Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

We want to wish all of you a merry Christmas and a happy new year! May this time be one of reflection and gratitude for our Savior, Jesus, who took on humanity as part of his plan to conquer sin.

As we reflect on the accomplishments of Mibu Ministry this last year, we're especially thankful for your prayers and monthly financial support. This last year has seen the completion and final approval of Ephesians and 1 Corinthians translation into the Mibu language, a huge push forward with the literacy program, steps forward in equipping leaders, and clear steps of maturation of the church. You've been a huge part of that! We're thrilled to represent you here in Mibu, and we're looking forward to another year of ministry!

We're also looking forward to our upcoming home assignment starting early this year, where we'll be back in the states to re-connect with you all as well as further develop our base of support.

Blessings from the Husas

Geoff and Shannon and the kids

Outreach Adventure!

The last few days took me on a 32 km hike up and down over 20,000 feet of mountain geography. It wasn't some masochistic thing that drove me to do this. It was the kickoff of a new outreach that the church in our neighboring Mina language group has been planning for some time. This outreach to the area of Birong represents the reach of the gospel message to the furthest border that can be represented by our ministry in Mibu. Beyond that, any partnership with the Mibu/Mina churches requires the help of more expat families, in a new language group.

Over the last 10 years, the Mibu church has spread out, covering now every Ma speaking village, and now all but one Mina speaking village! I was excited to seeing the Mina area churches in action, as they're the ones who planned and are sponsoring this outreach to the Birong area.

It was really exciting as we were on the way and seeing delegations of church leaders converge on the road to become quite the large group arriving to start and support this latest outreach effort!

I was especially encouraged to see how the different church leaders took the opportunity to support and encourage one another!

We got to see the first day of the chronological, 'Creation To Christ' teaching start in Birong, to the great excitement of those there who'd been asking for it for the last year or so! I was proud to sit and watch the teachers from the Mina area churches working together to reiterate why they were there, and to be aware of the cultural situation they were coming to teach into, and also to see how well they were able to start the teaching off!

It was also a strong reminder to me of how far the Mibu and Mina churches have come. Coming to this spiritually dark area, I was reminded just what it was like in the pre-gospel days in Mibu. Compare that to where they're at now and the difference is day and night! God's light is shining in this area. Others are seeing it. And it's spreading! Take some time to thank Jesus for all this, and to pray for the church leaders here who are tasked with not only these initial evangelism lessons, but for the future growth of the church there in the Birong area.

Thank you all so much for your prayer and financial support that allows us to continue serving here in Mibu, and to see God's word take more and more root in the life and culture of the folks here!