Photos of Our House

Our House, with Mankin's house right behind ours


New Home Schooling Corner in Kitchen


Malachi's Room, ladder to Micah's loft


Micah's Loft


The Kitchen


The Kitchen


Jason's Office


Sophia's Room


Our Bedroom


Living Room


Living Room

Clay Pots - The Family

We thought we would update you a little on each member of our family:

Jason: I am still growing up. I have finally learned how to do the dishes; and I think I was even caught making omelets for breakfast the other day. I spend my time translating, teaching the Tobo believers the Word of God, working on the computer, snapping pictures, and teaching our kids bad manners.

Kellie: She is still home schooling Micah and Sophia, cooking, cleaning, cooking, scheduling flights, cooking, ordering supplies, cooking, corresponding with all of you, cooking, and did I mention cooking? She is a great mother and wife, and we don’t know what we would do without her. Oh, and she is the one who teaches our kids good manners.

Micah: Micah is 8, and just like Tom Sawyer. If he isn’t doing his 3rd grade homework, sitting in school, or playing leggos, he is usually out swinging from vines, cutting down the jungle with a machete, making forts, digging pits, playing soccer, and whooping it up with the boys. He just had his first cavity in his back molar, and was a real trooper getting it filled.

Sophia: Sophia is 5 (almost 6 now). She is getting very tall, and is a very pretty girl. If “Soap” (as we call her) is not sitting in kindergarten trying to learn to read and count to 100 (“why do I need to learn this anyway… you don’t count to 100 do you?”), then she is out scavenging the neighbors for sweet potato, cucumbers, or passion fruit. She also carries a bush knife and cuts down trees and grass, starts fires regularly, and swings from tree to tree. She is getting to be a good cook and might even rival her father sometime.

Malachi: Malachi, what can I say? Malachi is now 2 almost 3 years old. He never looses his smile, I think it is plastered on his face. He has a contagious laugh and is always the life of every party. Malachi loves to help me with any maintenance around the house and with translating the Bible Lessons with my helpers. All my friends call him the “old man” and treat him with utmost respect. He is always 100 yards ahead of us on the trail, or climbing a cliff by his hands and feet, or chasing his brother and sister begging to have the bush knife. (don’t worry, we won’t let him have it…yet).

Scamper and Abigail: They are our two cats. They make themselves useful by shedding, eating our leftovers, and leaving rat heads by the front door almost every morning. Yes, we greatly appreciate it.

Hope you have gotten to know us a little better; and we thank you for your prayers. We have had some close calls with accidents this past year; but God has kept us safe; and we realize that it is because you are praying for our little tribe. Thank you.

His Clay Pots,
Jason for Kellie, Micah, Sophia, & Malachi Knapp

About Our Family

The Knapp family has been serving in the Madang Region of Papua New Guinea since August, 2001.
The family includes Jason, Kellie, Micah, Sophia and Malachi.

Birthdays
Jason: September 28, 1976 Milwaukee, WI
Kellie: May 27, 1978; Milwaukee, WI
Micah: February 8, 1999; Whitesburg, KY
Sophia: June 7, 2001; Oconomowoc, WI
Malachi: July 12, 2004; Port Moresby, PNG


J
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NJason's Testimony:
I grew up in a Christian family; my parents, Todd and Carol Knapp, were both Christians. I put my trust in Christ's finished work for me when I was five years old. My great-grandfather had passed away and I was strangely fond of him, even though he was a smoker and could hardly leave his chair. After his funeral, I started questioning what would happen to me after I died; I had gone to Sunday School all my life and knew about the Bible and Jesus, but in my five year old mind I could not put it all together. So on Father's day of 1981, I sat on my bed with my mother and she explained to me what Christ's death meant for me. I put my trust in what Christ had done for me that night! I can still remember my Father running up the stairs with open arms and a smile on his face, telling me that that was the best Father's Day gift ever.

How did I get involved in missions?
Jason During my Sophomore year of High School, God really got ahold of my life. I was completely involved in sports and other things that were not necessarily wrong, but took my focus off the Lord. God in His grace wanted to get my attention. I ended up with an injury and surgery which God used to deepen my relationship with Him. During that week and the months to follow, God showed me that He was more important than anything else and that He is in control of the drama of my life. During this time, He brought a book across my path, "Shadow of the Almighty" by Jim Elliot. That book opened my eyes to what missions was and to what part I could play in reaching the world with the Gospel. God also brought verses to mind that I could not ignore (Rom. 15:20-the task; Matt 9:37-38-the harvest; Matt. 28:19-20-the commission; Eph. 3:8-9-the preaching; and 2 Tim. 2:1-4 -the soldier) I was challenged by a friend to take a short term missions trip to PNG So the summer between my junior and senior year I went to the Highlands of PNG and saw people and things that would change my life from then on I realized that there were people out there who had never heard of God's word and who had no way of hearing unless someone went to them and told them I saw how hopeless they were without God, and I saw how God could use me; all He needs is a willing heart. I met Kellie during my senior year and then went on another trip to Guinea, West Africa. Through it all God showed me that reaching people with the Gospel is His heartbeat.

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Kellie's Testimony
Most of my life was spent in a Christian home. My parents both became Christians early in my life and decided God was leading them to Calvary Bible College in Kansas City, Missouri. That is where I became a Christian through the influence of my Sunday School teacher and my parents.

How did I get involved in missions?
Kellie After four years in Missouri, we moved back to Wisconsin and attended Eastbrook Church. It was there that my parents were asked to be medical personnel in Somalia, Africa.. We headed to Africa and that was my first taste of missions. After 3 years, a war broke out between different tribal groups. They wanted all missionaries out immediately, dead or alive. It was while they were searching our house looking to kill us, and being inside, that I realized that if they had Jesus in their lives they wouldn't be doing this. That is when l knew I needed and wanted to be a missionary. Through God's miraculous hand we escaped and came back to live in Wisconsin. We returned when I was in 6th grade and I began to do whatever I could to fit in. That was pretty much the role I took as I progressed through junior high and high school. During my 3rd year of high school I joined a show choir which had intense practices and a highly demanding schedule. My church attendance, Bible reading, etc. was shoved aside. During that time, God by His grace brought a influential youth leader and his wife into my life and really showed me what was important. I had also met Jason at this time and he was going on a second mission trip which caused me to re-evaluate my priorities. By God's grace, He took me where I was and helped me grow. Jason and I continued to date. I went on a six week missions trip back to Africa, and continued to see the need. Since then, I have seen God's grace, faithfulness, and righteousness over and over again.

M
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HMicah="Who is like Yahweh"
Habakkuk="to cleave to"
Micah 6:8 ""He hath shown thee, O man what is good; and what the Lord requires of thee, but to do justly and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God."

About Micah

• Really likes airplanes and helicopters and wants to pilot them when he gets "big"
  
• His first pidgin word was "balus" it means airplane
  
• Favorite candy is Swedish Fish and fruit snacks
  
• Micah accepted the Lord when he was four!
  
• Micah loves to draw and play with play dough and dirt

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ASophia=Wisdom
Joy= Yep, you guessed it
Proverbs 2:6 "For the Lord giveth wisdom; out of his mouth cometh knowledge and understanding."

• Likes to eat ALL THE TIME (her record is two whole kaukau (sweet potatoes)at one sitting)
  
• Her nickname is "soap" created of course by her brother
  
• "Soapie" is the troublemaker and is always making a mess
  
• Sophia loves puzzles, helping Daddy with projects around the house and playing in the mud

M
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IMalachi = God's Messenger
Ezekiel = God Strengthens
Psalm 8:2 "From the mouth of infants and nursing babes You have established strength..."

• He is our the "happiest" of our kids; always laughing and smiling at everyone that walks by.
  
• He is a true "Lengbati" child, as they all say. Malachi loves bananas, mashed pumpkin, and mashed sweet potatoes.
  
• He learned to crawl in March, and also loves to pick up anything on the floor and stick it in his mouth... not good when it is dirt:)
  
• He got his first teeth in April, so he is growing up fast.