NTM@work Feb. 2010 by Jason Bechtel

NE W TR IB ES MI S S IO N

NTM@work your connection with tribal missions

they listened and believed page 16

contents

NTM@work (ISSN 1527-9057)

Here to serve you NTM@work connects you with tribal missions and provides opportunities for increased involvement in taking the Gospel to ethnic groups who have yet to hear about Jesus.

Vol.68 · No.3 · February 2010 NTM@work team Executive Editor: Macon Hare

WHAT THEY SAID In this month’s issue, you’ll read a fascinating account of one tribal man’s radical decision, and you’ll hear from three tribal believers in their own words.

4 connect: Have a heaping helping of hope-sharing opportunities from here to the hinterlands, and find new ways to get involved in the work God is doing among the world’s unreached people.

4 go deeper: For the Testimony of Jesus Christ 1 16 I want to burn my bridges. 22 Grandfather told me you would come. 26 His blood spilled for me. 28 I refused to die.

8 online

ntm.org/magazine

< Watch video testimonies from believers in the Moi tribe in Indonesia

David Bell, Debbie Burgett, Rex Crawford, Ian Fallis, Jackie Fallis, 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, e-mail ntm@ntm.org, or call 407-323-3430. The magazine may be read online at ntm.org/magazine. Requests to reprint articles should be directed to Executive Editor Macon Hare at macon_hare@ntm.org or call 407-323-3430. Contents of this magazine may not be reproduced in whole or in part unless expressly authorized in writing. NTM worldwide USA 407-323-3430 Canada 519-369-2622 Australia 011-61-2-6559-8646 Europe 011-44-1472-387700

< Read online exclusive stories from Papua New Guinea: Suse, a Bible teacher in the Nakui tribe, and Nayen, a widow and grandmother who mentors other believers in the Abau tribe

cover photo by Dale Stroud

[ c o n n e c t] Rainbows — a God thing Daapoi couldn’t understand why the missionaries were so fascinated with rainbows. He watched in amazement as they oohed and awed and even took pictures. “Why weren’t they afraid?” he wondered. “Didn’t they know that rainbows are a weapon of the evil spirits?” But later, as the Dao man from Indonesia helped the missionaries translate the Bible into his own language, he found out. He learned that rainbows are a sign of God’s promise to never flood the earth again as He did in Noah’s time. “I always wondered why you guys liked rainbows so much,” Daapoi told the missionaries. “Now I get it. It is because it’s God’s thing, not the spirits’ thing. We Daos have always been told that rainbows belong to the evil spirits, and until now no one has ever told us different. “Man, I can’t wait to tell my wife about this!” Hear more stories like this: ntm.org/magazine

quickl quick

A Ngaing man in Papua New Guinea said, “I only know a few words in the Mina language. If I go there to hear the message, I will miss most of what’s being said. So I gave up and just waited, hoping …. I’ve been listening expectantly for a report but I haven’t heard even the slightest whisperings that the message will come down here. So, I was thinking to myself. ‘Ok, whenever the message comes, it comes. But! One thing is, if I wait all the way until my death, what then? What will happen to me? And all the other old people here, if they wait and wait, and then they die without hearing the message, then what? I’m very worried about that.’”

I am free and I don’t want to go back to living like I did before I knew my Savior. Now I’m free to live for Christ. I am so glad I now understand the Gospel! — Chito, Pai Tavy Tera tribe, Paraguay

funny

definitions

photo by Rich Brown

Mosquito: An insect that makes you like flies better.

Mistakes create smiles Recently I went around the village saying, “Joura lilisi uge tanna taukampia.” As I went on I realized people were smiling not because they were impressed but because they were thinking it was funny, and some frowned at me as well. So I realized what I needed to say was “Joura lilisi uge tanna taukamma.” Instead of saying, “I am going around to shake your hand,” I was saying “I am going around to hang you up.” Sometimes words are so close and it makes it so easy to make mistakes. For example the word for slippery is malali and for smiling is malili, so I found myself saying the ground is smiling instead of it is slippery. This of course caused laughter in this very animistic culture. They believe the ground does speak to us and laughed at my saying that the ground is smiling. One guy made the sharp remark that the ground will smile when you slip and fall. — Lourens Laureti Mengen tribe, Papua New Guinea

connect with…

Robert and Amanda Kay

West Africa

Children: Noah, Riley, Lily, Gabriel, and Aidan Ministry: Church Planting Sending Church: Camden Point Baptist Church, Camden Point, Missouri Amanda placed her faith in Christ at age 16. Robert became a believer during his freshman year in college. The couple went to the same high school in Camden Point, Missouri, and started a relationship in 1997. “Things moved quickly for us once we were married and the year we celebrated our seventh anniversary we also welcomed our fifth child into the world. We were really searching for what it was that the Lord wanted to do with our family. “The Lord began burdening our hearts through His Word for the need get the Gospel to those who have never heard. We contacted a missionary friend who asked us if we had ever considered New Tribes Mission. Once we began looking into NTM we realized we shared the vision of reaching the unreached. “In 2005, two months after our youngest child was born, we began training. We completed our training with New Tribes Mission in 2008 and are preparing now for a ministry in West Africa. We can’t wait to see the Gospel of Christ penetrating the hearts and minds of those in West Africa who would never hear of His grace unless someone is willing to go and share it with them. We are so blessed that the Lord would have our family be a small part of what He is doing around the world.” ntm.org/robert_kay

[ c o n n e c t] Home-grown Scripture Yengeli rejoiced to receive a New Testament in his own language. “We can get Bibles in another language,” the Myu man of Papua New Guinea explained, “but most of us can’t read them. It’s like food from the store in the city. It’s not like our food. It’s foreign and unfamiliar. “But the Bible in Myu is like our food. It’s home-grown. It’s familiar, like sweet potatoes, taro and cassava. Everyone can have it. Everyone can prepare it. Everyone can eat it. And it’s there for every Myu person, every day.” Nearly half of the people groups in the world do not know what God’s Word tastes like in their own language. Hear more stories like this: ntm.org/magazine

Studying what? In a valiant attempt to introduce himself to the men of our community, Phil meant to say that we had just moved here, and were not yet able to say very much in Indonesian, but are planning on studying very hard. The word for “planning” or “intend to” is remarkably similar to the word for “child” (“akan” vs. “anak”). In the heat of the moment, Phil made a slight mistake and sort of told the men of our neighborhood that he is here to study Indonesian children (all with hand motions and a big smile). Thankfully, our neighbors are gracious (to our faces anyway) and don’t hide their children from us. They have nodded and smiled through our many mistakes, and have welcomed us into their lives regardless of our seemingly continual bumbling. — Phil and Shelley Svoboda, Indonesia 6

pray

returning from After an evangelistic trip to Bolivia, 18 Ayore believers in Paraguay reviewed their goals and results. They saw God work in some lives but found a general lack of interest by most Bolivian Ayores. Please pray that God will stir the hearts of the people to desire His Truth. More opportunities to pray: ntm.org/magazine

In a village in Papua New Guinea, April Markley was washing dishes with her son, Judah, and began talking about life in the USA. April: “You know, when we go home, we might have a dishwasher in our house.” Judah: “Huh? What’s a dishwasher?” April: “It’s a machine that many people have. After the meal, you put all your dirty dishes in this big box shaped machine, add a little soap, and turn it on. After a while, the dishes are completely clean and dry, and all you have to do is put them away.” Judah: ”You’re kidding me, that can’t be true!” April: “It is, I’m not kidding. We used to have one.” Judah: Neglecting his “favorite chore” goes running down the hall to his brother. “Jordan! Jordan, guess what? Mom says in America there’s machines to wash your dishes! You put all your dirty dishes in, and they come out already clean! It’s true! And we might be able to get one when we go home!” — Jeremiah and April Markley, Papua New Guinea

There are still bridges to cross. ntm.org/REACH

Photo by Dean VanVliet

Readers have asked for more details for the photo (above) from the back cover of the November, 2009 NTM@work. It was taken by Dean Van Vliet in Papua New Guinea in the early years of NTM’s work in the Highlands area of the country. You can buy an 11x17 poster of the photo, please see www.ntmbooks.com

Ben and Bethany Koorsen

connect with…

What’s a dishwasher?

USA Home Office

Children: Mercedes and Ava Ministry: Mobilization Department Supporting Church: First Christian Church of Kendallville, Indiana Bethany grew up in the church and trusted Christ as her Savior at a young age. Since then she has desired to be a missionary. By the time she was 16 years old she had been on mission trips to both India and Mexico. Ben became a Christian when he was 18 years old and desired to be a pastor or youth pastor soon after. After getting married, they wanted to receive biblical training but avoid school debt, so they decided to attend New Tribes Bible Institute in Jackson, Michigan. “Little did we know about God’s plan for us,” Ben wrote. “At the Bible Institute we saw the Bible as one story. God is a missionary God, who in His mercy seeks to reach people in every corner of the earth. The Lord used our understanding of His Word and education about tribal people to change our minds and our lives. We are glad to be His servants in building His Church.” ntm.org/ben_koorsen

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[ c o n n e c t] Missionary Children Learn American Culture While preparing to return to a country that they’ve had little knowledge of, missionary children often ask questions of their parents such as David and Michelle Pierce had to answer. “If we hit someone while driving in America, do we keep going?” In Papua New Guinea it is best that you do not stop but continue on as fast as possible to the nearest police station. Otherwise you will probably wind up in worse condition than the person you hit. From the girls: “Is it OK if we talk to guys, and should we avoid eye contact if we do?” In some Papua New Guinea cultures eye contact could indicate an interest in marriage. “Does grandpa’s house have a fence around it?” Many homes and businesses in Papua New Guinea are fenced, to keep out people and marauding pigs. Pray for missionary children as they adjust to their home countries’ culture.

quickl quick

Steven, a Baniva believer in Brazil, told missionary Zenilson Bezerra of his faith in Jesus after hearing evangelistic Bible lessons. “Now I can say that I am saved without a doubt in my heart. You can be certain that in case we don’t ever see each other again during this life we will see each other again in Heaven.”

Walk circumspectly, 8

not as fools but as wise, redeeming the time, because the days are evil.

Ephesians 5:15-16

Anxious to Read God’s Word “I am old and the work that is happening here is so great. It will be many years before the work of the Gospel will be finished in our tribe. And I do not know if my eyes will wait that long. My brother is already blind and my eyes are getting worse. I would like to have a small book with the Words of God so I could read it with my own eyes before I cannot see it at all any more. I have already appointed my sons and daughters and told them that their work will be to read to me the Words of God before I die.” — Thomas of the Inapang tribe in Papua New Guinea, where the Gospel was presented in 2007.

* pray

Simbari Bible teachers in Papua New Guinea are asking prayer for their efforts in a neighboring village. “Do not think that God is not working in this village. God is working in the hearts of the people so please be praying for them,” said one of the Bible teachers. Pray Daily: ntm.org/magazine

connect with…

Elijah and Moira Hall

Paraguay

Children: Elisha, Jerusha, Jedidiah and Israel Ministry: Tribal church planting Sending Church: Grace Fellowship Bible Chapel, Union, Maine Moira’s testimony: I became a Christian at a young age and though my parents encouraged me in the faith, it wasn’t until I went to the Bahamas on a short-term mission trip that I dedicated my life to the Lord’s service. The day I remember really being impacted toward tribal missions was the day Elijah — then my fiancé — told me a story from his boyhood in Papua New Guinea. At age 13, he had watched as two men dressed in full tribal regalia approached a fellow missionary and said, “We want to buy a missionary! We have been waiting for a long time and want to hear this message before we die. Our neighbors have a missionary, and they have a light in their eyes, but we have no one.” The missionary replied sadly that there was still no one to send, and the two men walked back toward the mountains — alone. The day I heard that story, the need to take the Gospel to the unreached peoples of the world became real to me. Elijah’s testimony: I was blessed to have the privilege of growing up in a good Christian home with godly parents who were faithful to teach me the Scriptures. I was 7 when the Lord opened my eyes to the truth of the Gospel. I praise God that He saved me so early in life, and that He gave me the opportunity to witness firsthand the sense of urgency my parents had in sharing the Gospel with those around them. In 1991 they began training with NTM and then served for two years in Papua New Guinea. During those years many of the children in the Kakuna tribe became my friends. I realize that many live and die with no hope of hearing the Good News of the Savior’s love for them. Before our marriage I wanted Moira to understand the burden I still carried for those with no access to the Gospel. We were married in 2003. We have finished our stateside training with NTM and are planning to go to Paraguay in April 2010. www.ntm.org/elijah_hall

[ c o n n e c t] Nothing to care about. Let us tell you about Nothing. In the language of the Tagbanwa people of the Philippines, Ara means nothing. That’s the name a little girl was given when her father died. Her mother left long ago, so her father’s death made her an orphan. Among the Tagbanwas, Ara is an unwanted mouth to feed — worth nothing, so Nothing is a fitting name. While the men built her father’s casket, it was her job to shoo the flies away from his body … a good job for Nothing. She now had nowhere to live, unless maybe an old village grandmother let Nothing sleep in her hut. Her name is Nothing in Tagbanwa, but she is someone to Jesus. Someone Jesus loves. Someone Jesus died for. But Nothing will never know that … unless somebody tells her. Will you be somebody for the Nothings of this world? Hear more stories like this: ntm.org/magazine

Learning Landuma Culture

One day we were walking through a Landuma village and saw a woman throwing fresh tomato seeds on the outside wall of her house, built of sundried mud bricks. The wet seeds stuck there. We asked why she was doing this. What do you think her answer was? A mud wall is a convenient place to store your tomato seeds until it is time to plant them in your garden. They dry there and then can be scraped off whenever needed. Of course, the lower part of the wall may get saturated with rainwater in the rainy season, at which time any seeds in the vicinity may sprout. And sure enough, soon afterward we saw a tomato plant growing right out of a wall. — Kirk Rogers, Guinea photo by Kirk Rogers

photo by Markus Rosvik

A charitable gift annuity is your opportunity to partner with New Tribes Mission to plant churches among the world’s unreached tribal people and receive a lifetime of income. Investing in a charitable gift annuity allows you to make what is in effect a delayed gift to New Tribes Mission. In exchange for your gift, NTM makes a fixed payment to one or two people each year for life. Upon the donor’s death, the remaining balance is available for New Tribes Mission to use to support the work of planting tribal churches. Apply for a gift annuity, or inquire about other options for investing in the work God is doing among tribal people: Stewardship Development Office www.ntm.org/give | sdo@ntm.org | 800-813-1566

8 “We must be global Christians with a global vision because our God is a global God.” — John Stott

Lucas and Naomi Lorenz

connect with…

MAKE AN ETERNAL INVESTMENT, GET LIFELONG INCOME

Philippines

Children: Solomon, Patience, Eden Ministry: Tribal church planters Sending church: Three Forks Bible Church, Three Forks, Montana Lucas was raised in a religious home but was not saved until age 17; Naomi was saved at age 9. Lucas had always been interested in missions but thought you had to be “born” into it. When he attended New Tribes Bible Institute he saw that God used normal people with a variety of talents to serve in missions. That same year, Naomi went to Bolivia with the NTM associate program as a teacher’s aid at the school for missionaries’ children. Before and after they were married they served extensively in local church ministries, but their hearts were burdened to minister to those who had never heard the Gospel. Throughout their New Tribes Mission training experience God continued to open doors for them to serve in the Philippines. ntm.org/lucas_lorenz

“

Before, we were truly ignorant of God’s Talk. If you had asked me about God’s Talk before, I wouldn’t have been able to answer you. My heart was only dark; I didn’t know. Then you taught us God’s Talk and my heart lit up. Now I know God’s Talk. My heart is like a light, no longer dark inside. — Auiyo, Nakui tribe, Papua New Guinea

”

[ c o n n e c t] You can help build hope. Today, more than 100 people groups are asking for NTM missionaries to come live among them, learn their ways and their language, and present God’s Word to them. To reach them, we need to increase the number of missionaries that NTM can train each year. NTM’s Missionary Training Center is operating at capacity, with 150 missionary candidates and their families filling the housing and classrooms. The center expansion project will increase that capacity to 250 — that’s an additional 100 missionaries who have an urgent desire to complete their training and go to the mission field. photo by Dale Stroud The next step is to accommodate more new candidates with an all-purpose building. It will provide classrooms, much-needed dining facilities, and a gym/meeting center for all-campus worship and training times. We want to begin construction this spring, and complete this building no later than June 2011, in time for the NTM Enrichment Conference that will draw hundreds of missionaries and candidates. Your gift to this $1.5 million project will help more tribal people hear God’s Word for years to come, by making it possible to train more missionaries. Find out more or invest in the expansion: Stewardship Development Office, 1000 E. First St., Sanford, Florida 32771 800-813-1566 | sdo@ntm.org | ntm.org/allpurpose

quickl quick

The Pai Tavy Tera people of Paraguay maintain that the creator god found himself hanging on a cross on the top of a mountain. As he began to pray and chant magical words, the earth grew larger around him and continued to expand into what we know today as the earth. For this reason, his mountain is called the center of all creation. Born out of this view of creation is an entire network of core beliefs that rule life for the Pais. In some cases, a Pai man is told that he will be cursed and die if he does not follow traditional taboos and participate in ceremonies. 12

“

This message is not like anything that has come before. When you hear this message for yourself, your thinking will completely flip over as mine has. Before we have heard bits and pieces of God’s Word, however now we clearly see what God’s message has been for us and our stomachs [hearts] are overjoyed.

connect with…

Jared & Bana Major

Children: Naomi, Lydia, and Eve Ministry: Tribal church planting Sending church: Jerome Prairie Bible Church, Grants Pass, Oregon

”

— Sesi, Mibu tribe, Papua New Guinea

s o lo ve d t h e w o John 3:16

rl d

…

r Fo

d Go

Philippines

Jared and Bana grew up in the same church and trusted Christ as children. “We became friends during a short-term mission trip to Mexico … and we both were really impacted by that experience.” “After we married we wanted to pursue a good Bible education, though we hadn’t really thought about being involved in any sort of full-time missions.” While attending New Tribes Bible Institute, the Word of God and the testimony of missionaries serving around the world got them thinking about serving among the unreached. “Our time in Bible school elevated our view of God’s ability to use the humble and weak to accomplish His will, and our desire to go and serve grew not because we became more confident in our abilities, but because we grew in our confidence that God is able to reach these people.” ntm.org/jared_major

What’s your

world view? 13

[ go

deeper

for the

]

Testimony of Jesus Christ I, John … was on the island that is called Patmos for the word of God and for the testimony of Jesus Christ” (Revelation 1:9).

by Chet Plimpton General Secretary NTM USA Executive Board

The island of Patmos was the Alcatraz of the Roman Empire. It was a prison without walls, and the 90-year-old Apostle John was exiled there by the Roman emperor, Domitian. Some 60 to 70 years later, Polycarp, a disciple of the Apostle John, stood before the Roman governor of Smyrna and gave this last passionate testimony: “Eighty-and-six years have I now served Christ, and He has never done me the least wrong: How then can I blaspheme my King and my Savior?” These two men and countless more down through the centuries have been prepared to suffer for the testimony of Jesus Christ. Am I? Are you? Many times, when giving our testimony, those of like faith smile their encouragement, but that is not a realistic view of living for the testimony of Jesus Christ. Consider Peter. He was not always prepared to suffer for the testimony of Jesus Christ. Perhaps we will feel we are looking in a mirror as we consider this extremely dark time in Peter’s life. After Jesus was arrested in the Garden, He was taken to the palace of the high priest. Peter followed as far as the courtyard, where some stood close to a small charcoal fire. The servant girl who kept the door asked, “You are not also one of this Man’s disciples, are you?” (John 18:17). Talk about a lead-in for a testimony, even though the grammatical form of the question shows that the girl expected a “no.” It was an opportunity for Peter to begin, “I’m glad you asked …”

Earlier that very night, Jesus had said they would all be offended because of Him. Peter had emphatically disagreed saying, “I will never be made to stumble” (Matt. 26:33). To that, Jesus replied, “… before the rooster crows, you will deny Me three times” (Matt. 26:34). How quickly our courage crumbles before the world’s scorn! When Peter heard contempt in the tone of the slave girl, he replied, “I am not” (John 18:17). As Peter warmed himself, another asked, “You are not also one of His disciples, are you?” Again, the question anticipated a “no,” and again, Peter denied it, saying, “I am not!” (John 18:25). Finally, a relative of the man who had felt the sting of Peter’s sword against his ear asked, “Did I not see you in the garden with Him?” (John 18:26). Unlike the first two questions, this one expected a “yes” from Peter. The accuser and those around the small fire were convinced, saying, “Surely you also are one of them, for your speech betrays you” (Matthew 26:73). In answer, Peter “began to curse and swear, ‘I do not know this Man of whom you speak!’” (Mark 14:71). Truly, this was the darkest of nights for Peter, but all was not lost. Peter

heard the rooster crow the second time and remembered the words of Jesus, “… you will deny Me three times. And when he thought about it, he wept” (Mark 14:72). These were tears flowing from a truly repentant heart, and those are the kind of tears that God loves to see in His children! This is a sad story, but it is also one of great hope to all believers who have denied Jesus with their tongue, their actions and their priorities. If that is true of you, please know of a certainty that God can reverse the direction of your life by the power of His indwelling Spirit. He did that for Peter! Peter and John were once again brought before the high priest to be interrogated for speaking of the resurrection of Jesus. Without hesitation, Peter glorified the name of his Savior, and Acts 4:13 says, “… when they saw the boldness of Peter and John . . . they realized they had been with Jesus.” Let’s ask Peter himself to close this article with appropriate words for our hearts. “But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts, and always be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you, with meekness and fear” (1 Peter 3:15).

think

about it.

Do you believe we give our testimony only when we share verbally? How does the way we live before a watching world every day also give your testimony? Would you say you live every moment for the testimony of Jesus Christ? Was that hesitation in your answer (smile)? How would you answer this question: “Is your testimony primarily about you or about Jesus Christ?” Why is your answer to that question important? 15

I want to burn my bridges. by Jonathan Kopf missionary to the Hewa tribe in Papua New Guinea

Alimpu had been sick for many months. He had not responded to several rounds of antibiotics so we were beginning to fear that he was in the late stages of tuberculosis or lung cancer. His continual fits of wheezing and coughing had stolen his strength to the point that he now was almost completely bedridden. He coughed and coughed, struggling to catch each breath. Gasping for air, he sat up where he had been laying beside the fire, his bony hand holding tightly to the pole frame supporting the firewood rack. The sight of his frail bony frame and protruding ribs filled me with a fresh wave of grief. From all appearances, my old friend was on his deathbed, with only days left to live.

photo by Jonathan Kopf

Elderly Alimpu suddenly interrupted the smoky silence with a fit of deep-chested coughing. Fato, his oldest son, sat beside me on the woven bamboo floor and looked over at his father with deep concern.

“I know that I’m going to die soon, but I’m not afraid anymore. Now that I have heard God’s story, I know that I don’t have to fear death because I am God’s child …”

After Alimpu finished coughing, he lay back on the bamboo floor next to the fire, and eventually his raspy breathing began to subside to a more regular pattern. Then he slowly began to speak. “I know that I am about to die,” he said. “I know that I’m going to die soon, but I’m not afraid anymore. Now that I have heard God’s story, I know that I don’t have to fear death because I am God’s child, and He is going to take me to live with Him at His ground forever.” “Before I heard God’s story, I was terrified by the thought that a spirit might eat me at any moment, causing my death. But now I realize that death comes from my ancestor Adam’s disobedience to God and not from evil spirits lurking in the jungle shadows.” The old man cleared his throat, spit into the fire and continued. “Before I heard God’s story, if I had died, I would have been condemned by God for all the wrong things that I have done, but now that I believe in Jesus’ payment for my wrongs, I understand that God will not condemn me to judgment, but will take me to live with Him at His ground.” “I know that I am God’s son now,” Alimpu continued, “and I have heard that you are planning a baptism soon, but I can’t get baptized yet.”

photos by Jonathan Kopf

Opposite: Alimpu, his nephew and son-in-law burned the spirit bag in the middle of the village.

“Why don’t you think you can get baptized yet?” I asked. With great effort, the old man slowly sat up and started speaking about some men who had burned their spiritual objects in a fire. Fato, seeing my confusion, quickly explained. “He’s talking about those men you told us about when you were teaching the book of Acts who had publicly burned all their books about magic and sorcery to show that they were turning from their trust in the spirits to faith in God’s words.”

“… so that everyone will know that I am not playing games with God, taking the death of Jesus as if it’s insignificant.”

“I can’t get baptized till I burn my dog spirit bag,” Alimpu continued. “I want to burn my bag of spiritual objects in front of everyone in this village before I get baptized so that they will clearly know that I am turning my back on the customs of the ancestors to be fully devoted to Jesus.” “What you are saying is so great,” I said, “but please understand that God accepts your simple act of faith in baptism not because you are perfect in every way, but rather because Jesus’ payment for your sins has made you acceptable in His sight. Your trust in Jesus is what makes you completely ready for baptism.” “Oh, I know that,” Alimpu responded. “When Jesus died, His blood completely washed away the debt for my many sins, so I am clean in God’s eyes. But still, I want to do what the people in the Bible did, and publicly burn my ties with my past beliefs, so that everyone will know that I am not playing games with God, taking the death of Jesus as if it’s insignificant. “I want to burn the stuff publicly but I can’t because I am too weak to walk up the trail to the village center,” Alimpu said. “Maybe we could ask the people of the village to come down here to your house so that they could witness you burning your spirit bag in your own yard,” I ventured. “No, no,” Alimpu said emphatically. “I need to be able to burn my spirit things in the middle of the village, where everyone will see it plainly, but it’s impossible for me to do it now. There is no way I’m going to be strong enough to do it before the baptism.” I sat there without saying anything while Alimpu’s wife dropped a new chunk of firewood in the fire. Then I felt the gentle nudging of the Holy Spirit. “We know from the stories we have been reading in the Bible that God has the power to heal you. Let’s ask Him to help you recover your strength so that you can go to the village to burn your spirit bag, and then later the strength to walk to the creek to get baptized.”

Alimpu was well enough to be baptized — and is still living and following Christ.

photo by Jonathan Kopf

There in that dark and smoky house, we bowed our heads and made the simple request of our father. “God, one of your children wants to get baptized but he can’t because of his poor health. Will you please honor his wish to publicly burn his spirit things and to get baptized by giving him health and strength to walk the trails?” A week and a half later some little boys came running up to me with an excited announcement. “Alimpu is walking up the trail right now with his spirit bag!” Sure enough, there was my frail friend leaning heavily on a walking stick, slowly working his way up the hill! It was Saturday, one day before the baptism. From the middle of village, Alimpu and two other village men pronounced their decision to permanently abandon the trail of the ancestors in order to walk on the new trail that Jesus had cleared. In front of the entire village Alimpu dropped the bag full of bones and teeth and plants into the flames. The other men tossed in a few plants with purported magical powers, demonstrating that they were joining Alimpu in proclaiming their new faith. The next day these same three men and seven other villagers took a huge step of faith in public baptism. Father, may you build such trust in the lives of these people out here in the jungle that they will be completely faithful to honor You, and that they will be incredibly bold to take your Word to the many tribal people scattered all over these mountain ranges.

“… some little boys came running up to me with an excited announcement. …”

Grandfather

told me you would come. by Dag-ay, Higaunon tribe, the Philippines

My Grandfather was a powerful witchdoctor in the jungle-covered mountains of northern Mindanao. He told us, “We have told you never to allow foreigners into our community as they will just bring their foreign ideas. Before you know it, you’ll be wearing hats and shoes like them and that’s not good for you! However, let me tell you something that exists in the cities on the coast. There’s a book that’s there and when someone brings that book here, let me tell you, you must listen to it for it has the message of eternal life!” Grandfather knew a lot about the mysteries of this world. He gained this knowledge through the spirits and he would then pass it on to those he was leading. I don’t know how old I am but I do remember the big war [World War II]. When I was not even 10 years old, my father passed away and his sister took me in. But it wasn’t to care for me as a daughter; it was to use me as a slave! I developed a very bad skin condition and was horribly mistreated. If there was a fierce storm and they wanted me to fetch water, I would have to do it. If they wanted me to carry a heavy load, that’s what I did or pay the consequences. They made me sleep in the dirty kitchen, like a dog. I remember my mom coming to visit but they hid me away and would not let her see me. They wanted to keep her from seeing my poor condition.

photo by Lance Ostman

“There’s a book that’s there and when someone brings that book here, let me tell you, you must listen to it …”

I continued to listen to the teaching and wondered, “Is this really the truth?”

I finally got tired of this treatment and left. I followed the river downstream and I didn’t really know where I was going. I had no change of clothes — I had nothing with me. I just wanted to leave! I didn’t care if I died along the way. I just wanted to get away. As I traveled people would see me coming in the distance and say, “Who is that child?” They were surprised to see a small girl walking through the forest, especially one that looked so horrible. They recognized me when I got closer to them. They helped me and showed me where to go next to get to my grandparents, my mother and my siblings. It took me less than a day to make the trip. Along the way, people sacrificed chickens for me, putting the blood on me to bless me and protect me. I got to my grandparent’s place and they took care of me. My mother left after some time and I lived with my grandparents. When I was a bit older, my grandparents arranged a marriage for me to someone younger than I. He was not really old enough to even think about getting married yet but that’s the way things were back then. We eventually had four children and my husband died when the youngest was 11 or 12 years of age. After a while, my husband’s parents came to me and said they had found the way of eternal life. I

photos on this page by Lance Ostman

moved to their village to listen to this message. While I was listening, Salvador, the witch doctor, tried three times to keep me from listening. He was the one responsible for the missionaries living in his village but when he heard their teaching, he rejected it. He said, “Are you going to listen to me or to the outsiders?” I continued to listen to the teaching and wondered, “Is this really the truth?” Then I realized that this was the fulfillment of what Grandfather had said all those years ago: “People will come with a message. Don’t be concerned if the messenger is an impressive person or not. You just listen to the message because that will tell you how to have eternal life.” I am so glad I listened, and believed on the One who died to give me eternal life. Salvador died without Christ but I know I have Christ living in me. There was a time a few years ago when I was really sick and everyone thought I had died. My family washed my body and as they were getting it ready for burial, I revived. I was so upset to still be here! I long for the day when I can be with my Lord in Heaven. This world has no attraction for me whatsoever and I look forward to the day when I am no longer here! In the meantime though, it is my privilege to help where I can to translate God’s book.

His blood spilled for me. by Géguuta, Balanta tribe, Senegal

I, Géguuta, greet you. Today I thank God because even though I was in the darkness long ago, I have seen light. I am walking in the strength of the light of God. God has shown me His truth.

“The work that God did on our behalf is enough. Mankind has no right to try and add anything to it.”

From the time I was a child, when I first opened my eyes [began to understand things] I didn’t have understanding of anything other than the worship and fear of ancestral spirits. My parents brought me into the world of witchdoctors. All these things I had believed were the strength and identity of my people. But today, when I see the truth of God, I know that all of that is deception. It is a lie that truly comes from Satan. It has been some time now since I heard the Word of God. It so happened that a man named Jim lived here in my village with his wife, Jan. I used to work at helping translate God’s Word with them. I started to study God’s Word and began to discern the truth. I saw that all of my life, from the time I was small until an adult, I was really believing a lie. Today I have seen God’s Truth. What I really desire is that many Balantas in all of this region would walk in this Truth. I will recount for you this message that God spoke to John in the third chapter and sixteenth verse. He said God loved mankind to the greatest degree — to the point of giving us His one Son whom He had put in His heart. He said if anyone believes in this one Son, he will never in the future be lost. He will surely have life everlasting with Him in His household. Many people in this world go looking after dry wood. Or they go looking for clay from the river’s edge. These they take and they make it resemble

something that they will worship like God. If you are living like this, please seek after God’s Word. God will enlighten you and put in His light and say to you the way you are behaving is not the truth. That is only the power of Satan. It is a lie that has no end. If a person lives in that lie, it will overcome him in the end. God has completely done His work. Mankind does not need to work at anything else. The work that God did on our behalf is enough. Mankind has no right to try and add anything to it. Why is that? The blood of His Son, Jesus Christ, was spilled on the ground. That blood was pure blood, resulting in the washing of all mankind’s sin completely. Man must not try to add anything before God. God made a solution once and for all. He offered His Son as a sacrifice. It is because of His blood that a person can stand before God and have fellowship with Him. But if a person does not know this truth, he cannot see Him. Truly he is trying with his own solution. Look out! Those who do this are making an error! In that error, it will bring you to judgment before God. It will be a very fiery judgment for you the day you die. And so for that reason, let’s all seek after God’s Word, and let’s live in God’s Word. I will finish my story here. May God bring light to all the Balanta people.

photos by Dave McKee

I refused to die.

photo by Clark Aspinwall

by MaeJo, Bru tribe, Thailand, as told to Mary Aspinwall

As a baby I was very sickly. It was so bad that there was a period of time when my parents decided to let me die. When they went to work in the fields they let me lie by the ladder of the house thinking they would find me dead when they returned. In the evening I was still alive, so they would feed and care for me, but leave me again in the morning. I refused to die so they continued to care for me, but I was never very healthy. Early in my teen years the communists came into our area. There was fighting between them and the Thai military. Remaining neutral was almost impossible; there was pressure from both sides. Most of our village hid in the woods dodging bullets and bombs. Somehow God spared our lives even with very little food to eat and no shelter. There truly must have been a higher power looking out for us. My parents escaped to another province where there were no communists. Here I met and married my husband and we went to live with his family and had our first two children. His family resented having to share their food with us so we decided to move back to my home area as peace had been restored there. However my siblings did not want to divide any of the inheritance with me so we went to live in another village. Kindness was shown to us and we were given scraps to build a small house. My husband was a builder and earned our living that way. We worked hard and had two more children, but were very poor.

â&#x20AC;&#x153;I went and asked the missionary wife to teach me the message they had come to share.â&#x20AC;?

“Eventually more and more people were taught, some by the missionaries and many by me.”

photos by Clark Aspinwall

A family from America moved into our village and my nephew began spending a lot of time with them. He seemed so happy. But instead of explaining things to me, he told me to go talk to them myself. I went and asked the missionary wife to teach me the message they had come to share. She did not yet speak our language and even her Thai was not very clear, but I began to understand the story she was telling me. It all made sense and made me very happy. I believed all that she told me about God and his Son, about my sin and His death to pay the price for me. But I did not want to let her know, feeling that she would think I was very gullible to believe so quickly and easily. When I finally told her, she was very happy and kept telling me more. Another lady was very ill and my friend wanted to share this message with her also. She asked me to go with her and even asked that I teach this lady what I knew. I was not sure what to say but when I started it seemed that I just knew the words to say. We spent many evenings talking late into the night. This lady believed and so did her daughter, and her health was restored. I really wanted to share this message with my husband but he told me, “When you get taken to Heaven, just grab my arm and pull me along with you.” I told him that this would not work and he needed to hear and believe for himself. Another missionary family had moved in by this time and I suggested he ask this new man to teach him. So my husband learned and also believed. We would spend hours talking together about the things we learned — often late into the night. I felt sure my neighbors would think we had gone mad. I wanted so much for all my friends and family to hear this message, but not many people seemed interested. Eventually more and more people were taught, some by the missionaries and many by me. We now have a church of around 100 believers. I am so happy that even though my husband has since gone to be with the Lord, our four children and their spouses believe. I want my children and grandchildren to live

photo by Mike Enters

well and have their needs met, but more importantly I want them to know and love the Lord. If they have that nothing else really matters. I have since remarried, to a man whose wife died. Now I am helping him teach his two children and they also seem to understand and believe. My greatest desire is for people to know God and what He has done for us. I get so excited when I have the opportunity to teach people about this story. It is hard work to teach them, but God always gives me the strength. And when they understand and believe, it makes all the effort worthwhile. I am helping another missionary translate the Bible into our Bru language. I love being able to clearly understand what God wants to say to us. Our Thai Bible is hard for us to understand. But when we translate it into our language it is like food that is already cut up, prepared and spiced for us just right so we can just eat it and enjoy without having to do any more work. I want all of my people to enjoy reading Godâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Word in our language. We still have a lot more work to get it all done but what we have is so wonderful. We do not know what tomorrow will bring, but because I am a child of Godâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s I know that I donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t need to worry. I just want to do everything I can to help other people know God. I want my life to be used by Him.

MaeJo and Mary Aspinwall translate the Bible into the Bru language.