-- April 2010 Update --

But how can they call on him to save them unless they believe in him? And how can they believe in him if they have never heard about him? And how can they hear about him unless someone tells them? And how will anyone go and tell them without being sent? That is why the Scriptures say, “How beautiful are the feet of messengers who bring good news!” - Romans 10:14-15 (NLT)

Dear Loved Ones,
Thank you for your prayers and support during the time that we have been here in the US and Colombia on our home assignment.  Also we want to thank those of you who have spent time with us and whom we have been able to catch up with after serving in Papua New Guinea (PNG) for the last three years.

First of all we would like to update you on the two mission conferences we had during the month of March. The first weekend of March we were able to share our calling to missions during a coffee night at Faith Bible Church (our home church in DeSoto, TX).  It was also a great time for us to hear about other missionaries that our church supports. We had the privilege of being guest speakers at one of the children’s Sunday School classes and were able to tell the children about our life and ministry in PNG.

 

(Left to Right:  Kassia with her cousins Juan Pablo and Valeria; Luke is enjoying eating some chocolate)

On March 10^th we traveled to the Chicago area and participated in a missions conference at Western Springs Baptist Church, the church where Kurt’s mom grew up. We had the opportunity to informally share about our ministry there first on Friday night.  We were also asked to speak on Saturday morning at the conference’s breakfast. Then on Sunday morning we shared at one of the adult Sunday School classes. Many people asked specific questions about our life in PNG and about our current ministry needs. What a joy it was to spend a week in Western Springs and to feel loved by our brothers and sisters in Christ there.

Kurt has been able to work from home remotely helping other Wycliffe members that are on their home assignment with their computer needs. He has also been working on figuring out what our one time needs are to be able to return to PNG as well as looking into getting all of our documents up to date.

(Kassia and Luke pose for the camera)
As a family, we have enjoyed reconnecting with friends and family here in the Dallas area and we look forward to reconnecting with many more that we have not been able to see yet.

I (Johanna) am 23 weeks pregnant now and am feeling great. We had a sonogram at 20 weeks and it looks like everything is fine with our baby. We didn’t find out the gender of the baby as we would like to wait and be surprised at the time of his/her birth. Kassia hopes to have a baby sister, but we already told her we can’t promise her that!

(Metzger Baby #3 at 20 weeks)

In our February newsletter, we informed you that due to the fact that we are having another child and the increase in the cost of life in general, the quota that Wycliffe requires for us to return to PNG has changed. We want to praise God as in the last couple of months a few of our partners have decided to increase their monthly support and a new partner has joined our team. Therefore now we only need to raise approximately $325 dollars per month.

Currently we are estimating that we will be able to return to PNG in early November. It will take about 2 months after our baby is born to obtain his/her passport and PNG visa. We would like to share with you our one time financial needs to be able to return to PNG. We need to ship clothes for our children for the next 3 years while we are on the field. We will also ship other necessary items for our life there that are difficult to get or are very expensive. For shipping from the US to PNG we will need to raise approximately $1,000 dollars. We will also need to buy our return tickets to PNG which will cost around $8,000 dollars for our family of 5. Would your church, family, or small group be able to help meet one of these vital needs through a one-time gift? Please see the Ways to Give info on the side bar on how you can help (Please designate the special gift – “for the Ministry of Kurt and Johanna Metzger, Return Travel to PNG”).

What a great God we serve. To Him be the Honor and Glory forever! Thank you for allowing us to serve Him. We are thrilled to play some small part in getting God’s Word into the hands of some of the “tribes and tongues” we read about in Revelation. Thank you for the important part you play in our team!

Praise the Lord with us:

• For providing a house for us to live in during our time in the United States.
• For providing a car from a missionary agency that we can use the whole time during our home assignment.
• For being able to reconnect with friends and family.
• For partners that have increased their monthly support and new partners in our team.
• For a great trip to Western Springs, IL.
• For a healthy pregnancy.

Please Pray:

• For our relationship with the Lord to become deeper and stronger and that we can be an example to those around us.
• For a continued healthy pregnancy and safe delivery.
• For God to provide the $325 dollars per month that we need for our monthly quota in order to return to PNG.
• For God’s provision of our one time financial needs to return to the mission field.

In His hands,
Johanna (for Kurt, Kassia, Luke and baby!)

Posted in: baby #3, family, financial needs, ministry update, png, travel