NTM - New Tribes Mission | Planting Tribal Churches

Andrew is an 18 year old Uriai man. We sat down under the shade of a thatched roof and I could tell from his unease that he wanted to ask me for something. I sat there quietly for about 10 minutes or so while he kind of worked up the question.

I wondered what he must want. It couldn’t be just the normal batteries or matches or a knife. I could tell he was working up to something big.

Finally he began to tell me about his mother and how she had died two years ago. Then he told me about his father who had just died last year. He told me about how much he missed them. Then he told me about how sometimes at night he would lie in bed and cry out because he missed them so much. Then he asked me the question he wanted to ask. He asked me if I could show him the road to see his parents again.

Rustic Settings

For the last month Rachel and I have been living in a small tribal village among with Uriai people. Imagine a place with no cars, no telephone poles, no roads, no municipal water, electricity, or sewage of any kind. Imagine houses constructed from only leaves, branches, and logs, held together by only vines. Imagine a small village of houses with small gardens of papayas, sweet potato, pumpkins, bananas, and pineapples connected only by grassy foot paths. Imagine a river running around the village lined by coconut trees. This is the Uriai village where Rachel and I were staying.

New Tribes Mission first started working among the Uriai people in 2004. The team there consists of one family from the Netherlands and two single ladies from America.

The fact that this team has only one man makes the work there much harder than it needs to be. Although the ladies work hard and have contributed much to the work, certain aspects of Papua New Guinea culture make it impossible for them to hold the same kind of teaching role or leadership positions as men. It also creates security concerns that prohibit them from staying in the village by themselves.

Despite these and numerous other challenges the Uriai team has faithfully been making slow but steady progress in their preparations for presenting the gospel for the first time. Although they faithfully continue to prepare for teaching, the work there could be greatly helped if another family could join the team. What they need is another family who could move in and help shoulder the load. Any guesses as to who that could be?

Meeting a Need

During our time among the Uriai people Rachel and I realized that we might be able to help fill the needs this team has for another family. We enjoyed our time among them and were very impressed with the team. Right now we are currently in discussion with this team and our field leadership to investigate the option of our moving in. There is much to be discussed still, and we want to make sure to seek the Lords will in all this and not rely on our own limited understanding. Please pray that the Lord will give us wisdom and guidance as we seek His will.

What about Andrew?

As for Andrew, are you still wondering what I said in response to his question? As you can imagine my heart broke as I heard him quietly ask me to find his parents. There was so much I wanted to say in that moment. Unfortunately I knew that the language barrier between us would not allow me to communicate anything to him beyond a surface conversation. The day before I had been asked to try and describe my first car to this very same man and I had been completely unable to communicate much more than that it was white and had four wheels. (I am not sure if he really understood the part about the wheels).

With a heavy heart all I could say was that I couldn’t show him this road now, but that someday the other missionaries would be able to talk more about it. Maybe someday I will get the chance to explain to him the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus.

When one of the ladies here at the regional center looked out and saw a boat motoring back across the ocean there was some debate as to whether or not it was the missionary team. But when the regional chairman got a call from a local store owner down at the beach we praised God because we knew they had made it back safe.

About four weeks ago our friends and co-workers Brandon Buser and Thomas Depner, along with two other men from the regional center, got in a small motor boat and made the 38 mile voyage across the ocean to survey the two islands where the Wogeo live. When New Tribes Mission sends out a survey team they are checking the viability of starting a new church plant there. Brandon and Thomas went around the island walking from village to village to determine the condition of the Wogeo language and their response to the idea of missionaries coming to do a vernacular translation there.

Why are we writing about their survey trip in our update?

If a new church plant was started among the Wogeo by Brandon and Thomas there is some chance that we would eventually end up working there too. This would be one of the many viable ministry options the Lord could have for us here in the East Sepik Provence of Papua New Guinea. As our leadership evaluates the information gathered by the survey team their decision could have a profound impact on our future ministry here, as well as that of Brandon and Thomas. Please pray for wisdom for them and a clear vision of God’s leading in our lives. Please pray also for Brandon and Thomas as they will be leaving again shortly to survey another location more inland.

So what have we been doing?

We have been involved in full time language and culture study and are pleased to announce that it is going very well. Neither Rachel nor I can believe that we have been over here for two whole months now. It seems in some ways that it has been much longer. In our time so far we have been greatly encouraged by the relationships we have developed with many of the Papuan people and the progress we have made in our language and culture study. We are both now at the point were we can understand a lot of what is being said around us and can usually communicate our thoughts back, although it does require a good amount of effort and we are both a good ways from being fluent.

One of our good friends that we have made here is named Felix. He lives in a small beach camp which is a cluster of grass-roof huts along the shore. He and his fellow tribesmen come and stay there to take care of business in town. So far it has always been a pleasure to go down to this camp and talk with the people there. They are always reminding us that their “talk place”, or people group, is the “talk place” of the prime minister. They have graciously offered to take us back there, were I am told they will spit water on us (as a greeting) and poke us in the rear with sticks (no joke) then take me up to the man-house where only the men can go and there I can meet everyone and chew betalnut (a mild narcotic which stains the mouth and teeth red). I am not sure if I will get the chance to go or not, but we have made a few trips into and around town and I must say that I am very thankful that the Lord sent Felix to help us with the language. He takes a lot of pride in the fact that he gets to teach me Tok Pisin and has been an invaluable help.

We do very much appreciate all your prayers and support. Especially all of you who stuck by us and encouraged us when we were waiting for our paperwork and didn’t if we would EVER make it over here. We really covet your prayers and encouragement. Now that we have made it over here and have seen a bit with our own eyes all that the Lord is doing in Papua New Guinea we are more excited than ever to be a part of it.

The conference is now over and almost all of the visiting missionaries have flown back to their respective works.

Brad Buser was our conference speaker this year and he has also left. I know many of you have enjoyed hearing Brad speak before. He gave five messages here that were very encouraging. He spoke with his usual passion and style about missions, obedience, sacrifice, and commitment. I have heard him speak on these subjects many times but never did it hit so close to home as it did in that room filled with so many men and women living and experiencing the struggles and challenges he has so many times described.

We also got a chance to meet our Sepik Regional Committee this week. They help make sure that our strategies and efforts are in harmony with NTM’s overall church planting vision. I have to say that so far I have been impressed with the leadership here. They seem to possess a humility that is difficult to find in the leadership of most organizations. Many people had told us how “easy going” the leadership of the Sepik region is. From observation I would interpret this as meaning a willingness to listen and learn before making decisions. Authority often tempts us to forget the value these qualities possess regarding the achievement of a common goal. Rachel and I were encouraged after our meeting with them and they have gone out of their way to make us feel welcome here.

Monday we get to start our official orientation. We will be participating in various cultural events selected to help increase our understanding of the culture and language. This means going into town and markets to learn first hand how to perform daily tasks. It also will include a lot of time talking with people to help us learn Tok Pisin, which is the most widespread language here.

Praise the Lord, so far our adjustment to the region seems to be going well. There is, of course, always just a mountain of new things to observe and learn. As far as cultural exploration goes Rachel and I feel like we have just started to get a sense of the overall picture here and that some of finer details are just starting to come into focus. But the big thing going on this week has been the Sepik Regional Conference.

The Conference is a time when all of our NTM missionaries in the Sepik region get together for fellowship and to strategize on future ministry avenues. It has proved to be a fun and valuable opportunity for us to get a first hand look at what is happening in our tribal locations. It has been an exciting and busy time.

The Sepik region center is divided into two smaller centers, referred to as the upper and lower center, and both are heavily overcrowded this week. From Monday to Wednesday I have been helping our supply team gear up for their increased workload.

Each missionary team has to pay for every flight in and out of the tribe. If a plane is empty when it picks them up then that is a wasted flight. To avoid this waste the teams will order extra supplies to fly in when they are picked up. They will also send as much extra food and gear as they can fit on their return trip back. This process is normally staggered out but during conference all of our tribal teams come in at once. So in addition to supplying many more people on the center, the supply team also has to work to meet an increased tribal demand as well.

Conference so far has been great. It has been so nice to meet each of our tribal team members and hear from them how the works are progressing. What we heard was very encouraging. Many of the reports were of infant churches that God is faithfully brining to maturity through many struggles.

One pervasive struggle was the temptation to materialize the gospel, or to turn the message of redemption of sins and restoration with God into a religious prescription for attaining success and getting wealth. They think that by learning the right prayers and by making friends with God’s son that God will in turn impart material wealth and raise their social standing. It’s a good thing our churches in America know better than to do this, right? But the temptation seems to be so much greater here with a people who constantly have to think about how they will meet their bodies need for food.

One team is having a hard time because of a neighboring tribe who is invading their village and killing many people. Other teams excitedly shared how they were just months or even weeks away from sharing the gospel for the very first time.

After conference we will begin our official orientation and language study. We are excited for this time as we are already frustrated by our inability to communicate with even the nationals who come onto the center. But we are glad to have been able to participate in this conference right away and are very encouraged to hear all that God is doing through our mission here. We can’t wait until we can take off the label of orienteer and start contributing to the work.

Dear Church Family,

This Saturday makes one full week since we left the United States to come to Papua New Guinea. There have been very few weeks in our lives that have ever turned everything upside-down and around like this week has. It has been one of the best and craziest weeks ever.

It started with our 35 hour journey to get to Papua New Guinea. I think the most interesting part of the trip was going through the Narita Airport in Tokyo. Despite what we had been told, we found very little English written or spoken there by anyone. After a few quick, silent prayers and lots of hand gesturing we figured that we were suppose to take a bus to a different terminal on the other side of the airport. All said, I think we got on the right flight, or at least we got here either way.

The second most interesting part was when Zachary got airsick and the airsick bag on the plane had a hole in the bottom of it.

I have to say that the geography of Papua New Guinea is absolutely beautiful. When I saw the view off the back porch where we are staying, it just took my breath away. I am afraid to send any picture for fear that we will loose all our support.

In contrast to the beauty and natural resources of the geography here are the poverty and many social challenges that the country faces. Like most developing countries the physical and spiritual needs of PNG are evident at almost every turn. It has always been our prayer to one day work with a people full of needs and I believe the Lord has answered that prayer by leading us here.

Despite the many challenges that the people of PNG face they are amazingly fantastic people. Almost everyone that we have met so far has been very kind and very friendly and very welcoming. Like any group of people, they do have their “raskols” as they call them. But by and large I think Rachel and I were both surprised at just how warm and friendly everyone here has been.

Please do continue to pray for us because everything here is different. Not just the language, but we find ourselves having to learn everything all over again. We have to learn what is appropriate to wear and when, how to greet people, who we should even make eye contact with and who not to make prolonged eye contact with. There are some accepted everyday behaviors in the States that are totally unacceptable here. Other behaviors that would be awkward in the States are acceptable and sometimes even expected. It seems like every day is just packed full of new learning experiences.

How are we adjusting to all these changes? We just absolutely love it here. Thank you so much for your prayers and your support in sending us. We are very excited to finally be seeing first hand the many great things the Lord is going here. We’re glad that we finally get to be a part of it all too. We hope that you are also excited about being involved in bringing the Gospel to the people of Papua New Guinea.

With Much Love,
Matthew and Rachel Clayton

Dear Friends and Church Family,

Wow! We have trained and prepared for years now in anticipation of the day that we would leave the US and begin full time ministry in Papua New Guinea. During the paperwork process it sometimes seemed like the big day of our departure was just a far off dream. As we started packing our bags on Monday the reality of our leaving America hit us both like a freight train. The day we go to Papua New Guinea is no longer years, months, or even weeks away but is this Friday!

For myself, the excitement of all this is kind of like riding a roller coaster. First you pick a theme park and a day to go. Then you have to wait for the big day to arrive. Then you have to drive to the park. Then you wait in line to get tickets. After you get in the park you find your ride (the biggest, baddest roller coaster you can find) and you get in line. After waiting in line for what seems like forever you finally get on the train. They strap you in, and the whole thing starts slowly clinking uphill. As you approach the top a strange thing happens: half your brain gets really excited about the thrill to follow (after all, you’ve waited a long time to get to this point). The other half of your brain inevitably makes the realization that what you are about to do is sheer insanity. But the most wonderful intensifier of all these emotions is the fact that no matter how much you scream, cry, or beg, the conductor is not going to stop the train. For better or for worse, you are now in for the ride of your life.

As nervous as we are, Rachel and I are very excited about our opportunity to go and represent the love of our Savior to the people of Papua. We would like to thank all of you for your prayers and support and all the encouragement that you have given us, especially as we waited for our visas to arrive. We already miss all of our friends in Michigan and feel our trip to California was way too short.

Please remember to keep us in your prayers, especially on Friday and Saturday as we traverse the globe with three young children. We will send another update as soon as we have arrived and caught our breath. The next one will have pictures of us in Papua!

“All done with the doctor!” was the phrase that our son Zachary was happy to hear last Friday afternoon. We were happy to say it to him too. It was over a year ago that Rachel and I took him to the Emergency Room at the Coalinga Regional Medical Center. Now we are pleased to report that the final surgery to correct his inguinal hernia went well and he seems to be recovering fast. We are so thankful for the medical technology the Lord has blessed us with in this country. The doctors confidant and nonchalant “oh yeah, we are just going to cut him open here and here and fix this and do that … then he’ll be just fine” was a stark contrast to fear and panic we felt when we first took him to the ER. For me it was another reminder of how much we have and take for granted here compared to the intense unmet needs around the world.

Chloe’s passport finally arrived and so the official application for our work visas has begun. The lady at the post office laughed when we submitted a passport application with the height filled in as 1 foot 10 inches. I have to admit it did seem kind of funny. Just what do you put as the occupation of a 2 month old baby girl? Full Time Diaper-Filler maybe? Although I do not use the term flippantly, I dare say the identification page of her passport is “cute”. Please continue to pray that this paperwork process will continue to go smooth and expediently. We have been advised by our field leadership not to purchase our plane ticks until the visas have been processed, just because the likelihood of delays is good.

We can’t believe how fast the days and weeks have been flying by. It seems like just a few days ago that I sat down and wrote our February update. Now all of a sudden it is April. For those of you in Coalinga we are excited about seeing many of you again soon. In May we will be going west to California for two weeks. This may very well be the last time we are able to see some of our friends and family there for a couple of years.

Thanks again for praying for us and for sharing in our vision to see the peoples of Papua New Guinea reached with the gospel of Christ. We will write again in a month we when are back in Michigan.