NTM@Work Contents (ISSN 1527-9057)

@ NTMyour connection withwork tribal missions NEW TRIBES MISSION

what is success? page 16 NTM@work contents (ISSN 1527-9057)

Vol.69 · No.1 · August 2010 4 connect: Research your road to relevant responses. Find out where you can connect with NTM@work team missions, missionaries and opportunities. Executive Editor: Macon Hare David Bell, Debbie Burgett, Rex Crawford, Ian Fallis, Jackie Fallis, 14 go deeper: plant, water and wait Jon Frazier, Patrick Hatcher, Chris Holland and Dena McMaster

NTM@work is published quarterly by New Tribes Mission. Periodical postage paid at MID-FL, FL 32799-9625 Postmaster: Please send address changes to NTM@work, New Tribes Mission, 1000 E. First Street, Sanford, FL 32771-1487

Subscriptions NTM@work is provided free to readers in North America on a year-to-year basis. To receive the magazine or have it sent to a friend, sign up online at ntm.org/subscribe, 16 more precious than gold e-mail [email protected], or call Faithfulness. Obedience. Perseverance. And 407-323-3430. above all, trusting God. These are the true measures of success in ministry. If you no longer wish to receive NTM@work, please send a note and your name and address to NTM@work, 1000 E. First Street, 18 I didn’t want an old tribe. Sanford FL 32771-1487. The magazine may be read online at 22 no magic formula ntm.org/magazine.

Requests to reprint articles should 26 get me out of here. be directed to Executive Editor Macon Hare at [email protected] 30 a voice from the past or call 407-323-3430. Contents of this magazine may not be reproduced in whole or in part unless expressly authorized in writing.

8 ntm.org/magazine NTM worldwide online USA 407-323-3430 < Photo gallery: See the Piapoco church today Canada 519-369-2622 Australia 011-61-2-6559-8646 Europe 011-44-1472-387700 < Ka’apor work: Find out how church planting can be like a mule ride Cover photo: Dale Stroud Left photo: Bill Bosley Right photo: Curt Sharp 3 [ c o n n e c t] All knotted up The Mengen people of Papua New Guinea have a unique way of telling someone that it’s time to repay a debt. They tie a knot in a piece of vine and send it to the person who owes them something. NTM missionaries realized this would make a wonderful illustration to teach an important spiritual truth. It would help the Mengen people, who prided themselves on good deeds, to understand the huge sin debt we owe to God and how only Jesus’ death can cancel it. So when they taught on the Ten As the ropes quickly filled with Commandments, the missionaries knots, understanding crept into the passed out pieces of rope. They told Mengen people’s eyes. Their sin debt the people to tie a knot in it every time was far deeper than they realized. they heard one that they had broken. Hear more: ntm.org/magazine 1

“We don’t know anyone that loves us the way the Lord does.” — Sese, Ka’apor tribe, Brazil

He who is too busy to pray is busier than God ever intended } him to be. What’s in a name? People in remote tribal areas can sometimes come up with names for their children that seem strange to outsiders. Missionaries Paul and Bella Gervasi in Indonesia have met Aspirin, Rinso, Spinach, Plastic and most recently, Santa Claus.

4 Joel & Alegria Williamson the difference anL can make We have a slip-and-slide that we typi- cally pull out on really rainy days so our kids, and all the village kids who want to, can soap themselves up and have some fun. One day when I brought out Indonesia the soap, I told them all to sopi la tilam connect with… instead of sopi la tiam. What I was try- Child: Karen ing to say was to soap up your belly, but Ministry: Church planting what I actually said was to go soap up Sending churches: Blue River Bible Church, your mom, which of course got me quite Kansas City, Missouri; Grace Community of few confused looks. Thankfully I re- Fellowship, Newnan, Georgia alized what I said when I saw their faces Joel and Alegria were raised in Chris- and was able to correct it. It’s quite tian homes and heard the Gospel early amazing what a difference one little L and were led to the Lord by their parents. can make. Alegria declared her interest in missions — Nikki Buckner at age 5, saying that she wanted to be a Nakanai tribe, Papua New Guinea “missionary wife” one day. As Alegria grew, so did her desire to serve the Lord. God opened the door for her to take mission trips in 2004 and 2006 to South America. “After returning to finish my associate degree, I felt God beginning to pull upon quickl k my heart for the unreached around the “There’s no hole. Nobody cut a hole world.” Alegria wrote. In Spring 2007, she applied and was accepted to the Missionary in the casket,” missionary Tony Finch Training Center for Fall 2007. thought to himself. Joel was saved at age 7 and during his According to the Tarahumara culture teenage years was challenged to serve the of Mexico, Eleuterio had no escape Lord in missions. His freshmen year in Bible route. College, God moved in his heart to consider serving overseas. In the summer of 2000, Several years earlier, Eleuterio had Joel traveled to Papua New Guinea to par- instructed Tony in the proper way to ticipate in New Tribes Mission’s Interface make caskets. It was necessary to put a program. “During this time, I saw the needs hole — about one inch in diameter — in of the unreached firsthand and began pray- the casket to provide a way for the spirit ing about joining New Tribes,” Joel wrote. After graduating from college in 2001, God of the dead person to leave the casket. allowed him to spend six years serving in Now Elueterio was lying in a casket his home church. In 2007, he began training with no hole. Though Eleuterio had been with New Tribes Mission. taught God’s Word for two years, he was “We met the Sunday before training never known to have placed his faith at church and thus began our whirlwind courtship, engagement and marriage. We in Christ. So both culturally and spiritu- both saw how God was uniting us to serve ally, the Tarahumara man had no escape in Indonesia. The burden of our hearts is to route. serve in whatever ministry role God needs Hear more stories like this: us to be. We don’t want to do great things ntm.org/magazine 1 for God, but rather be changed by Him and used by God.” ntm.org/joel_williamson [ c o n n e c t]

The top ten ways to know you’re teaching literacy in a tribe:

10. You canoe to class every day. 9. Your “school bell” is a piece of metal pipe hung from a tree. 8. Because you’re meeting in a cooking house, the fire that cooked the family’s breakfast must be put out before class can begin. 7. One student has written a row of straight lines instead of “Ts” as instructed. When you go to correct him, he says very confidently, “Oh, I’m going to cross them all at once.” 6. Our version of Dick, Jane and Spot is Talo, Kita and Ila — and they do a ridiculous amount of fishing in the first several stories. (With only a few letters of the alphabet introduced at this point, fishing is a familiar activity and very easy to say and spell.) 5. A daily reminder to the students is to not chew betel nut — the Papua New Guinea habit similar to tobacco-chewing — during class because the blood-red spit will get on the books. (They try to sneak it in anyway.) 4. Many students have a tendency to not put periods touching the bottom line but rather put them in the middle where a dash would go. [ 3. One of the village leaders, who is also a student, regularly leaves the class to chase away noisy children with a stick — and gets cheered on by the other students as he does so. 2. One student regularly goes to the side wall of the house and spits outside. (And he’s a possible future teacher.) And the number one way to know you’re teaching literacy in a tribe: 1. The men and women, who’ve helped you go from not knowing a single sound of their language to becoming fluent, are now the ones sitting there listening as you tell them how to read and write those very same sounds. — Adam and Julie Martin; Akolet tribe, Papua New Guinea

6 Jenna Currey

“We are resting our lives on Jesus,” Kamalus said of himself and his wife, after

Bible teachers from among connect with… Paraguay 2 Cor. 4:8-9 his own people — the Kauls ”

Ministry: Church planting of Papua New Guinea — Sending church: Northside Baptist taught lessons spanning from Church, Liverpool, New York Jenna was raised in a Christian Creation to the resurrection. home and accepted Christ at the age of 5. From early childhood she “This teaching is so clear, was fascinated and challenged by I want all of my family to the many visiting missionaries who spoke at Constantia Center Baptist hear it.” Church, but she always felt she was “too normal” for God to use her. It wasn’t until Jenna was a teen- ager that she realized that God could indeed use her to do something special. At 14 Jenna went on a Northside Baptist Church youth retreat and was challenged with [ the question: “Are you willing to pray do whatever, be whoever, and go *Wano believers in In- wherever God wants?” It was a donesia are becoming critical point in her life: She real- more involved in reach- ized that she was willing for God ing other language to use her – though she did not groups with the Gospel know how. and in the process are While training for a summer mission trip to Botswana, Jenna an example and en- heard about the work of New couragement to believ- Tribes Mission through the film ers from other tribes Ee-Taow. She attended New Tribes to do the same. Please Bible Institute in Jackson, Michi- pray that God’s Word gan, and New Tribes Missionary will continue to go from Training Center in Camdenton, tribe to tribe and bring Missouri, graduating in December forth fruit. 2008. Near the end of her time at the Missionary Training Center, More opportunities God brought Jenna and fellow stu- to pray: dent Rebekah Huffman together

ntm.org/magazine 8 persecuted, forsaken; but not destroyed. but down, struck not as a team. They will be serving God in Paraguay with one of the seven tribes that still does not have the Gospel in their own language. We are hard-pressed every side, on yet crushed; not we are perplexed, in but not despair;

ntm.org/jenna_currey “ 7 [ c o n n e c t] I will be able to read God’s Word. Bisinti stood nervously before the crowd of onlookers in his tiny mountain village. He swallowed hard. Then with hands shaking and voice wobbling, he did something he never thought he would. The tribal man began to read. For generations the Palawano people of the Philip- pines didn’t have a written language. And because of it, others made them feel ashamed and ignorant. They were looked down upon, swindled and taken advantage of. But then missionaries came and developed a written language and taught them how to read and write it. Now their life of shame is over. As Bisinti and the other literacy graduates read aloud that day, the onlookers cheered. But one Palawano graduate summed up the real joy. “I will be able to read God’s Word,” he announced, “That’s what I want!” For more stories like this, go to ntm.org/magazine 8

hair loss, your gain I was talking to a lady in the village about her new short haircut the other day, and she told me that her husband cut it because she was too skinny. Her husband believed that short hair would fatten her up. Man, I wish I had known short hair makes you fatter before I cut my hair! — Joanna Jansma; Arimtap tribe, Indonesia

We have darkened eyes and“ we are being led around by those with darkened eyes. We want to know the truth. — Hap, Southeast Asia ”

8 Travis & Renee Whitman

The more obstacles you have, the more opportunities there “ Paraguay are for God to do something. connect with… Children: Canaan, Isaiah and Jordan — Clarence W. Jones Ministry: Church planting Sending churches: First Brethren Church ” of Pleasant Hill, Ohio; West Park Baptist Church of Knoxville, Tennessee Travis grew up in a Christian home and attended a Brethren church from the time he was a toddler. Even though he had heard the Gospel many times while grow- I need those books. ing up, it wasn’t until Easter Sunday during “You can’t forget! You must send us a difficult fourth grade school year that he in those new books as soon as pos- placed his trust in Christ. sible! We need to carry the Creator’s Renee was blessed to be born to Christian message to my relatives up the valley parents and was saved at a young age. “I and I need those books to do it! Please was exposed to (and intrigued by) missions at a young age through my grandmother don’t forget!” who took mission trips and told me mis- Debatoma spoke with urgency to sion stories.” Scott Phillips just a few hours before At the age of 22, the Lord impressed on Scott and Jennie left to go on home Travis’ heart to leave his little town of 1,000 assignment to have their first child. people so that he might know Christ bet- Debatoma even wrote a letter and ter. In Tennessee he began working with handed it to the missionaries as a inner-city kids and soon realized that he reminder so they wouldn’t forget to was not equipped to disciple them. Travis make and send in his new books. and Renee decided to attend New Tribes Bible Institute. “We didn’t feel like we knew the Bible very well and wanted to get prepared for whatever God wanted us to do,” wrote Renee. “During this time we also came face to face with the fact that there are millions of people who have never heard God’s Word in their own language. The Lord challenged us through His Word to be a part of reaching these people – going to them, learning their language, and giving them the opportunity to have a relationship with their Creator and Savior.” ntm.org/travis_whitman

9 [ c o n n e c t] This grass wasn’t green A new missionary in Papua New Guinea found out the hard way the necessity of clear communication. He owned some ducks that were in a fenced-in area and one day he noticed that the grass around their pen was getting tall. He asked some kids to “cut the duck’s grass,” then left them to it. He came back later to see that the grass was still tall. He called the kids over and asked them why they didn’t cut the grass. They insisted that they had. At that moment a featherless duck waddled out from the enclosure and the missionary realized his mistake. His jaw dropped as he asked the children, “Not all of the ducks?” Being pleased with their work they responded, “Yes!” He then had to go and explain the situation to his wife. Instead of saying, “Cut the duck’s grass” he should have clearly said, “Cut the grass around the duck’s pen.” In Melanesian Pidgin the word gras means grass, but it also means hair, fur and feathers.

praise *One village of Uriay A Bible that’s people in Papua New falling apart usually Guinea has been hear- belongs to a person ing evangelistic Bible who isn’t. lessons and will soon hear about the death, burial and resurrection of Christ. Pray that they will have a good understanding of the Gospel “Only Jesus could and put their faith in come back from death! Christ. Is there anything at all More opportunities to pray: that He is unable to do? ntm.org/magazine I don’t think so!” 8 — Wikipai, Dao tribe, Indonesia

10 Tim & Kat Warner

Mozambique connect with… Child: Caden Jude Ministry: Church planting Sending churches: Church of the Hills, San Elijo, California; Daybreak Community Church of Carlsbad, California; Gen- eration Neighborhood Church of Oceanside, California; Beach Church of Myrtle Beach, South Carolina “We were challenged into missions when we were both still in high school. An NTM missionary who had planted a church in Papua New Guinea Listen to the heartbeat shared about the work NTM of God as He reaches out does in bringing God’s Word to places it has never been. to people who have lived Our hearts were set on fire for centuries in the dark- when we learned that so many people in the world are still ness of sin and despair to without an opportunity to prepare their hearts to hear about the Lord and know Him, and so few believers are receive Him. going to tell them. The simple truth is that God loves ev- “From that time on, we began to pray and ask the eryone, from the least to the greatest, Lord to keep the fire alive whether clean or unclean. This love is in our hearts to reach these demonstrated every day by missionary people. He has been faithful families like that of Annette and Scott every step of the way. Ten McManigle, who lived in the jungles of years later, we finally reached the field and are continuing to Thailand among the Pwo Karen tribe in follow His lead and desire to order to share God’s love with people share Him with the people of who didn’t know Him. Now you can Mozambique.” journey with them in the land Where ntm.org/tim_warner Spirits Roam but God Reigns! ntmbooks.com | 800.321.5375

11 [ c o n n e c t]

Audrey Bacon Hoogshagen went to be with the Lord on May 18, 2010. She was born on September 22, 1921 in Saginaw, Michi- gan, to Claude and Eva Burgess. Audrey married Dave Bacon on October 8, 1942, and two months later they joined the first group of missionaries traveling to Bolivia with the newly formed New Tribes Mission. After a very difficult trip to the in- terior of Bolivia the couple settled in Roboré and five men began planning to go into the jungle to reach the Ayoré people with the Gospel. In June 1943, Dave came out of the jungle for a supply trip and Audrey Audrey with husband Dave Bacon, new to both shared the news that they were ex- marriage and the mission field in 1942 pecting a child. Soon Dave and the other men on the team returned to the jungle. They were never seen alive Rollie and Audrey were then asked again. to move “temporarily” to Woodworth, On March 9, 1944, several months Wisconsin, so Rollie could help with after the men were reported missing, a the bookkeeping. Seventeen years lat- baby girl was born in Roboré, Bolivia. er they moved to Florida to continue Audrey named her Avis, the name that their ministry, finally retiring in 2001. Dave had chosen. Audrey’s daughter Avis and son-in- Seven years passed before it was law Ron Bodin recently retired from confirmed that Dave and the others New Tribes Mission. Audrey was were killed by the Ayorés who they extremely proud of her four grand- were trying to reach with the Gospel children — Rhonna, Richelle, Ruthie message. Williams and Robert — and her great Audrey continued serving with New granddaughter Madison. Tribes Mission in Bolivia. She was the Audrey will be missed greatly by cook for the guest home when a new them as well as the many people she missionary, Rolland Hoogshagen, stole blessed through her cheery smile and her heart. They were married on Sep- encouragement. tember 16, 1956, and served together in Bolivia until 1961.

12 Dylan & Angie van Rensburg Sharing Your Lunch Like the little boy in the Bible who shared his five loaves and two fishes, God can stretch our gifts far- ther than we ever knew was possible. And like the 12 stunned disciples, we’ll be standing with our full baskets afterwards, amazed.

connect with… Indonesia That’s what happened to Mary from Minnesota.

Years ago when I was newly born-again, I asked the Children: Raquel and Gideon Lord how I should direct my giving to His glory. He led Ministry: Church planting me to New Tribes Mission. Sending church: Crossway Church, My heart, from the beginning, was to bring His Germantown, Wisconsin Word to lost souls. Being a missionary wasn’t my call- Two years after Dylan and Angie ing … but, if I wasn’t to go, I could send. married they attended New Tribes Then an unexpected refund check arrived. The Lord Bible Institute in Waukesha, Wis- had provided a way for me to bless others. I was excit- consin, to gain a better knowledge ed to invest it in the Gospel through an NTM annuity. of God’s Word. “We wanted to do It wasn’t much, but I prayed for a “loaves and fishes” what He wanted us to do with our miracle, and I trusted He would work through NTM to lives, but didn’t know what that would look like,” the couple wrote. make it happen. Angie was always interested in Thanking the Lord and NTM for the privilege to doing mission work but Dylan serve in this way, wasn’t so sure. Slowly but surely Mary Dylan began to see God’s heart for But how does Mary’s NTM annuity actually work? people and that throughout His How does it stretch? Word He was reaching out to have a relationship with everyone. Annuities work like the reverse of life insurance. One day during class, a teacher With life insurance, you pay in a small amount at read them a letter from a tribal a time and your family receives a large sum later man begging for missionaries to when you pass away. With annuities, you pay in a come and tell them about God. sum ($5,000 minimum) at the beginning while you The man had seen the new life in are still living and then get a set amount back every neighboring tribes who had been month for the rest of your life. taught evangelistic Bible lessons. NTM receives a blessing by the interest from Over and over he begged but your annuity account. And that blessing helps plant sadly no one ever went and told strong tribal churches in the farthest corners of the him about Christ. “Our teacher told us that that was one of the globe — changing tribal lives forever. many letters written requesting Consider the blessing of sharing your lunch all missionaries. After hearing that, around the world as well. And to all the Marys out we told God we wanted to go. there, thank you for sharing yours. Since that time He has continued to open the doors for us,” the Find out how you can start a charitable gift annuity: couple wrote. Stewardship Development Office ntm.org/dylan_vanrensburg www.ntm.org/give | [email protected] | 800-813-1566

13 [ g o d e e p e r] plant, water and wait.

I was planting spring flowers when I was surprised to see a gladiola shoot poking up through the soil. A year ago last spring, I had planted some bulbs in that spot, but they didn’t all come up when I hoped they would. As I looked at that tender green shoot, by Chet Plimpton I was reminded that after planting that bulb and General Secretary NTM USA Executive Board watering it thoroughly, my work was done. I couldn’t determine the timing for when new life would spring up. When it comes to gardening, we plant, water and wait. When it comes to sharing the message of the Word of God, we must deliver it with clarity and ac- curacy, but we must trust God with the results. In 1 Corinthians 3:6 Paul wrote, “I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the increase.” The new growth I saw in my garden was not my doing. It had all taken place underground, where I couldn’t witness what was taking place. Likewise, we can’t see how the Spirit of God is working in hearts. Often, the indication of new life isn’t according to our expectations. I had actually given up on what I had planted and had forgotten about it. Many faithful servants of Christ struggle with discouragement after they have poured out their hearts and souls in proclaiming the Gospel message because there are no indications of a spiritual harvest. When there is little or no indication of results, does it mean we have failed and our work is in vain? Does it mean all the preparation, prayers and sacri- fice have been for nothing? If we look at “results” alone, we may easily draw wrong conclusions, because we cannot know what God is doing “underground” or what His timing is. That doesn’t mean we shouldn’t objectively evaluate our efforts in order to increase the effectiveness of

14 our ministry. We may need to change to faithfully deliver the message of our methodology to become effective the One who sent him. We might also “planters of the seed.” think of ourselves as stewards be- Robert Moffat was a Scottish pio- cause a steward, like an ambassador, is neer missionary who arrived in Cape someone who has been entrusted with Town, South Africa in 1817. In 1822, he something. Paul reminds us that “it is described the people group he and his required in stewards that one be found wife were seeking to reach in these faithful” (1 Corinthians 4:2). words: “They turn a deaf ear to the But what if we have endeavored to voice of love, and scorn the doctrines be faithful ambassadors in delivering of salvation.” Moffat reportedly said to the message but still fail to see evi- his wife, “Mary, this is hard work, and dence of a response to that message? no fruit yet appears.” God has promised us that His Mary replied, “The Gospel has not Word will be effectual. In Isaiah yet been preached to them in their 55:11, we have an amazing promise: own tongue in which they were born.” God likened His Word to the rain and From that time Moffat devoted him- snow that waters the soil so seeds will self to learning the language. Still, it sprout and things will grow. He said, was ten years before people came to “So shall My word be that goes forth faith in Christ. from My mouth; it shall not return to If we cannot draw accurate conclu- Me void, but it shall accomplish what I sions by measuring results alone, then please, and it shall prosper in the thing what evidence should we examine? for which I sent it.” When we couple Two foundational truths hold us that promise with 1 Peter 1:23 that steady in our ministry when results describes the Word of God as the “in- prove disappointing. corruptible” seed that produces spiri- God has commissioned us as tual new birth and Hebrews 4:12 that Christ’s ambassadors. 2 Corinthians depicts the Word of God as “living and 5:20 says, “Now then, we are ambas- powerful,” we can better understand sadors for Christ.” An ambassador is God’s promise in Isaiah. not required to produce results but about it. How would you encourage a missionary who is facing discouragement and disappointment because of a lack of results? Can reviewing the results of our ministry effort be helpful to us? Can you explain your answer to that question? think What do you think about this statement: “Results are important, but faithfulness is essential”?

15 more precious than gold by Bill Bosley; missionary in Senegal , West Africa

A detour to see the gold fields on our way to visit a tribal village got me thinking about parallels with the work NTM is doing here in Senegal.

Under the relentless sun, each work- er toiled at his or her assigned task amid a fusion of sounds: the dull ring of rock struck by iron picks and dabas (a short, traditional digging imple- ment), men and women grunting while hauling up heavy buckets, and the clat- ter of quartz chunks tossed aside or bagged for crushing, accompanied by a continuous murmur in different languages — Budik, Malinké and Pulaar. After the quartz is dug up, hauled out, inspected and sorted, promising samples are pulverized, using a mor- tar and pestle fashioned from an old welding bottle and a truck axle. The crushed stone goes through a sieve to remove all but the finest particles, then into a “pan” — a scrap of old inner tube — to be tested. The tester holds the inner tube over a small tub of muddy water, and slowly drips water into the crushed years. (Steve and Jessica now run a rock. He adds more water, and rocks guest home for NTM in Senegal.) And the pan back and forth with a gentle it’s like the experience of many NTM circular motion to bring the heaviest missionaries in Senegal, elsewhere in of the tiny pieces to the edge. And sud- Africa, and in other parts of the world. denly … perhaps … a glint of gold! They’ve labored long and hard in It was easy to see similarities with isolated villages, in difficult-to-learn the work in the Budik village where languages, dealing with an inhospi- Ron and Debbie Abram, Ken and Kathy table climate and seemingly incompre- Satorius and Steve and Jessica Bas- hensible cultures to bring the Gospel tow have ministered for more than 30 to tribal people — who often have

16 photo by Ron Abrams

little response. They have faced ill- groups, including the Budiks, for more nesses such as malaria, hepatitis and than 50 years, probably fewer than dengue fever, and even death. Ken and 100 believers have come to faith as a Kathy’s 15-year-old son died from an direct result of NTM’s ministry. But allergic reaction to an insect sting in like the few grains of gold that appear January 1997. in the pan at the end of all the hard But the missionaries have contin- work, they are precious; their value ued to be faithful in the work God has is far beyond that of mere gold, caus- given them to do. ing all Heaven to rejoice. (Luke 15:7; 1 Although NTM has worked in Sen- Peter 1:7) egal among eight different people

17 i didn’t want an old tribe. by Lori Morley; missionary to the Simbari tribe, Papua New Guinea

At first, I did not want Gospel in 2001. He taught in their village for 35 to work among the Sim- in an open area in our years. The people had bari people of Papua village, and a few people heard another message New Guinea. came regularly to hear from a religious group The work started the teaching. that taught salvation by in 1966 — before I was Many, however, didn’t works. As a result, most born — and I wanted want to hear. Mission- of the Simbaris had be- to “boldly go where no aries had been living come apathetic toward one had gone before.” Besides, the Simbari language was among the most difficult in Papua New Guinea. But as I searched for the ministry God had for me, He opened my eyes to the needs in tribal works where missionaries were already working. The team working in the Simbari tribe, Dennis and Jeanne Best and David and Shari Ogg, invited me to visit and explore joining their team. I flew in and spent a week with them, and I immediately felt wel- comed and accepted. There was still much to be done in the Simbari tribe and I saw how I could fit in, so I joined the team in 1997. After translating chronological Bible lessons and using some Scripture that Dennis had translated, David was able to present the

18 spiritual things. Through literacy classes Bible lessons. For years But after the teach- they learned to read we invested in this small ing a few people did and write in their own group of people. believe. Since they were language. With further And slowly, almost willing to get together discipleship they began imperceptibly, change regularly, we poured our to take over some of began. energies into them with the responsibilities of One of the first weekly Bible teaching. teaching literacy and changes I remember was

19 when the wife of one of took them home and Because of the obvi- the Bible teachers came read them aloud to her. ous changes in the lives to know Christ as her Quite unexpectedly, of some of the believers, Savior. Previously, she she showed up at church their family members had not been interested one Sunday. The lesson also began to come to in hearing the Bible that week was about our meetings and sit teaching. She had heard the thief on the cross. under the Bible teach- the teachings of another He was unable to do any ing and more people religious group and be- good works to please were saved. Gradually, lieved that you needed God, and yet because of the number of believers to be good and follow his faith Jesus said to began to grow. Other the Law in order to be him, “Today you will be people in the community saved. with me in Paradise.” began to see the changes Most Simbari hus- After the lesson, this and request to hear bands would have beat- Bible teacher’s wife did Bible lessons, and the en their wife and forced something very uncom- Word of God began to her to come to church mon for Simbari women. spread. with them. But the Bible She spoke openly to the But perhaps the most teacher did not. He was group of believers about significant event took patient. He prayed for her salvation. She and place when all of us her and talked to her her husband have been missionaries were away about Jesus and grace. active and passionate from the village. As he helped David witnesses for the Lord A young couple from revise Bible lessons, he ever since. another village became very ill. Their families gave up on them but the believers prayed for them and took care of them. They spooned water into their mouths and later fed them. When the couple regained their strength they wanted to hear “God’s Talk.” The Holy Spirit found fertile soil in their hearts and the Word of God took root and grew. They accepted Christ as their Savior. Through their changed lives, others in their village have seen the difference that Christ can make. It made a big impact.

20 photo by David Ogg Missionaries have David and Shari and I Please pray for the worked among the Sim- have been developing Simbari church. Like a bari people for more our translation proced- tender shoot springing than 40 years. But when ures and have begun up out of the dry ground, the tribal people saw the making quicker progress they are growing in a difference in the lives of than in the early years of hostile environment and the missionaries, they working on translation. are still fragile. Pray that would always say, “Oh, But 73 percent of the they would grow in the the outsiders are just New Testament remains Lord to become a strong different from us.” to be translated. and mature church. But when they saw The Simbari believ- how Christ transformed ers also face opposition the lives of some of their from another religious own people, they no group that does not longer had that excuse. preach the Gospel. New Now they want this new believers are often fear- life for themselves. ful of persecution if they The work here among publicize their faith. the Simbaris is far from They have been slan- being finished. Because dered, and one woman’s of the difficulty of the husband beat her for language, translation wanting to be baptized. has been a slow process.

… and the Word of God began to spread.

photos by Lori Morley

21 no magic formula by Matt Zook; missionary to the Lolo tribe, Mozambique If we listen to these lessons, what will we receive?

Growing up on a dairy farm meant a When we started, our battle cry lot of hard work, but at least you could was, “Let’s pray that God will open the measure what you accomplished. At hearts of the people so they will de- the end of the day we could calculate sire to hear and believe God’s Word.” how many acres of hay had been cut, After a few months in Mozambique, how many bales were in the barn and we identified the people group we ultimately, how many gallons of milk would be working with — the Lolo were in the tank. people. When our house was complet- But the results of our work in Mo- ed in their village three months later, zambique have been sparse and hard we began full-time culture and lan- to measure. guage study. While the task was dif-

22 ficult, God allowed us to enjoy learning a week, the people began to ask, “If the Lolo language and we found the we listen to these lessons, what will people friendly, peaceful and easy to we receive?” The people expected to get along with. be paid! Despite all our prayers and By God’s grace alone, after two efforts, the lessons were not enough. years of study, I reached the level Many quit attending. needed to leave full-time language After 66 evangelistic Bible lessons, learning. Now I could finally communi- a few of the people who had stayed to cate the Gospel to the Lolo people! listen really seemed to understand the Interest was fairly high when the Gospel and professed faith. Yet many Bible teaching began. But after about were not faithful in their attendance

23 and showed no interest in continuing The Bible meetings were poorly at- to meet and study the Bible together. tended and factions began to develop Since there was interest for God’s among the ten or so believers who met Word in another community, we de- somewhat regularly. Only one or two cided to do an outreach with two believers showed evidence of a thank- believers from the original group. We ful spirit to God. Lives weren’t being knew these men would expect pay- transformed in any noticeable ways. ment to help teach, so we tried to Those who confessed faith had no real make sure they understood that we understanding of their identity as chil- would not pay them. We explained dren of God and there was no sense of that they needed to go because they worship. Serious gaps existed in the wanted their friends to hear the Gos- application of the truth they professed pel. They agreed and went faithfully to to believe. help teach all 66 evangelistic lessons As a whole, our evangelistic efforts to this other small group. A handful of did not engage the women, children or people showed real understanding and youth. The few men who had listened professed faith in Christ. Though the to the Bible teaching seem to be im- outreach was hard, I was so thankful pacted by it more as a fairy tale story for how it turned out. rather than true reality. It seemed to Then the two men asked what they impact them the way The Three Little were going to be paid for helping! I Pigs impacts me. I can tell you the plot reminded them of our agreement at and the moral of the story, but it has the beginning and that they had been nothing to do with my reality. working in God’s garden, not mine. Despite our best efforts, the Gospel They replied, “You were honest with has not impacted the community or us, but we were fools. … When some- many individual lives in a noticeable one goes to the water hole to bathe way. Many of those who profess faith and an alligator snaps at him and are not living in a way that is notice- the man manages to escape, he will ably different than before they heard run home and take a bath behind his house. That is like us. We went once without pay but we sure will not do that again.” There is no “magic Around the same time, rumors be- formula” that gan to surface about the man who had helped me write the Bible lessons. He guarantees success had clear testimony of faith, saying, when dealing with “Before, I thought that whoever fol- the hearts and lives of lows God’s commands will be saved, but now I have heard the truth that people with a will — or only Jesus saves.” As he grew, I began with a sovereign God training him to teach Bible lessons who has His own with me. perfect agenda. But then the rumors said he was involved in adultery. He denied it, but the evidence continued to mount and he finally resigned.

24 the Gospel. Why has there been so lit- Come what may, our hope is in tle measurable results? Because there God —not in the results we are work- is no “magic formula” that guarantees ing toward. Our prayer and the prayer success when dealing with the hearts of our many faithful supporters will and lives of people with a will – or continue to be, “God, please open the with a sovereign God who has His own hearts of the Lolo people to hear and perfect agenda. believe Your Word. Transform us and Had we known beforehand what the new Lolo believers into your im- our ministry with the Lolo people in age.” Please make that your prayer as Mozambique would look like, would well! we still have gone? Absolutely. Why? Because God’s name and fame and deeds and honor and glory are always worthy to be declared among the na- tions —even if most do not believe. We have just returned to Mozam- bique from home assignment. Praise God for the little group of believers who truly understand the Gospel. We have yet to see if our work here will result in a strong Lolo church that transforms the Lolo people, but we plan to continue to translate, teach and disciple toward that end.

25 get me out of here! by Jennifer Hatcher; Contributing writer

If she’d had a radio to call for a plane, Sharon was boarding at the mis- Goodman would have been out of that Kuna village sion’s elementary school in a heartbeat. She would have left the thatch-roofed far away. And she had hut with the dirt floor, the naked tribal children, the her hands full in the vil- dug-out canoes, the muddy river and the boisterous lage with a preschooler, women in colorful, hand-stitched blouses. a toddler and a new And Sharon had many good reasons. baby. Privacy isn’t valued among the Kunas, so the peo- Surrounded by the ple “visited” and watched Sharon and her husband, ever-present Kuna peo- Joe, night and day. Language learning was harder ple – but still only able and taking much more time than they had ever to speak and understand dreamed. their language like a A handful of tribal men wanted to force the mis- child – Sharon was lone- sionaries out of the village, so for days the villagers lier than she’d ever been. heatedly discussed this, finally resolving the issue Yes, if she’d had a with a village-wide vote in favor of keeping the mis- radio, she would have sionaries. packed up her children But then their ministry partners left the tribal and flown away. But the work. Following that, Joe dealt with hepatitis for Panamanian government three months. Sharon missed her oldest child, who wouldn’t allow them to

26 photo by Loren Gill Loren by photo

have a radio, and the “While we didn’t know with their son at school, next plane wasn’t due if there would ever be though all necessary for weeks. She was stuck any believers, we knew and good, also slowed there in that village. that God had put us progress. But even in their dark- there and hadn’t told us “We went in with such est moments, the Good- to leave,” she said. high hopes . . . and it was mans knew God had led So they stayed, in spite way different, slower, them to Panama and the of the difficulties. longer,” Sharon recalls. Kuna people. The Lord Language learning Four years later, it was has closed doors on happened in starts and time for the Goodmans other ministry opportu- stops. Work was delayed first home assignment nities that had seemed by Joe’s hepatitis, bouts in the USA. By now they available to them, yet of giardia (from contam- knew the Kuna language, opened the door to inated drinking water) but the Bible teaching them to work among and a life-threatening hadn’t begun yet. Sha- the Kunas. And when blood platelet problem ron remembers feeling missionaries from other for Sharon. Trips to like they were, “limping organizations wanted to the city for doctor’s ap- home from the battle work there, God put ob- pointments, handling of with nothing to show stacles in their way. paperwork, or to visit for it.”

27 But the beginning of the Goodmans’ all the long years of studying and pray- second term was more encouraging. ing and building relationships, after all They lived in a wooden house by the the days of loneliness and frustration airstrip, instead of in a pole hut in the and sickness, the work had paid off. village with constant “peekers.” An- Two Kuna men had believed. Now Joe other NTM missionary family, Jerry was ready to begin teaching the entire and Joyce McDaniels, were their co- village. workers in the village. Sharon and Joe But that went slowly as well. could now understand and speak the Whenever the village leaders called language more proficiently. And they a business meeting or work project had good relationships with many of or their own religious meeting, Bible the Kuna people. teaching was postponed. When Joe Finally, near the end of 1987, after did resume teaching, he had to review more than six years of living in the what he had already taught. Both Kuna village of Morti, Joe practiced evangelistic Bible lessons with his two best tribal friends. They listened and the Holy Spirit worked in their hearts. Both of the men accepted Christ. After

God had brought them to Panama and every detail would work out in His timing, not theirs. photo by Sharon Goodman Sharon by photo

28 the teaching and reviewing had to be to moving back and discipling the new done very carefully because the Kuna little church. As time went on, more people had never learned in a formal, Kuna men, as well as women and chil- traditional way before. So he taught dren, also trusted Christ as Savior. slowly off and on, as the village sched- In the summer of 1994, Joe and ule allowed, all that year and into the Sharon moved back into the tribe. Joe next. and Jerry were training Kuna men for But the Goodmans reminded them- church leadership and began gradually selves that God had brought them to turning over the teaching to the Kuna Panama and that every detail would believers. In early 1996, the Kuna New work out in His timing, not theirs. Testament was distributed throughout Then in the spring of 1989, Joe and the village. As they read and studied Sharon moved out to the city tempo- their own New Testament, the believ- rarily to help with NTM leadership ers asked questions day and night. needs. Joe continued to write Bible “They were at our house even more lessons in Kuna and send them back then!” Sharon said with a laugh. to the tribe in the same plane with Fifteen years after their arrival in the McDaniels’ groceries. Then Jerry Panama, Joe and Sharon were liv- would teach them. ing among a growing, thriving little Finally, in the summer of 1989, while church in Morti. And though they and the Goodmans were still away in the the McDaniels had to leave in 1996 due city, Jerry completed evangelistic to guerrilla activity, the church is still Bible teaching and about a dozen Kuna thriving, and even sending out Kuna men believed and were saved. missionaries to other villages. Joe and Sharon had planted and Sharon is glad she didn’t have a ra- watered seeds through years of hard, dio back in the early 1980s. She’s glad lonely work. But God allowed the she couldn’t call for a pilot to come McDaniels alone to harvest the initial rescue her. Instead, she got to see God “crop” of believers. Sharon smiled and rescue the Kuna people. nodded her head, saying, “It was all God’s timing.” The Goodmans were ex- Editor’s note: The Kuna people of cited to finally have a group of believ- Panama have two distinct groups ers in the village, and looked forward with their own dialects: San Blas Kuna and Border Kuna. The Good- mans worked among the San Blas Kunas, and the Border Kunas were ministered to by the Tenenoff, Mankins and Rich families. Colom- bian guerillas crossed the border and kidnapped Dave Mankins, Mark Rich and Rick Tenenoff in 1993, and killed them in 1996, although there was not sufficient evidence to reach that conclusion until 2001. The San Blas Kuna believers have continued the work among the Border Kunas and today there is a church among each group.

29 a voice from the past

by Patsy Gibson; missionary in Latin America photo by Dale Stroud Dale by photo

30 a voice from the past

As a young man, Hector was inter- “It’s been a long time,” Hector ex- ested in the Word of God. claimed, hugging him, “and now we see God’s Word began to speak to his you again!” heart when he worked on the Old The men sat and talked a long while, Testament translation with Paul and bridging the distance of more than 25 Pam Rasmussen. Paul and Pam were years. Then Hector turned the conver- co-workers with my husband, Wayne, sation to a matter close to his heart. and me on the Piapoco missionary “Will you come and talk to us, my fam- team. Hector eagerly anticipated the ily group, about God’s Word? I will call day when the missionary team would them all to come and hear.” teach his village in the Piapoco lan- Wayne readily agreed. guage in Colombia. Returning that evening to share the Then suddenly the translation work Gospel message, Wayne found Hector’s and evangelism preparation were cut sizable family waiting and attentive. short. The missionaries had to leave, Some in the crowd had never heard forced out by leftist guerrillas. We this message in their own language. promised to return someday. Hector The words would continue to be and the villagers waited, but we were mulled over in their heads, and dis- not able to go back. cussed around their cooking fires. Eventually the security situation Hector asked for copies of the Old in the area deteriorated so much Testament portions he had helped that even Hector and his wife, Alicia, translate so long ago. Wayne promised packed up their family and canoed far to send some. As his flight took off downriver to a small town, protected over the jungle, Wayne thought, What by a military base. On the outskirts, they need is for someone to go and they set up their own Piapoco com- teach them the foundational Bible munity with their numerous children, lessons. in-laws, and grandchildren. The lessons are designed specifi- Years later, Hector learned the mis- cally for the Piapoco culture, speaking sionaries were teaching God’s Word in to their hearts about God’s character, another area, and some of the Piapoco about His love for them, and His an- villages even had churches. Hector swer to the sin problem by sending a thought, Will my family and I ever be Savior to set them free. able to hear this teaching in our own Piapoco Christian men have been language? discipled and trained to teach God’s One day in May 2010, Hector heard Word. Wayne and I plan to work with the usual Piapoco greeting but from these men to teach evangelistic Bible a voice long ago tucked away in his lessons to Hector’s group. Pray the memory. He couldn’t believe his ears! seeds sown in their hearts will produce Turning around, he encountered the fruit of salvation, and that God will Wayne’s smile, and a huge grin broke raise up a strong church among them. across his weathered face.

31 volunteers Volunteer in the USA, and you’re part of NTM’s worldwide church planting team. Most volunteer roles involve maintenance and construction, but a variety of other skills are useful. Serve for a couple of weeks, or long-term. Places you can volunteer: • Central Florida • Central Missouri • Southern Arizona • Central Pennsylvania Find out more … www.ntm.org/volunteer