NTM@work August 2012

NE W T RIBE S MIS SION OF C A N A D A

NTM@work your connection with tribal missions

Different Shores, Same Team page 16 00

NTM@work Vol. 71 • No. 1 • August 2012 NTM@work team Executive Editor: Macon Hare David Bell, Debbie Burgett, Rex Crawford, Ian Fallis, Jon Frazier, Patrick Hatcher, Chris Holland, Dena McMaster and Jason Bechtel.

NTM@work is published quarterly

by New Tribes Mission of Canada.

Subscriptions NTM@work is provided free to readers in Canada. To receive the magazine or have it sent to a friend, e-mail Jason Bechtel at communications@canada.ntm.org, or call 519-369-2622 x 212.

If you no longer wish to receive NTM@work, please send a note and your name and address to NTM@work PO Box 707 Durham ON N0G 1R0 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 Canada 519-369-2622 USA 407-323-3430 Australia 011-61-2-6559-8646 Europe 011-44-1472-387700 This photo and cover photo by Dale Stroud printed in Canada

contents

4 CONNECT: Find opportunities to pray, to give, to learn, to laugh and more.

Different Shores, Same Team: In the church planting team, there are people who work overseas in remote tribal villages, and in town and cities in support of them. The team members who serve in Canada and the USA are equally important. These are their stories.

16 Did you hear?

17 The Unlikely Missionary 19 It Takes a Network 24 God’s in the Restoration Business 30 What line of work are you in?

Read the online edition: ntm.org/magazine

C ONNEC T Big Mom, Little Mom Any mom from the Karen tribe in Thailand doesn’t like her baby to cry— not at all. So she feeds, swings, walks, sings to and holds her baby non-stop to keep it quiet. If that doesn’t work, she sells it.

What?! Missionary Lea Betts wasn’t sure she had heard correctly.

For 2 baht (about 7 cents) she “sells” her baby to an experienced mom. This new mom is called the Big Mom and the real mother is the Little Mom. The Big Mom will tie his wrist and give him a new name. Of course, the baby doesn’t actually live with the Big Mom. This seems to be a type of spirit ceremony. Since the spirits could possibly be bothering the baby (which is why he is crying so much), giving him a new mom along with all the merit she seems to have gained from raising lots of children, it is hoped that somehow her merit will be passed on to the baby and perhaps the spirits will have to leave him alone.

— Leigh and Lea Betts, Karen Tribe, Thailand

Central Asian Style Cabbage Salad 1 head........ green cabbage 1/8 head..... purple cabbage 1.................. carrot 1.................. white onion 1 c............... sugar

1 c............... vinegar ¾ c.............. oil ½-1 tsp....... salt ¼ tsp......... pepper (optional)

Finely shred all the vegetables — a food processor is wonderful for this — and mix together with sugar. In a separate pan mix the vinegar, oil, salt, and pepper, bring to boil and pour over the vegetables.

Makes 16-20 servings.

This simple salad has come to the Mongols from the Russians, who were very prominent in Mongolia from about 1920 until 1990. It is very nice if it is made up to a day in advance and allowed to season in the refrigerator. Enjoy it this summer!

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Unwavering for 70 Years “New Tribes Mission’s efforts shall be directed ... where no witness of the gospel has yet reached,” wrote Paul Fleming when he founded New Tribes Mission 70 years ago, and it’s still true today.

Paul and five other men had no funds or organization behind them when they dared to trust God to establish NTM in 1942.

“It seemed that the Lord had pushed us into something, and we were confident that no man started New Tribes Mission; the Lord brought it into existence in spite of us,” Paul wrote.

Today, some 3,000 missionaries from more than 25 countries minister in Latin America, Africa and the AsiaPacific region. Together, they are reaching a new tribe every 45 days.

CONNECT WITH…

“God uses men who are weak and feeble enough to lean on Him.” — Hudson Taylor

PAPUA NEW GUINEA

Norm & Debra Copeland

Children: Canaan & Emmaus Field of Service: Canada Ministries: Communications/Admissions Sending Churches: Bethel Bible Chapel, Shelburne, ON / Camarillo Evangelical Free Church, Camarillo, California We both had the privilege of growing up hearing about missions: Debra from family members and Norm from visiting NTM speakers at church. Debra has known God was leading her to be a missionary since she was a little girl, and God showed Norm through a missions trip to Brazil as a teenager. We met at New Tribes Bible Institute in 2001, were married in 2004 and with a unified vision of reaching tribal people for Christ we went to West Africa in 2009. In 2012, God led us back to Canada to serve at NTM’s home office here.

We are excited to use the gifts God has given us to support NTM missionaries the world over. copelandramblings.com norm_copeland@ntm.org

Paul Fleming serving in Malaysia.

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C ONNEC T

Goodbye Candles!

A new field of ministry has opened up in recent years for NTM missionaries—technical specialist.

When tribal missionaries have to stop teaching the Bible because a technical, electrical or mechanical problem needs their attention, precious time is wasted that could have been spent in valuable church planting ministry.

The Missionary Training Centre in Durham, Instructor Tim See with students Canada provides a Missionary Technology elective Carl Templeton and Aaron Laney as they solder electrical parts. that is 36 hours of technical training. But seeing the need to further equip missionaries to minister specifically in the field of technology, the tech specialist program began in 2005 at the Missionary Training Center in the USA. Twelve staff missionaries provide 680 class hours, which covers a full semester.

Tech specialists are trained in areas which include solar electrical technology, power systems, small engine and appliance repair, water filtration, shop and construction skills. Once prepared, the technical missionaries serve in a particular country or region, sharing their skills so that other missionaries can continue sharing the Gospel.

Chris Strange, missionary to the Banwaon people in the Philippines, lost eight months out of the tribe because of several surgeries to repair a severed tendon in his finger. Chris was using a knife to clean wax out of a jar to put a new candle in. The jar broke and the knife went through his hand. The Stranges had been using candles because they didn’t have power for lights. Technical Specialist Jason Mellinger flew in, rewired their solar panels and put lights in.

The missionaries had been without power for years and Jason fixed the problem in three days. Goodbye candles!

Discover more about NTM Canada’s specialized training: canada.ntm.org/mtc-overview The Mwinika people have a proverb that they often use. They say “oweetta vakhani vakhani khaye okhotta mukwaha.” It means “to walk slowly is not to negate the journey.” Whenever it seems to us that we are moving slowly in our program we are reminded of this proverb. We may be going slowly but as long as we are moving, we are getting to where we want to go.

—Phil and Elin Henderson, Mwinika tribe, Mozambique 6

During a month-long celebration in the Yembiyembi tribe of Papua New Guinea, a gathering of about 100 people went from house to house carrying idols and other objects of worship, singing songs to the spirit world, trying to push away the evil ones and appease them. One of the Yembiyembi Bible teachers spoke to one of leaders in the group.

“God says to worship Him alone.

You claim that this statue is a holy piece of God. Turn it over. Look where it’s made. It’s made in China. You’re just ‘made in China’ worshippers.

“You hold this thing and bow down to it like it is a holy piece of God. It is really a worthless piece of wood.

Look, you dress it up nice. You care for it like a little baby. You bow down and pray to it. God was angry at the Israelites for doing the same thing in Isaiah 44. You guys are doing what they did.

“God doesn’t want you to worship or pray to the stuff made in China. He wants you to worship the One who made China.”

who’s txting @ this hr?!

Jamie and Char Hunt were at home in a remote village in Paraguay when their phone beeped at 6 a.m..

“Is ti lhamô?” the message read.

“Our tribal friends from across the village wanted to know if we had slept well,” Jamie and Char wrote.

“After 13 years of living off generators, solar panels and beyond the reaches of communication, these advancements seem almost surreal.”

CONNECT WITH…

Made in China

Dennis and Valerie Easton

Children: Lael, Aria, Quinn and Cambree Field of Service: Philippines Ministry: church planting among the Ga’dang people Sending Church: L’Amable Bible Chapel, L’Amable, Ontario Dennis and Valerie both grew up in Christ centred homes and came to know the Lord as their personal Saviour as children.

After they were married and in full time ministry at Kawartha Lakes Bible College in Ontario, the Lord began working on both of their hearts simultaneously. Dennis was taking a missions elective at Heritage Seminary (Perspectives on the World Christian Movement) and Valerie was hanging clothes on a clothesline when the Lord turned their thoughts to the needs that lie beyond North America.

After prayerfully seeking counsel from church leadership and godly friends, they began their missionary training in Durham, ON in 2007. In 2010 they moved to the Philippines and began studying the national language with the desire to share the good news of God’s love and mercy to a people group who have never heard.

They plan to move into an unreached area in Northern Luzon, Philippines in 2013. dennis_easton@ntm.org

Discover more about Kawartha Lakes Bible College and Perspectives:

klbc.ca

perspectivescanada.org

C ONNEC T

Aren’t all graduation speeches alike?

21-year-old Jasmine Sims graduated in May from New Tribes Bible Institute in Waukesha, Wisconsin. She and a male representative were chosen by their graduating classmates to speak at the ceremony. If even this portion of her speech is any indication of the type of young people that NTBI is attracting, teaching, discipling and sending back out into the world, then we should be spreading the word to every potential student we know.

“Let no one tell you, you will never make a difference and that your efforts are a drop in the bucket. God is more interested in faithful service than visible results. We are citizens of Christ’s kingdom and with this citizenship come privilege and responsibility. We ought to live in a manner that reflects our citizenship. I will not tell you it will be easy, but I will tell you, with the Son in your eyes, it will be worth it.

Please never forget who you are.

Let facts always take precedence over your feelings. We are children of the light, so shine bright. The victory is already ours through Christ, so be unashamed in this fight. Stand strong against the urge of complacency and reverting back to the past. I challenge you to ruffle feathers and change worlds. I challenge you to be moved not by emotion but compelled by love; not persuaded by fickle passions, but driven by His glory.”

You can still apply for the 2013 spring semester: ntbi.org 8

Graduates Holly Schroeder and Jasmine Sims

1 Corinthians 12:18

You calling me a troublemaker?

After learning the Akolet word for troublemaker, Julie Martin thought she had a good opportunity to use it that afternoon.

“I was taking laundry off the line on my porch when I saw our friend, Gili, out near our yard cutting down some bananas,” Julie said. “I called out to him, jokingly, ‘Hey, you troublemaker, what are you doing?’”

Gili chuckled and continued on with his work.

The next day, while working on language with Gili and two other Akolet men, Julie and her husband learned the real meaning of the word.

“We were discussing different types of wrongdoing such as stealing or not listening to your parents,” Julie said. “I piped up and offered that troublemaking like that was bad.”

The tribal men from Papua New Guinea all looked at her and said, “No, troublemaking is adultery. That’s what that word means.”

In one horrifying moment, it dawned on Julie what she had called Gili yesterday! She apologized profusely. He understood and good-naturedly forgave her.

CONNECT WITH…

“But now God has set the members, each one of them, in the body just as He pleased.”

Alysse Johnson

Field of service: South East Africa Ministry: Tribal Church Planting Sending church: Huron Park Baptist Church, Woodstock, Ontario I grew up in a Christian home and accepted the gospel at a young age. I didn’t have a clear understanding of the Bible though, and struggled in my faith throughout high school. I was confused about salvation and grace, but I longed for a intimate relationship with God. When it came time to choose a college, I wanted one that was completely missions focused. Since I was young, God has burdened my heart to tell others about Christ. I applied to New Tribes Bible Institute and received the Truth that I was missing, and it changed my life! NTBI opened my eyes to the huge need that remains for those who have never heard to be reached with the Word. I was hooked!

There is nothing else I want to do with my life then serve Christ, wherever He may lead me. johnson.alysse@gmail.com

Discover more about New Tribes Bible Institute:

ntbi.org

NTM’s Missionary Training Centre can prepare you to learn a culture and language: canada.ntm.org/mtc-overview

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But what exactly is that?

One day, Beni, one of the women of the village stopped by with her girls for a little visit. My coworker, Katie, and I enjoy their visits as they are very expressive and funny. We always learn new words and they stretch our knowledge of the language as we try to understand and talk with them.

As they were leaving, Katie gave the girls a red and white round peppermint. The oldest one popped it into her mouth and said, “It tastes like wapurú!” I grabbed my notebook and wrote, “wapurú.”

I thought this was great. I was going to learn how to describe tastes and smells.

So, in Nahuat, I asked, “What is wapurú?” The girl answered, “Who knows!”

So, I asked, “Is it a fruit?” The girl said, “Who knows!”

Then I said, “Is it sweet?” The girl said, “Who knows!”

Getting nowhere with the daughter, I asked the mother. She couldn’t explain anything about what wapurú was either. So, I made a note to check it with my language helper the following day.

When I met with her, I started by reviewing words or phrases that I had heard but hadn’t understood. At the end of the list was “wapurú.”

I said, “Katie gave a piece of candy to a girl yesterday and she said it tasted like ‘wapurú.’ What is that?”

My language helper, with slightly better pronunciation than the previous day’s visitors, said, “Vapurub?”

No more explanation needed!

Who knew? Peppermints taste like VapoRub! — Rachel Chapman, Nahautl tribe, Mexico

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pray

Philippines: Agutaynen

people: As missionary Stephen Jordan taught from Hebrews, he came up against that Agutaynen tradition that Jesus dies every year on Good Friday.

His wife, Ginger, wrote, “Stephen then asked them, ‘How many times did Jesus need to die?’”

The Agutaynens correctly responded, “One time.” Yet the people seem to be living as though their traditions are more important than God’s Word.

“Pray for wisdom for our team as we seek to spend one-on-one time with those who have been attending the [Bible] teaching,” Ginger wrote. “Pray, above all, that the Agutaynens will trust in Jesus alone and grow in Him.” Find out how you can pray daily for the work God is doing among tribal people: ntm.org/magazine

Rachel enjoying another visit with Beni’s girls.

CONNECT WITH… Yvon and Elisabeth Roméus

Field of Service: Asia Pacific Ministry: Tribal Church Planting Sending churches: Église Baptiste Évangélique de Rosemont

“My mouth shall tell of Your righteousness and Your salvation all the day.”

Psalm 71:15

Yvon: Through watching the Jesus movie, and through the Word of God, I came to understand my need for Jesus Christ as my Saviour.

Jesus died for the forgiveness of my sins in order to reconcile me to God. Slowly, I became more passionate about the Word of God and the life of Jesus described in the gospels.

Elisabeth: The Lord gave me godly Christian parents who taught me in the fear of the Lord. I heard the Gospel through my grandmother and made a decision to give my life to Christ for the forgiveness of my sins. When I was a teen, this decision became the real deal in my life.

Before getting married, we both had a heart for missions, and specifically for unreached people groups. So, when we started praying about next steps for us in terms of getting ready for missions overseas, we contacted several organizations, and we felt led to look closely at New Tribes Mission. What we loved about their vision was their long term goal to see a church planted among a people group, and eventually work themselves out of a job, where the locals would be trained to lead the church and the missionaries could leave.

We want to be part of what God is doing around the world for His kingdom because we are burdened by the fact that so many people have never heard of the truth that Jesus Christ is the only one who can save us from our sins. When Jesus comes, He will bring about hope in Him to every nation, every tribe, and every tongue. ntm.org/yvon_romeus yvon-elisabeth_romeus@ntm.org

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C ONNEC T Nika didn’t want to live anymore.

Overwhelmed with thoughts of depression, I decided I didn’t want to live anymore. I remembered the plant we give fish to make them die. I planned it all out — when I would eat the plant, where I would be, how they would find my body. Then one day I did it. I ate so much of the poisonous plant and began to get very sick. Some of my family members left to go tell the missionaries that I wasn’t well. When they arrived, they realized what I had done. They knew I needed to vomit the poison or I was going to die. I didn’t want anyone to save me. The missionaries gave me charcoal to absorb the poison and make me throw up. I didn’t want to eat it, but I did anyway. The missionaries thought I was going to die. They reminded me why they had come to my village.

It was to learn our language and culture and eventually tell us an important message from God. They asked God to help me get better. After that, I threw up the plant and got well. Maybe He wants me here to listen to this important message.

Please pray for Nika as she waits for the missionaries to get fluent in her language before they can begin teaching the Bible to her and the other Elseng people in the Asia-Pacific Region.

Listen to more stories like this one: ntm.org/magazine

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praise

By the time you receive this magazine,

NTM’s Kodiak from Quest Aircraft should be in service in the Asia-Pacific region. The plane was to depart in early July, and the government of the country where it will be used has granted duty-free import approval.

The nine-place turbine-engine airplane is designed for rugged, short airstrips and runs on readily available jet fuel. Praise God that the plane will soon be supporting church planting among remote people groups.

Sign up for weekly updates so you can pray for the Palawanos and other people groups: ntm.org/magazine

“… the whole body, joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, according to the effective working by which every part does its share, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love.”

Ephesians 4:16

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Teachers aren’t born — they’re made.

The Ayoré tribe of Bolivia was the very first people group that NTM missionaries went to reach in 1942.

Five of the men, George Hosbach, Bob Dye, Cecil Dye, Eldon Hunter and Dave Bacon, were killed by the Ayorés and their story became the book God Planted Five Seeds by Jean Dye Johnson, Bob’s widow. Jean and the two other widows stayed on for many years to continue the work their husbands had begun. Finally, 40 years later, a church had been planted and the Ayoré New Testament was being typeset at the USA Home Office.

The five men had not died in vain.

Jean, who later married missionary Larry Johnson, eventually became a teacher at the NTM Missionary Training Center in Camdenton, Missouri.

Missionary Jack Housley writes, “It is so important that we get the right men teaching in our training centres, not special men and women, but men and women on the home front that have not forgotten who we are as missionaries and the God we serve.”

Jean Dye Johnson never forgot. Until retirement and beyond, she worked tirelessly to teach other young missionaries from her wealth of knowledge and experience. She also prayed that God would send her women with “hungry hearts” to personally disciple as well. I was one of those “hungry hearts” who had the privilege to meet and pray with her on a regular basis during the NTM training.

Jean just passed away in January at almost 92.

New Tribes Bible Institute and the Missionary Training Centre in Durham, Ontario are manned by missionaries following in her footsteps — passing their wealth of knowledge and experience on to our next generation of missionaries.

In her memory, join us in honouring and thanking each and every missionary who fills those teaching and training positions.

— Debbie Burgett, USA Home Office Learn more about NTM’s Missionary Training Centre: Jean’s Ayoré friend Inez was invaluable in helping Jean learn the Ayoré language.

canada.ntm.org/mtc-overview

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C ONNEC T Comments: u “My name is Colton Rogers.

I’m the son of missionaries Kirk and Yolanda Rogers and grew up in Guinea, Africa. I’m finishing my sophomore semester at New Tribes Bible Institute. I just received NTM@ work [May 2012 issue] and was encouraged by a couple of the articles. “I Volunteer” was a neat look at someone working in a possibly small way at [the USA Home Office], but investing a lot in allowing valuable projects around the world to be funded by Christians in [Canada and] the USA. Having seen firsthand how much help these projects can be to the people on ground zero, I know that this ability for assistance and partnership is the difference between clean or dirty drinking water, distant or local health clinics, etc. These are exceedingly valuable things to impoverished folk.

So to Mr. Freeman I’d extend my gratitude for his service.”

stories in NTM@work and on NTM’s website were a huge encouragement. I was able to read about the ‘unreached’ placing their faith in Jesus Christ and growing in the love and knowledge of Him. I got to follow the story of the Siar people of Papua New Guinea, who I’d heard about at Wayumi. I was able to read about them hearing the Gospel for the first time. Instead of getting overwhelmed by depressing statistics, I was reading about how ‘God’s talk’ is impacting the hearts, lives and marriages of tribal people and how they even want to share the Gospel with surrounding villages. The desire to be involved in tribal evangelism has grown as I’ve read about what God has been doing in the hearts and lives of tribal people.”

— H.H., New Tribes Bible Institute student

Wayumi is your adventure in tribal missions: wayumi.org

— Colton Rogers, New Tribes Bible Institute student

u “My brothers had shown me a video with a bunch of depressing statistics about the unreached. Then I went to Wayumi. By the end of that week, I knew I wanted to walk in the direction of tribal mission. I applied to NTBI but encountered some obstacles to getting there. During that time of waiting, the

Visit the “village” of Wayumi — in Pennsylvania.

Send your comments to Jason Bechtel: Jason_Bechtel@ntm.org or PO Box 707, Durham ON N0G 1R0 14

Learning How to

Relearn Life

Without the specialized NTM missionary training, we would have been aimless and clueless about what to do once we arrived overseas. But we had learned an important concept called “relearning life.”

For example: You want to go shopping. Where do you go? To the nearby market where you get ripped off because the prices aren’t labeled and you don’t know what’s fair? Or do you try to take a taxi to the supermarket where prices are labeled, but then get overcharged for the taxi? And how do you actually go about negotiating the prices for groceries or a taxi? Who makes the first offer?

But we came prepared to find those answers. So we got out with the people and began observing and “relearning life” in our new culture here.

We found out that for a taxi, you need to know the right price ahead of time and that is what you propose. But at the market, you always ask for a price first, and then negotiate from there to get a better price. In the end, you may even ask for a “present” from the vendor, and he may pack in an extra mango or orange for you. “Relearning life” definitely has its advantages!

— Aaron Speitelsbach, Abidjan, Ivory Coast Find out now how you can get training and become a missionary:

canada.ntm.org/mtc-overview

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pray

Thailand: Prai people:

Two young Prai ladies, Nok and Nute, are teaching children and adults to read and write in a village where there are new believers, many of whom are illiterate. Pray that they are motivated to learn to read so that they can read God’s Word for themselves. Pray for Nok and Nute as they teach.

Learn how you can receive daily or weekly prayer requests so you can take part in reaching tribal people around the world: ntm.org/magazine

“When the teachers taught on the Law, I saw how bad of a person I was for the first time and saw that I was a very bad person before God and full of bad ways. Before that, I thought I was a good person. In the Old Testament, the blood from the sheep only covered the peoples’ sins, but Jesus’ blood took away my sins.”

— Jolen, a woman from the Wusuraambya tribe of Papua New Guinea

“We make a living by what we earn; we make a life by what we give.”

— Winston Churchill 15

DIFFERENT SHORES, SAME TEAM

Did you hear?

Every 45 days a new people group somewhere in the world hears about the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ in their own language for the very first time. And for NTM missionaries serving on the tribal church planting team in Canada, the news never gets old.

Emails shoot from office to office.

“Did you hear? Another tribe heard the Gospel today! Isn’t it wonderful?”

Then back to work they go, encouraged that by the job they’re doing—shouldering the necessary, but less glamourous roles here at home—tribes are hearing in 45 days instead of it taking much longer.

But since more than 100 people groups (representing roughly 10 million people) have asked New Tribes Mission to bring them God’s Word and are still waiting for available missionaries, the desire is for an even shorter goal.

So leadership members in North America are now working hard to shrink that number to 30 days. All the brainstorming, planning, decision-making, strategizing, preparing, training and equipping to ultimately make that possible, happens here in Canada and the USA. And each missionary serving on the tribal church planting team from this side of the ocean, in whatever position they hold, is committed to doing their part in helping those requests be filled.

Then someday, the very best news can spread.

“Did you hear? The last tribe …”

16 photo by Dale Stroud

THE UNLIKELY MISSIONARY

by Ian Fallis

Epaphroditus may be the most unlikely of missionaries.

You may not have heard of him, even though Paul told the church at Philippi to “hold such men in esteem” (Philippians 2:29).

And at first glance, his ministry doesn’t seem like much.

Missionaries serving at NTM Aviation in McNeal, Arizona, train other missionaries to fix and fly aircraft in remote jungle regions.

photo by Dale Stroud

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“Yet I considered it necessary to send to you Epaphroditus, my brother, fellow worker, and fellow soldier, but your messenger and the one who ministered to my need; since he was longing for you all, and was distressed because you had heard that he was sick.

For indeed he was sick almost unto death; but God had mercy on him, and not only on him but on me also, lest I should have sorrow upon sorrow.

Therefore I sent him the more eagerly, that when you see him again you may rejoice, and I may be less sorrowful.

Receive him therefore in the Lord with all gladness, and hold such men in esteem; because for the work of Christ he came close to death, not regarding his life, to supply what was lacking in your service toward me. …

Indeed I have all and abound. I am full, having received from Epaphroditus the things sent from you, a sweet-smelling aroma, an acceptable sacrifice, well pleasing to God.” Philippians 2:25-30, 4:18

It Takes a Network

by Debbie Burgett

People often ask, “How do you get the information for the stories in your magazine?”

Missionaries from around the world send their updates and newsletters to a bursting-at-the-seams inbox. Every morning there’s a fresh batch waiting.

Waiting for whom?

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Waiting for missionaries here at home — missionaries serving on this end of the tribal church planting team — to take those stories and spread the word about what God is busy doing out on the far edges of His earth.

But why even do this work? How does this magazine affect the Gospel being preached? Wouldn’t it be better if we just closed up shop and went overseas ourselves?

If we did, that would be the opposite of what we know to be true and how we practice in every other aspect of life.

To get a huge job accomplished efficiently and well, it takes a network of people each doing their part.

What if your doctor or dentist suddenly decided that he didn’t need help in his office anymore? What if he decided he didn’t need receptionists, nurses, hygienists or lab technicians — that he could do it all by himself? The results would be chaos.

Waiting time would skyrocket, and so would death and decay.

What if it was suddenly decided that the only person important to flying a plane is the one in the cockpit? What if some official on the ground decided it wasn’t necessary for the pilot to have someone manning the control tower or making sure he has runway lights?

Without the critical support team required to do his job properly, the life of every person on board would be at stake.

Networks are a vital part of life. We can’t live without them and God never intended us to.

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He started the very first network in the Garden of Eden. It’s called a family. Later, He instituted the church and called it a body. God’s plan from the beginning is for different people with different gifts and abilities to work together in different roles and capacities toward His common goals.

Tribal church planting is one of those goals. But without missionaries photo by Peter Yoon

2,302

transactions are processed each month, including 1,240 donations, by 3 full-time and 2 part-time staff in the Finance Department in Canada.

Edwin Esau, Peter Baker, and Tim Whatley, the Leadership Team for New Tribes Mission of Canada.

At first glance, Epaphroditus’ ministry doesn’t seem like much compared to that of Paul or Barnabas or Silas — or even Mark or Philip. The church at Philippi sent Epaphroditus to deliver their offering to Paul. He became very ill while doing so, then recovered and returned home.

Not exactly an illustrious missionary journey.

So why does Paul tell us to honour people like Epaphroditus?

• I was on my third week in Brazil and nearly ready to begin formal Portuguese lessons. I was entering an audio recording and some photos into CLAware—a program created by missionaries in the USA to help with language learning. I was practicing with it for the first time since using it at NTM’s Missionary Training Center about a year earlier. But I ran into a glitch and couldn’t do what I needed to. I got a little nervous thinking, “This is the best way I know how to begin my language learning and it’s not working, and I need it in a few days!” I emailed one of the program’s creators, missionary David Burson, who happened to be online at the time. Using Skype and a program which allowed him to see what was on my computer screen, we figured out what I had done incorrectly. I was thankful for his help and relieved that I was then ready to begin my language classes.

— Rachel Ueland, NCLA, Brazil • The Finance Office team is responsive and capable, allowing those on the field to rest easy that their finances are in trustworthy hands. Knowing personal funds are accessible between countries is a great convenience and time-saver. photo by Dale Stroud

— Kris Klebs, in transition from Southeast Africa

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photo by Jason Bechtel

photo by Dale Stroud

willing to be responsible for the practical aspects of the ministry here at home on behalf of the tribal missionary — such as handling complicated missionary finances, equally complex tax returns, medical insurance, providing prompt computer servicing and support, developing specialized tribal resources etc. — the wait to hear the Gospel would skyrocket and so would the spiritual death and decay.

No matter how gifted a missionary is, it’s still not possible to fly the plane and man the control tower at the same time. A tribal church planter must depend on a strong supporting network to bring his village full of passengers in for a safe and eternal landing.

This magazine is one part in the network. It provides the fuel of awareness that can encourage hearts, educate minds and motivate to meaningful action. Because of the stories in these pages, perhaps you will begin standing with a missionary in powerful prayer, or become the encouragement support

Andrew Kim is a wizard at fixing computers.

they need, or feel led to begin giving financially or even be moved to go yourself. Your involvement can start a ripple effect across the globe which directly affects tribal souls.

Why not close up shop and go overseas ourselves? Because God’s plan is for all of us to work together, each fulfilling the part in the network He’s directed us to and uniquely qualified us to do, to bring others to Him. You hold one part in your hands.

What’s your part?

• To Dave and Jill Simpson, Connection Center, USA: Thank you for all that you have done in our journey to get to Papua New Guinea.

A week ago I viewed PreField Orientation as something that we had to do, and I wasn’t looking forward to it. God used that week to work in my life, to give me confirmation that we are where He wants us.

It also gave me a passion to do what God has called us to. I am grateful to God, and grateful to you and all the others at the NTM USA Home Office for the parts that you have played in ministering to me.

Why does Paul tell us to esteem or honour people like Epaphroditus?

Paul, in his letter to the Philippians, calls Epaphroditus his “fellow worker” (2:25). That’s a term Paul reserves primarily for people such as Timothy (Romans 16:21), Titus (2 Corinthians 8:23), and Mark and Luke (Philemon 1:24).

The Bible calls these people “missionaries.”

“Missionary” is derived from the Latin for “sent one,” so it is the English equivalent of the Greek word apostolos, for which most English translations use “apostle.” (See Acts 8:18 and 14:14 and Romans 11:13 for examples of places apostolos is better translated as “missionary.”)

That’s also a term Paul uses for Epaphroditus.

— Missionary enroute to Papua New Guinea • Communications in the USA provides regular publications that keep all of us encouraged and reminded of the great Body we are part of and how His work is big and bearing fruit. It encourages us to press on.

— Kris Klebs, in transition from Southeast Africa • There are so many options to consider when ordering a laptop: model, price, screen brightness, hard drive size, battery life, backup drive software, etc. Every time we’ve ordered one, Dave Brendle from Computer Services in the USA has helped us choose the best machine available for our needs and working conditions on the field. His knowledge, advice and timely response to questions has been invaluable.

Regina Sullivan filming in the Asia-Pacific region.

— Josh Dyck, Asia-Pacific

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God’s in the Restoration Business

by Debbie Burgett

With all the enthusiasm of young missionaries, John and Lynn McGhee set out for the Asia-Pacific region in 1978 with little Sarah. A few months later, good friends they had met during the missionary training, Tom and Linda Christensen, set out on their own adventure to Venezuela with little Timmy. Both couples were thrilled to finally be doing what God had put on their hearts—reaching tribal people for Christ.

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But after less than one year in Venezuela, 28-year-old Tom Christensen, who had an undetected genetic heart condition, died suddenly in the middle of the night from an aortic aneurysm (ruptured aorta).

Grief-stricken, Linda and little Timmy flew home with Tom’s body. After many months of adjusting from the shock and loss, Linda began serving at the Home Office in Sanford, Florida, typesetting the Ayoré New Testament.

So Paul calls Epaphroditus a “missionary”? Yes. In the same verse where Paul refers to him as a fellow worker, he calls him the messenger of the church at Philippi. The word translated as “messenger” is apostolos, which means someone sent and is often best translated as missionary.

Paul uses this term — and “evangelist” (euangelistos), which also can mean missionary (2 Timothy 4:5) — for people who worked with him in carrying out the Great Commission by establishing churches where there were not yet believers. (See Romans 15 for Paul’s strategy.)

Paul counted himself among those people, even late in his ministry when he was no longer planting churches.

Linda typesetting the Ayoré New Testament.

The Ayoré people were the very first tribe NTM missionaries went to reach in Bolivia.

But even as the McGhees’ hearts wrenched for the Christensens, they were facing their own battle. 33-yearold Lynn had been diagnosed with breast cancer. After a valiant two-year fight, she went home to be with the Lord. Stunned and a little lost, John spent some time regrouping and then began serving at the NTM Bible School in North Cotes, England, with little Sarah.

John and Linda each faced the grieving process and sought the Lord’s guidance in their lives.

And He guided unexpectedly.

Since the two couples had been friends, John and Linda continued

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to exchange prayer letters. The only personal mail consisted of a little note of encouragement with a poem that Linda had sent to John sometime after Lynn died. When John wrote to thank Linda for it six months later, he suddenly found himself looking forward to hearing back from her.

Linda responded and began to anticipate his answer as well. That was the beginning.

Over the next eight months, a steady stream of notes, cards, letters, photos and recorded messages—of themselves and their children—virtually flew across the ocean, seeming to shrink the distance with every word.

Linda and Timmy loved hearing Sarah’s adorable English accent. John and Sarah loved hearing Linda and Timmy sing together as Linda played the piano. The two little families of two were growing closer together.

Finally, John decided that he needed to move to Florida and see what God might have planned. This was very welcome news to Linda.

But they both wondered the same thing: What will it be like when we see each other?

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They needn’t have been concerned.

They held hands all the way back from the airport. Even without saying so yet, John and Linda knew they loved each other—and the sweet 5- and 6-year-olds in the backseat.

The two happy duos soon became a family of four and eventually, two more little boys made six.

Now 30 years later, John and Linda McGhee serve together administrating the Medical Plan Office in Florida.

Because they know firsthand what it is like to go through a catastrophic illness in the family, they are uniquely qualified to help others going through a medical crisis. They count it a blessing to help fellow missionaries find medical providers, understand NTM’s Medical Plan policy, wade through the forms and process of filing a medical claim, and be a listening ear when health issues seem to be overwhelming a missionary and his family. And their joy is never more complete than when they hear that someone has been restored to health and is returning to their field of service.

God is in the restoration business all around the world. And serving from Florida, so are John and Linda.

• While processing new members, I helped a young man get his ordination certificate legally recognized by the embassy of the country he is going to—a multi-step process we are able to take care of for our members. This saves them a lot of time and money.

“What a blessing!” he wrote to us.

— George Heckman, Member Services, USA • Programmers John Oliver and Canadian Nathan Whatley on the Information Technology team in the USA have helped Southeast Africa make the bookkeeping processes better able to support the teams in the villages and provide key decision-making data to field leaders.

— Kris Klebs, in transition from Southeast Africa

Even late in his ministry when he was no longer planting churches, Paul considered himself a missionary. Like many of my co-workers in the USA, he was helping direct other missionaries.

Are people who do this missionaries? Paul thought so. And since it’s in the Bible, we know God thinks so too. Administrators and leaders are part of the church planting team.

Luke is also on Paul’s list of co-workers.

Luke was active in one church plant (Philippi, Acts 16 and 20), and we know of one time he practiced medicine (Acts 28). His most enduring contribution was actually writing. I work among a group of writers and editors and designers who share stories about what God is doing today. Missionaries? The Bible says so. Writers and editors and designers are part of the church planting team.

And let’s not forget Epaphroditus. He made sure the money given for Paul’s ministry reached him. That’s the role of the folks in our Finance Office. Missionaries? Yes, if we take the Bible literally. Accountants and bookkeepers are part of the church planting team.

So what does it mean to “hold such men in esteem”?

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At the time of printing, Canadians are in the application process to serve in tribal missions as Skilled Associates.

photo by Jason Bechtel

photo by Dale Stroud

Receptionist extraordinaire, Janet Thomson; the glue that holds everything together.

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• Recently we needed a new windsock for our airstrip but were not able to find any here. We asked Ray Milton at NTM’s Tribal Tech Center in Missouri if he could buy one in the USA and send it over. A few days later he wrote that they were expensive so he was going to make a windsock for us. He purchased UV-resistant ripstop nylon and made seven windsocks for us—and paid for all of it. What a blessing it is to have good friends and family working with NTM in the USA who are willing to sacrifice to see the lost reached with the Gospel.

— Jim and Joy Elliott, Asia-Pacific • Somehow, my computer’s antivirus was disabled. Marty Wilson at Computer Services in the USA came to the rescue!

While I slept, he got ahold of my computer remotely and fixed it. I woke up with my antivirus program working again.

— Lance Ostman, the Philippines

• Living and working in Chihuahua, Mexico, often makes filing health claims difficult. We don’t have diagnosis codes, prescription numbers and all the information required to process claims listed on receipts. John McGhee and Tim Holmgren have been very helpful to us these past few months to get this information to us as we work through the filing process.

They reply to our emails promptly and get quick answers from the insurance company representatives on our behalf. We are very grateful for the Medical Plan Office.

— John and Cynthia Whylings, Mexico • Thank you, NTM USA Tax Department, once again for being our missionaries to the IRS tribe. We have handled some of their curios, such as “forms” and “schedules.” We understand that they are a demanding people, always asking for money and penalizing you if you don’t give them what they want by a certain date. We also hear the tribe has fearsome warriors, called “auditors.” We appreciate your dedication in learning the IRS language and trying to translate it into English. It must be very frustrating working with a tribe whose language and culture changes radically from year to year. Many blessings be upon you.

— John Pierce, Jr., Member Services, USA

Hank Demark (left) with the indispensable work team from Seneca Community Church, New York. They have repeatedly come to Canada to be used by God in speeding the spread of the gospel.

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Paul tells us to honour the people who, like Epaphroditus, work behind the scenes so disciples can be made in remote places. But what does that mean? photo by Dale Stroud

The word Paul uses in Philippians 2:29 is found only five times in the New Testament. Twice it’s translated “precious” in reference to Jesus in 1 Peter 2:4-6. It’s also the word for the place of honour at a feast in Luke 14:8.

Perhaps the most telling usage of the word occurs in Luke 7:2, when Luke relates the story of the Roman centurion’s servant — actually, slave — “who was dear to him.” The word translated “dear” is the word Paul used in Philippians 2:29. When this valued slave was deathly ill, he sought out help.

In fact, the centurion — a professional officer — so valued this slave that he was willing to humble himself and go to the people he ruled over, the Jews, and ask them to appeal to Jesus for him.

Each tax season, John Schmidt and Russ Sullivan in the Tax Department tax returns for NTM personnel, missionary trainprepare more than ees, and children of missionaries in post-secondary education. Each tax return varies in complexity, some being a few pages in length, others from pages.

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photo by Jason Bechtel

Tax man, John Schmidt, always ready to intercede with auditors from the CRA.

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What line of work are you in?

Chances are, there are NTM missionaries, many serving in Canada, who are doing the same job that you do every day. And because of it, tribal churches are being planted all over the world. Do any of these sound familiar?

Marketing Customer Service Graphic Design Human Resources Teacher/Trainer Accounting

Shipping/Receiving Web Development Software Developer Tax Preparer Electrician Video Production

photo by John Drobnick

But for the missionary in Canada, there are no “bells and whistles” associated with doing these Debbie Burgett, Joel Potter, Chris Holland, Cathy Drobnick, Dena kinds of jobs. If he has never served overseas, he can’t McMaster and Ian Fallis working impress you with the strange sounding language he on this issue of NTM@work. knows. He can’t awe you with exotic pictures of the places he’s been and the people he’s met. He can’t thrill you with exciting tales from the jungle. And instead of a salary, he must also work diligently to raise awareness of what God is doing through his role on the NTM tribal church planting team and give people opportunities to become financial supporters. But by faithfully doing both aspects of his job, he is helping other missionaries to not only go, but stay gone—teaching God’s Word to tribal people.

And to him, that makes it all worthwhile.

Why not connect with a missionary who does the same work that you do?

He would be honoured and encouraged to hear from you. Or find out how your skills can be used in NTM today. Go to ntm.org/magazine.

Connect.

Go.

photo by Peter Yoon

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Above: Eric Esau hard at work creating more lawn to cut.

Right: Tim Schroder, fearlessly serves in the Finance Department. photo by Jason Bechtel

Precious, honoured and valuable — those words describe someone who is “esteemed.”

So what do you think the Bible means when it tells us to “hold … in esteem” the missionaries who serve on the tribal church planting team in the Canada?

What will you do to obey God’s Word and treat such people as precious, honoured and valuable?

Among the responsibilities of the Information Technology Department are storing files and backing up more than on NTM servers, and maintaining a secure email system that carries to emails daily.

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photo by Dale Stroud

• We have two children living in the USA while we are serving on the other side of the world in Papua New Guinea. It is very hard having our family split up but phone calls make it easier. Stan Skees in Communications has helped us every time our children have had issues with their cell phones.

We are very thankful to have someone to help our kids when we are not there, keeping our ability to communicate with our kids working. The Lord is good to give us faithful missionaries in Florida and technology that even reaches to a remote Pacific island.

— Ned and Linn Beal, Papua New Guinea

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After 28 years in Brazil, Les and Debbie Bowden serve retired missionaries at NTM Homes.

Above: Jon Frazier works the digital press which prints a variety of NTM literature.

Left: Roland Shafer, Jr., part of our essential Information and Communication Technology team.

Top photos by John Pierce, bottom photo by Jason Bechtel

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“Jesus said to go into all the world and make disciples.

I can do that using the skills He has given me by serving as an associate missionary.”

— Patrick Hatcher

Find how you can use your skills as an associate missionary, serving six months to four years supporting church planters: ntm.org/associates