SOVEREIGN GRACE BAPTIST MISSION
International – Papua New Guinea / Malawi Africa
P.O. Box 60150 Ndirande Bt. 6 Blantyre Malawi /
P.O. Box 233 – Mt Hagen (WHP) Papua New Guinea
Tanggi Mission Station – North Koroba, Hela Province, PNG
Missionary / Evangelist: Peter A. Halliman
Email: panagioite04@gmail.com
Website: sgbm-malawi-africa.com
Date: 03/Jan 2025
Dear Pastor, Church, & All Supporters:
I am writing this missions letter from Malawi, Africa, after two months of being task saturated and going off grid for twenty-one days it has been difficult to keep up with the mission reports. My schedule and workload has changed, of which, I will also detail, however I want to go back and catch you (the reader, supporter) up to date from November, and then into December. I will have to break up the reports and put them into series, as there is too much to detail in one sitting.
November 2024 – This month I was coming to closing of the Bible Academy with the students, for six full months I had taught two classes, seven to eight hours per day, five days a week, until the middle of November. I have written much about how this school runs, the requirements, duties, and syllabus. Amongst the many chores and tasks, I had seen to it that the students were cared for, physically, medically, and spiritually.
The lessons all required translation, the typing, printing all was done in house, copies were made via town printers. All the exams I made one by one from the lessons taught, many weeks of lessons taught, all students wrote their own exams, of which, Saturdays were dedicated to grading papers, studying for Sundays and full board preaching on Sundays as well.
I want to share some good news, and encouraging too, there has been a dry spell in the mission work / amongst churches, and ‘the calling of God” unto men. Most of the older generation has died out, leaving a generation that I have known, but did not grow up with, or minister too, as I was in Malawi all those years. There have been four young men who gave their testimony that the LORD had called them to preach. God uses many things, ways, events, and even people to guide, solidify, and even help to make clear (this calling), I do NOT agree nor endorse, anything outside of the (direct calling of God) to His man, however I do believe God uses those things I have mentioned, to confirm this calling many times. I strongly believe, that as the hard (Truth) of God’s Word has been taught, & preached, God used this in His own way to impress upon these men, His calling for their work in life.
Jeremiah 1:5 Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee; and before thou camest forth out of the womb I sanctified thee, and I ordained thee a prophet unto the nations.
Why is it so many men who answer the call to God’s ministry, then after a short time, they abandon the ministry? God never has called ‘seasonal pastors’ or part time (substitute) missionaries, not sure where this comes in at, except (man-made laws).
I am thankful that God has called these young men, they are His labourers, not mine, however they were put into my care to tutor and teach. The days quickly passed as I was also gearing up for many jobs which, had been put on hold for months whilst I was teaching full time in the bible academy.
The students sat for their examinations the last two days of their school (at least) for a season. The last Sunday that all the students were with me, we congregated at one of the local churches, within Mt. Hagen area, of which, I preached. That following Monday was their day to find transport to return to their respective villages.
I had I.D.’ made for each of the students with the mission to assist them along with a letter endorsed by myself (with the mission letterhead) to enable the students to buy wine in Mt. Hagen and transport back to their churches for the L.S.
Much that is taken for granted in developed countries becomes a major issue in other third-world countries. As you the reader consider all this, remind yourself that I am not pastoring a local church where I make suggestions to the members, and they in turn go out and do themselves. Let me put it on a level you can understand, Mr. Pastor, you operate a bible school for the church members, you pay for their food, buy their medicine, take them to the hospital (pay the bill), or you perform the medical procedures, you construct the quarters for the member-students to be housed in whilst at school, you make sure they have bedding, water, food, some kind of power to study, ready, charge their phones etc… the list goes on, they are people and have people needs. You Mr. Pastor, you are the teacher, you study, you translate because the lessons are not in the vernacular of the people.
You type out the lessons, print out a master copy and go to town to make copies, come back and stand (not sit) for seven to eight hours teaching, you don’t just hand out the papers and tell the students to read this section and study… no, no, no you teach, you make it clear, you break it down to baby food. Then after all week of teaching, you have your Sat off, not again, you have no Sat off, you have to do your own shopping, pay your own bills, cook your own food, and clean up your own house. You have to make sure you study for tomorrow as it is the LORD’S Day, and Heaven has no place for (lazy so-called Christians.
Sunday is full board, none of this thirty-minute preaching, the people will not stand for it, and want to be fed, you don’t wear out the people with Scriptures either, you preach, make plain, you give the understanding, cause the people to be attentive as did Ezra in his day. You Mr. preacher, make up the exam papers based on the lesson taught, you don’t just put yes and no questions to make it easy for yourself, or the student! You grade the papers over the weekend even when you have to stay up late, knowing tomorrow is class.
This schedule is repeated week after week, your budget is not increased, no member gives you anything, everyone is looking to you for the completion of this task, to help with labour, giving on oneself in physical chores yes, they are ready, but the financial side its laid on your shoulders. Question… how many of you are willing to do this? If not, why not? And if you do, what level do you do it on?
I am simply sharing with you what I face in the mission work here in PNG, I don’t have the income of many, yet what comes in (all) goes out at the end of the day, I just rely on the LORD to feed me, house me, and keep me strong. I have no complaints, only to give thanks unto our LORD, and to thank His people for giving what they do. I appreciate the prayers, (if indeed are true prayers) for the work and myself, perhaps more than the money itself.
I know how to live on sweet-potatoes and pumpkin leaves for greens, days on end, God knows what I do, fail to do, and do do….
The month of November was heavily loaded for me and only by God’s grace I was sustained, only through His mercies being new every morning, through His gifts of health, strength, the energy, and His H.S. guiding me in teaching the (Truth) as I know it to be, I have been able (in Him) to accomplish six and half months of teaching, training to and with these students. Most of them are pastors, the four young men recently called to preach, and a few young men who assist their pastors in church work.
Our Lord changed the world with Eleven men, perhaps I will be used to change the country of PNG with these thirty-four men (students)!
May our Lord bless each of you and keep you in the centre of His will.
In His Name,
Missionary Peter Halliman