Clay Pots ~ New Year's Eve

The light of Jesus' story is beginning to be taught in God's Word, and the darkness is opposing it.

Wow, what a New Year's Celebration we had! At midnight, the whole village usually gathers together in agreement for the traditional dancing and singing, and then "throwing" out the sins of the last year and ushering in the "new life" of the new year. But this year there were three groups of singers: one group was off doing "fun" songs, one was off doing (from what we can tell) "cultish" songs, and one group was off doing PNG Gospel songs which they have learned from town. A physical manifestation of the lack of "unity" we have seen in the village lately. (And not just us, the people are seeing it as well, and attributing it to the teaching of God's Word). Then Chad and I turned to hear yelling, fighting, glass breaking, and stones being thrown at the meeting house above. All of this before they could do their traditional "throwing away the old, and in with the new ceremony". Why the huge fight (which included almost the whole village)? Because someone wouldn't give the "leader" the metal stick used to beat the old bell. At least that was the catalyst, but the heart of the matter seems to be that they have always been a community: every situation and decision that has come about was because the people were all "qiri mok" (in agreement). This year, it is not that way. Now the people of Dengenu are struggling to make individual decisions on their own. Families are being separated as they struggle within themselves: Is God's Word really true? Or the leaders of the cargo cult?

Please be praying hard for the hearts of the Tobo people. Community decisions (being "qiri mok") is so entrenched in their entire lives that it will be and is a tremendous struggle to make a decision as an individual, with possible consequences if they do.

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

This Week's Teaching:
January 1st: Jesus temptation in the wilderness
January 2nd: Jesus starts His ministry
January 3rd: Nikodemus, you must be born again
January 4th: Jesus forgave sins
January 5th: The parable of the soils