NTM - New Tribes Mission | Planting Tribal Churches

We are the Rich family (well, one of the Rich families, actually…you can find some other Rich families here at NTM.org); we are Jevon, Danica, Cali, Karina, and Isaiah.

Jevon grew up in the jungle, hunting pigs, playing soccer with the Indians, fishing with poisonous herbs stuffed inside caterpillars for bait, spearing alligators, and all that good stuff. Not the typical American pop-tarts before getting on the school bus life. But a “normal” life to him, because that’s the only life he knew, and it was an exciting journey. Along the way, he learned several things. First of all, he learned that life for Indians in the rain-forest is not as carefree as some television channels and movies portray it; in fact it is extremely stressful and full of fear, danger, violence, stress, dysfunctional families, drug use, hunger, disease, and the like. Second, he learned that life without the knowledge of God through Jesus Christ is really, really dark. Third, he learned that a life lived following God and serving people is not easy, but WORTHWHILE and rewarding a hundred times over.

It was there in the jungle that he got to know the God of the Bible and decided to give his life to follow him.

Meanwhile, in another hemisphere, Danica was growing up in Portland, Oregon…and the Wisconsin countryside…yep, back and forth between the two. She had 5 younger brothers and never a dull moment. And of course, her life was as normal to her as Jevon’s life was to him, but completely different. She loved the mountains and the ocean. She had lots of cool ideas of staying in Oregon, and writing…maybe tourist books or something about the places she loved. She also considered becoming a hermit in the mountains and spending her life blowing glass, which she had no idea how to do, but surely she could learn. It sounded fun, but very selfish. Because a hermit can’t make a difference in anybody else’s life. And God kept reminding her that HE was the ultimate treasure, that she was created by Him and for Him, and that lasting happiness was only found in relationship with Him.

One day she was on the coast, watching a flock of seagulls. And chasing them, just for fun. It was futile, of course, because every time she was almost in reach of them, they would all fly away and be lost in the tossing grey of sea and sky. God used that to illustrate to her the futility of a life spent doing her own thing. If one pursues happiness in one’s own dreams, she will never attain it. Happiness and fulfillment will always allude her. Living for self is like chasing seagulls. But if one embraces God’s dreams, if God’s dreams become one’s own, if one pursues God…one will find lasting happiness. And God loves people. God loves pursuing people so people can get to know Him. If loving people and leading them to God is on God’s heart, then pursuing God means loving people and leading them to Him.

We believe…
That God is the ultimate treasure.
That God is worthy of the praise of all the nations of the world.
That lasting happiness is only found in a relationship with God.
That all people everywhere are born sinners, separated from God.
That Hell is a real place, as much as we hate to think of it.
That by default all of us are destined there.
That God has made a way, through Christ, for us to be reconciled to Him, and He has made everyone who trusts in Jesus Christ to be His children.
And that the unchangeable eternal destiny of His children is to be with Him forever in heaven.
That trusting in Jesus Christ is the only way to a relationship with God, and that God has given us the message of Jesus in His Book, the Bible.

But…
2,500 of the world’s people groups have never had a chance to hear their Creator’s message in their own language. And without Christ, they are “without hope and without God in the world” (Eph. 2:12)

“How can they believe in One of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them?” (Rom. 10:14)

SO…
that is why Jevon decided to be a missionary. And that is why Danica decided to be a missionary. We both went to Bible school to prepare for a life in missions, and while we were there we met and fell in love.  (We are still falling in love, by the way.  And still preparing for a life in missions.)

In 2006 we were married. Spent 3 years putting down some roots in Wisconsin, getting to know our home church in Eau Claire, and growing up a little. In 2007 Cali joined our journey, and in 2008 Karina got on board. (Little did they know what adventures awaited them, being born into a family en route to some far corner of the earth. But they’ve been such good sports! And we truly believe that a life in mission work will be a rich and fulfilling life for them, too. God did not overlook the little ones when He directed our family into missions, so we are confident that He will protect and provide for and bless them along the way.)

In August 2009 we moved to New Tribes Mission’s Missionary Training Center in Missouri.  This training challenged and stretched us in wonderful and sometimes scary ways, preparing us for cross-cultural ministry in animistic contexts.  We are very thankful for the staff and course requirements at MTC as we feel that God used them to grow us in ways that we ourselves could not have forseen the need for.  After graduating from MTC and being accepted as members of New Tribes Mission in January 2011, Jevon went on to take a one-semester missionary technology internship equipping him to be a resource for other missionaries in the techy-sort of things, and Danica took a course in linguistics preparing her to be a resource for other missionaries in the ling-sort of things.  Right in the middle of all that excitement, Isaiah arrived.  Welcome, little man!  We are so glad to have you.  Please buckle your seatbelt, hang on tight, and enjoy the ride!

And now:  We are finally done with the training and “en route” to Brazil.  Which is very exciting.

Right now you will find us driving around alot, getting with people alot, and talking about the tribal people groups of Brazil alot.  We have to admit, it is a pretty fun job.  It is also a little bit chaotic  (because we are just a normal family with 3 small children), and a little bit scary (because Jevon would rather take his chances with electric eels and piranhas in the water than get up in front of groups of people and talk).  But its totally worth it for the time we get with people talking about the things close to our hearts and close to God’s heart.

When we finish finding the prayer partners and financial partners that God has prepared to be involved in our ministry, and when we get our government paperwork taken care of, then we can buy plane tickets and go to Brazil.  Our goal is to be there by August 2012.  Let’s see what God does.

You can follow our journey here on this website.   We hope you enjoy the ride.  And while you are here…please pray for us.

Love,
Jevon, Danica, Cali, Karina, and Isaiah Rich