Wanted: Committee (Update)

WANTED
BY THE SAVIOR TO GIVE GLORY
TO THE KING OF KINGS!

Meka's, Committee's wife, casket
(Committee was the first WANTED e-mail we sent; for you who keep track)

"Bang", "Bang," "Bang"...I can hear them pounding the boards together for her casket now. Just 4 days earlier Jason was in their house chatting and laughing with her and her husband, a day later the Dr. said she was really sick and we went to visit her. The Dr. had put her on a drip but when there was no improvement decided to save the medicine for someone that it could help. The next day, she slipped into a coma. Yesterday morning, she died. All day yesterday people came from other villages to see her and to grieve with the family. (just a week ago her daughter had given birth to a gorgeous baby girl) That is all we can do, grieve. There is little comfort when she isn't with Christ. God in His infinite wisdom knew she would die and He knows about the others that will die before we can teach them about the awesome hope of eternal life. For us, in our humanness, it is hard to see. I need to go now and join the procession to the burial plot.

Keep praying that God would continue to prepare the heart's of the Tobo people,
His Clay Pots, Jason, Kellie, Micah, Sophia, & Malachi

Wanted: Tingong

WANTED
By the Savior to give glory
to the King of Kings!

• NAME: Tingong or Timson Mama = (Timson's father)
• VILLAGE: Dengenu (a half hour walk from our house)
• AGE: Late 40's
• FAMILY: Tingong has two wives: he has 4 or 5 children by the first wife; most of them are grown and some are married. He now has two children by the second wife (who is much younger). The first born's name is Timson and they just had a new baby, only 4 days after Malachi was born, whose name is Ronald. Tingong lives in the same house as his second wife; but still provides food and "looks out for" his first wife.
• STATS: Tingong is an interesting man, and one of my good friends. He is a regular language helper for me, as well as one of the main men I go to for 'inside' cultural information. He is fairly educated; has been to town; and knows a little bit of English. Tingong was originally a part of the main denomination here in our area; then he switched to the Jehovah's Witnesses. But when he married his second wife (sounds like some "magic" was used on the part of the lady to get him to marry her); they kicked him out of their assembly (his brother is at odds with him over this issue). So now he isn't too comfortable in either "church"; and so has moved his house outside of the village; and will often spend weeks in his garden (an hours walk away), living in his "garden house". Interesting enough, he has a good relationship with both father-in-laws!
• PRAY: I tell you all of this because this man has an interesting perspective on his own culture; and thankfully, I am able to learn a lot from him. As we draw nearer to the time when we will teach literacy, and prepare lessons for Bible teaching, he is going to be one of my main helpers.
• Pray for openness on his part, in sharing his culture and language with me.
• Pray for his salvation, that the grace of God will draw him to Jesus: the one who accepts us no matter what we have done.
• Pray for the health of his new child

His Clay Pots,
Jason, Kellie, Micah, Sophia, & Malachi Knapp

Wanted: Nikos

WANTED
BY THE SAVIOR TO GIVE GLORY
TO THE KING OF KINGS!

NAME: Nikos
VILLAGE: Lengbati
AGE: Around 30. He is probably the youngest man who is a leader in the village; and yet he is highly respected.
FAMILY: Wife: Daisa (remember Kellie's letter about her language helper that recently had a baby?... this is her husband). 4sons and one daughter: the oldest son's name isJebin... I remember that because they call each other not by their names, but by the names of their first born kids. Thus Nikos is really Jebin mama... which means Jebin's father. (incidentally, I am Micah mama)
STATS: Nikos is a "songang" which is a leader/"preacher" of the entrenched church in our area. He has a Bible in a language which he does not clearly understand. So you can imagine what kind of doctrine can be "preached" without accurately dividing the Word of Truth. The Word of God is powerful, but if you don't understand it in it's context; you will be prone to error and false interpretation. This is the case with the Tobo.
Some other responsibilities he has: He is the preschool coordinator (I think we explained the preschool in a previous letter); he is a village spokesman, sits in on all the court cases, and village meetings. Again, he is highly respected for his age, which I find fascinating. He is also one of the only men in the village that actually raises sheep.
PRAY:
Nikos is one of my language helpers, and I would like to keep a good relationship going with him... pray that God would allow our relationship to continue to cultivate in spite of the fact that we are both busy men.
Pray that God would be working in his heart... that he would desire to know the TRUTH of the Scriptures.
Pray that we will be able to pick up where we left off with langauge and culture study when we get back.

His Clay Pots,
Jason for the Knapps