That's all folks! Moving platforms...

After 15 years of Ministry Updates on this blog we've decided to move all new content to our Facebook page as well as our monthly email updates. If you haven't done so already please follow us on Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/metzgerspng/

Or sign up for our email newsletter here:

https://mailchi.mp/dc9d8cbfa98e/metzgerministry

Thanks for being part of our team! Love, Kurt and Johanna

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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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