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Shalom, dear all!
Thank you for faithfully praying for us. Three of the Level 1 passed the exam for the certificate last week. All the others will have to wait for me to come back in July or in August. Sabeth told me that she is getting a lot better in understanding the tailor’s ruler.
感謝您忠心地為我們禱告。上星期有三名第一級的學生通過了證書考試，其他人要等我七月或八月時回來再說了。
Living in PNG, we have to be always ready for something unexpected. Douglas was supposed to have an important on-line meeting with the board in the US at 8 a.m. last Wednesday. However, the network in Ambunti got cut off 12 hours before that. Without very much sleep at night, we got up very early, and took a 90 minutes boat ride to Pagwi, where people transfer between boats and trucks. Douglas had his meeting there and, at someone’s porch, he did the necessary office work that requires network. The unexpected trip to Pagwi disturbed our plan for the next few days. And later on, we were told that the network deficiency was caused by the run off of the fuel for the generator. No fuel, no power; and no power, no network.
生活在新幾內亞，必須時刻有心理準備有不可預料之事發生。上星期三早上八點鐘，道格拉斯必須與美國的理監事們開一場重要的會議。然而，在那之前的十二小時，安布恩提的網路斷線了。一夜無法成眠的我們，隔天一大早就起床，開船90分鐘到大家通常換車換船的地方，那地方叫作帕格維。我們借用別人家的門廊，讓道格拉斯開會，並且處理需要用到網路的工作。這個出乎意料地帕格維行程，打亂了我們接下來幾天的計畫。後來我們得知，網路不通是由於發電機的燃油用盡所造成的。沒有燃油就沒有電；沒有電就沒有網路。
This week, we had an unexpected trip to Pagwi again! We were to fly from Ambunti to Wewak on Tuesday, and was originally told that we were to be picked up by the plane first thing in the morning. However, it did not show up in the morning. And we were told that it would come at 3 p.m. And then, at 5 p.m. we got the news that the propeller of the plane was damaged while it was landing in a place called Black Water. The ground of the airstrip there was too wet, and the nose wheel of the plane dug into the soil. Praying for the plane and the pilot of Mission Aviation Fellowship, Douglas arranged people to take us by boat to Pagwi, and by car to Wewak on Wednesday as our flights that go Wewak- POM- Cairns (Australia) are on Thursday. Thanks to God that we managed to come to Wewak now. The driver was speeding for some reason and made the 6 hours mountain road journey into 3 hours that made Douglas throw up on the way and me feel spinning.
這個星期，我們又出乎意料地到帕格維一趟！原本我們是星期二要搭機從安布恩提到威瓦克，一剛開始的安排---是早上第一次飛行就要來接我們。等了很久，飛機早上沒有來。我們接到通知說飛機改到下午三點。等了又等，到了五點，我們接到消息，飛機在一個叫做布萊克瓦特的地方降落時，飛機跑道的泥土太軟，飛機前輪陷進土裡，螺旋槳損壞了。我們一邊為宣教飛行團契的飛機和飛行員禱告，道格拉斯一邊立刻聯絡人星期三開船送我們到帕格維及送我們到威瓦克的車輛。星期四我們得搭機從威瓦克到莫斯比再到澳洲的凱恩斯。感謝上帝，我們終究來到威瓦克了。不知道怎麼回事司機開車超快，六個小時的山路只花三個小時就趕完了，道格拉斯在半路上嘔吐了一陣，我也感到暈頭轉向。
We failed to go to Oum last Thursday. But we visited the PIM school in Dangeshen on Friday morning. It took a 2 hours boat ride to get there as the tide was high enough for the boat to sail all the way to the village. Or it could have taken another few hours walking and pushing the boat in the mud. There were 120 students from grade 1 to grade 3 in Dangeshen. We had seen some higher grades students rowing their canoes to school when we came. Douglas was asked to have a meeting with the board of the school, discussing the possibility of running more advanced grades in this school. And I was asked to give details about the sewing courses to the church women. They showed their interest in it, but I only allow them to have 2 women to come to the course at a time. There was a ceremony of paying bride price at the other side of the village. And that opened my eyes!!! It would take around 10 years to collect enough help and support from friends and relatives to be able to pay the bride price. And that is very important part of means for PNG people to build up their relationship network.
我們上週四沒能去歐烏姆。但是我們在週五早上參觀了丹格申的PIM小學。開船需要2個小時才能到達那裡，因為水位夠高，船可以一直航行到村莊。否則可能需要再走幾個小時，推著船在泥濘中走到村子。事實上，平衡感不好的我，在安布恩提還沒上船就已經摔了一身泥了。丹格申有120名一年級至三年級的學生。當我們來的時候，行船途中我們看到一些高年級的學生划著獨木舟到別處上學。道格拉斯被要求與學校董事會開會，討論在這所學校開設更高級年級的可能性。我被要求向教會婦女詳細介紹縫紉課程。她們對此表現出高度興趣，但我只允許她們每次推派兩名婦女參加課程。村子的另一邊正在舉行支付彩禮的儀式。這讓我大開眼界！！！他們大約需要花10年的時間才能從朋友和親戚那裡獲得足夠的幫助和支援，以便能夠支付彩禮。這是新幾內亞當地人建立關係網路的一個重要方式。
On the way back to Ambunti, the motor of the boat had some problem with the starter. And we had to be ashore at a very small village called Mariwai. That was where the founder of PIM, O’Neal and Martha Kooyer, first stayed when they came for the Bible translation in the East Sepik Province in 1961. I can’t imagine what it was like 62 years ago as it was hard for me to walk even with the help of Douglas. PIM started the school here just this year. The school was finished for the day. But the teacher, Carol, came to meet us up. There were 36 students, and the village was so small that there won’t be a new class in 3 years. Douglas likes to say, “Everything you do matters.” What O’Neal and Martha started in such a small and difficult place even before I was born has now influenced 4 generations of people in the entire enormous area. So that people like Carol can be well educated and come back to teach in a village where her mother tongue is spoken, and hopefully make the education in this area run in a positive cycle.
在回安布恩提的路上，船隻的馬達啟動器出了一些問題，我們得在一個名叫馬里外的小村莊上岸。PIM的創始人歐尼爾與瑪莎夫婦1961年初次到東希比克省從事聖經翻譯時，就是住在這裡。我很難想像六十二年前這裡是什麼景況，因為即使有道格拉斯的攙扶，我還是走路很有困難。PIM今年剛剛在此開辦了學校，我們到時已經放學了，卡蘿老師還是來跟我們見面。現在學校有36名學生，而這個村子實在太小了，要等三年後才會再招一班。道格拉斯喜歡說：「我們做的每件事都會帶來影響。」在我還沒出生前，歐尼爾與瑪莎就來這裡開始他們的服事，現在他們的事工已經影響整個廣大區域的四代人。因此，像卡蘿這樣的受教育者，可以回到講她母語的村莊任教，並且可以期待該地區的教育進入正向循環。
I am extremely sleepy at the moment, and supposed to hop on the early morning flight tomorrow. But I couldn’t wait to write this letter to you. Perhaps God would like to say something to your heart through it. Anyway, everything you do matters.
雖然現在非常愛睏，明天還要趕搭清晨的班機，但就是迫不及待要寫這封信給大家。也許上帝想透過它對您的心說些什麼吧！無論如何，我們做的每件事都會帶來影響。
Please remember us in your prayers.
敬請繼續在禱告中記念我們：
1. May God be in charge of the fuel crisis in PNG.
願上帝在新幾內亞的燃油危機中掌權。
2. The system problems of the bank used by PIM have not been solved yet, the staff of PIM in Wewak spend hours in the bank every week. PIM have to make fund transaction from the US to PNG several times a month. May God bless the fund wiring process.
PIM使用的銀行系統問題尚未能解決，PIM威瓦克中心的員工每個星期都要在銀行待好幾個小時。PIM每個月要從美國將數筆資金匯入新幾內亞，求神保守資金電匯的流程。
3. May God strengthen AOG Church in Malu and cease the fights among villages.
求神堅固馬露神召會，並止息部落間的械鬥。
4. May God give peace, wisdom and courage to the women who have been trained in the Level 1 and Level 2 sewing courses, so that they are able to run Dorcas Fellowship in their own churches.
願上帝賞賜足夠的平安、智慧與勇氣給受過第一級和第二級縫紉訓練的婦女，好使她們能夠在自己的教會持續多加團契的事工。
5. May God bless MAF (Mission Aviation Fellowship) in sorting their difficulties in manpower and aircrafts. (Especially for the pilot and the aircraft that are stuck in Black Water.)
願上帝保守MAF(宣教飛行團契)解決他們在人力和飛機方面的困難。(特別是目前在布萊克瓦特的飛行員與飛機)
6. Douglas and I are going to Australia, and stayed a week. May God bless our trip and work there. 道格拉斯和我將到澳洲一個星期，求神保守我們的行程及在那裏的工作。
7. May God heal Douglas’ swollen ankle.
願上帝治癒道格拉斯腫脹的腳踝。
8. My visa is due on July, 10th, and Douglas’ visa is due on June 14th. The application is in process. May God be in charge.
Sandy的簽證將於7月10日到期，道格拉斯的簽證將於6月14日到期。已經申請但尚未有結果。願上帝掌管一切。
9. May God take care of my old parents, grant them salvation, health, peace and joy.
願神看顧Sandy年邁的父母，賞賜他們救恩、健康、平安及喜樂。
All for Him
願神得榮耀
主內末肢
In Christ
Sandy
Line ID : sandytw2014
IG: chao.sandy.png
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