Dear Friends and Family;
Here’s a long over-due update;
Thank you for your prayers. I will try to fill you in on what’s happening on our side of the world.
It has been busy and hectic we are. I trust we have been remembered in prayer. We arrived home from the regional mission conference to proceed immediately into the district assembly. Following district assembly I went to a church opening, now we are into the school Christmas, graduation, and closing for the year.
Regional Missional Leadership Conference: (October 26-30, 2011)
The missional leadership conference was attended by Nancy and I plus four other leaders from the Solomon Islands. (Picture shows from L-R Mairy, Nancy, George, Jimmy, Jeremiah, and Gibson) Thank you for your prayers. It was the day of our departure, about 2 hours before we needed to be at the air port before we picked up the last person’s Visa into Australia. We were met with challenges and obstacles in getting our team there, but God met our needs. It was a delight seeing many of our friends from across the Asia Pacific and meeting new friends too. The sessions and workshops were really challenging. We witnessed a lot of different
scenarios of how people are making Christ-like disciples. We are a missional church and want to passionately take the love of Jesus and the message of holiness and hope to people who are hurting and broken. We witnessed how Christ is moving and reaching others in countries across the Asia Pacific and around the world. As our team met together processing the information we thought of ways we can make a difference in the lives of people in the Solomon’s.
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| James and Della Du (Seminary Students from PNG) |
District Assembly: (November 8-12, 2011)
Following regional missional conference we had a week to get ready for the District Assembly and meeting. I intended to send out the prayer letter concerning the Missional Leadership conference during that week. But I was not ready for the assembly and there were so many loose ends to tidy up. November 8th arrived even though I did not feel prepared. It was good because we were fresh from the trip to Manila and the sessions and what we learned were fresh on our mind. It was a chance to re-teach what we learned in Manila.
We showed a 30% increase in church membership this year, bringing our total membership to 409. The increase in membership is large due to the new starts in White River area around Honiara and Vella la Vella, Western Province. There are many Christians (95% or so) in the Solomon Islands, but many of these are Christians in name only. Pray that the light of Jesus will shine so bright in the Solomon’s that people will be under such conviction and come into a serious relationship with Jesus, the glorious light.
Church Dedication at Kwailatutu: (November 26-27)
The Kwailatutu church completed their church building and had invited me to attend their dedication and official opening of their new church building. The opening service was Friday night 25th. I wanted to get there for the opening but the ship that travels daily to the area was being refitted and so was out of commission. The airport in Auki is closed due to land owner dispute. (This is a frequent problem with that air strip.) I thought I would cancel the trip but the church there called and insisted that I attend, so I booked the Friday night ship and would have to delay until Tuesday my return to Honiara.
I want to thank you for your prayers. I’m not sure what happened to me, but we departed Honiara at 6 p.m. and arrived in Auki around midnight. After we waited for transport and drove the 1 hour or so to Kwailatutu it was 3:30 am Saturday when we arrived at our destination. I was probably exhausted but I went to sleep and got up at 8:00 a.m. washed up and got ready for the opening service. After the dedication service (11 a.m.) I told Ezra that I was going to go and rest, but he should awake me when the meal was ready. The meal was right outside the house where I was “resting” but the next thing I remember is 2:30 when the boys came into the house and I aroused and asked them, “Is is time to eat yet?” I was told the meal was finished and I dosed back off to sleep. At this point I didn’t have a mattress or even a mat on my bed. I covered the boards with my towel and slept. I slept until 9:00 a.m. or so the next morning. I have never slept so soundly in my life before. I didn’t experience many of the things that frequent my sleep, especially when sleeping on a boards. For example, I didn’t dream about anything, don’t remember rolling over to change position and get more comfortable, my back did not hurt when I finally awoke, my arms or legs did not go to sleep, etc. After I finally awoke on Sunday morning I was fine and felt great. People told me that my Saturday Dedication sermon was powerful, but I haven’t a clue what I said. God for sure preached that sermon as I must have been preaching in my sleep. After the Sunday morning service, one lady felt sorry for me and brought me a 6 inch foam mattress to use.The Kwailatutu church is a vibrant church. They have some people attending this church who have really experienced God and his transforming power in an awesome way. It is such a delight to be with these wonderful people.
Water Situation/Update:
Some have been asking about our water situation and about the Solar system we installed. Right before we took off for Manila the solar pump went out. I need to have the pump serviced but it may have to wait until after the new year now, as thing in the Solomon’s are beginning to slow down.
Leadership direction for the Solomon Islands:
As missionary DS, I desire to turn over the DS responsibility to a local person. When I first arrived in the Solomon’s I felt within the first (2 yr.) term we would have a local DS in place. This past assembly I gave my 13th annual report to the District Assembly. We have some capable leaders in our church in the Solomon’s. There are some challenges as we localize, but I feel there are more challenges and obstacles with a foreigner in the DS role. Someone from this culture will definitely understand the people of the Solomon Islands better than a Western Missionary. They can relate better. Join me in prayer for this transition to a local DS. I’m praying and believing God that by next assembly we will have one named. In this transition period, I am putting more responsibility onto the District Advisory Board in the decision making process. This is going to be a tough year for me, so pray for me and the development of the church in the Solomon’s.
Bible College Classes:
I will be conducting more Bible College Classes this next year in an attempt to prepare more pastors for ordination. I would like to broaden the leadership base so we will have a greater selection of potential leaders. I hope to have at least 5 pastors or so ready for ordination by next assembly. Right now I am conducting a Monday and Thursday night class. Now we have taken a break for the holidays and will resume classes after the New Year. I plan to hold this class ongoing throughout this next year. This will be mainly for students living around Honiara.
Zion Christian Academy:
ZCA had their school closing last week. Pray for the school as they need another classroom. School is out but Nancy is still working as the grade 12 graduates need to finish up a little work for an ACE certificate.
Pray for Nancy as she will have a minor surgery on Wednesday 14th to release a trigger finger (I never heard of this before now.)
Home Assignment:
It seems we just returned to the field, but now looking at the calendar it is just a little over a year before it will be time for home assignment. If you would like to have us for a district tour, Faith Promise Service, Convention speaker, Children/youth or Caravan rally, or any other type of sharing, just let us know.
Home Assignment Dates: March 16 – June 15, 2013
Scheduled services: (If you have scheduled a service and it does not appear below please notify us.)
Carnegie Oklahoma – March 24
NE Indiana District Tour – April 7-14
Indianapolis District Tour – April 20-28
(Note: Our Sunday’s fill up fast so our home churches and Districts who wish us to tour should book soon.)
3rd Wave:
Pray for our two delegates to go to 3rd wave. It will take a miracle during this Christmas season for them to get their travel documents in order to be able to fly out by December 31st. We often wait until the last minute to get moving. This is one of the sicknesses we have in the Solomon’s. The two don’t even have a Passport yet. Fortunately in our small country where everyone knows everyone, it doesn’t require a long time to get things done when given to the right person (friend or relative).
Your partner in His Ministry,
George Miller,
