Distributions were made among the island nations of the South Pacific. Helen Williams with WMP sayswork in this area is difficult for several logistical reasons.

The fourteen island nations of the South Pacific are home to 800 indigenous languages spread over numerous islands.

“The population is spread out over these islands,” Williams says. “The people that we communicate with out there, they love the material. They want to keep it and keep it coming, but they don’t use it in great quantities because they just don’t reach people in the same way because of the distance and the language and all that goes on in the South Pacific.”

WMP has good, long-time contacts in this region, so the organization is making an effort to reconnect with people who may be out of materials.

Additionally, Williams says that coordinating shipments is “a networking thing” and that a contact with the Bible Society helped get materials to the islands.

Despite challenges, the ministry has seen fruit.

The container held over 3,700 booklets in Tok Pisin and English, and another pallet of materials in other languages for the Island of Bougainville and the Solomon Islands.

Williams received the report that the distributors are “Going into places where their relentless spirit not only conquered mountains and valleys, but also transformed lives along the way, equipped with gospel booklets and the powerful message of Christ’s love.”

These missionaries are not only seeking conversions. They are building relationships with locals and are seeing a ripple effect of families and communities seeking a relationship with Christ.

Despite travel challenges, Williams says, “We, as a donor-based ministry, try very hard to make every dime count, every penny count. Using these containers and then combining shipments for others in that same region, and making it possible for them to get the material more readily, more securely, and a great reduction in cost, keeps these missionaries supplied and helps us be good stewards of the funds that we have.”

WMP is sending these materials all around the world, whether that’s to the South Pacific, Scandinavia, Argentina, South Africa, Mali, wherever.

“The whole point of all of this is to share God’s love and His Word and His salvation with a world that does not know that even exists and still has a hunger for something that they don’t know what it is,” Williams says.

Please pray that English and Tok Pisin materials will be used by the Holy Spirit.

Pray with WMP over every step of the process, including production, staffing, funding, shipping, and waiting, as they seek to provide free Scripture to people around the world.

“We are seeing the Lord work in so many places around the world,” Williams says. “…If you listen to the news and read this-and-that, the world is in chaos. And it is, but I can tell you from where we are that God is working. People are coming to know Him. Villages are being changed,
and so keep up the good work.”

Photo courtesy of World Missionary Press.

“I love this airstrip. It’s called Apahapsali,” he says. 

Intrigued by the name, Fagerlie asked the local Yali people what it meant in their heart language.

“They said, ‘Apah’ means ‘human’ and ‘hapsali’ means ‘where we remove their skin,’” he recounts. 

Matching the candor of their answer, he posed another question: what was the backstory of this airstrip? They pointed across the valley and gestured. 

“You know, we used to do a lot of night raids to that village. We’d capture people alive, we’d bring them back here, we’d skin them, and we’d eat them.” 

It’s a hair raising account, yet Fagerlie relays it without a hint of alarm in his voice. That’s because something happened between the head hunting history and Fagerlie’s entrance to the village. That something was the Gospel. 

When missionaries first introduced this tribe to Jesus Christ and His Word in the 1950s, they were met with opposition that ended with two of them dead. But as the Yali began to receive the Word, a magnificent transformation rippled throughout the community. Cannibalism was turned on its head, as the Yali began to hunt fellow souls for redemption. 

By the time Fagerlie met this tribe in 2018, they were able to give an update on some of the structural outcomes that accompanied spiritual change. 

“They said, ‘This place that we used to skin and eat them, now it’s the air strip. And our celebration hut is now the church. And that place across the valley that we used to go and raid, our sons and daughters now marry their sons and daughters.’” 

The transformation of the Yali people is a reminder that when God’s Word goes out, it does not return void. 

“It changes them personally, it changes them culturally, it changes the way they view themselves, their neighbors, and the world,” Fagerlie says. 

MAF pilots are integral in carrying the Gospel across challenging terrain. Throughout mountainous jungles in Papua, for example, villages are isolated from each other because of the physical features of the island. It can take days to walk from one community to another, Fagerlie says. 

“An MAF airplane can get them there in 15 or 20 minutes. And not only can we get them there quicker, we can bring in their family, food, building supplies,” he says. 

So please pray for MAF pilots, their passengers, and the villages they serve. Pray for safe flights, open ministry doors, and receptivity of Papuan people to the Gospel. This tribe is an example of impact. 

“In a generation, it has changed them from cannibals to Christians,” Fagerlie points out.

Please pray that Yali believers would continue to grow in their faith and in the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ. 

And please pray for the others still waiting to hear the Good News: that even now, the Holy Spirit would be moving in their hearts to ready them for His life-giving Word.

Village in Papua, courtesy of Becky Fagerlie, MAF.

Header image courtesy of MAF. 

“PNG is the most linguistically diverse country in the world,” Wycliffe USA Field Coordinator Estella Trostle says.

Yara and Trostle pose for a picture.
(Photo courtesy of Estella Trostle/Wycliffe USA)

There are about 300 language groups that have no Scripture in their heart language. However, “a feast is happening now in Papua New Guinea. It started when scores of Bibles communities drafted the Scriptures, and they tasted the deliciousness of God’s Word in their own language,” Trostle says.

“Church leaders came to our team and asked for training so they could learn how to follow the globally recognized recipe to produce quality, assured translation. The result is more translation starts in Papua New Guinea in 12 months than in the past 12 years.”

Trostle credits the acceleration to a closer partnership between Wycliffe USA and local churches.

“People there are now willing to take ownership [of the] work, and as a result, Bible translation is accelerating at a faster rate than we’ve ever experienced in our history,” she says.

Working in tangent with local churches, Wycliffe USA translates God’s Word into minority languages.

“One of the people leading this initiative is a young, talented, passionate PNG woman named Yara [who] is about 35 years old,” Trostle says.

A child of missionaries, Yara has “a passion and understanding of the need for having God’s Word.”

Her leadership is unusual because “Papua New Guinea is a male-dominated culture; by and large, it’s just difficult for women,” Trostle continues.

“She is well respected among the leaders because she has been very well educated [and] she is a missionary to her own people. A few years ago, she got involved in Bible translation. There were some challenges, but she was committed to seeing her people get the Scriptures.”

Praise God for Yara and others like her. Thanks to their efforts, long-lost communities are finally hearing the Gospel in their heart languages.

Header and story images courtesy of Estella Trostle/Wycliffe USA.

“I want to highlight African American women who played a huge role in Bible translation,” Wycliffe USA’s Estella Trostle says.

Josephine Makil, the first African American woman to join Bible translation efforts.
(Photo courtesy of Estella Trostle/Wycliffe USA)

April 19, 2008, marked the first New Testament translation completed with the help of an African American woman – Jacqueline (Jackie) Huggins. Huggins holds a master’s degree in linguistics.

In 1959, “Josephine Makil [became] the first African American woman to join Bible translation, and she was my mentor,” Trostle says.

“She was a literacy specialist with the Gullah Sea Island Creole translation team, and as a widower, she raised three children and served faithfully in Wycliffe for 42 years.”

Following her mentor’s footsteps, Trostle began working in Bible translation 14 years ago with her husband and two sons.

“In 1994, we landed in Papua New Guinea for the first time with a group of college students. We fell in love with the people there [and] moved to Papua New Guinea in 2009,” Trostle says.

“We worked under the Papua New Guinea Bible Translation Association; that is, Papua New Guineans who are missionaries to their own country.”

Today, Estella and her husband are field coordinators in PNG. You don’t have to go overseas to be involved in the Bible translation movement. “Anyone can pray [or] give,” Trostle says.

“The needs are still great. There are over 7,000 languages worldwide and over 800 in Papua New Guinea.”

Find your place in the story here!

Header image depicts Josephine Makil, the first African American woman to join Bible translation efforts. (Photo courtesy of Estella Trostle/Wycliffe USA)

The program’s beginnings

Tony Tophony with Wycliffe Associates talks about how this program got started. “In Madang, in Papua New Guinea, the translating teams there said, ‘Why can’t we have something ongoing, that reminds us and walks us back through all the lessons we’ve learned here at our workshops with you? [We need training] when we leave, and we go back to our homes and life happens.’ In the eastern highlands of Papua New Guinea, it’s not easy to get around.”

From there, Wycliffe hopes to expand this program to reach 35 new language groups. Tophony says, “What we do is basically provide the scripts for the radio broadcasts to either be broadcast live or to be recorded. The radio gives a great way for people to tune in at their village or at their home and keep the work going.”

“The radio broadcast covers the translation steps. It goes through a storytelling narrative of a group of people who have tried Bible translation and successfully completed it.”

Pray this ministry will reach many Christians with no other access to training.

The header photo shows a road in the eastern highlands of Papua New Guinea. (Photo courtesy of Wikimedia Commons)

Thankfully, that’s becoming increasingly possible for more people around the world.

Wycliffe Bible Translators is one organization working tirelessly to put God’s Word in the hands of the unreached. In Papua New Guinea, translators have been able to increase their efficiency through advanced software.

(Photo courtesy of Wycliffe Bible Translators)

“Using technology in Bible translation does speed things up, but one of the things it also does is help us find errors we otherwise would never find if we just had to search for them with our own eyes,” Wycliffe’s John Nystrom says.

“But now that we have good tools for helping us find all the places we’ve translated something in a certain way, we’re able to spend more time doing what only a human being could do, and that is, asking ourselves, ‘Is this translated correctly?’ And, ‘Is it communicating clearly to the people who speak this language?'”

For example, when translating 1 Timothy, 2 Timothy, and Titus, Nystrom said his team had difficulty translating the phrase “clean conscience.” Then, once they translated it, his team would have to find all the places where that expression was used in those books. Since using new software, however, the process has become much simpler.

“We used to have to do that by hand,” Nystrom says. “Now, the software we use for doing translation, called ParaTExt, helps us find all of those places so we don’t have to try to remember where they are. It shows us where they are and exactly how we’ve translated that phrase in that verse. That makes it much easier for us to make the translation much more consistent and accurate, because we don’t have to do it by hand.”

Efficient production, however, isn’t the only goal. Wycliffe trains local pastors in Bible translation as a means to establishing long-term spiritual growth.

“When we’re doing Bible translation, we’re not just producing a text as fast as we can,” Nystrom says. “We’re also developing people who are training to continue the Bible translation movement in their culture, in their country, and to help other people do that as well.

(Photo courtesy of Wycliffe Bible Translators)

“When local pastors are equipped to do Bible translations in their own languages, they’re able to preach the Gospel much more accurately and confidently than they’ve ever been able to do before, because they’ve wrestled with every verse and every phrase in the books they have been translating and then are preaching. And that is a wonderful thing for their congregations and for the new churches they help to plant.”

Does Bible translation sound like something you would want to get involved in? Nystrom says Wycliffe has need for workers of all different professions, such as bookkeepers and accountants. Click here to learn how you can get involved!

(Photo courtesy Tim and Gina Matthews.)

Papua New Guinea (MNN) — If you ever felt God calling you to go somewhere else, would you be willing to sell everything you had and go?

That’s what Tim and Gina Matthews did to become Wycliffe Bible Translators missionaries in Papua New Guinea.

When Tim retired from being a marine law enforcer in 2010, the Matthews decided to sell everything they had, buy a sailboat, and sail to an undecided destination to serve others in the name of Jesus.

After a bit of time, they found themselves helping to build an orphanage in the Bahamas.

But, their adventure was just beginning.

Last summer, the Matthews returned to America, asking God to show them a clear path of where He wanted them to go next. They started meeting different missionary couples, one of which directed them toward Wycliffe.

They found that there was a need for someone to help with safe water transportation for the Bible translation teams in Papua New Guinea. The job description fit perfectly with what Tim had done as a marine law enforcer.

What really pushed the Matthews to go was the extreme need for translation and sharing the Gospel.

“We just know that the Bible changes people’s lives. In this world, our solution is God’s Word,” says Tim. “We’d do anything we could to support Bible translation.

“Their Bible was a blank piece of paper, and we just found that totally unacceptable.”

Early this year, the Matthews ventured to the Oceania country.

A church service where over 100 people came to Christ.

“It was an urgent need, and we acted urgently. We’ve gotten rid of our home, our boat, said goodbye to all of our friends, and went to a place we’ve never even heard of before: Papua New Guinea.”

Over the last few months, the couple has enjoyed getting to see what life is like in the country. Currently, they are living in a village and getting involved with the people and translators.

“We got to be part of a lot of different training courses where we’re training the Papua New Guineans to become translators; and by doing that, we’re multiplying our efforts,” Gina says.

With translation help coming from the locals, it makes the load lighter on Wycliffe translators.

“Another thing that’s just close to my heart is vernacular media. I’ve had the opportunity to do audio recordings and record God’s Word.”

Gina explains that many Papua New Guineans have Bibles, but most of them have not learned how to read it yet. Audio Bible recordings enable them to hear the Gospel in their heart language.

Gina teaches children about Jesus at a public school.

In addition to that, the Matthews have been working with schools and churches. They’ve been guiding Sunday school teachers on sharing the story of Jesus with the kids.

“We’ve witnessed lots of transformation through what’s already been done here,” Gina says. “We feel like this is the best possible way to use our time at this part of our life. And we’re just so grateful that God’s using us here.”

If you feel God urging you to go and serve, don’t be afraid to trust Him.

“[The Bible] says not to sit. It says to go and make disciples, and baptize them in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. These are things that all Christians are commanded to do,” Tim says.

Tim with children from the Matthews’ village.

“I had the abilities to do these things, and I can’t sit still when I hear that urgent call for Bible translation, knowing people’s eternal destinations depend on us acting urgently.”

Find out how to serve in another country here.

Want to know how you can make an impact in the Matthews’ lives?

Gina asks, “Pray that God continues to open doors, and that we will hear that and walk through that door and help in any way we can.”

(Photo courtesy of CBI)

Papua New Guinea (MNN) — Crossroad Bible Institute works internationally to bring the Gospel to prison inmates. CBI disciples incarcerated men and women through Bible studies specifically designed to grow the inmates in Christ and to help prepare them for reentry into society.

For the past three years, CBI has been working in five prisons in Papua New Guinea, and the program’s impact has not gone unnoticed.

“The prisoners are more content and peaceful,” said the director of CBI Australia, Anne Bruinsma. “This is also rubbing off on the non-students,” regarding the effects of the Bible lessons. Now the government of PNG wants more of it and has invited CBI to start working in all of its prisons.

(Photo by CBI)

Expansion, however, will require more funds. Thankfully God is working and providing. He’s done so through Mission Interlink, a global mission organization which holds a convention every year. It’s there where hundreds of ministry organizations present proposals for a financial award.

However, only one organization receives an award, and this year it was CBI. Now with the funds in hand, the prison ministry can bring the light of Christ into two more PNG prisons in 2016.

Learn how you can donate here!

Or, learn how you can volunteer here!

Visiting a Hewa village on a previous occasion.
(Photo and caption courtesy of New Tribes Mission).

PNG (MNN) — Papua New Guinea is a mixed bag of reactions when it comes to sharing the Gospel. Some people respond with joy and excitement and are eager to hear more about Jesus. Others cling to their old religions and reject the life-giving news.

New Tribes Mission witnesses many exciting things going on in PNG. This past week, for instance, they were able to present the newly-translated New Testament to the WAXE people after many years of building relationships with the group.

However, they also experience hard hearts and the devastation that brings to entire tribes of people.

Jonathan Kopf, a missionary with NTM, met with Hewa tribal leaders over the weekend to beg for the lives of four women and their families.

NTM’s David Abbot reports:

In response to a measles outbreak in August 2014, Hewa village leaders called for a “court” meeting to decide which women were causing the deaths. As a result, it was decided that four Hewa women were responsible. Now, men are planning to kill these four women, their children, and their grandchildren.

The Hewa have an ancestral practice of killing women and children who they suspect are possessed with evil spirits. During this recent “court,” a “head witch” was asked to join the village leaders to decide which women were causing the deaths. The village leaders have heard God’s Word in the past but have chosen to reject it and continue their ancestral practices.

As of now, there’s no report on how the meeting went, but you can still pray. The major concern is that the Hewa have not shown any interest in the Gospel, so common ground for discussion will be hard for the missionaries to find.

For there to be any change in these practices, it will have to start at the heart. Pray that God will soften the hearts of the Hewa and that they would embrace Jesus as their Lord. Pray for the safety of these women and for the eradication of witchcraft in the land.

Pray also for wisdom for Jonathan Kopf and his team as they continue reaching out to the Hewa.

This is Susana and her husband; he was killed shortly after the photo was taken. Susana is one of the four women facing a death sentence.

(Photo courtesy of NTM)

Papua New Guinea (NTM) — It seems like just days ago that the news came: a Kodiak for Papua New Guinea!

And now, just four months later: Kodiak #2 for Papua New Guinea! It comes with the purchase price paid and many extras included. By the end of September, Kodiak #2 could be at New Tribes Mission Aviation headquarters in McNeal, AZ, and Kodiak #1 could be on its way to Papua New Guinea.

God has provided once again through His people to furnish this new Kodiak. What a tool it will be to sustain missionary teams in harsh regions as they bring Christ to tribal villages!

You can almost hear the sigh of relief coming from tribal teams who only get supplies every three months. Right now, “with limited pilots and aircraft, it’s hard to reach everyone,” says Adie Leedahl. Her husband, NTMA pilot Jon Leedahl, recently flew his first round of supply routes on West New Britain island as part of his Kodiak training on location in Papua New Guinea.

With Jon ready to fly when the first Kodiak arrives, the supply situation should ease up. “Every translator or church planter who Jon has flown has said that they are so thankful for [his] coming!” says Adie.

It’s not a surprise that missionaries are glad the Kodiak fleet of three is 2/3 reality! Besides carrying supplies, the Kodiak can also do medevacs, bringing great peace of mind to missionary families living in remote areas. To the most outlying locations where NTM serves, the Kodiak could make an emergency round-trip flight without refueling. For critical medical cases, it can make the over-water flight to Australia.

Don’t stop praying for the Kodiaks to be positioned as lifelines to bring the gospel to remote tribes. Kodiak #1 is nearing its final stages of preparation. Kodiak #2 will need all the same outfitting–the HF radio, satellite tracking system, other equipment and tools, ferry flight, and paperwork, along with finances to cover all those items.

Just as God is providing for the final costs of Kodiak #1, we are confident that He will do the same for Kodiak #2. It is clear that He wants isolated people to meet Him, and He is providing the transportation for it to happen!

Impact remote people groups by giving to the outfitting of Kodiak #2.