Feb Brown’s news letter
Sorry it has been so long since we have written. If you watch our blog at all you will see a pattern start to emerge. During the term we don’t write very much but during the breaks we have a lot more time to post pictures and write. We were also trying to hear from our last Church so we could give an update on where we are in our support for next year. It looks like we were able to reach our goal so we will definitely be here another year. Beyond that, I do not have a peace about what to do. When we first arrived here I told Amie “this is where I want to raise my children”. So God has obviously given me a love for this place. When I talk about the job we are doing, I tell people that I am doing what I was made to do. In a vacuum I would live the rest of my life here and not think twice about it. But, it is more complicated than that. My mother wrote me an insightful email where she explained that when she talks about us, she talks more about us living in third world country than the fact that we are missionaries. I am afraid that she may be correct. This begs the question whether I am over here for the right reason. I am not sure whether God gave me the desire to live in a third world country in order to get me over here to do this job. Or is it that I want to live in a third world country and being a missionary allows me to get what I want. These are the questions that keep me up at night, and if you know me that is a hard thing to do. I love my sleep. Either way we are here until June of 2009. Please pray that God will give me clarity about our long term future. I need to make a decision this year in order to know whether to pay for round trip tickets when we return home.
On another note we have had some interesting developments this week here in Ukarumpa. First, the bridge that crosses the river to get out of the highlands has dropped about 2 feet making it impassable. This bridge is the life line to our community. Everything from food to fuel for both cars and airplanes has to come across this bridge to get to Ukarumpa. We are currently pleading with the government to come and fix or replace the bridge. Their response is that they do not have the money right now.
Secondly, our water supply from the river is now going to be cut off. A section of the piping that runs from the river to Ukarumpa runs through an individual’s property. He is threatening to dismantle that section if we do not pay him for letting the water flow through his land. Apparently we paid him a one time fee to install the piping on his property, but now he wants to charge us a monthly fee as well. The administration has refused to pay and has taken him to court over the issue. I went to take a shower this morning and there was no hot water so I guess this individual is winning as of now. Pray that both of these issues would be resolved quickly and that the name of Jesus would not be smeared in any way as we pressure the government to act quickly to get our water and roads back on track.
When I first became a missionary people asked me if I had any prayer cards so that they could put it on their fridge and remember to pray for us. I cynically said no. God is obviously working on my cynicism. To my defense, until now, we have not needed urgent prayer. Now I am pleading for your prayers. In addition to the above problems both of my grandparents are in separate hospitals back in the states and are near the end of their lives and I cannot be there to see them, or support my parents as they deal with this. On top of this we have an 18 year old mentally handicapped boy who will be with us for the next six weeks as his parents are out doing their translation work.
Sorry this letter is so long. Most months it will be short and sweet. Yes, we took care of 12 teens again this month. But this month seemed to be filled with so much I just had to write it all out. To end on a note of encouragement this experience has strengthened my dependency on God in a way that nothing else could. I am also attaching another list of prayer requests to this letter so that people can put it on their fridge and remember to pray for us. God bless all of you who continue to support us both financially and with your prayers.
The Charlie Brown Family
Prayer requests for the Brown family
1. Wisdom to know what to do in the future. As a missionary your future is always uncertain.
2. Our marriage. By the middle of each 10 week term Amie and I start to fight because we get so emotionally exhausted.
3. Our finances. We got hit hard this year with income tax from both countries. Pray that I would be a good steward of our money.
4. Our “in touch skills”. As a missionary part of our job is keeping our supporters up to date with what is going on. This does not come naturally to Amie or me.
5. Family relationships. Being away from family puts a strain on those relationships. We need wisdom to handle our families in a just and Godly way.
6. Vision. There are lots of needs here in Ukarumpa. Pray that I would recognize those needs that I could help with, without distracting me from my hostel parent job.
7. Discernment. Dealing with teens. Enough said.
8. An attitude of gratefulness. The lack of privacy here sometimes gets me down. Sometimes I just want to take my wife out for the evening, but that is not possible here. However, there are 100 reasons why I love it here. Pray that I would stay focused on those.
9. My children. That they would catch the vision of what Wycliffe is trying to do here in PNG, and get behind it, even if they have to do without sometimes.
10. Me. That I would love the Lord my God with all my heart soul and strength and mind. That I would seek first his Kingdom and His righteousness and then the rest of this list will take care of itself.
