We are so happy and excited to announce that we’re officially HOME OWNERS!!! Yes, you read that right. The “forever renting and moving” Bruners now own a house here at Ukaumpa! It’s the “submarine house” (notice the round window in the door) and has been owned by many different missionary families over the years. Now it’s unbelievably ours! As we have never lived for more than two years in one house since we got married, I (Brena) was beginning to think we would never have a house of our own.

So here’s the story behind the purchase.

In August we had no intention of buying a house. We figured we’d move once a year until we head back to the States for furlough. Once a year is better than 3 or 4 times a year like we used to do in the Solomon Islands.

But then…the Director announced to the community that because there has been a large influx of missionary families coming to Ukarumpa (a good thing), it would mean that people renting houses would likely have to move every 3 to 6 months.

When John and I heard that we thought, “How can we do that for the remainder of our term here – 2 ½ more years?!” Moving even once a year has been getting more and more difficult for us, so we were feeling quite discouraged.

But then…a house came up for sale that was very cheap and that we could buy without going into debt. We also liked the fact it is in a great location (close to the school, store, clinic, tennis courts), has a nice remodeled kitchen, and should hopefully be easy to sell when we leave. So we put a bid on it. It was a blind bid so it would go to the highest bidder.

We honestly thought we wouldn’t get it.

But then…two days before we left for the States in late October we heard we got it!! What great timing! I hurriedly measured all the windows in the house so that I could buy fabric in the States for curtains.

So we plan to move to our new house during the Christmas break. We are thinking of painting a few rooms first as it’s an old house and could use freshening up. Then we can settle in and not have to think about moving again until June 2019 when Luke graduates and we head back to the States for furlough. I can even put nails in the wall and not worry about ruining other people’s things. Wow. What a wonderful Christmas present!! Thank you, Jesus!!

TO BE IN TOUCH:

PO Box 1 (134), Ukarumpa EHP 444, Papua New Guinea – john_bruner@sil.org

Grant Bruner, PO Box 2159, John Brown University, Siloam Springs, AR 72761 – brunerg@jbu.edu

Joey Bruner, ETBU Box 6-331, One Marshall Drive, Marshall, TX 75670 – joseph_bruner@etbu.edu

TO GIVE ONLINE:

https://www.wycliffe.org/partner/Bruners

TO GIVE BY MAIL:

send gifts to:
Wycliffe Bible Translators
P.O. Box 628200
Orlando, FL 32862

(The check should be made payable to Wycliffe Bible Translators – include a note that says it is for the ministry of John and Brena Bruner)

At this very moment, the audio recording of the Fataleka NT is being done in a village in the West Fataleka area on the island of Malaita in the Solomon Islands. They hope to have it finished by Dec. 2. This is a recent request from Oliver and Robert Mark, two of the recorders:

“Robert and I are doing ok with the recording, the speakers are getting there with their parts, and hopefully they will all finish by the 2nd of December. It’s rainy season now so please pray for good weather because we’ve noticed from other recorded lines we took, we heard the rain in the background.”

Thank you for praying for this important recording as it will reach people who aren’t able to read the NT.

TO BE IN TOUCH:

PO Box 1 (134), Ukarumpa EHP 444, Papua New Guinea – john_bruner@sil.org

Grant Bruner, PO Box 2159, John Brown University, Siloam Springs, AR 72761 – brunerg@jbu.edu

Joey Bruner, ETBU Box 6-331, One Marshall Drive, Marshall, TX 75670 – joseph_bruner@etbu.edu

TO GIVE ONLINE:

https://www.wycliffe.org/partner/Bruners

TO GIVE BY MAIL:

send gifts to:
Wycliffe Bible Translators
P.O. Box 628200
Orlando, FL 32862

(The check should be made payable to Wycliffe Bible Translators – include a note that says it is for the ministry of John and Brena Bruner)

John and I just returned from our 3 week trip to the States. It feels good to be back “home” and back with Luke. Our time in the States was fun but really busy. Here’s our time in a nutshell….thanks for praying!!

TWO DAYS in Brisbane, Australia – just John and I together; eating out, walking, watching movies

a tad bit of excitement for Gelato!

FOUR DAYS in California – with the Peters side of the family; eating at the famous Pantry, birthday party for several of us, jet lag, I share in our home church’s SS class after John leaves for meetings

the morning  we arrive – at The Pantry with my  parents

enjoying time with my step-brother and family

coffee and conversation with my wonderful Daddy

FOUR DAYS in Arlington, TX – John in Seed Co. meetings and me with my sister and family; shopping, shopping, shopping for things we need and can’t get here, playing with my little grandnephew, seeing Joey and Amaechi, celebrating John and little Patrick’s birthday (they fall on the same day), shopping  for Joey

Joey and Amaechi!

Shopping is only fun with those I’m with…my sister, niece, and grand nephew!

on Nov. 6 Patrick and John were born (Patrick didn’t want to do the hat-thing) :)

my dear sister (an expert in sewing) helping me cut out curtain fabric

FOUR DAYS with Joey and Grant – driving up to their schools, touring their campuses and meeting their friends – including Grant’s lovely new girlfriend

Joey in front of his East Texas Baptist Univ. Soccer Team locker

Got a great tour of Grant’s Engineering building and classrooms at John Brown University in Arkansas

Catching up and eating out –  :)

FOUR DAYS in Florida – with the Bruner side of the family; celebrating my mother-in-law’s 80^th birthday with about a 1/3 of the family, eating, playing golf, talking, laughing

John with his brothers and parents

the Bruners that were able to celebrate the lovely Dorothy Bruner

TWO DAYS traveling – from the east coast to the west coast and then to Australia and finally to PNG – all in one fell swoop!

Great fun to see our good friends, the Burtons, at LAX during our 3 hour layover!

Well,  hope I won’t be traveling again any time soon. It was a blessing to go, but so good to be back. Luke had a good but very busy time while we were gone. He also survived an accident on a 3-wheel cart (with no brakes). He had some stitches and abrasions, but thankfully nothing worse than that!!!

PLEASE PRAY:

• That this sore throat I’ve had for 2 weeks will go away soon
• For John as he starts work with a Papua New Guinean translation team on Monday

TO BE IN TOUCH:

PO Box 1 (134), Ukarumpa EHP 444, Papua New Guinea – john_bruner@sil.org

Grant Bruner, PO Box 2159, John Brown University, Siloam Springs, AR 72761 – brunerg@jbu.edu

Joey Bruner, ETBU Box 6-331, One Marshall Drive, Marshall, TX 75670 – joseph_bruner@etbu.edu

TO GIVE ONLINE:

https://www.wycliffe.org/partner/Bruners

TO GIVE BY MAIL:

send gifts to:
Wycliffe Bible Translators
P.O. Box 628200
Orlando, FL 32862

(The check should be made payable to Wycliffe Bible Translators – include a note that says it is for the ministry of John and Brena Bruner)