Pig Illustrations, Host Country Situation, Kids And Coworkers

Pig illustrations to Communicate Truth

When we first moved in among the dear P. nation, they were mainly hunters and gatherers. However, some of them mentioned how they would like to raise their own pigs. So we came up with a plan and helped them get some, and in time many of them came to have their own little herd. They didn’t pen them up during the day however, but rather let them lose on the plains to find their own food. The people had no way of feeding them and there were plenty of wild roots out there for them to dig up. So they herded them out to different spots where there were lots of roots. And it was interesting that as they got to know the characteristics of these animals better and better, the teachers of God’s Word began to use different illustrations about them more and more!

Pigs, and the Coming of the Lord

For example, Doidamo got up one day and was teaching on the return of Christ. He was talking about how there are so many believers scattered all over the earth in many different plains, jungles and woods. And then he said something like this: “Just as the pig herder goes out into different plains and woods to gather all his pigs from all over the place and put them safely in the pen, so also in the same way Jesus will suddenly come with great power and gather all His people together from all the different woods and plains, and put them safely into Heaven.”

Pigs, and Believers being alert

Another time Dago got up and challenged the believers to be more alert in their lives. He told them something like this: “We believers are often just like pigs. And what do pigs do? Well, they go out into the plains and woods thinking only about living and about food. They don’t go being alert. They don’t go being watchful but rather go thinking only about the para and yipe roots. It is like they go without proper thinking. When they ought be aware, when they ought to remember that there are many dangerous cats and venom-having snakes out there, they go like those having no capacity to think. They should eat being alert but no, they go thinking only about food. And so what has happened? Have some of them been bitten? Have some been attacked and killed? Yes, they have. And look, we too can be attacked by the one who opposes us. We too can be as if bitten by sin, for we live in a dangerous place. Therefore we can’t live being like pigs but must live always being alert, living with our eyes wide open, living thinking about the true Word.”

Bible Curriculum

And so, as we continue to work on developing more Bible Curriculum for the P. believers, we want to always contextualize the message and package it in such a way that everything is really making sense to them. Whether it means including illustrations about pigs, snakes, shooting with bows and arrows, etc. we want to put these lessons together in such a way that it really communicates in a meaningful way with them. “Faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God”. That is, faith comes by hearing and truly understanding the message. And so we want to do all we can to insure effective communication and deep understanding as we carry on to provide these beloved saints with more spiritual resource material.

A Part of the Team

These four families are just a few of those who make up the pastoral team among the P. people. Look at them! Remember them! And please pray for them!

Here below is one of the many village churches gathering together:

More Praise and Prayer Items

—we did not travel down to our Host Country to see our beloved brethren as things continue to get worse there. However, we are resting in our LORD about this and trusting Him for an opportunity when He opens the door. We’ll see what He has up His sleeve. Thanks for praying about this with us.
—during this past Dry Season, our coworkers were able to get out to see the believers on quite a number of occasions, encouraging them in the Word, and taking them items like soap, fish hooks, fish line, garden seed, and other things that they are desperately in need of.
—thanks for your ongoing prayers for our national coworkers as they continue to live and work inside this broken country.
—thanks for your continued prayers for the P. believers too. Pray that they will continue to walk in the Spirit, and allow the gifts that the Spirit has given them to flourish and blossom for His glory, even in the midst of all the adversity.
—praise the Lord that my new eye continues to improve and that so far there is no rejection of the new part!! Thanks for praying for no rejection!
—praise for God’s provision of a different vehicle for our coworkers who had the car accident.

Thanks again so very much for your partnering with us. We are indeed thankful for the ongoing opportunities to serve the P. believers by preparing additional resource material for them.