February/March 2018
Dear Praying Friends,
This new year has started and continued at a neck breaking speed. Time seems to be flying by and it has been 10 weeks since my last report went out. Our family has had a great time being with our church family and participating in several of their outreaches this winter. Singing with the Christmas choirs and singing groups was a joy.
As planned, I was able to fly to Papua New Guinea for the last 2 weeks of January to check up on the church and the people in Papua New Guinea. Bro. Reese Parfitt joined up with me in Port Moresby, and we flew to Kaintiba together. Many people inquired of me when the Helzerman family was coming back to PNG, and some thought the rest of the family were already in Port Moresby, and would be joining me in a few days. I had to tell them it was only I who had come this time just to encourage them. Reese and I were able to preach at the market and visit many people in Kaintiba. Some families we invited to the house and had food and fellowship together. Others, we took food to and prepared meals with them at their houses as we “storied” (telling stories) . The time flew by and soon I was once again flying over the Pacific Ocean headed back home. I was able to do a few maintenances at our house, cut the grass, repair lawnmowers for the workers to continue cutting the grass on the airstrip, and a few other physical things concerning the ministry. It was a joy also to preach once to the church family on Sunday, January 28. Jorim, Tabitha, and Rufus are doing well.
While I was in PNG, Christi and the children were with my parents in Riverdale, Michigan. They were an encouragement to the church there and were able to help get some fire wood cut for my father. I was happy to hear of the good report of their help while their father was away. After I returned to the USA (through Detroit), I joined up with Christi and the children to spend a few extra days with them also in this work. We returned back to Geneseo, NY the 6th of February.
The remaining time of February we had 2 meetings in churches in the Rochester area, one being a supporting church, Walker Bible Baptist Church in Hilton, NY. This church family have been a great help not only in financial support, but keeping records of our homeschooling and ordering of schoolbooks for the children. Bro. Russo, who is the Assistant Pastor has been the collaborator whom Christi goes to with questions concerning requirements and grading. Another pastor (Pastor Hal Roscoe) allowed us to present the work in Chili (Rochester), NY. Pastor Roscoe also gave me a chance to set up a display table at their annual Youth Ablaze meeting, whereby many prayer cards went into hands of more Christians who have a heart for missions around the word and who will pray for us as we labour in our “Hedges” ministry.
Titus was scheduled to preach on the 25th of February at our home church (Old Paths Bible Baptist Church). After that, we had to start a month long road trip that has now brought us all the way down into Texas. We started out in Ohio and had the opportunity to tell the people at Victory Hill Baptist Church in Miamisburg , OH about our ministry. Pastor Harrelson has been an acquaintance to Christi and me since our teenage days. He and his family were missionaries in PNG for over 25 years. From there we stopped at Believers Baptist Church in Warsaw, Indiana to work on producing an updated video presentation. We hope to get the video linked to out web page soon.
Christi’s Corner: The kids have been doing well in school this road trip. Usually it is hard for them to get much done while we are traveling, but several places we have stayed at along the way had good places for them to focus and do well. Some have finished their allotted work for this month, and keeping them busy is a challenge for me. I am thankful for the housing Father has provided everywhere we have traveled to. Even this morning some friends opened their house for us to stay with them leading up to our next meeting this next Sunday. I love to see God answer these simple, yet specific prayers for me!
For His Glory,
Mark and Christi Helzerman
Titus, Samuel, Hadassah,
Grace, Hope, Serenity and Glory
E-mail: mhelzerman@gmail.com