Hello friends,

In the last update we mentioned how we started training 5 men and 2 ladies to be the first trained Dem Bible teachers/evangelists. One of the men’s name is Petut. We are asking for you to pray for a miracle for Petut. I will give you a lil background first…

Petut and his wife Tenonggolina have been faithful followers of Yagwe since they heard the gospel in their langauge for the first time back in 2021. In 2021 when we started the chronological Bible lessons they had a healthy young son around 11/12 years old who became sick and with what we believe was either Meningitis or Tb that went to his brain and resulted in their son ending up in a vegetative state. They were in town at the hospital for about a month and then returned to tribe for a time. Their son required around the clock care and so after a month or so in Dem-land they decided he needed to go back out to town to try and get help. While in town their son passed away.

When they returned to the tribe their very new faith was unwavering. They would say “The Creator is good always. Even though our son has died, the Creator is in control and is still good.” This was so incredible to witness first hand their faith in the Lord and it never stopped.

That was in 2021 and since then they have been so hungry for God’s word. They never miss an opportunity to hear God’s word and Petut leads a study/prayer meeting in his area every week. Petut has a hunger to tell his family and others the truth and share the goodness of the Lord. Hence why he was one we felt would be great for the first Bible teacher/evangelism class.

We finished the training a few weeks ago and Petut was excited to keep learning and get an opportunity to teach in larger gatherings. The last week we met (about a month ago) he mentioned he was having stomach pains, and was uncomfortable with some other symptoms. This is very normal as so many of the Dem people have bad worm issues but we had our Dem medical workers give him medicine we thought might help. Fast forward to last week it was obvious something else was going on, he was in a lot of pain and stopped eating and Bri and I felt like he needed to get medical help in town.

Petut flew out to town last friday and was rushed to hospital to get USG and other tests as there were some concerning symptoms. After tests and scans they discovered that Petut has late stage liver cancer and doesn’t have much time left. The Doctors here have said there is nothing they can do as his condition is just too bad and he needs to go back to his home and spend his remaining time with his family. This was so hard to hear and also to make sure he understood what the doctors were telling him as his first language is not Indonesian.

Ive been able to communicate to him through another Dem guy who lives in the town who has been going to hospital everyday, along with the Teall’s (our co-workers who used to live in Dem-land) and also another Dr friend who has been going and making sure he agrees with the local doctor’s assessment.

When I asked Petut what he wants me to tell his sisters and his mother who are here in Dem-land worried about him he said, “Tell them I’m very sick and there isn’t any medicine for my sickness and Im coming home. (which culturally means he is going to die) Tell them to not be sad because the Creator has planned this with my life, and my life is in His hands.”

We are trying to get him back into Dem-land ASAP, hopefully this Friday. Please pray for his family and for Petut. Bringing him back in here to spend his last days/weeks/months are not going to be easy. Please pray his pain would be minimum, please pray for the Lord to do a miracle as we know He can. But if He chooses to not save Petut’s life, that he would go quickly and as painless as possible.

We are heartbroken by this but so encouraged by his faith and we know that when he gets in here, he will continue to praise Gods name and trust His plan. We appreciate your prayers for Petut and his family. We don’t know if he has days or months left so please pray! Thank You!