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Richard & Andrea Carver

December 2011 Newsletter:

For previous news, visit the News Archives

Singing "Away in a Manger" at 4-mile Carols by Candlelight

Tim, Laura, Hannah and Daddy singing "Away in a Manger" at the 4-mile Carols by Candlelight Night

Dear friends,

I have not been able to send out a newsletter for a very long time (unfortunately this seems to be the norm these days)! It's not from lack of wanting to, but the last four months of 2011 have been so busy that I haven't even had a chance to sit down at the computer. It's hard to believe that once upon a time it used to be my favourite pastime and my full-time profession to be doing work on the computer! Not these days!

There's so much that's gone on over the last six months, but only now a few days before Christmas do I get a chance to sit down and write up all the reports. I briefly recap them here, with links to a fuller story which consists of more detail. The work in Papua New Guinea is at a very exciting stage, but also at a stage which requires a great deal of effort to bring to pass. Here are some of the stories and notable things which have kept us busy since our last newsletter in July.

Latest Developments over the last 4 months in PNG
	Creation of a Print Room - Sept 2011 The work in the Headquarters has always been so frustrating because of lack of space. We have equipment on hand to print, but no space to put it. So in September we got to work and with a bit of effort and elbow grease, a bright shining room rose out of the dust and cobwebs to become our brand new Print Room!... [more]
	PNG Gets New Missionaries! - Sep 2011 We are extremely excited and grateful to have a brand new missionary family in Papua New Guinea. Rev & Sis Paitadra from Fiji arrived in PNG in September to begin work here in the Bible School and in training. Their arrival here was not without cost though; on the eve of their departure from Fiji, just as they were going to the airport, they received news that their daughter had passed away after a severe illness. PNG is glad to have such people of dedication who are willing to dedicate themselves to PNG in spite of great personal loss.... [more]
	Mount Wilhelm Climb and Crusade - Sep 2011 The Chimbu Youth held a Crusade at Gembogl and with it a climb of Mt. Wilhelm, highest mountain in PNG and the Oceania. At over 14,000 ft, it was quite an accomplishment to make it to the top. If you haven't yet seen the photos of the mountain, it is truly spectacular.... [more]
	Bible School Teacher Training - October 2011 PNG has been anticipating the resumption of full-time Bible School, which was meant to happen in 2010 and again in 2011, but for certain reasons delayed. With the arrival of the Pai's from Fiji, both Bro Pai and myself are more than keen to take on this challenge. To help us out, we intend to train a group of core and backup teachers from the local population. This historic milestone was marked by a special Teacher Training course... [more]
	Home Missionary sent to Daru - Nov 2011 For a long time we have wanted to send Home Missionaries to the untouched regions of PNG. Daru is one such place. In November, God moved upon the heart of a young man from Goroka, Bro. Jack Gene and family, to go to this remote region. This is just one of the places which the World Missions Department has reached out to in the last year. Read some of the exciting success stories of our own PNG Home Missionaries... [more]
	National Youth Leaders Training - Dec 2011 Yet another milestone was set in December: a National Youth Leaders Training seminar was held for a week in Goroka. Youth Directors and Leaders came from all over PNG, including far-off islands, to be part of this occasion. This is yet another milestone in our history, and marks the beginning of a new and exciting phase as the Youth Department gets on the move in PNG... [more]

These are the main events, but of course these were interspersed with a series of smaller programs as well. I don't have the space to go into them here, but below are some photos representing them:


A new church opening in Kainantu where recently many people were killed in tribal fighting sees 11 people baptised. Note the baptistry built by the pastor, the first of its kind in PNG (I think)!	The welcome ceremony held as we walked up to the new church building (background)

Timothy versus Koko at Ping Pong during our office breakup party, while Laura, Bro Pai and Bro Sinakadi look on. When Bro Pai and Bro Digi got hold of the bats, their "youth was renewed like the eagle's" and they really livened up the evening!	Not all training and seminars... I have spent my off hours working on making shelving and completing other unfinished jobs around the new mission house to make it more liveable.

Wow! Sparklers! We couldn't believe our eyes when we saw these for sale in the shop, so we grabbed some. The kids had heaps of fun! We're also saving some for Christmas Eve.	In an attempt to take Passport Photos, here's the latest photos of the kids... Laura above, Tim and Hannah below. They are growing up so quickly it's frightening!

As I sit down to conclude this newsletter, the kids are on school holidays; Andrea is sick with a sudden flu which has overcome her in the last few hours; I am sore with a sinus infection; and our faithful helper Koko is very ill with Typhoid and Pnuemonia all at the same time. We are meant to be making some sugar-coated peanuts for Christmas Snacks, but with Andrea out of the action it means I have to try to come up with some sort of dinner for three hungry kids. Hopefully we'll be all feeling better in two day's time so at least we can enjoy our family time together during Christmas.

I pray that you would be able to do the same and the Lord bless you all.

Of course, those wanting to catch up on the family front can read Andrea's family update.

Until next time,

- Richard Carver Jnr

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