NTM - New Tribes Mission | Planting Tribal Churches

Dom church with missionaries, Jim and Judy Burdett

I love my job! I returned home last week after 3 weeks of traveling to various locations in PNG. First, I visited the Dom tribe where the missionaries are sorting out some difficulties with their alphabet. I spent some years in the Dom tribe when I was here as a teenager with my parents so it was kind of like going home and spending time with family. I enjoyed meeting some of the believers in the church there. I also hiked to a beautiful waterfall except I didn’t know that I was going to see a beautiful waterfall so I didn’t take my camera. I guess that just means that I shall have to return so I can get that missing picture!

After a week in Dom, I went to the Wahgi tribe where the missionaries are just starting to teach their first literacy class. I was able to meet their students and give some input into the classes. It was great to spend time with these two missionary families and I so enjoyed their children who were all eager to be noticed by “the visitor”. Pray for the Wahgi people and for the missionary team as they will soon begin evangelistic teaching there.

After leaving Wahgi, I then headed to our yearly missionary conference. After being in the tribe for 5 months I was more than ready to catch up with all of my missionary co-workers again. My favorite part of the conference is hearing their stories about what God is doing in their area of PNG. We also have 3 new missionary couples that have arrived in the last few months so I enjoyed meeting them and hearing their testimonies. I came away from the conference exhausted from late nights and fun activities but definitely encouraged.

Simbari Believers Conference

Waiting in line for food.

Picking up food at the service window.

Speaking of conferences, last weekend believers from several different tribes came to our village for a time of teaching, fellowship, and encouragement. Some of them were able to fly here by plane but most of them hiked. For some it was a full two days on the trail. There were around 150-200 people in attendance. It was the first time that the Simbari believers had hosted a conference like this. They were in charge of food and lodging while believers from the Aziana tribe handled the program schedule and Bible teaching. It was great to see friendships being formed and their joy as they worshipped the Lord together.

On Monday people started leaving to hike to their various locations and the plane arrived to shuttle some people to their villages. When the plane returned after dropping off one plane load, to my surprise an old man stepped out. I had met him on a previous trip to the Aziana tribe. His name is Tikaiyo. The Simbari believers also know him from previous conferences and he said that he had come to stay awhile in order to teach and encourage them. When he stepped off the plane, I remember thinking, “What if he should die here?” Later I heard what he had told the believers. “It’s okay if I die here. It would be like dying at home because you all are like my children.” That just shows how warmly he feels towards them.

Tikaiyo reading in his own language.

The believers here have a lot of respect for Tikaiyo. For one thing, we figure that he is probably in his 70′s and he can read! That’s pretty amazing to our people since most of the old people here don’t read. The people here are also fascinated by the stories that he tells. Apparently, years ago when the Australians were still governing New Guinea, he worked for the “kiaps”. Those were the representatives of the government who used to patrol the various regions of PNG. Life was a lot different back then and there aren’t a lot of people around who can tell about it. The Simbari believers are happy to have him here visiting for awhile and I think he will be a big encouragement to them.

Click here to see what my co-workers wrote about our translation check in August. http://blogs.ntm.org/david_ogg/

July 4, 2011

It’s summer time in the US of A but here on the equator, it is winter. This time of the year in Simbari is the worst time for flying in and out of the tribe and that was proven this month. We’ve had more rain and fog (which the people here call “snow”) and mud this month than we’ve had in quite a few years. This is also the time in which a team from my co-workers’ church planned to come and visit us, doing some work and spending time with the Simbari people. The day of their flight dawned but the rain and fog that had already been a part of our lives for weeks continued to rule the day and there was no window of opportunity for the plane to come in. The next day dawned and we prayed for a break in the weather. Still nothing. On the third day there were some breaks in the clouds and the plane landed safely with the first load of passengers and left to pick up the second load. As we kept a close eye on the clouds and gave weather reports on the radio, we wondered, would the second plane make it in? An hour later we heard the sound of the plane as it flew overhead looking for a hole in the clouds. Just as the pilot was about to give up and return to town, he found a hole. I saw the plane briefly behind the clouds, then it disappeared. The clouds were quickly descending, making the airstrip approach more and more difficult. Suddenly the plane appeared from among the clouds again, banked steeply, and dove towards the airstrip making a safe landing. By this time, both us and the Simbari people were cheering, both at the pilot’s skill and also joy that the church team had finally arrived. After the rollercoaster ride, I think the passengers were glad to be on the ground again, too. I praise the Lord for the excellent missionary pilots that He has brought here to New Guinea.

During the week that the team was here, the rain and fog continued. Some of the work that was planned for them to do was out of the question like working on the airstrip and outdoor painting but they certainly didn’t shrink from hard work. I had plumbing that needed to be fixed and that involved digging ditches outside but they didn’t hesitate. In spite of the rain, two of the team members dug right in (no pun intended) getting very muddy in the process! The team also built shelves and a fold down table in my guestroom in order to make a more convenient area for me to work on sewing and crafts, one of my favorite things to do in the evenings.

Summer is a time for graduations and 2 weeks ago we also had a graduation. Twelve students graduated from the Simbari literacy program that took place in two different villages. All of these people are believers who want to be able to read God’s Word for themselves. The literacy certificates represent a lot of work for them as they attend morning classes daily for at least 7 months. It’s exciting to see more Simbari adults becoming literate in their own language and growing in their walk with God.

Prayer Requests v Praise the Lord for the work that the team was able to accomplish while they were here as well as the encouragement they were to us missionaries and to the Simbari believers. We didn’t have good weather but at least they were able to get in and out of here and that’s the important thing! v After many years of receiving my e-mails via radio modem, I now have access to the internet! I praise the Lord for this provision and for the ability to be able to be in closer contact with my family as well as solve many problems caused by a lack of internet access. v Pray for me as I work on checking the book of 1 Corinthians. I will also be starting to train some teenage boys to help me in the checking process. v Pray for me to remain encouraged during this dreary time of fog and rain.

Thanks for your prayers. Lori

June 30, 2011

Left to right: David, Jason, and Shari Ogg, Robin (with cinnamon rolls!), Lori

I have a great missionary team here in PNG that supports me so that I can be in the Simbari tribe translating the Bible and overseeing the literacy program. Have I ever told you about the pilots and mechanics that run the flight program to get me in and out of the tribe? Or the people that buy my groceries, pack them, and weigh them up to come in on the plane? Or the office workers that handle my finances? Or the many others who support and encourage me? Recently, Robin, the person who buys my groceries flew in for a short visit. She just wanted to be a blessing to us and so she didn’t fly in empty handed. She brought soup, pasta salad, and cinnamon rolls which we ate for lunch during a good time of fellowship. I must say, it’s the first time that I’ve had food delivered to my door in Simbari! Thank you for being a blessing, Robin!

April 3, 2011

Some of the Simbari Christians.

The Lord continues to do exciting things in the Simbari tribe as He works in peoples’ hearts and I’ve been thinking lately about how privileged I am to be able to be here to see it firsthand. You’ve heard me talk before about another religious group who works in our area and teaches that the way to God is by following the Old Testament law. A few weeks ago this group was going to be having a conference in our village and many people from other villages were scheduled to come. As the time approached for the conference, we were talking in church about how we need to pray for them and show Christ’s love to them because they are lost people who need the Lord. The believers have not been treated well by this group in the past. They have been slandered and despised by them and even been refused medical treatment because of their choice to follow Christ. Later, the believers got together and decided that they were going to give food to them for their conference. They originally thought that they would present the food privately to some of the leaders because they didn’t want to appear to be lifting themselves up but one man in our village said, “No, you shouldn’t do that! You should present the food publicly. There are a lot of people around here who have talked badly about you and some people are also curious about what you believe so you might have an opportunity to share with them.” After praying about this, the believers decided to present the food publicly which is the more traditional PNG way. They presented them with 17 string bags of food and, surrounded by hundreds of people, they were given the opportunity to share their faith. Rather than focusing on divisive issues like the law, they instead focused on Jesus being the Way, the Truth, and the Life (John 4:6) and that, contrary to popular belief, the way to heaven is narrow and there are only a few who find it. (Matt. 7:13) When people commented on the generosity of the gift of food, the believers said, “We are just showing Christ’s love. That is how people act if they are following Jesus.” The reaction of the people and the leaders was positive and we hope that this will open the door to better relationships with them and more opportunities to talk to them about Christ.

The believers had opportunities to show Christ’s love to the people in other ways as well. One young man worked beside them as they laid down bamboo poles in order to pipe in water for the crowd. He took the opportunity to witness as they worked. Others hosted people in their houses. The meetings started early and sometimes the mothers were busy cooking food for their families and couldn’t get to all the sessions so one of the Bible teachers said to his guests, “You don’t have to go to the meetings. God’s Word is right here in my house! You can stay here and be taught from God’s Word.” I’m discovering that the Simbaris can be very creative in their ways of witnessing and they take whatever opportunities present themselves.

Prayer Requests

Our final translation check for Rom. 9-16 and the book of Ephesians was scheduled for March 28-30 but has now been postponed because the wife of the translation checker had a mild heart attack. She is doing okay now but please pray for Greg and Laura Melendes at this time. Also pray for the various translation checks, including ours, that will need to be rescheduled.

Pray for some consultant committee meetings that I will be attending on April 8-10.

Pray for the Simbari believers as they continue to witness to their friends, relatives, and neighbors. There has been a lot of sickness in our tribe and there have been several deaths. There are confirmed cases of meningitis and malaria and there could also be typhoid and/or cholera. Recently medicated mosquito nets were provided for everyone in the tribe so hopefully that will deter the spread of malaria and other mosquito borne illnesses. Pray for wisdom for my co-worker, Shari, as she treats the people.

Praise the Lord for a wonderful week on the coast enjoying God’s beautiful creation. We did some diving and fishing as well as relaxing. If you’re on Facebook, check out my recently posted photo albums.

February 5, 2011

Working on the walls for Raymond’s house.

As my co-worker, Shari, and I took a walk around the airstrip yesterday, the village was humming with activity. Men were perched on top of roofs tying down thatch, women were beating reeds, and children were playing. The activity surrounded two houses that were being built. Both of the houses belong to Bible teachers, Peter and Raymond. Raymond’s old house had started rotting in front where the rain tended to hit and he had torn it down and started rebuilding it but the work was slow and then he got tied up with translation work and didn’t have time to complete it. He told me that he had wondered what he was going to do about it but he didn’t voice his need to anyone. Instead, he prayed about it to His Heavenly Father. His fellow believers were the answer to his prayer. They saw the need that both of these men had to finish their houses and they bonded together to meet the need. For the past several days they have been weaving bamboo reeds for the walls and securing thatch to the roof. What a joy it is to see them demonstrating their love for God by loving and caring for each other in this way.

As you know, for some time now the believers have been studying the book of Romans. Soon they will move on to the book of Ephesians. We have finished translating Ephesians and are just waiting for the final consultant check on it and David Ogg and his translation helper have also finished preparing the Ephesians Bible lessons to go with it. Two questions that I have heard frequently asked by the believers after their salvation has been one, “Yes, I know that by trusting in Jesus’ death and resurrection, He has saved me from the punishment of my sin. But now what do I do when I sin?” And the second, “What do I do about my disobedient kids?” Many of their questions about sin were answered in the book of Romans and I look forward to them finding answers to their questions about family problems in the book of Ephesians chapters 5 and 6 as well as the many other things they will learn from this rich book.

Prayer Requests

Praise the Lord for the progress that we are making in the Simbari Bible translation. Pray especially for David Ogg and his translation helper, Raymond, as they wish to have a focused, uninterrupted time of Bible translation in the next 6 weeks before we fly out of the tribe again.

Pray for me as I continue to work on improving the Simbari literacy program.

Praise the Lord for the continuing spiritual growth of the Simbari believers and for their desire to reach out to other Simbari villages with the gospel.

November 30, 2010

[cid:image001.jpg@01CB92FC.40B552B0] Lori’s Birthday

Party Month November is always an eventful month for me because both my birthday and Thanksgiving are in November. Shari cooked a delicious meal for my birthday and then we played games and watched a movie. There weren’t many people at my birthday “party” (4 to be exact…David, Shari, and Jason Ogg and me!) but you can’t say that we didn’t eat well or have fun.

For Thanksgiving this year, we were privileged to have a little company. Thanksgiving Day was on Thursday, of course, but since we didn’t want to stop working in the middle of the week and because our visitor, Julie, was flying in on Friday, we waited until Friday night to celebrate. Julie is from Canada and so for her, Thanksgiving is in October, but she certainly didn’t turn down a good meal! We were able to get a turkey this year and made all of the usual yummy dishes to go with it.

[cid:image002.jpg@01CB92FC.40B552B0] Lori, Julie, Jason, David, and Shari

In addition to my birthday and Thanksgiving, there are also all of the preparations for Christmas. It isn’t easy to buy presents for people in PNG so in November I am usually busy working on craft projects to give to my missionary friends. Sometimes I even think up something good enough to send home to my family. Julie, being from Canada, is accustomed to cold weather for Christmas so we’ve been trying to trick her into believing that the Christmas season is indeed here. On Saturday I put up my Christmas decorations and played Christmas music all day. On Sunday we stamped some Christmas cards and, you guessed it, more Christmas music. On Sunday evening we watched “The Nativity Story”. To top it all off, I gave her some PNG souvenirs wrapped in Christmas paper. I think our “tricks” are working and she says that she feels that it is more like Christmas now. Of course, we haven’t only done Christmas things. I also showed her around the village, took her on a hike and a swim at the river, and she had the opportunity to hang out with some of the Simbari believers on Sunday morning.

Tomorrow we fly out to town where I will be staying with some friends and getting in on a few of the Christmas activities at the mission headquarters. I look forward to catching up with friends, shopping, and talking to my family on the phone. Catch me on facebook if you can!

Prayer Requests v There is a critical need in the mission school here in PNG for teachers for the 2011-12 school year. The needs are in the area of math, science, English, social studies, physical education, and other areas. Without several of these needs being met, they will have to dramatically cut back on school programs and/or raise tuition costs. The last time that the school needs were desperate, many of the kids from tribal locations like my co-worker’s son, Simon, were forced to return to the tribe to be homeschooled. If you know of any teachers who might like to travel for a year and be a huge blessing to missionary kids, please make them aware of this need. I can get anyone who is interested in contact with our field leadership for further information. v Pray for wisdom and progress as we continue to translate the New Testament and Bible lessons. v Pray for the Simbari believers to continue to grow as they study the book of Romans and that the young teenagers, especially, will continue to come to hear the Bible teaching. There are more distractions to draw them away during the holidays and the new year.

I want to thank each one of you out there who read my e-mails and pray for me. Lori

“The secret to staying young is to live honestly, eat slowly, and lie about your age.” – Lucille Ball

PS. I just turned 29.

November 12, 2010

[cid:image001.jpg@01CB837E.9E5ACD60] Lori, Noksiyal, and Rindilav working on Bible translation.

A Great Job What a wonderful privilege it is for me to be involved in the job of translating the Bible into the Simbari language. A few weeks ago I was working with a couple who recently came to know the Lord as their Savior. Remember my literacy student whom I told you about, Rindilav, and her husband who came to know the Lord through the testimony of his father? I asked them to come and help me do some of the comprehension checking on the book of Ephesians. As I read the scripture portions to them and they tell it back to me, I am able to ascertain how much they are understanding from the Simbari text. I loved their reaction when I came to Ephesians 2:8, 9 which says, “God saved you by his grace when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this: it is a gift from God. Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it.” (NLT) As I read these verses to them in Simbari, they were just beaming! Because they have been hammered so much by another religious group with the need to follow the law in order to be accepted by God, when they heard it stated so clearly in God’s Word that they cannot earn their salvation but that it is a free gift from God, it brought smiles to their faces and they murmured, “Oh, true. That is so true.” Of course, they already understood this truth when they accepted Christ as their Savior but to hear it communicated so clearly in their own language only encouraged them and confirmed their belief.

I love to observe the way the believers respond to God’s Word and apply it to their lives. Sometimes I have heard them talk about Paul, the writer of many of the epistles, in an affectionate way as if he is an old friend that they can’t wait to see when they get to heaven.

Not only are we finishing up the book of Ephesians but my co-worker, David Ogg, is also making fast progress as he does the preliminary drafts of the Simbari Bible translation. He has finished the preliminary drafts of 1 Corinthians, 1 Timothy, Titus and 1 Thessalonians. Granted, the preliminary drafts only comprise about one quarter of the work required to complete a book but it also requires a lot of time and I hope that we will be able to progress quickly on the subsequent steps of the translation process.

Prayer Requests v Praise the Lord for the work that we have been able to accomplish on the Simbari Bible translation. v Praise the Lord for rain in many areas of PNG. Keep praying for the Aziana tribe and the believers there (who have been coming to visit our believers regularly) as they have still not had significant rain and are going through a time of drought. v Pray that I would be faithful in the work that God has given me to do and that I would continue to grow in my love and knowledge of Him.

Thank you for your prayers and friendship. Lori

Be more concerned with your character than your reputation. Your character is what you really are. While your reputation is merely what others think you are. – Unknown

September 6, 2010

Miracle Rain When the Simbari believers returned from their hike over to the Aziana tribe for the gathering of the believers there, I couldn’t wait to hear their stories of the trip. I saw them arriving single file and they seemed tired but cheerful as I called out a greeting to them. I waited a short time and then walked over to a cluster of their houses to hear the news. They were full of praise to the Lord for how he had watched over them and provided for them. As I told you in my last e-mail, there hadn’t been much rain so the trails were dry and when they crested the mountain going out of our valley and started to hike down the other side, it was so dry that the ones in the front were kicking up dust and the ones in the back were choking on it. But on that first afternoon, God first brought clouds to shade them from the hot sun and then he brought a big downpour. The believers thought that they were going to have to sleep in the jungle without shelter but a woman from one of the villages that they passed through let them use a large house for them to sleep and cook in. One of the ladies said, “This woman didn’t know us but God knew us and He gave us this house.”

They slept there that night and the following day they completed their hike to Aziana. On this day, too, God sent rain and the Aziana people said, “You have brought the rain with you!” They said it was a miracle. Prior to this, it had not rained in Aziana for 4 months! Their water tanks were dry and they were thinking of trying to pipe in water somehow through bamboo tubes in order to provide for all of the people that would be arriving for the gathering. They were also concerned that there would be a lack of food, especially the greens that they eat a lot of from their gardens. But with the rain, God also provided greens and the believers reported that there was no shortage of food. There was more than enough for everyone to eat until they were full.

While they were there, two of the young men in the Simbari group became very sick but they were given special care by a young Simbari man who had recently completed his medical training and was working in the Aziana tribe. He was able to give them the medicine and shots that they needed and although they missed some of the meetings, they were able to gain enough strength to make the return hike home. It was evident that God was going behind and before them every step of the way and they are thankful to everyone who prayed.

Prayer Requests v Praise the Lord for his provision of rain and food as the believers met together at the Aziana tribe. Keep praying for rain for Aziana and other areas in PNG. v Praise the Lord for rain here in Simbari. The very afternoon that I sent out my last e-mail, we had a big downpour and we have been getting at least a little rain nearly every day since then. v My translation helper, Jethro, and I started checking the book of Ephesians today. We’re both happy to be getting back into translation work again.

Thanks for praying, Lori

”My definition of missions: Almighty God is using the preaching of the gospel all over the world to turn rebellious, condemned sinners into redeemed worshippers of His son, Jesus Christ… and we get to help!” – Mike Gaston

Rindilav and her daughter, Phoebe

 The most exciting thing about working here in the Simbari tribe is seeing people’s lives changed. Sometimes all it takes is one person making a right choice for other people to see it and make the choice to follow God, too. Such was the case with one of the Simbari believers, Bo’wol. A thief from another tribe stole food from his garden and Bo’wol’s wife wanted her husband to take action against him but Bo’wol, wanting to show grace, did not take the action that his wife wished for. The result was that she became angry and began hitting him.

The Simbari women are strong after years of working in their gardens so I don’t doubt that her blows caused pain but although culturally most Simbari men would respond in kind, Bo’wol just put his hands over his head and let the blows rain down and did not retaliate. He said that at the time he was thinking about Jesus and the pain that He endured on his behalf.

The news about this incident began to circulate throughout the village and people were astounded. “He didn’t hit her back!” they said. Because of Bo’wol’s choice (domino #1), his oldest son who has resisted God for years, was open to listening to the gospel and trusted in Christ as his Savior (domino #2). He must have seen something in his father’s actions that made him realize that his faith was real. Bo’wol’s son’s wife also came to know the Lord. Her name is Rindilav (domino #3).

I wrote about Rindilav in an e-mail several years ago. She was one of my literacy school students. One day she came to class with a lump on her head which she said was from a tree falling on her head while she was working in her garden. I became concerned as the swelling increased over the next several days until one of her eyes also became swollen. What a whopping headache she must have had but she kept coming to school!

Gradually, the swelling lessened and she recovered from her injury. At that time I said to her, “God is looking after you.” I also asked her where she would go if she were to die and she said she would go to God. When I asked why God should accept her, she said it was because she went to church and tried to be good. She had been coming to church and listening to the Bible teaching but she still didn’t understand the true gospel. I told her, “You are not understanding the path to God yet but keep coming and listening to the Bible teaching and you will understand. God is not hiding from you. He has promised that if you look for Him, you will find Him.”

She agreed with me but later, she got married and quit coming to the teaching. I prayed for her but it didn’t seem like she would ever accept Christ as her Savior but in spite of my lack of faith, I’m happy to report that my prayers have been answered and she has accepted Christ as her Savior! Now she understands that Jesus Himself, who died on the cross to take the punishment for her sins, is the way to God.

All that I have told you about Bo’wol and his family took place while I was gone. Imagine my excitement when I was able to return to Simbari and greet Rindilav, my former student, as a sister in Christ! She was just beaming as I greeted her and as she showed me her newborn daughter, Pimbiyav (Phoebe), named after a woman mentioned in the book of Romans who was such a help to Paul in his ministry. I believe that little Phoebe will be domino #4 as her parents raise her to know the God who loves her and sent His son to save her.

Learning and Loving It As I see the Simbari believers’ excitement about the things that they are learning from God’s Word and the way that they are applying them to their lives, it is a challenge to me in my own walk with God. Right now the believers are being taught through the book of Romans and are in chapter 8. This song that they wrote is a direct result of the things that they are learning:

Oh, Adam, Adam, he brought death and now we all die.

Oh, Adam, Adam, he brought death.

Oh, Jesus, Jesus, he brought life. If you believe in Him, you will live.

Oh, Jesus, Jesus, he brought life.

Wherever I wander, look after me lest I fall into Satan’s temptations. Oh, Jesus, Jesus, strengthen me.

This morning the believers left on a long hike over the mountains to go to a conference in the Aziana tribe. It’s more like a reunion, really, a reunion of the family of believers from different tribes and languages. One man asked for prayer because it will be the first time that he and his wife are leaving behind their 3 children and they will miss them. Another woman is concerned because she will be carrying her baby on her shoulders and she expects that her back is going to hurt a lot.

It really is a long, difficult hike even for them and the weather has been very dry. They will hike for 2 full days and arrive at Aziana in the late afternoon on the second day. The conference will last for 3 days and then they will make the return hike after that. The good news is that the trails will be nice and dry for hiking. The bad news is that the sun will be beating down and they could be short of drinking water on the way. The Aziana people have already said that they are short on water and greens so we are praying for rain for them.

Prayer Requests

• Pray for safety for the Simbari believers as they hike to Aziana for the believers’ conference and that people won’t have to go hungry or thirsty.
• Pray for one of the believers whose house accidentally burnt down last week and he is struggling with the loss.
• Pray for rain in PNG. This drought seems to be extending throughout much of the country and the longer it lasts, the more people who will go hungry. Here in Simbari we do get a little rain on some nights so it is enough to keep their gardens going.

Thanking God for you, Lori

“I commend to you our sister, Phoebe, who is a servant of the church which is at Cenchrea; that you receive her in the Lord in a manner worthy of the saints, and that you help her in whatever matter she may have need of you; for she herself has also been a helper of many, and of myself as well.” – Romans 16:1,2