Patrick arrived at CLTC on Monday, January 30 and began teaching ALOT of students the next evening! (His PNG visa approval was delayed and he had to change his airline tickets, but thankfully he was still able to arrive before classes began.) His very large Bible Interpretation class just kept growing and growing. The final count was 25 in-person and 14 virtual from CLTC’s 2 urban campuses. Teaching in-person and virtually is a challenge anywhere, but add to the mix power and internet outages and that he was teaching two nights a week, and it was sometimes overwhelming. 🙂 During the day he taught the Book of Romans to a total of 22 students: 11 in-person and 11 online.

Patrick really enjoyed teaching these present and future church leaders. The increased number of students was a great encouragement to him.

FARM REBUILDING

We are thankful that CLTC’s training program has been able to continue despite some serious setbacks in the farm. It was great to see chickens in the breeder sheds again. There are also day old chicks peeping in the hatchery.

AWANA still going strong!

GIRAMBIN PRIMARY SCHOOL

CLTC helped to start this school about 15 years ago. It is a 2 minute walk from our campus and children of CLTC staff and students attend there along with children from nearby villages.

HELP JUST IN TIME – A NEW GENERATOR

This new generator was provided by donations in addition to an interest free loan given by New Zealand friends. It will replace the ancient ones at CLTC and will work with new solar panels to provide 24 hour power to the college. Exciting times! To give some perspective on this….Last year an earthquake in PNG caused damage to the hydroelectric plant at Yonki Dam and CLTC’s aging generators could not keep up with the demand. We were literally in the dark. Pray CLTC can get the new generator and solar panels up and running soon.

ROOM WITH A VIEW

Another beautiful PNG afternoon. This picture was taken right outside the guesthouse flat where Patrick stayed. As always he missed his family but loved his time in PNG.

Clarkston Bible Institute (CBI)

In December CBI celebrated its 5th graduation with a total of eleven students. (Four were not able to attend in person.) During this past year nine students were online (through zoom) and two attended in person.

The graduation included testimonies and the Karenni youth choir. The choir (which includes three of Jan’s students from the high school ) sang some sweet worship songs and they were led by a CBI graduate, Shako. Shako graduated last year and just returned from a short mission trip to Thailand.

PRAISE:

1. Despite the delay of his visa approval Patrick arrived before classes began.
2. The increased number of students CLTC is training.
3. Financial and personnel support that are helping revive CLTC’s farm program.
4. CBI students who graduated in December.

PRAY:

1. Jan and Karis are tentatively planning to go with Patrick when he returns to PNG this summer. They will be there for a month. Pray for timely visa approvals for all or Jan and Karis will not be able to go.
2. For Patrick as he prepares to teach in-person and online again. Lesson plans and assignments have to be adapted in order to effectively teach all the students. AND reliable power and internet are needed!
3. Pray CLTC can get the new generator and solar panels up and running soon.
4. CBI – Clarkston Bible Institute begins a new school year in late July. Patrick will be in PNG, but pray for many in-person students. Patrick will resume teaching when he returns in mid-September.