Namiai SALT

Partnering with Youth With A Mission, the Namiai course was staffed by an outreach team from YWAM Perth (BELT)

Course Location: Tahama village in the Namiai people group

Course Dates: February 6- 24, 2006

Team Leader: Ben Poulton

Team members and their responsibilities: Stephanie Munfrada – Food supplies and meal coordinator, Elizabeth Primus – Reporter and photographer, Rebecca Jellum– Course supplies and materials, Shaphan Williams– Worship and prayer leader.

Statistics:

There were 29 participants who received certificates for participation at graduation. There were between ten and fifty additional observers who attended some of the teaching/ workshop sessions apart from the graduates.

On the outreach weekend February 17-19, 2006, the 29 participants and YWAM team visited nine different villages and taught/ preached to 884 persons.

At the Graduation ceremony most of the villagers attended and about 120 were present for the dramas and testimonies that were presented.

Testimonies

“The YWAM team’s presence here was very important for most of the people whose spiritual understanding is very limited and don’t have resources to grow either.”

“The course helped us to know how to apply the Bible – how to equip souls to be willing to learn more.”

“These were not new Bible texts but the texts were explained to us and they actually mean something to us now”

“It is a waste of time reading the Bible if we don’t apply what we learn – and that’s what this course has done - give us understanding of what the Bible says and how to practically apply it to every area of our lives. “

Philip – Before the course I felt a hindrance (blockage) in my relationship with God in coming near to him. I used to play music alone as a way to relate but now I know I can talk to God and have a better relationship with him.

Claire – The course helped me to better understand the true meaning of Jesus’ death on the cross. I am now more confident to pray. I see how Jesus as God extended the cross to us in the toilet pit. Before preachers did not have a clear message and took a long time to prepare a message. The course showed us how to do it better and to prepare and present messages.

Malcus (Anglican church leader) - The biggest thing that came out of the course was that we need to be holy (no sin) and that we need relationship with God not just religion.

Joel – I did not receive much education in reading and writing. Before the course I did wrong things and thought I was not valuable because I was not educated, but now I know God sees me as valuable.

Claire – I learnt that sex should be done only in marriage and how going out from under the umbrella of marriage grieves the Holy Spirit.

Ruth – Before I felt sad and ashamed to share from the Bible in the home and in the village. Yesterday I went home and confidently shared the word of God to my parents.

Colin Aseto – I was the leader of the gambling ring in my village. The YWAM team came and preached God’s word. I was living in darkness and now I am living in the light. Through this I was able to share my testimony on outreach in church in Kaitama and to tell my friends what I was doing was wrong. I want to thank the team for coming.

Timothy Barbaru - I was a leader of a gambling ring and involved in sorcery. Newton Kufuae paid the fees for this course for me and this course has really helped me to recognize my sin and to change my life.

Newton Kufuae - I decided to pay the course fees for three key leaders in the community who were involved in gambling and sin. Colin had taken me to court and charged that I was involved with Annette in false healing practices. I felt that if I could change these three key community leaders, then I could change the community, so I went ahead and encouraged them to do the course, and it has had a significant effect!