The "Be" attitudes

I, Paul, would like to share with you a little of what I have been learning over the last few months here in Papua.

A good friend of mine challenged me to read some of the top 50 influential evangelical books. This is quite a daunting list of books and they all look quite interesting. We decided that we were interested in books that would help us become better practical Christians. We decided to read Dietrich Bonhoeffer's book, "The Cost of Discipleship". I have not yet finished this book, but it is very convicting. The section that I am slowly working through right now is on Jesus' sermon on the mount - in particular, the section on the Be-attitudes. It was explained to me that these be-attitudes are attitudes that are to help us be, or exist in the world.

"Blessed are the poor in spirit ..."

This is one of those attitudes that we are supposed to "be". I have always understood this to mean depressed or sullen, but Bonhoeffer suggests that it isn't about depression at all but about a person's realization of their sin. Once a person realizes and acknowledges the fact that they are sinners and can't attain salvation alone, they realize that they are not spiritually rich, but spiritually broke. On their own spiritual income they can afford nothing. It is when we realize that we are in this state of spiritual poorness that Jesus calls us blessed because at that moment we are open to receiving all that God has to offer us in the kingdom of Heaven.

With the start of school at HIS also comes an annual high school trip to the beach for 3 nights. During this retreat, our guest speaker also spoke on the beattitudes and shared his thoughts on the exact same topic that I had been reading over the past month. I guess God is trying to teach me about the attitudes that are required if I truly want to "be" like Christ. I am listening, Jesus!

I have a good teaching load this year and I must admit that it feels great to be back in the classroom. I am teaching Grade 8 science, Grade 9, Biology, Chemistry, and Anatomy & Physiology. It has been a few years since there has been a career science teacher at HIS and as a result lab equipment, supplies, purchasing, and forward planning don't get taken care of with the same intensity as that of a career teacher. So, on top of the classroom work, I am also trying to sort, inventory, and purchase equipment to ensure a well equipped and functional science lab. This may take a few years as shipments come once a year.

I am also assistant coaching volleyball this year for the junior and senior boys. Busy, busy, busy!

We are going through a phase of missing home. With the closing of summer and the ensuing harvest, we miss the family get-together's and the changing of the seasons. Please continue to pray for us as we are adjusting to life here in Papua. As on now, the plan is to return for a brief 2 month furlough over the summer holidays. We are looking forward to that!

Serving together in Christ,

Paul

Main Center MB Church in Action

Main Center MB Church is home for us. It is a small rural church located in south west Saskatchewan Canada. As it turns out, they have recently sent two missionary families to serve in Indonesia as teachers with Mission Aviation Fellowship. The church is very missions minded and support MAF and these families prayerfully and financially. They are such a great support for our family. In this past year, Main Center decided to become involved in what our family was doing in a different capacity and that is the purpose for this post. While we were living in Salatiga, Central Java, Indonesia, the church raised money to build a play structure in the back yard of the mission house. Play structures are rare in Indonesia and there is no such thing as a public play ground. There are small playgrounds at schools but they are gated and locked up outside of school hours. After the play structure was complete, we invited the entire neighborhood (400 people) to our house, fed them, shared our beliefs and purpose for this play structure. We told all the families that if our gate was open anyone could come and play. It was a great opportunity for our children, and us, to get to know the kids in the area. We know this will also be a blessing for the families that will be living in this house in the future.


Sometimes I would bring out juice boxes and oreo cookies for the kids to snack on.

The kids were so excited they showed up to help put the grass down.


The next project our church decided to do was to donate some money to help buy groceries for some of the poorer families in our area. Each bag cost $5.00 and included, cooking oil, noodles, rice, sugar and flour. Our pastor and his wife, Ken and Mary Epp, made a special trip to visit us and handed out these food bags in the community. Some people greated Mary with tears and she told them that we were doing this to share our blessings that God has given us.



While Ken and Mary were in Salatiga, we went to see a new church up the mountain in a local village. The young pastor whom is still in school travels there for the long weekend and then back to the city to continue schooling. Because the village is so remote he cannot get a motorcycle taxi on the way home and has to walk an hour before he can find one that will then take him to the city about another 20 minute drive away. Main Center again raised money to buy a used motorbike for Ferrinan. Needless to say, he was shocked and very excited to get his new wheels. This transportation will give him less stress and more time for his important ministry.

Main Center also got involved with a couple of Papuan's and bought a desk and computer, that is kept at a missionaries house, for them to use as they continue their college education. They are able to find information on the computer, type essays, and become familiar with technology that is so important in this day and age.

A huge thank you to Main Center MB Church for the blessing you are to our families and many Indonesians. May God Bless your generosity!