News Archive

Update From Victor And Ana Opungu (Papua New Guinea)
October 11, 2009

Port Moresby, PNG

Dear Praying Friends,

We thank God for you, our dear friends, for your partnership through your prayer, friendship, support and letters. We appreciate each one of you.

When we last wrote to you we were still in Ukarumpa. We left Ukarumpa on 6th July and came to Port Moresby, the capital city of Papua New Guinea. We now live in a flat at the BTA Headquarters while waiting for our house to be built in the village.

No work was started for our house for a long time. Finally last month Victor's brother Pascal proceeded to cut timber. With help from the village men he was able to cut what is needed to make the skeleton of the house within two weeks. Just like we do in Balangao, we fed those who came to help cut the trees. It required more than 20 kilograms of sugar and hundreds of tea bags to produce 300 pieces of lumber! [top]

Victor has been going to the village from time to time. It has been almost two years since the translators stopped working. After Victor met with the translators they said they will resume work. However, only one, Joe, started working last month.

We are helping with several jobs at the office. Victor often drives and pick up workers from the country's only international airport and does errands for the office. Beside those, he is now checking the Gospel of Luke in the Nehan language in preparation for consultant checking in October. As a consultant he makes sure that the translation is biblically accurate, and clear and natural to the reader or listener.

I, Ana, help with hospitality and media production. I also enjoy tending a little garden in our backyard.

Because BTA is short of staff, we were given additional tasks. We are both being trained to develop and maintain BTA's new website. Victor also was given the responsibility to oversee another translation program near Port Moresby.

Praise God for:

1. BTA Center housing in Port Moresby.
2. Work has finally started on our village house.
3. Victor’s brother Pascal and volunteers who helped in cutting timber.
4. Safety for the men while in the bush.
5. One translator, Joe, resumed work after translation work stopped for 2 years.
6. Zeitl is turning one year old on the 24th and we'll be married three years on the 29th of this month!
7. For you, our prayer partners and friends, who pray for us each day.
8. The translation office here in PNG have allowed the SIL missionary who worked with us in Mekeo to do some of the consultation of the OT work in Mekeo. He knows the language so a back translation to English is not needed.

Pray for:

1. The Mekeo translation work.
2. Continuation of work for the house, safety of workers, and provision.
3. God's inspiration for Ana as she works on the BTA newsletter "In Our Words" due in October.
4. Victor as he checks the book of Luke in the Nehan language that he is consultant checking from Oct 1-14 in Bougainville.
5. Spiritual vitality – that we'll learn discipline to spend time on God's Word and in prayer. [top]

Grateful to God for You,
Victor, Ana, and Zeitl