Mom & Dad Floating out of Awan on a Banana tree raft
Willie's House
Awan Village Welcoming Committee
Tuesday, July 8, 2008
Wednesday, July 2, 2008
Photo's are Finally Here
Crossing the Mighty Markham River in order to reach the village of Awan, Willie's Home!
Traditional Clay Pots cooking a Sunday Feast in Awan village.
Tuesday, July 1, 2008
Update Two...
We have been living and sleeping in the villages for the past week and a half experiencing the real PNG. It has been very challenging for us as well as enlightening about their daily life. We have been relatively healthy except for one day last week when I got violently sick for about one day. I only missed one speaking session and my dad did a great job filling in for me.
Mom & Dad have been mightily used in healing ministry here! They have seen many miracles of instant healing. Many deaf ears opened, sight restored , and much more.
The youth confereence was a great success. Many youth have received new vision and desire to pursue the call of God on their lives. It was a great time of sharing in ministry with other pastors from PNG. The office opening was also great. We have connected with alot of different ministries here and God has done alot of firsts while we are here. Firsts for them and firsts for us. The best thing though has been all of the friendships and relationships built. We have had many times of the rich presence of God under the mango trees in the villages at unscheduled times of God's desire to touch and bless the people here.
One more thing for now. One village, Guinaroo, has decided to donate a large portion of land to the vision of building a Bible School Here. This vision for a new Bible School to be opened in PNG was birthed back in CFNI with Willie and Scott and has grown. The donation of approx. 300 acres of land is a huge step forward and will be legalized in the coming months.
We are in PNG for one more day and then go to Australia for a few days before we return. We will try to post some photos and more details in a day or two. Thank you for all the prayers and support!
Mom & Dad have been mightily used in healing ministry here! They have seen many miracles of instant healing. Many deaf ears opened, sight restored , and much more.
The youth confereence was a great success. Many youth have received new vision and desire to pursue the call of God on their lives. It was a great time of sharing in ministry with other pastors from PNG. The office opening was also great. We have connected with alot of different ministries here and God has done alot of firsts while we are here. Firsts for them and firsts for us. The best thing though has been all of the friendships and relationships built. We have had many times of the rich presence of God under the mango trees in the villages at unscheduled times of God's desire to touch and bless the people here.
One more thing for now. One village, Guinaroo, has decided to donate a large portion of land to the vision of building a Bible School Here. This vision for a new Bible School to be opened in PNG was birthed back in CFNI with Willie and Scott and has grown. The donation of approx. 300 acres of land is a huge step forward and will be legalized in the coming months.
We are in PNG for one more day and then go to Australia for a few days before we return. We will try to post some photos and more details in a day or two. Thank you for all the prayers and support!
Tuesday, June 24, 2008
We've arrived and we're doing well...
We'll we've arrived and we're doing well. Communication has been a little harder to get to so this is our first post since being here.
We've had to cross a few rivers and mountians to get to our first sight but we've made it. So far we have had two churches that have never work together come together. At our second sight we had another six churches come together as well.
There has been a lot of "first" for them in ministry as well as our team but it's been great to see how God is bring us to new places in ministry.
Today we arrives at the youth conference. We are excited to see what's next and what God is going to do through us and the church.
Please keep praying for the team and the churches that we are working with.
Pictures will be coming soon once we get better communication lines.
We've had to cross a few rivers and mountians to get to our first sight but we've made it. So far we have had two churches that have never work together come together. At our second sight we had another six churches come together as well.
There has been a lot of "first" for them in ministry as well as our team but it's been great to see how God is bring us to new places in ministry.
Today we arrives at the youth conference. We are excited to see what's next and what God is going to do through us and the church.
Please keep praying for the team and the churches that we are working with.
Pictures will be coming soon once we get better communication lines.
Monday, June 9, 2008
One Week till Lift Off!
As the departure date grows closer there is a sense of excitement growing both here and in PNG! Here is the rough version of the schedule for those who want to keep up.
-The 19th & 20th of June will be arrival and greeting days with special ceremonies involving lots of tribal dancing and singing. All of this in the city of Lae
-The 21st & 22nd will be special church services in Markham involving baby & child dedications, possibly a marriage ceremony, and a special Sunday Communion service.
-Then it is off to the Western Highlands & Mount Hagen for the National Youth Conference the 23rd thru the 27th.
- The 28th thru July 2 will be back in Lae for the Grand Opening of the new District Church Offices & Leadership conference.
-The 19th & 20th of June will be arrival and greeting days with special ceremonies involving lots of tribal dancing and singing. All of this in the city of Lae
-The 21st & 22nd will be special church services in Markham involving baby & child dedications, possibly a marriage ceremony, and a special Sunday Communion service.
-Then it is off to the Western Highlands & Mount Hagen for the National Youth Conference the 23rd thru the 27th.
- The 28th thru July 2 will be back in Lae for the Grand Opening of the new District Church Offices & Leadership conference.
Tuesday, June 3, 2008
An Incredible Opportunity!
I have been asked to speak and minister at two conferences for the Lutheran Renewal Denomination in Papua New Guinea this June 17 through July 6. The first is a National Youth Conference and the second is a District Church Leadership Conference that will coincide with the opening of long over due offices for the regional church leadership. Through the discussion of what is needed in the church there my Dad and Mom (Ron & Betty Cowley) were consequently invited as well and are going to play a major roll in the conferences and ministry. What a blessing for me to help fulfill my parent’s callings to be used of God outside the US!
The Challenge & The Vision
Papua New Guinea (or PNG) is directly North of Australia. PNG is a very tribal, diverse, and rugged country. With over 700 languages & people groups still to this day. It is not even considered "third world" but rather termed a "Least Developed Nation Status" by the UN. However there are seeds of something great about to sprout and come forth there. The Lutheran Renewal Denomination of PNG has grown by leaps and bounds over the last 20 or so years. It is a "spirit-filled" off shoot of the Evangelical Lutheran church and now has over 1,000 churches and hundreds of thousands of members!
However, it has reached a crossroads and that is where this first of multiple future trips comes in. Recently they have realized God was calling them to do more than just reach their own villages. They have desired to step up into greater ministry that has more influenece, effectiveness, and to answer the challenge of the Great Commission. One great step has been to form a Mission's Department with designs on reaching out to all of their country and being an influential force to all of the South Pacific Island Nations. However, with only a handful of the pastors having any real bible school training and very limited resources this vision needs some measurable steps of change to make it a reality!
However, it has reached a crossroads and that is where this first of multiple future trips comes in. Recently they have realized God was calling them to do more than just reach their own villages. They have desired to step up into greater ministry that has more influenece, effectiveness, and to answer the challenge of the Great Commission. One great step has been to form a Mission's Department with designs on reaching out to all of their country and being an influential force to all of the South Pacific Island Nations. However, with only a handful of the pastors having any real bible school training and very limited resources this vision needs some measurable steps of change to make it a reality!
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