In the year 1947, six weeks after I was born March 24th my mother and father moved us into this little cabin shown in the picture. My mother says the little cabin was standing as long as she can remember but neither she nor I know who built the house. Although I never found the builder of the little two room cabin I did find God, the builder of all things. He saved me and placed me into this ministry that has given me joy for over 38 years.

It seems this little cabin has been so much a part of my life over the years as it set so proudly along the road right next door to the little white church that was a place for us to worship for many years. A lot of my early years were spent in and around this cabin even though we lived there for only my first year. Having other family members living there after we moved out opened the door for me to enjoy the apple trees with their sweet rewards and the beautiful view of the lake and mountains that seemed to wrap around you as you set in the shade of the old oak near the cabin.

I am not sure what draws me to this place but February 2012 while home from Papua New Guinea for some medical checkups I find myself back at the cabin again letting memories go wild. The cabin is not what she once was even though there was never much splendor to brag about. The cabin still stands for what it was designed, a shelter from the rain and cold and though windows are broken and rotten logs stoop here and there one can still feel strength coming from within those walls.

Walking around the cabin I see what makes this little place special to me; it is the view of the mountains and the lake that was so much part of my early years becoming a man. It is winter but I can almost smell the blooms from the apple trees in the small orchard and the honey suckle vines that grew wild here and there when Spring would come giving freshness to the morning dew.

Now, I realize what pulls me to this place after so many years; this is a picture of me. Like the little cabin I am not much to look at and my two rooms have very little to offer in this high speed world. It is the view and sweet smell of fellowship I want you to see and feel as you sit at my door looking at Jesus high and lifted up, the author and finisher of our faith. This old cabin reminds me to that this old world is not my home; I am just passing through to the regions beyond and the fields that are white unto harvest. Set with me, enjoy the view and hear the Master say, “Go ye therefore and make disciples of all nations.” Until the job is done may we move forward?

I to remember the time my heart burned as I saw God open the eyes of men that had been blinded by darkness for many years. Go back with me 30 years; walk up a small hill along a beautiful little river in the mountains of Papua New Guinea and have a seat with a group that are hearing the gospel for the first time. Our two Bible teachers George and Bob put the final touches on the gospel story as the sun begins to break through the morning fog. As they teach we all help in this final story by acting out what was taking place at Calvary that morning years ago.

When I, acting the Roman guard kicked and beat Bob who was acting the part of Jesus the people were very disappointed and could not believe what was taking place, their hero was being mistreated. After all the weeks of teaching showing all Jesus had done made it hard for them to believe what was taking place before them. As we spat on Him and hung Him on the cross I could see tears come to some of their eyes.

Before we removed Him from the cross we acted out the part of the Roman soldier piecing the side of Jesus with a spear, when they saw the blood in the form of colored water some began putting two and two together, all the weeks of teaching was beginning to come alive. But it was not until the make shift grave opened and they saw Jesus standing alive that things began to happen.

The oldest man in the village was one of the first to speak up, “I believe” he said and from there it began as more and more people saw Jesus resurrected by faith and became believers. Something was burned into my heart that day anew as well. Satan cannot keep these people hid in spiritual darkness forever because God is sending more men and women to the harvest fields that are ripe unto harvest. He said, “You shall be witnesses to me in Jerusalem, and all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” To this end I know God has called me into His service and with His grace I will forever more keep moving forward.

I am excited as I watch so many new people from different places around PNG coming to Jesus and watching them grow to the point of going out on their own with the gospel message. The message that Jesus is alive and will save those that call upon Him. It is amazing what God’s people will do when by faith they see the Son of God high and lifted up. Yes, without the resurrection and Jesus setting at God’s right hand, we would have no message of good news to preach. May your heart burn as you recall again what Jesus has done for you and may you feel the warmth of the Holy Spirit comforting your soul.

“Do this in remembrance of me”, Jesus said to the 12 that night long ago, and I thought how could they not remember walking and talking with Jesus those three years. “Do this in remembers of Me”, I heard Bill say as he and the other leaders began breaking bread and serving the juice. Now, I thought, they can remember Jesus because the light of the gospel has been delivered to them and they have stepped from darkness to light. From Genesis to Revelations they have been taught the truth of God’s Word.

I have preached and broke bread in Churches from Northern Canada to Southern Tasmania Australia, but as I look at those hands holding that old cup I realize this is the best it gets. “Remember Me” He said and here in the middle of the PNG jungle a man clings to the small black cup waiting to worship Jesus as he drinks the juice that represents the blood that set him free. If a man is saved how can he not remember what God has done, and how can I not remember you who are faithful to give and pray that Janie and I can be a small part of God’s work in PNG. Jack Housley

Sometimes like Paul in 2 Corinthians 11:16 and 17 we missionaries and Pastors can get carried away in our boasting about what all we have been through in our work to get to where we are today. As missionaries we can relate to some of the hardships and trails that Paul boasts about even though he says it is foolishness.

We can feel his pain, but  Do we missionaries and pastors have that same deep concern for the churches we pass by in the States and the little churches we leave behind in the dust of our success on the mission fields?

Friends, never let us forget who we are as New Tribes missionaries and why God raised us up. Church planting and leaving without discipleship is not in the Word of God. When we follow Paul as he suggests we will have trails and share in many tribulations along the way. We might even be given a thorn in the flesh to keep us from growing proud in our work in the states as well as on the mission field.

Do we have that same concern for the churches that Paul had in his day or do we find ourselves spending more time worrying about the light afflictions that get in our way? Yes, the trails will be there but the deep concern for the churches can slip away very easily.

Let us be able to say with the Apostle Paul; Acts 20:26 and 27, “Therefore I testify to you this day that I am innocent of the blood of all men, “For I have not shunned to declare to you the whole council of God.”

Today we would hear some of the crowds singing the little song, “Jesus loves me this I know because the Bible tells me so,” for lack of anything else to say. Jesus was taking them deeper and more personal building a foundation to send them into all the world with the gospel so He asked, “But, who do you say that I am?”

In John 14:9, Jesus asked this question of a disciple, “Have I been with you so long and yet you have not known me, Philip?” Jesus wants us to know who He is and what He is to all those that trust Him for salvation and dependence on Him.

This question, “Who do men say that I am” comes in the context of Matthew 16 where Jesus is dealing with the Pharisees and Sadducees ideas about trusting God and not man. In verse 5 we see the disciples were worried about not having bread with them and in verse 6 we hear Jesus say, “Take heed and beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees.” And the disciples reasoned among themselves, saying, “It is because we have taken no bread.” What in the world were they thinking?

Then Jesus laid into His future missionaries with these words, “Oh you of little faith, why do you reason among yourselves because you have brought no bread? Do you not yet understand, or remember the five loaves of the five thousand and how many baskets you took up? Nor the seven loaves of the four thousand and how many baskets you took up? How is it you do not understand that I did not speak to you concerning bread?” The Pharisees trust in works and doing all the right things man’s way, but Jesus wants them to understand the bread is no big deal with Him.

If we can just remember as missionaries all the great things He has done in the past and keep our eyes on Him, He will supply the bread, wheat or the green stuff we call money to meet our needs. Question, who do you say Jesus is, could it be that we have been with Jesus so long and yet do not know who He is?

As missionaries we need to remember and understand the loaves. When we do not understand the loaves we can become fearful in times of trouble, Mark 6:52 and begin to reason among ourselves and with ourselves things that are not true about Jesus and His word, Matthew 16:7. 

Remembrance is the fuel that powers faith from the past to the heights of the future and things hoped for and not seen. Remember Jesus, the same yesterday, today and forever and the Savior of all those that believe the gospel message. Jack Housley

These seven men will be meeting together with Pete and me every two weeks for a time of fellowship, prayer and refreshment. They also will be having Sunday morning meetings and two or three teaching classes each week in different areas. Heti said, “They knew what was right but just had not been following what they had been taught”, sounds so much like a lot of us at times.

My soul burns with passion to see these believers grow into the body of Christ in ways that would glorify God on this mountain and in the valley below. Pete and I do not know the Bena language and Pigin is so limited in many ways. Knowing this, we take much comfort working hand in hand with the Holy Spirit who has no language limits even in this very difficult Bena talk place until our Bena missionary who knows the language returns. Keep praying, God can and will do mighty things for those who put their trust in Him who said, “Go ye, and I will be with you.”

Janie fed us rice and tin fish and we all left satisfied and excited about what God will do in the future. Over the years I have had many tribal men ask me to get them a missionary, one even wanted to buy a missionary from us. I realize one can not buy a missionary and the only ones that last are those that are sent from the hands of the Lord of the harvest into His harvest.

What can God do with seven men? Jesus took twelve and turned the world up side down. His power has no limits known unto man, what He has done for others He will do for us that ask in Jesus’ name. PLEASE PRAY, what a tool in the hands of the Saints.

Walking her to the small plane, we laid her frail body behind the seat for the ride to the hospital. Could I ever forget those yellow eyes and the emotion of the moment that pulled deep with in my heart and made me feel so helpless?

We all wondered if things would go well with her and that question was answered a few weeks later when the plane carried her body back to be buried among the family she loved. This time it was not the warmness of a body I felt as we carried her but the cold lifeless black plastic bag of death.

These were the times that make me so pleased for all the hard work George and Bob had put into learning the language and planting a small church among these once wild people. Her husband would miss his wife and the children would miss their mother but this dear little lady would miss hell, she had believed the good news that had saved her soul.

May our God give each one of you the passion and heart to get the language that opens the door to preach the wonderful message of life to those God sends you to? How can they believe if they have not heard? How can they hear without a preacher? How can they preach if they are not sent? How can they hear if the preacher is not speaking their language?

Paul wraps it up so well, “How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news of good things.” I am praying you will be that person with beautiful feet.

At times, as I lay in bed late at night I feel like I am watching a movie as God brings memories from the past. A 12 year old boy I held in my arms plays before my mind often. Janie and I were living in a small village in the early days, just getting started in the work we dreamed about for years. The vision I have today seems so real, I can almost smell the drying skin burnt from the hot fever and feel the lifeless bones as his spirit leaves him for the unknown.

‘Leave him alone,” his family would say as he lay dying “he is already dead.” This is a bit different from what I heard at home before coming to the lonely jungle. “Leave them alone,” you would hear folk say. “They are happy the way they are.” Dying and dead, yes but not happy the way they are. If we could only see we would help more; pray that the Lord of the harvest would open our eyes to see God high and lifted up as Isaiah saw Him and let more of us say,” Here I am Lord, send me.”

I saw the man from well down river late that afternoon as the sun was laying down to rest among the mountains that stood tall along the beautiful river. We had heard of this tribe living near by; it had been said they still made beds for some of their dead and let them rot in the open air. “No nose” as he would be later called by me was waving an old white shirt, shouting above the roar of the outboard engine.

Knowing a stop this late in my trip would put me running the river in the dark caused tension, but my curiosity won out. I needed to know what was on his mind. “We need a missionary to come live with us”, he said before I could shut down the engine. “Look at us we are walking about in the jungle just like wild pigs.”

Telling him that we did not have a missionary to send to his tribe began a dialog that would last for several years. Finding missionaries that would be willing to live among this primitive group of people would take time, but I encouraged him that we would try. That was in the 1980s and little did I know what it would cost to reach this tribe with the gospel message.

It was late 1988 when I hiked over the mountain range from a near by river with my young son Bill where we started a building project for the three new families that would begin the work among this tribe. The excitement I felt then still reminds with me after all these years; this will be one that is finished.

Today 2009, after seven missionaries living and working in this tribe we have one family left to finish the work. Happy to say, “No Nose” believed the gospel as well as many more in the tribe. Thanks to all that have labored among this tribe; thanks to each of you as well that has prayed for the people of this tribe. We are almost there but the young church will need much more prayer to mature in the faith in the coming years.

What does it cost to reach a tribe with the gospel? We need people, prayer, and finances.
Most of all we need the Holy Spirit working in the hearts of these primitive men and women. Please pray for the Lord of the harvest to send more labors to the fields that will have a heart to stick it out until the job is done, Matt. 9:37.