Meet Luke Aubrey! Part 3 of 3
November 12, 2014 8:32 pm Leave your thoughts
Hello, Friends!
Today I am featuring the final installment of my interview with the Papua New Guinea missionary Luke Aubrey. We’ve been getting to know him better over the past couple of weeks, and I hope you will consider reaching out to him if you are moved to do so. He is a blessing to the Papua New Guinea people, and an inspiration to those of us back home.
As a side note, almost all the photographs in these three blogs about Luke Aubrey are his own pictures! I think they are beautiful.
Grace Fabian: Tell us about a recent answer to prayer.
Recent graduates of the SALT program
Luke Aubrey: I was teaching at a S.A.L.T. course in Madang Province when I felt the urge from the Lord to ask for specific prayer during a certain time period. I was able to get a hold of my mom via a cell-phone and informed her to rally the troops and pray for a four hour chunk of time the next day. I didn’t know what to expect, but sensed that prayer was needed. Well my mom e-mailed all of my fellow prayer warriors and they joined in the spiritual battle that was ragging. Right in the middle of the time period that they were praying for us, one of my team members climbed up into the host church’s bell tower to call the students to class. Somehow my teammate stepped in the wrong place and the sanctuary ceiling gave way. As they fell through a large hole in the ceiling, they were able to grab hold of the bell rope stopping their fall. Swinging 20 feet or so above a cement floor they were then able to rock back and forth till the edge of the opening was in reach and they clutched at the framing, pulling themselves to safety. God watched over our team that day, hearing the prayers of those interceding for us.
GF: What do you do for fun overseas?
LA: Play village volleyball. I built a net/court system I can set up in a village in 5 minutes. Not only am I having fun playing, but it is a great way to build relationships with youth. I also love to hunt at night in the Jungle for opossums and big jungle rats. Spear Fishing on reefs is also a lot of fun.
GF: What is an ongoing long-term prayer request you have?
LA: Pray that in my day to day interaction with Papua New Guineans, God would always give me the right words to say and actions to take. Whether it be counseling a man who has just shot someone, or interacting with a person living in bondage to evil spirits, I pray that God would always enable me to respond in a way that reflects His Son’s love and points them to Him.
GF: What food do you miss the most when you’re overseas?
LA: Real maple syrup, probably because our family produces maple syrup back in the States.
GF: How do you handle the language barrier?
LA: Lots of prayer. And don’t be afraid to make lots of mistakes. In essence you have to become a 2 year old all over again. Papua New Guineans generally appreciate it when you seek to learn their language or speak in the trade language. Learn to laugh with them at your mistakes. I remember when I accidentally said that I wanted to eat a (not repeatable) part of the human body. They sure thought it was funny.
GF: What is your favorite quote?
LA: “God doesn’t necessarily call the qualified; but He qualifies those whom He calls.”
GF: What’s the most encouraging thing a church has done for you?
LA: Written to me to tell me they are praying for me. Whether it be by hand or e-mail, it is always very encouraging to get updates as to how God is working in churches back home. Knowing that God is working and moving at home is very encouraging and strengthens me to continue serving Him on the other side of the world.
GF: It’s sometimes difficult for a missionary such as yourself to ask for support, so let me do it for you! You need people to help you out, so if God puts it on their heart to support you, how can someone do that?
LA: The best way to get a hold of me for any reason is by e-mail at servinjesus4life@gmail.com. If people want to sign up for my e-mail newsletter they can contact me at that address and I will reply and happily put them on the list. As to how they can financially support my ministry here, it’s probably easiest for people to just contact me at that email address. As my missionary expenses change constantly and so do the best ways to support me. You can get some sense of what I may need by receiving my newsletter, but contacting me directly is good as well. Of course, you can always keep me in your prayers!
GF: Thank you, Luke, for your service!