Merry Christmas (Dec26/08)

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

This Christmas will be the first time that we've celebrated Christmas with our Grandchildren since Zach our first born Grandchild was 2 years old and the only one.  We do not have the entire family, but Geoffrey and Churie arrived with their two girls.  It has been fun.  Many Solomon Islanders travel to their home island for the holidays and so the capital city, Honiara, pretty much empties out until after New Years. 

 

I'm looking forward with great anticipation to this upcoming year.  We never know what is in store but in service of the King of Kings there is always a feeling of excitement and great anticipation.  At the same time 2009 will more-than-likely be a very challenging year.  I'm anxious to see what God is going to do in 2009.  Just to think he's given us the opportunity to minister here in the Solomon Islands.  I pray that we'll be faithful and obedient in the Master's service this upcoming year.  The news is not positive and not very encouraging about the worldwide economic situation.  For those of you who have lost your job, your home, see your retirement dwindle away, and are facing a crisis due to the economic downturn, our prayers are with you, as you face uncertain days.  I would like to remind you (and myself too) that despite all the outside circumstances God is still on the throne, Jesus is still the King of Kings, and the tomb is still empty.   That baby born in a manger over 2000 years ago is still wanting to change lives and the world today.  This is not the first time the world has faced financial and social challenges.  Pray for your missionaries, pastors, and Christian leaders as they face these challenges and that through it all HIS Church will continue to grow strong.

 

Geoff and Churie, Raina and Felicity:

 

Geoff and Churie arrived in Honiara, December 9^th.  I was able to take a few days vacation.  We went to the beach and was able to snorkel, swim, and enjoyed a picnic lunch together.  The girls collected some hermit crabs and we had a small aquarium around the house so know we have some hermit crabs.  Felicity is fascinated by the geckos.  We have a few resident geckos living in our home.  Every evening they come out and Felicity around 5 p.m. will start asking, "Where is the lizard?" They are fun to watch as they catch the insects.

Geoffrey and I are converting our crate into a play house for the girls.  It is turning out quite lovely and will be a nice place for them to play.  Since Geoffrey and Churie arrived we've had earthquakes, the worst thunder and lightning storm we've experienced in the Solomon's, and an extended power outage.  They have experienced in just a short time what others take years to experience.  They couldn't believe it when it took them three working days to open a bank account.  Geoffrey once back in the Solomon Islands is fluent in the Papua New Guinea "tok Pisin", but the Solomon Islands speak a different pijin.  It should not take him long to adjust.  The trouble in learning the Solomon Pijin is that most locals will not correct you when you use the wrong pijin words.   

 

Pray for Geoff and Churie as they are now getting some orientation and getting settled in.  There are a number of people that Geoffrey will need to meet and talk with whenever they all return to work after the first of the year.

 

Zion Christian Academy:

Pray for our Christian School ZCA, which is a ministry of the Zion Church of the Nazarene, Honiara.  The school faced many crises this past year.  We are making some changes this year.  One of the changes is Nancy is going to serve as Principal this year.  Pray for her as she assumes this role.  This will be a great  opportunity for her to make an impact in the loves of the students and staff.  Churie will also teach in the primary.  Pray for our teaching staff as they return from the holidays.  The teacher orientation will begin on January 12^th and then on the weekend 16-18 January we are planning a teacher's retreat.  Hopefully this year we can build an attitude of teamwork and cooperation.  Pray for Nancy in this new role. 

 

Nancy:

Continue to pray for Nancy's leg that it will continue to heal.

 

Christmas Festivities in the Solomon Islands:

For Christmas in the Solomon Islands this year we held the Christmas Eve service at the church.  Our son, Geoffrey, brought the message.  Following the message we closed the service with Christmas Communion.  Following the service we had fellowship with coffee, cake, and sandwiches.

Then Christmas Day (today) we will have our family Christmas and read the Christmas story.  We will play games, watch a Christmas video, eat, and open our presents.  We have invited Mairy, our district treasurer, over to celebrate Christmas with us.  Her children have all gone to Malaita to be with their father over Christmas.  The girls are quite fond of Mairy.

On New Year's Eve we will have a service in the church, welcoming in the New Year.  I will be preaching at this service.  Then we'll go to sleep around 2 a.m. or whenever the noise from banging trash barrels etc. dies down to a tolerable level.  Actually I can fall asleep in spite of all the noise.

New Year's day they are planning a barbeque at the church.

 

Other Prayer requests:

1.     The work in Western Province – Barakoma Village on Vella la vella Island has a new start church and they started a school in 2008.   They have 64 students enrolled.  They are currently building their church and school from money donated for that purpose.  Pray for their pastor Kendrick Lonisasa and the school administrators Rollingson and Grace Koza, as they build their Church and School and spread scriptural Holiness in the Western Province.

2.     Pray for the work as the doors are opened on New Georgia Island, Western Province.  One of our Nazarene Members, Alick Hagi, was transferred to Munda on New Georgia Island.  Pray for Alick as he works and ministers there.  Also there is a Nurse living in Munda who was a student this past year in Port Moresby.  While living in PNG he attended our Nazarene Church there and has just returned to Munda, we trust we'll have a strong nucleus there.  Pray for these open doors.

3.     Jimmy and Mirriam Olifisau as I work with them in their pastoral assignment.  We have several places that need a pastor, and pray that they will be placed in a strategic location to really help the church to grow.

4.     Continue to pray for the work among the heathen people.  Pray that we can place a pastor on site or at least nearby.  It is tough sending a pastor in for one to two weeks at a time every two months or so.  Barnabas has been traveling in mostly by foot.  He has requested a bicycle to help him with this ministry. 

5.     Pray for the selection of another pastor for the Honiara Zion Church, for the Kwailatutu church, and I have many others in need of leadership.  It seems like truly the fields are white unto harvest but the laborers are few.

6.     Pray for the Bible College classes this next year as the first block course will begin February 25.

I am sure there are a number of other prayer requests, but I started this letter 2 days ago and now it is Christmas Morning and I want to Send it.

 

Your Partners in His Ministry,

George & Nancy Miller

PO Box 712

Honiara, Solomon Islands

george_nancy@reachone.com

Phone: (677)25-109

Mobile: (677)68-920