Browns April Newsletter
It is April the 9th and I am just now getting to our letter. We are on a 10 day break. It has been a busy break, but a good one. On Monday I got to drop the youth group off in a remote village where they will show an AIDS video and the Jesus film. They will be traveling to different villages showing the films until Friday when I get to go and pick them up. I phrase it like this because it was so much fun taking them out there. We had three four wheel drive trucks and we got to basically go four wheeling for two hours through the mountains of PNG in order to get them to their destination. We actually did not even get them all the way there before we got two of the trucks stuck in the mud. The kids had to hike in the rest of the way. I never imagined I would get to go four wheeling for Jesus! God is so good. He allowed me to help build his kingdom, while at the same time, doing something I love.
Today, Amie and I attended a 7 hour workshop for strategic planning of the next 5 years here at SIL. Amie and I were dreading the length of the meeting but were pleasantly surprised at the way the workshop was put on. The day seemed to fly by and the leaders running the meeting did a great job of organizing all the ideas and grouping them together into manageable pieces. We also learned a lot about some of the needs of which we were unaware. Overall, it was a good day. One of the girls, who lived with us during the school term, watched our kids for us so that we could go to the meeting. It was such a blessing to have someone, who my kids love, to watch our 5 kids for 7 hours, and allow Amie and me to go. We had someone like that back in the states who ministered to us in a way that she will never know- We love you Beth!
Another family on center volunteered to watch all 5 kids for 3 days while Amie and I got to go to Ramu, a sugar company with a bed and breakfast and pool about 1 ½ hours away, for 2 nights. Again, what a blessing to have a family recognize our need to get away and get refreshed before another term starts. The same family did this for us last term and my kids had a blast with them, so the kids were looking forward to them babysitting again. I have to say it one more time, God is so good. Even though we don’t have family around to give us these kinds of breaks, He knows we need them, and He provides for our every need.
Speaking of providing every need, we have now confirmed that all of our support has been raised. If you are one of the ones who pledged to support us for the next year you are welcome to send your check to East Ridge Presbyterian Church. Just make sure you put Charlie and Amie in the “for” spot on the check. We would like to have all the money in by July of this year since our support from last year runs out in June. I know I ultimately need to thank God for providing the funds to stay here another year but I also thank each and every one of you who chose to support us from the depths of my soul. The Bible says its better to give than receive and I am still not comfortable being on the receiving end of the equation. So I hope God blesses your gift and returns it to you pressed down and overflowing.
Charlie,
For The Charlie Brown Family
