David and Crystal Hersman
P. O. Box 117
Goroka, EHP 441
Papua New Guinea
E-mail: David@EaglesWings.net
Support Address: Evangelical Bible Mission - P. O. Box 189 - Summerfield, Florida 34492
Greetings from the Highlands of Papua New Guinea. As always, "the harvest truly is plentiful, but the laborers are few." We are excited about new international goals and progress in other EBM ministries, as well as what the Lord is doing here in PNG.
At the moment I am enjoying the blessing of Wantok Radio Light, an EBM ministry. This past year has been the first time in Goroka that we’ve been able to listen to Christian radio. What a blessing to hear such programs as Focus on the Family, Unshackled, Day Spring, and such tremendous musical truths as "Jesus’ Blood can Make the Vilest Sinner Clean." Of course, our favorite radio announcer is Thelma Ninjipa, a young lady who many of you met when she sometimes traveled with us when she was a student at Kentucky Mountain Bible College.
Much of our ministry has to do with the training of others in the work of Christian education. Our Educational Leadership Training in January was well attended, and almost everyone expressed interest in more Christ-centered teacher’s training. Pastor Napaeha, Lydia Joseph, Crystal, and I are expanding into a new aviation-oriented high school program, which will also become an on-the-job training program for teachers.
Although Rachel is still working on her own education, she has also completed the Educational Leadership Training, and is a great part-time assistant to Crystal, as they work with approximately sixty students in the ABCs of ACE learning to read program.
Right after Easter, our chief aviation partner, Lydia Joseph, will be working full time in the aviation high school, and teacher training program. She has been working part time in another Christian school the first quarter of this school year. (School years are February through November.) Many of you will recall that Lydia spent 2003 with us in the United States, worked on her flight training, and visited many of your churches with us.
We have worked with Pastor Napaeha Jasie, and his wife, since 1996. Although he is still administrator of Goroka Christian Academy, he is also a chief assistant, partner, and advisor in the formation of the new school. He and I are both expanding our own education through Patriot Bible University, and would like to graduate together from their Master’s program next year.
Christian education is a wide-open door of opportunity to reach souls here, and we are trying to take a full advantage of it. The new Eagles’ Wings High School will eventually grow into an actual flight training program. Although small airplanes are an indispensable part of the Lord’ work here, there is no place in PNG where young people can obtain flight training. Lydia is one of the most capable teachers we have known. She is working on additional teacher’s training also, and plans to become a flight instructor here in her own country.
When we returned to Papua New Guinea the last time, our intention was to return to the United States in time for Crystal’s family reunion in June 2006. They have the reunion – more like a weekend Christian retreat - every two years, and we have not attended since 2000. The time is almost here, and we are still hoping to come. There are many aspects of this work which we will take care of while in the United States. If we can work it out for Lydia to come later, she will be working on her flight training, and some training videos.
There are several ways you can help us in these expanding endeavors. First here are some things to pray about.
1. Always pray for the spiritual victory and fruitfulness of all your missionary friends. In our case, pray for our many associates and students. You probably can not visualize the work load and the number of people with which we are daily interacting! I will get some relief when Lydia joins the staff full time.
2. Always pray for the physical health, strength, and endurance of your missionaries. Satan has been attacking many of the Lord’s harvesters with physical ailments.
3. Please pray that the Lord will send us the students, and staff which He wants us to have. We try to be prayerfully selective, and want to work with those we can truly help to become established in God’s will for their lives.
4. Pray for God’s guidance and provision for the tremendous harvest which is taking place. In cases where the missionaries have "gone finish," many times the people revert to tribal prejudice and regional favoritism. This causes problems and divisions. Then when people are driven out into independent ministries, they are persecuted by various cultural pressures.
5. Also, be sure to pray for our adult children back in the United States. If you have adult children, you may realize the way they continue to feel a dependency on you. When there is a great geographical distance between the parents and their children, Satan sometimes makes ruthless attacks upon the children, the homes, and the grandchildren. You can be a prayer warrior that really makes a difference!
Then there are several needs you may choose to help with financially:
1. Although we don’t mention it very often, our work is made possible by those who contribute to our support. We are a family of three, and many expenses are much higher here than they would be in the US. Many of our best and most faithful supporters have passed away, or otherwise become unable to continue giving, so it is essential that missionaries continuously find new supporters.
2. Travel expenses. A family can travel pretty far for the price of 12 car payments. We do not make car payments, but we do travel in the Lord’s work. We believe our ministry is making an eternal difference in the lives and souls of many people. We do have several aspects of our ministry which need attention is the US. You can "lay up treasures in heaven" by helping us in these expenses.
3. Our last tickets, and the expense of the last shipping container to PNG were paid for mostly by our own credit cards, but we can not continue to do that, simply because our income is usually not consistent enough to make large payments.
4. Maybe you would like to help on general expenses of equipping a new small school. There is the expense of student "offices" and learning center furniture. We construct most of those things right here.
5. Lydia’s additional education. The aviation ministry is paying for her PBU tuition and courses. We need up to about $100 per month to cover these, so it won’t deplete the budget over here.
6. Later, while we are in the US, we will be preparing a container for shipment to PNG. A lot of our general ministry expenses have been met by the sale of second hand clothing from the USA. We do receive quite a number of donated things to ship, but few contribute to the cost of the shipping itself. Both are essential, or the donated items will never bear their fruit. We need your help.
Why not ask God right now to allow you to send a generous contribution to help with one of these needs. If God says, “No,” then ask Him if you can send something to support His work somewhere else. You will find there is great joy in doing, going, and supporting the work of God around the world.
"The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with you all."
In the Harvest,
David, Crystal, and Rachel Hersman
