We are so thankful for each of you who continues to read our stories and pray for our specific needs.  Know that we are well and blessed!

Written by Jesse Pryor, Missionary in Papua New Guinea 

     It has been an exhausting week.  Dealing with the logistics and technical aspects of the Optometrist 

Surgeon’s visit has been a borderline nightmare.  Not only is getting to Samban rough, but once here you 

have the knowledge, that whatever you do not have with you means it is going to be impossible to get it in 

time.  So we had been planning for two or three months, but it just didn't seem like enough time.  All the 

traveling was worked out, all the technical issues were discussed and planned for, so everything should 

be alright, or should be manageable. 

     It ended up that the traveling was the easy part.  Picking up the Doctor and his two nurses, traveling 

over road, and then by canoe went off without a hitch.  The first morning here the Doctor realized that our 

facilities lacked two things that he needed.  One was an operating  table (the right length and width) plus 

the right heighth.  He also needed a table that would serve as a microscope stand.  With a few pieces of 

timber and some odds and ends of plywood, by 1pm he was ready for his first patient. 

     The generator of ours was running fine.  The fan to cool the microscope was going fine.  Two patients 

into the day the generator started having power surges.  What's going on?   Fortunately we had a UPS for 

the microscope so it wasn't damaged.  I cleaned the air filter and then the fuel filter.  The fuel filter had so 

much water in it that it was shutting down the operation of the generator.  The bad thing is that we only 

had the one drum of fuel, so however bad the fuel is, it is all we have.  So this meant that basically every 

hour (with the generator still running) I would quickly take the fuel filter cup off, empty the water out, clean 

it and get it back on before the motor shut off because of no fuel.  There was a little pressure involved, but 

fortunately the UPS also had battery back up so if the generator shut down I still had five minutes of 

power before the microscope shut down.  I forgot to mention that he had patients on the operating table 

while all of this is going on.(literally under the knife.) 

     The Doctor operated on 16 people over the course of 3 days.  Seven of these people had one eye 

done the first and second day, and then the second eye on the third day.  Of these 16 people, 5 or 6 of 

them have basically been blind for the last 3 or 4 years or so.  All of the patients, were having cataracts 

removed.  There’s something about the UV rays here in the tropics makes cataract problems an is- 

sue.  The second morning before operations started the Doctor would remove the eye patch and check 

the eye he had operated on the previous day.  Those that had no vision would stare in shock, and then be 

in utter elation when they could "see" again.   

     One old man literally sang all the way home.  He had been led from his house to the clinic.  That day 

he led the pack as he left the clinic.  On the day of the operation on his second eye, he didn't even wait 

for those to escort him.  He was walking as soon as first light hit, so he could be first in line for the opera-

tions.  Saturday he had his patch removed and he had the use of both eyes.  To paraphrase what he 

said, "That's it.  I'll never be found sitting again.  My children and grandchildren are going to have a full 

time job trying to find me.  No more sitting in the house for me." 

     I have other stories about comments and reactions of these patients.  All of them are priceless.  Yes 

I'm exhausted, but I'm absolutely thrilled for these 16 people who have had sight restored.  During all 

these operations, besides fuel problems, the fan that was to cool the microscope burned up.  Fortunately 

we had a second fan.  If the Doctor doesn't have the microscope, he can't operate.  If the fan doesn't cool 

the microscope, it will not run.  So we were glad that we had the two fans.  The second fan burned up as 

well, but only halfway through the operation on the last eye.  For some reason the UPS caused the gen- 

erator to have power spikes, that have not stopped even after we are no longer using the UPS.  The gen- 

erator is what we use to power the electronics (like this computer) in our house and other equipment to do 

our work here in PNG.  All this is fixable. 

     I don't know about you, but in our family the countdown for Christmas has begun (especially for the 3 

kids).  For some reason I've always found it really easy to have the Scrooge mentality around Christ- 

mas.  So here I sit writing this email with no fan, so I'm sweating just typing.  The washing machine won't 

pump out water on its own, so every few minutes I'm having to get up to pump out the water for it.  We've 

also got a lot to do because the plane is coming tomorrow and we are headed into town for some shop- 

ping for supplies and to get some literacy material printed.  It would be really easy to focus on the 

bad.  When things break down out here, it is a waiting period before we can either get parts, or replace 

it.  Sometimes replacing things has to wait until funds are available. 

     However, if you gave us (Karie and me) the choice between two fans, a washing machine that worked 

properly, or 16 people with restored sight, I think you know what the choice would be.  Those 16 people 

have been dealing with poor sight for years, and it’s hard to feel sorry for yourself because you can't turn 

on a fan.  We can replace fans, we can get a new washing machine, maybe not when we want to, but 

those types of things are replaceable.  To have the ability to change someone’s life through restored vi- 

sion, that is irreplaceable.     

     All these things I’ve mentioned remind me of the fact that over 2000 years ago an event took place in 

history that changed the course of human history.  Yet so many people are blind to the fact of what a 

magnificent change took place.  How simple it is to restore physical sight for a Doctor who is skilled and 

has the right tools.  How hard it is to change the attitudes of those who don't care to see what God did so 

many years ago, and does every day. It's easy to focus on what is not right in the world.  It is easy to see 

the defeats close at hand.  Yet the victory that is in our future, because of what was done so many years 

ago, is so much greater than what we have to deal with right now. 

     Our little world here in Samban can now see a little clearer because of what one Doctor did.  Hope- 

fully, we can see the greater vision, of what Christmas means through the gift of God's Son. 

Well there is never a dull moment here. 

The recent buzz of excitement over the coming tournament has everyone working in overdrive. 
(Side note:  The soccer tournament Jesse & Karie planned for area villages, is a fund-raiser for the medical clinic in Samban - the first annual Samban Clinic Benefit Soccer Tournament.  They will host up to 40 teams from the Ap Ma area.)

I tried to hit the drums to signal the women for our weekly Bible study time on Wednesday, but no one came. Finally two young women came and explained that because everyone is expecting friends and family to come in the next week, they are all in their gardens working or getting the sak sak (sago, starch from a tree) ready for the guests. I didn’t realize how much work for the village this tournament was creating. The men are getting trees cut for extra posts to strengthen old houses so they won’t fall under the weight of added guests. Some are patching leaky roofs.  Jesse has been preparing fields and marking lines and getting market areas ready as well as cutting timber to do repairs to our first grade classroom.  While we have been busy at home, our old truck has finally made it around the coast to Wewak.  Jesse left this morning to pick up the officials for the games and police security as well as items for the clinic, school, and house.  He is expected back on Saturday at the latest on Sunday. 

During a recent visit from PBT representative Martha Wade, we set up a new curriculum for next year’s preschool here.  We need to train a few extra teachers to cater to the massive numbers coming to enroll here.  It will take us until January to get all the materials translated and in useable form.  PBT representative, Jill Reipe here in Samban, will help with much of this as well as a few other short-term PBT helpers.  And I plan on taking 2 weeks in January to train the new teachers to use this step by step curriculum.  The nice thing about it is that it has full daily plans that spell out every action the teacher takes so there is less room for error.

Naleh and Eli are making up ground fast in school as we had fallen behind in our time in town and the back and forth picking up and dropping off family and friends.  We are still behind a bit, but we hope to be back on track by the end of the year. 

Eli just learned to ride his bike really well and hasn’t been daunted by various minor crashes. 
Judah rides with his training wheels even out to the airstrip and back - more than a mile total.  Naleh enjoys carrying her friends on the bike all over.  This month the three of them are doing an experiment in business.  They have been given a box of gum to sell and account for the money, reimburse the money for the gum and total the profits. They are enjoying that. 

For you fishermen and women, yesterday I went to the garden and Naleh and Eli and two friends caught three fish.  We have a different species of cat fish here called the eel-tailed catfish.  They aren’t very big, but they can walk across the land or burrow through mud to find new pools or ponds. They are stocked well in my little hand-dug well at the garden.  They have poisonous barbs.  So when you fish them out you must put them on land without touching any one and club them to death before removing them from the hook.  It takes a bit of skill, but even the children here are accustomed to handling them. 

Work pouring the concrete pads for the posts on the Worship & Education Center is scheduled to be completed early next week before the tournament. 
Please continue to pray for the materials to arrive before the personnel get here to do the work at the end of September.  Also pray that the villagers would continue to help with joyful spirits as the work will be long hours in a very hot dry season.  Also pray that travels go smoothly for the team coming as we have only 2 hours between the last flight’s arrival in Madang and the Cesna flight to Samban.   
All in all we are blessed with work and blessed to be called to do in it such a beautiful place.  Thank you so much for your prayers and support.

Jesse, Karie, Naleh (age 9), Elijah (age 7 on Wed), and Judah (age 3)

Naleh celebrated her 9th birthday on Aug 10 with a few of her friends and a large cheesecake.  Hard to believe she was only 3 1/2 when we first came here.  Sept will bring Eli’s 7th birthday.  They are growing so fast.

Things are shaping up fast for our construction team that is due to arrive the last week in Sept.  Alus is bringing in the rest of the concrete as I write this as well as the tube steel for Jesse to make the soccer goals for the upcoming soccer tournament to benefit the clinic.  So if we can make it back to Samban early next week we will have plenty to do.  I will try to include here a few pictures of the recent dedication of the book of Acts.

Thanks for all your prayers during my recent illness and so many notes of encouragement.  We really appreciate your thoughtfulness.  Karie, Jesse, Naleh, Eli, and Judah

Lea and Charlie Roth have been here in Samban with us for 2 weeks doing all kinds of different things.  We now have a new full-size basketball court and the sports equipment their church provided for the school here is in constant use.  Lea has gotten to know many of the kids, personally interacting with them daily in school - creating books about the alphabet with the kindergarden and books about the months of the year with the first grade.  And both Lea and Charlie have undertaken the task of teaching the finer points of basketball to our second graders, as well as many other games and sports.  Charlie has learned to sharpen sawmill blades and set teeth on them.  He got to run the mill a bit here before going to Yar with Jesse. 

We have had a good time getting to know Jill, our newest resident and PBT member.  She is doing well being totally smothered in tok ples every day - better her, than me.  Actually she is sharing what she learns with me so that I am not so clueless.  While I can speak the trade language, I can’t yet form full sentences in the tribal language. 

People are gearing up for the dedication and we are getting ready to paint some more here at home so that the house is more presentable for guests. 

Jesse and Charlie are in Yar milling and say that it was going good as of Tuesday.  They are massing timber for the literacy center and clinic.  They are also milling some for the Yar community for a classroom I believe.  I am to speak with him today on the radio and confirm his return date which we are thinking will be Friday or Saturday. 

On a different note, God has really been merciful.  There have been 2 premature births in the last week;  neither of the babies appears in distress and mothers are well after some initial complications.  Also Euin Jon (Kanja) fell from his ladder onto a shade tree and got a branch 3/8 inch in diameter lodged in his side under his arm.  We thank the Lord that it stayed outside the ribcage.  It was 2 inches embedded.  We sent him to Kambot and they were able to cut the skin and remove the stick and he is doing much better, after some initial infection.  So even without our nurse (who is with a brother in Wewak, near death) we have been able to take care of the little things here at home. 

We have two more weeks out here until we take Lea and Charlie back to town.  Please pray that things will stay calm and productive. 

Karie, Jesse, Naleh, Elijah, and Judah.

Lea, and Charlie Roth

The New Canoe-  Well Jesse has finally gotten his wish and we now have a new canoe, made especially for the work we have to do.  The good people of Tamo gave us the tree for the canoe in exchange for help from our chainsaws to work on a canoe of theirs.  And for the price of a piglet we were able to get an expert carver to make us a good canoe.  It is 48ft long and 38in across at it’s widest point.  It will hold between 2 1/2- 3 tons of supplies at a time.  This is vital since we bring our fuel in by river as well as construction supplies.

Registered School-  On Jesse’s latest trip to Wewak to pick up cement bags, he took the board members of our small Elementary school to open a back account.  This was the last step needed to finish our application for registering our school with the provincial government.  We are waiting for our official number which should be issued in September.

Pouring the footers-  Tomorrow, May 18, Jesse is planning to pour the four corner pads for the new sanctuary/literacy center (and yes I know we need a new name for this building).  This is a big step and lots of people are planning to be there for the foundation laying.  We will take pictures and try to attach before sending this.

In the meantime- During all of this our pig has had piglets (most of which died in the night) since we didn’t know she was laboring.  The four surviving piglets are 2 weeks old and doing well.  I have planted one rice field and harvested another.  After my first milling I got nearly 20kg or 40lbs of rice.  This is great since we are going to be having guests shortly.

Guests- Please be in prayer in for the great number of guests and events coming up.  Here is a brief coming and going schedule for the next 2 months.

June 1-  Pryors leave Samban for Madang town
June 4-  Jesse goes to Port Moresby to pick up Lea and Charlie Roth, guests for 5 weeks
June 9-  Pryors and Roths leave Madag for Samban
June 16-  Jill Riepe (new PBT personnel) will arrive in Samban
June 17- June 30 Timber milling trip to Yar for Jesse and boys
July 9-  Pryors and Roths to Madang to send off the Roths
July 16-  John and Bonita Pryor and 2 guests arrive
July 25-  Dedicaiton of the book Luke and Acts in Ap Ma
July 29-  John and Bonita Pryor return to USA

Fertile or Futile
“You are anemic, and if something would happen during delivery we just wouldn’t be able to help you.  You need to have your baby in the hospital,”  our nurse told one mother.  A month later she was back at the clinic after a risky home birth.  The nurse came to me and explained, we referred her to the hospital but the nurses there sent her back home. They said her chances were better delivering at home than allowing the doctors there to operate on her.  “What do you want me to do about that?” she asked me.  I didn’t have the answers she was looking for.  There isn’t anything we can do, we can change things here in the village; we can have the best equipped and best staffed clinic, but after we refer the patients out, they are out of our hands and we can’t do much to help them.  It is the same with our school I told her.  We just got the elementary school registered and we are getting ready to send our first group of 2nd graders out to the local primary school next year but here we are in the 15th week of school and the primary teachers haven’t started up school yet after the first term break.  We can prepare them, but we can’t ensure their success since we don’t have control over the upper grades.  In some ways this feels like a lesson in futility.  But then again we see the opportunity to plant new seeds in this fertile ground that is ready for change.  Like the building project, the foundations must be laid.  And the small things we begin here may not be enough to satisfy us yet, but they are a vision of what could be.  We hope to prove faithful in the small things so that one day we may see our efforts grow.

BIG THANK YOU
First, thank you so much for the overwhelming response to our last newsletter your notes and emails and prayers were wonderful.  It is so good to know people care and take the time to read and pray for our specific needs.

Scholarship Applicant
Secondly, many have asked about Clementine, our student who applied for the OIPNG Scholarship.  We are waiting for her response now.  We have met with her and her family and extended the offer of assistance.  Realizing that it is a contract and that she will agree to work in the village for the number of years she is assisted is a big decision and not one to be made quickly.  Most kids dream of the chance to get out of the village and very few (once they have reached the point in their education where they will have that opportunity) would give it up for the sake of their people.  It will take a special person with a humble heart to serve and to take us up on our offer.  We know we are asking alot, but we want God-directed individuals on our team here not just anyone who can pass a standardized test.  Keep praying that she will have the courage to serve.  There are two more applicants waiting on school acceptance letters. Please pray that those letters come quickly as they are eager to go.

Samban School Request
Thirdly, some have asked about our needs especially where the school is concerned.  Well, I will lay before you a dream and see if anyone shares my vision.  Most schools here would be similar to school in the US 1800’s.  We are in hopes to take a portion of those students in grade 2 and up, who have high marks, and keep them for an extra hour three days a weeks to review their lessons on computer.  We have all the programs we have purchased with our children. We even have an old computer (that has so many glitches it isn’t worth much) but will run the games and typing tutor.  What we would like to see is 4 more laptops donated.  They do not need to have anything but the capability to run CD-ROM computer games.  The ones we would like to have them work on are math, typing, reading, and geography.  The current statistic for our school system is 1 in 200 make it to grade 12.  We want to increase that to 5%, but the outside communities that they will compete with, especially the town districts, are getting so advanced that most of our bush kids can’t keep up.  We feel this may be one way to level the playing field and make use of the old solar panels on the classroom since all laptops can run on 12v.  If you have an old laptop that still runs but you have no further need of it, would you consider donating to the children of the Samban Elementary school?  We have teams coming this summer who can carry them in hand to assure that they will not be damaged.  We hope to start this computer lab second semester which starts in late July I believe.  Thank you for considering this request, obviously the more computers we have the more children we will be able to involve in this program.

Problems in Madang
Fourth, a matter of prayer.  Madang (the town we do most of our shopping in) has recently been flooded with Chinese here to do a mining project and while this has generally helped businesses many Papua New Guineans are disgruntled at the number of Chinese taking PNG jobs.  They have begun to riot and protest often getting very violent in public places and wrecking stores owned by foreigners.  Please pray that these acts of violence would cease, that police would attend to the matter swiftly, and that those affected may find a way to be gracious under fire.

Tomorrow we head back out to Samban. Please pray that items fall in line for the commencment of construction on the literacy center.  So much to do.  Thank you for taking time to catch up with us.

Jesse Karie Naleh Elijah and Judah.

(Pictured below a pic of a typical highlands house from our recent trip to deal with the crate)

For a year now we have put out the word that OIPNG (Outreach International Papua New Guinea) would be happy to provide a school scholarship to successful applicants who wish to pursue the ministry, medical work, or teaching. Our one request is that the applicant agree to work for OIPNG when finished for the same number of years they received support. 

We have had our first successful applicant be accepted into Kaindi teachers college.  She will attend the college for at least 2 years before she will be registered to teach here.  We are so excited as we are always short of qualified teachers.  We are hoping that one of you will be willing to help us assist her in her school fees.  She will need approximately 800-1000 US dollars a year from us.  If you would like to adopt Clementine Sau in prayer or financially as she seeks to get her teaching certificate, please let us know as soon as possible so that we can inform her of the assistance she will be receiving.  We do have a bio sheet on her for those interested.

On a side note thanks so much for all the beautiful Christmas cards and kind words.  We just picked up our Christmas packages in town and it was a wonderful surprise.

Thanks you for your prayers and help.
Jesse and Karie Pryor

We thought this was to be the end of our holiday woes but again on New Year’s Eve more people were in the cook house from Wom village.  This time a 19 year old had delivered a healthy baby boy but the mama was not doing well.  She needed serious medical help.  We tried the Satellite phone with no luck.  We tried the radio and after an hour we were able to get someone to help us phone a friend.  He helped us with arranging for a flight to come and get the girl out.  God was merciful and opened the sky route.  The plane came and the provincial hospital that was closed agreed to take her.  We don’t know yet what happened to her, but at this point, no news is good news.
 
Later that evening we celebrated the New Year with a special time of worship, prayer and fasting and a good study on the origins of the Passover and its link to communion.  After a special communion service with the Christian churches in the area, we all watched the movie Prince of Egypt and at midnight the village went wild banging drums and beating on metal - anything that would make noise to chase away the old year, and all the troubles it held.  Let’s all pray for a time of peace in this New Year.

Plane Predicaments
We’re all here but where’s our luggage?  One month later and we are still waiting but not wondering.  Because of plane maintenance issues the majority of our supplies, school supplies for the village, and clinic supplies, and our new solar freezer are still up in the highlands.  This has posed a number of problems including a dramatic increase in the amount of rice we are eating lately and though Jesse is quite happy with rice I am more of a potato person! HAHA. No, seriously pray that the plane will come quickly to replenish dwindling supplies at the clinic and that the school supplies would arrive in time for the new school year at the end of the month.

Sea Surges and Petrol Problems
Large sea swells have closed down provincial services in the East Sepik Province where we live.  This means that our one government hospital is now closed and the district clinic has chosen this month to strike for better pay.  The timing couldn’t be worse.  Due to the reputation of our little clinic we are seeing more patients than we ever have and this means more frequent evacuations.  In fact, we have had to evacuate 9 people in 6 weeks, one by air which is very costly.  The clinic does not generate enough money to cover its own medical costs let alone evacuation costs so this has been a real strain.  Please pray that those who are evacuated are able to receive good quality health care and pray that there would be a time of good health that we would not need to evacuate more patients.

Not only are there problems with health care but the pipe that joins the fuel ships to the depot has been damaged in the high seas and we are unable to purchase fuel at this time.  Jesse was able to get 3 drums of diesel a few weeks back but no petrol or kerosene which is what our outboard motors run on so that means we have low reserves for taking sick passengers and no extra for cutting timber for the new center and hauling sand and concrete.

We appreciate your prayers.  Jesse, Karie, Naleh, Elijah, and Judah Pryor

Well I must confess that I don’t feel too Christmasy as I sit here in a pool of sweat.  It is a mild 94 today and the clouds look to be heavy with rain, not the snow many of you are expecting this year.  But even as I write this my kids are glued to White Christmas on the old computer.  Children are so good to bring you back into the spirit; there are pictures of Mary and Joseph and a starry Bethlehem night stuck on all the walls and Naleh keeps trying to teach her friends Jingle Bells. 

This Christmas will be a quiet one.  We will be here in the village of Samban but many of our church members will be walking 6 hours to another village to celebrate in a special service with the people of Yamen village.  We will stay here and have a quiet day with family and friends.  After the church members return we hope to have our traditional Christmas races started by John and Bonita Pryor years ago.  A day of fun and foot races for everyone from toddlers to adults.  We supply prizes of rubber bands and candies and soap and batteries and this year a wide variety of used clothes. 

This Christmas instead of writing a letter summarizing past events I wanted to look forward to a new year of opportunities. As I think about all our plans for 2009 it makes me anxious. I go into plan mode where I start listing jobs and priorities and possible dates.  And in light of the stress that comes with planing, I keep hearing the word of Proverbs over and over “Wisdom is supreme, therefore get wisdom.  Though it cost you all you have get understanding”  Prov 4:7.  We have been studying the book of Proverbs in our women’s group and I am convinced that at the root of much of our stress and anxiety is a lack of wisdom and understanding.  For me the words of Solomon are a challenge to continue to seek God’s perfect wisdom that in all we do we may honor Him with our words and deeds. Like the wisemen so many years ago - they sought to understand the star and found the maker of the heavens.  So let us all seek to understand Him and His ways that we might find peace in Him this year. 

We miss you all and look forward to the time we will be with you all again. 

Love,
Jesse, Karie, Naleh, Elijah and Judah Pryor

Getting back into the groove of things here didn’t take too long but as is the case in this deteriorating world we live in there have been a few things that have broken down in our absence and even since we have been back. Our car is in the shop, our computer gave up the ghost, and our HF radio is in the shop as well. These may seem like pretty important items but before we left for the US we had purchased an old truck from some friends here for a nominal fee. We had intended to use it in Angoram for hauling loads to Wewak but it has hauled us around now for two weeks. And while our computer did die, we were able to retrieve all the files from the hard drive and found a great deal on a new Toshiba computer here in PNG for less that we could have bought it in the states and this one still has XP not Vista!!!!! And as for the radio, we will still be ok in the village because we have a prepaid satellite phone a very thoughtful church purchased for us some years back!! So the Lord provides and is faithful.

As I was taking an evening walk with a friend here in Madang last night and swapping stories, I was sharing about how God has been so good to us especially in our recent visit to the US. I was thinking that in some ways it is scary, because from those who are given much, much is expected! Then wouldn’t you know it I looked down and saw on the ground in front of me a 50 Kina note. Big money here (about 18 dollars). I looked up and down the road the only person we saw was more than 100 yds off but we waited until he came closer and asked if he has lost some money. He laughingly said, “only about 1/2 million my ex-wife took from me!!” I said when I find that I would be sure to let him know. So I picked up the cash and walked on. I still have it in my wallet. Jesse asked me what I was going to do with it. And I haven’t decided. I have some thought just to leave it there to remind me of God’s continual provision. I am sure the time will come when I will have the opportunity to bless someone else as I have been blessed.

I was going to save this update until I could report on how things are in the village but as we will not have email for sometime out there. Please pray that our radio can be fixed soon so that we can get it out to the village. (The radio is how we send email.) I just wanted to let you all know that we are well and anxious to get back home tomorrow. We will have with us a friend from PBT (Pioneer Bible Translators), William Butler, who is going to work on some things with Maso, the village translator; please continue in your prayers for safety in travel for all!

Sidenote: We tried to have another radio sent down to use until ours is fixed, but thanks to scheduling changes by the local airline it will not get here in time. So if you don’t hear from us, it’s not that we don’t like you, just can’t send email via coconut shell satellite.

More later. . Jesse and Karie Pryor-eventually…..

The kids have been to zoo’s, and Dollywood and Sixflags, and fireworks and museums.  ARE WE THERE YET????  Well almost.  We leave the US on Aug 25th to head back to PNG.  The kids are anxious to get back to friends and home (probably in that order)  And we are anxious to get back to doing the work we have been telling you all about at all of our stops. 

For those of you we haven’t seen yet we are going to be in IN for the month of Aug.  3rd Rocklane Christian Church, Greenwood, IN Aug 9, 10 Greenwood Christian Church, Greenwood,IN Aug 17th Liberty Christian Church Martinsville, IN
For those of you who have hosted us in your homes, and taken us to dinner and made us feel welcome in your church THANK YOU!! 

Another year has almost slipped away. Time really flies these days.  I had to struggle to think where we were at Christmas last year but, we were here in Samban.  And here we are again.  It just doesn’t seem like Christmas without all the seasonal reminders on every house.  I always thought that decorating for Christmas was a little overrated but here where there are no decorations, no carols, no Santa at the mall you find it hard to believe it is indeed the Christmas season.  I was just working on our furlough plans yesterday and realized that if we stick to our plans, the next Christmas we spend with our families will be Christmas 2010.  I remember when I was little how mom and dad would sneak into our room in, what seemed like the middle of night, bundle us in homemade afghans and throw us in the back of the Buick - one on the back seat, one on the floor board, and one in the back window where we would sleep (or pretend to) all the way to Ft. Wayne to be with the Peck’s for Christmas and then at 1:00 double back to be with the Able’s for a big dinner and the Christmas story and cousins tearing into L.S. Ayres bags. Then our family celebration which was held whenever mom and dad couldn’t stand the whining anymore, usually the night of the Christmas candle-light service so we could wear our new P.J.’s to the 10 pm service.  WOW!  So if you have family nearby this Christmas make sure do all those hokey family traditions that you love to hate because those are memories that last.

This year has been full of nice surprises we have had visitors from everywhere.  Mom and Dad and Ryne’s time was definitely a highlight. It was such a good time for the kids to get to know Grandma and Grandpa and they haven’t forgotten them yet!  They are already counting the days until we will see them again.

We have met new friends from Greenwood CC and hosted Interns with PBT.  These special people have made our year fly by and given us the opportunity to serve the people here in a unique way.  Using the gifts of our visitors we have created vernacular study guides for the book of Luke and made a new vernacular song book for church.  We have been able to run a 2 week free clinic and now have opened a small private clinic in the village where people can have daily care.  We have built a new building to house the generators and extended and graded the airstrip as well as timbering and milling some of the lumber needed for the future literacy center.  It has been a busy year!

Our family has really grown, too.  Last year Judah was just 1 year old and now he is a terrible 2 and with Naleh in first grade and Eli finishing up preschool there is never a dull moment.  Naleh had many firsts this year.  She is reading short stories, she learned to swim and she lost her first 5 teeth!  Eli has really become a little man. He is doing well in school and eager to learn the things his sister is learning.  He is writing his alphabet, learning to do the things little boys do - shooting his bow and arrows and slingshots.  Judah is a very talkative 2 year old but he only speaks Pidgin!  He loves to run and race with his friends. He really likes the 4-wheeler and to go to the garden with mama.  He also loves to sing and dance - he really loves music! Well I think that brings you up to date on our family and friends.  Even though we are far apart this Christmas season know we are thinking of you all and wish we could be with you to celebrate this time together.  If you have a crazy holiday family tradition you would like to share with us drop us an email at   We will share the best family tradition in our New Years news letter!

Jesse, Karie, Naleh, Elijah, and Judah Pryor,
O.I.P.N.G