Rand and Debbie Burgett Missionaries with New Tribes Mission The Onion
The Kuna people of Panama didn’t need television. They had something far better. They had missionaries!
They could count on these culturally clueless foreigners to provide them hours of entertainment – ranging anywhere from light comedy to shocking horror. And no one in the village wanted to miss a single episode.
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Planting for a Feast
A garden was planted this past spring – where one had never been before. And it was quite a job.
First the carefully chosen patch of backyard was dug up and fertilized. Next the seeds were evenly spaced and planted according to schedule. Then came the watering and watching for any signs of life. And soon all the effort was rewarded as tender shoots began to sprout – only to suddenly disappear.
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The Electric Tea Kettle
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My poor old tea kettle had finally kicked the bucket. I walked into the kitchen one morning and found water covering the stove top. It had obviously whistled its last whistle. But I knew one thing for sure – I did not want a new electric one to replace it.
The Visit
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“What on earth have we gotten ourselves into?” the new missionaries began to wonder. The tribal people were thinking the same thing. The Flaugher family’s nine-day “get acquainted” visit to the Elseng village in Indonesia was not going exactly as planned.
Tags: Elseng, Indonesia, tribal missions
The Honey Hunter
La'eenis
Far above the ground, La’eenis inched out on the limb, his bare feet gripping expertly. Then he gave the honeycomb hanging high above him a good whack with his long stick. But this time, he lost his balance.
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Tags: Manjúi, Paraguay, tribal missions
The Perfect Day for a Wedding
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Sunshine sneaked playfully over the jungle mountain and then blasted warmly into full view. But if the mischievous morning was hoping to catch anyone by surprise, she was disappointed. The tribal village was already wide awake and preparing for the wedding.
Tags: CLAware, tribal missions
Why Not Just Give the Gospel?
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NTM missionaries are often confronted with the two-fold question, “Why teach tribal people chronologically from Creation all the way to Christ instead of just giving them the Gospel at the very beginning? Doesn’t that take up a lot of unnecessary time?”
Tags: Chronological Teaching, Pai Tavy Tera, Paraguay, tribal missions
The Secret
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One by one, the handful of Saluan men slipped quietly out of the darkness and joined Malongi around the flickering fire. There was no talking or laughing or enjoyment of each other’s company. This must be kept a secret. So, just above a whisper, Malongi began the Bible lesson.
Tags: Indonesia, Saluan, tribal missions
Earthquake
Daapoi
The earth beneath the Dao village trembled, then quickly roared to a full-blown shake. The little wood house where Daapoi was helping translate Bible lessons jolted violently and cracked loudly. The startled missionary wasn’t sure what to do, but Daapoi acted like nothing was happening at all. And this was not the common reaction.
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Tags: Dao, Indonesia, tribal missions
Choking on Life
Yuqui Tribal Man
The unpredictable Yuqui man suddenly slipped one hand behind the missionary’s neck and with the other, jammed his thumb and fingers deep into either side of the larynx and squeezed — hard. Bruce Porterfield choked desperately and couldn’t breathe.
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Tags: Bolivia, tribal missions, Yuqui