Clay Pots ~ Sweet Potatoes

I couldn’t help but laugh to myself as I watched the Tobo people prepare the Lord’s supper yesterday. My memory kept playing back to how we Americans prepare communion. Our church elders stand in the church’s kitchen wearing their nice pressed suit and ties, pouring grape juice into little plastic communion cups. Then they quietly passing it out with the little crackers while everyone sits their silently. The formality of it always scared me a little as a kid (“What if I dropped the juice on my new dress?” “What if I sneezed?” “And why do saltine crackers always taste so much better at church?”).

There was no grape juice or crackers, and definitely no suit and ties being worn yesterday. The babies continued to cry, the little kids played soccer on the grass, and the dogs kept on barking. There was a small fire in the middle of the adults and one lady slowly turned the sweet potatoes over the open fire during the sermon on baptism. When the sweet potatoes were done, Jason and Alex took their knives and peeled them. Then Jason led us in prayer, and the sweet potatoes and water were passed around for everyone to share. And that is how we remembered our Lord’s sacrifice and death for us.

This was the first time we have done the Lord’s supper as a complete group with the believers. But there was that one time on the trail that Chad ate beef crackers with one of the guys, and a couple other times when the ladies were together drinking tea and eating sweet potatoes. We have been teaching them that we can eat and remember what Jesus did for us on the cross at any time. I love the simplicity of scripture and how Jesus took the staple of the Jews and used an everyday occurrence (eating and drinking) as a way of reminding us of what he did for us. The Tobo people have no way of getting wine or bread. But God provided them with their staple: sweet potatoes and water, for them to be able to break and eat and remember His son Jesus, and the sacrifice he made of himself for them.

Keep looking forward to the Marriage Supper of the Lamb, when we will no longer have to “remember”, for we will be with Him in person!

His Clay Pots,
Jason, Kellie, Micah, Sophia, Malachi Knapp & The Tobo Church

Clay Pots ~ Baptism & Answered Prayer

During this week’s Believer’s meeting, the Tobo church will be learning about baptism! Some other religious groups in our area baptize as infants or get “baptized” into their church, so that their sins can be forgiven. Many of the believers have stopped by this past week to ask Jason what God’s Word teaches on baptism. “I thought our sins were forgiven because Jesus blood washed them away.” “Should we be baptized? And if so, why?” We love God’s timing in all of this, because Jason already had a baptism “sermon” all ready to teach, but was waiting for God’s direction on the timing of it. Now, while the church is asking about it, we can teach the truth from God’s Word. That baptism is a picture of how we died with Christ, were buried and raised again with him through belief. And that it simply identifies us with Christ before the eyes of others; but in no way washes away our sins.

In addition, Sophia told us that she wanted to be baptized! We asked her why and she said she believed and she wants to obey what the Bible says about it. We are very proud of her. We are so thankful that God’s Word is simple enough that it can be understood and obeyed by a 6 year old and yet deep enough to convict a 60 year old!

Don’t forget to keep praying for the Tobo church on Wednesday nights (which is our Thursday mornings). Pray for wisdom as Jason leads and disciples this group. And pray for the believers, that they will continue to stand strong amidst rejection and to continue to grow and reach out to others.

Answered Prayer!!!:
1. Jason talked to the Doctor’s wife and her son (the school teacher) about their leaving. She informed Jason that they were no longer going to leave because she knew the people needed them (whether the people knew it or not)! She said that she did not ask the Doctor yet (he is in town), but since it is 2 to 1 (her and the teacher), he looses, and they stay! Since becoming believers we have noticed ever so slowly a softening of this ladies heart. Praise God for her sensitivity to His leading and Praise God for you, for praying for them!

2. The total of Jason’s medevac to Australia cost approx. $30,000.00. We are praising God that everything has been covered! Our emergency evacuation insurance covered the whole flight out of the tribe and down to Australia. And our health insurance will cover 80% of the ambulance and emergency room bills (minus the deductible). God also laid it upon some of your hearts to send us financial gifts. There are no words to express our thanks to you. You are a tremendous blessing and we thank God for you! Our God is SO big!

Clay Pots ~ Ukawong

Ukawong “Committee” with Malachi

We knew that it was coming, but that didn’t make it any easier. On Saturday morning August 18th, Ukawong passed away. His death hit closest to home for us for a couple of reasons. First, he was considered my father and the “grandpa” for my children. Malachi would run exclusively to him when we were in the village, and throw his arms around him and give him big hugs every time we saw him. He was the one there when we moved into the tribe in 2002, he went on almost every overnight hike with me, and we spent lots of hours together. But his death also hit too close to home because he was an unbeliever. He was there almost every day during the teaching last year. And although we taught the truth of life through belief in Jesus only, and he heard it clearly; he was deluded by the cargo cult and he rejected what he heard from the Bible and remained obstinate in his old beliefs. He has been sick for over a month now, and I have gone numerous times to see him and to tell him again of the one road to heaven, but he kept saying to me, “When I get better, then I will come to see you and we will talk of these things again.” His son, too, is a believer. His name is Welsen (Megelin Mama), and we wrote about him in some past updates. He was constantly witnessing to him as well, to no avail.

You see, about a week ago, Ukawong was actually getting better and up and around. But what was the first thing that he did after gaining his health? He went to a cargo cult meeting with some guys. But there was a believer there this time, his name is Kips. I found out from Kips that he had sat in the middle of that meeting and “hit them hard with talk about Jesus.” He told them about how Jesus was the only road to heaven, and that Jesus did not come to give us money and cargo. But they were undaunted and he said that Ukawong just sat there with his head down as he witnessed to them. That very night, Ukawong went to his house and at 11:00 pm had what we think was a stroke and has been paralyzed on half of his body until his death yesterday. He rejected Jesus, and my heart aches. But I know that we did what we could, and the decision was up to him.

Last week, the cargo leaders had a village meeting to determine why Ukawong was sick. What poison, sin, or evil spirit caused him to get sick? Obviously he had done something wrong in order to get this sick for seemingly “no reason.” They just yelled at me when I asked how we could possibly find the cause and cure for this sickness... I said, “You guys heard the story from the Bible. Who is the only one who knows all and can heal all? Why do we not fear him? Don’t you remember what we said about Jesus?” They said, “You don’t know anything. We have to follow our old ways. That is the only way.” So they went and killed a pig and did what was required; but it didn’t help.

We realize that we aren’t fighting flesh and blood but against spiritual powers and every belief that exalts itself against God. But, we are confident and rest in the fact that we know who the Victor is!

We ask that you continue to pray for the spiritual warfare going on here. And we will continue to pray for you and the war that you are fighting.

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

Clay Pots ~ Open Wide!

What happens when you get a toothache?

Do you call the Dentist, set up an appointment, drive there, and are home a few hours later?

Well in Tobo land it just isn’t that easy.

   

Join us on our latest journey of a toothache…

Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday:
Micah: “Mom my tooth hurts”
Kellie: “How bad?”
Micah: “Not too bad, I just don’t chew on that side of my mouth anymore”

Friday morning:
Micah: “Mom I don’t feel so good”
Kellie takes his temperature. Micah has a 105 fever. Could this be from his tooth ache?
Kellie turns our 2-way radio on and calls out to town:
“Lengbati has traffic”
“Go ahead Lengbati”
“I was wondering if you could call the visiting dentist and ask him about Micah (Kellie gives all the information she can think of that might be helpful)
“Yes I will call the Dentist but just so you know he is only visiting for 2 days and then goes back to the States for good.”

Friday Afternoon (radio):
“Kellie I got a hold of the Dentist and he needs to see Micah immediately, can you fly out today?”
“We are totally socked in and raining, there is no way we can fly out today”
“Okay we will try tomorrow morning (Saturday) at dawn then”

Friday:
We got over 11inches of rain! It was one of the biggest storms we had seen and landslides all over our mountain top and valley

Saturday morning 7am:
Plane is overhead and lands on our grass airstrip. Kellie, Micah, and Sophia fly out to Goroka. Saturday night Micah’s tooth is pulled out, fever goes down, and all is well.

Wednesday Morning: Kellie and the kids are able to fly back into the tribe.

Plane ride to and from dentist: $500.00
Guesthouse stay and meals while out $100.00
Dental visit $60.00
Tooth Fairy Visit $2.00
All is well in the Knapp household again: $Priceless!!!
An American Dentist that just happens to be visiting PNG when we desperately needed him?: Miraculous!!!

His Clay Pots
Jason, Kellie, Micah, Sophia, Malachi Knapp
&
The Tobo Church