fighting a very serious infection on top of his other illnesses. Please
pray that he would respond to the iv antibiotics soon.
-Please pray for village-wide interest in the upcoming Bible lessons. In
the near future we'll begin weekly Monday morning "teasers" to increase
curiosity in the teaching we still hope to begin in January.
Thanks to each of you for joining with us in this work through prayer!
All because of what Christ did,
Adam & Julie Martin
Akolet Tribe
Papua New Guinea
