NTM - New Tribes Mission | Planting Tribal Churches

One of the greatest highlights of missionary work is seeing the fruit of the Spirit lived out in a new believer’s life through song in their own language. Our neighbours have a boy named Bert who we have known since he was 11yrs old. He is now 20 years old and has taught himself to play guitar and write beautiful songs that express his new faith. He is a real testimony to the community of God’s love.

SALAMAT TA WARA I ESEL MO

Lyrics and Music by: Bert Kiwas

Apo Shiyos ensemek mowak

Sikhak nga agpayso, managbasolak

Salamat ta insalakan mowak

Koston shadsak in-akan mo’n sikhak

Nontan kwan ko jey panshadsahan

I naha dag-a jen na-indovongan

Salamat ta tinudungan mowak

Niman inamtak, nankamali-ak

Nak nemnema, no nontan ngata

Jey ayshi m’la’y b’yag, kad-an ko ngata

Salamat Shiyos, Sikham nan-obda

In-aknan Mowak, badeg namnama

Khavol badeg semek mo’n sikhak

Engosal Kan engepa-amta’n sikhak

Jet niman nka man-emdeng pas’ya

Shiya pusok wara’y shadsak tan talna

Salamat ta wara I esel mo

Ja engamta-an ko’n kabadeg semek mo

Man’yamanak ta ensemek mowak

Insalakan mowak shi istay keshosak

Niman egkito meshanagan

Ta insigurado shakiton Shiyos

Shi pamati tayo ngo bengat

I tayo ngo naysigurado-an.

Thank You For Giving Us your Word(loose translation)

Father God you love me
truly it is me you love, a sinner
Thank you for saving me
You have given me true joy

Before I thought that happiness
came through the things i did in this world
Thank you that you taught me
Now I know i was wrong

Now i think before
That I was really not living
Thank you God that you worked
to give me hope

Because of your great love for me
You sent people to help me understand
Now I am so joyful
in my heart there is happiness and peace

Thank you that i have your word
that i can know your great love
I am grateful that you love me
and saved me from death

Now let us not worry
God saved us
through our faith alone
Now we are truly His.

A gift was given to us a few weeks ago. Meat that has been freshly butchered and pieces strung together using bamboo ties usually means that a animal has died or has been sacrificed. Today a cow was found dead in the mountains and instead of letting the meat rot , men come and butcher the cow and distribute it for us all to eat. We have received many such gifts over the years. We have eaten some and some we have discreetly given away. However, today our dog will be very pleased at lunch !!!

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Teresing one of the women in our village is dying according to the doctors. We had brought her to the hospital where they did a battery of tests and the conclusion was the cancer has spread so far that she probably only has a few months left.
However despite this news, she seems to be at peace, she is not calling the local witch doctor to find out why she is sick. She has found a different way. She has come to understand that she is a child of God saved by the blood of Jesus Christ and has nothing to fear, not even death. According to her, she is alive.

The only way to fight fire is with fire.

When it is March-April, the ground is cracked from the sun. It has not rained since October. Dry dry dry. So, when it gets like this it is crucial to fireproof the surrounding area of your house. They do this by burning at night around their houses to make a fire break.

This month, a little boy in our tribe lit a fire just down from our house. Unfortunately it was a dry and windy day and it went out of control. The fire spread upwards towards where houses were. People quickly ran and got branches and tried snuffing out the fire where they could. It was incredible. We brought out water in buckets to the fire line. It was a group effort. No houses were burnt but lots of trees were lost and a part of our water line got burnt up. It has since been replaced.

We are out of our place in the mountains of Norther Luzon. We have fought our way through traffic here in Manila to the hospital called St. Lukes. The oncologist looked quickly through the notes we had brought from Canada and said it all looks good. Just need to have some tests for monitoring.
Every test Christine takes is a confirmation of God’s grace in our lives. Christine looks forward to having tests done. First a blood test, then a CT scan and ultrasound.
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Manila is hot now in March. When you go out onto the streets and smell the diesel exhaust hit your face , it feels like the life is being beat out of you. Getting things done in the big city can be an all day affair if you haven’t planned it right. If you don’t travel at the right times it can take hours to get what could have been a quick appointment during less traffic packed times.