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From Tribe To Town

October 12, 2012

The Simbari people say that there are now more of them living in the towns than out in the tribe. I’m not sure if that is the case or not but we’ve certainly seen more and more leaving to live in the towns. The economic growth in the country is centered around the towns typically […]

Have Patience

October 10, 2012

Patience. It’s hard sometimes, isn’t it? Especially when you know that what you’re having to be patient for is really important! But sometimes that’s what God asks us to do. Here are two ways I’m going to have to practice patience before I’ll be able to move into the tribal village to start to translate […]

New E-mail update.

September 30, 2012

Well we’ve been a little busy lately with school and all, so we’ve combined our E-mail updates and blog updates into one. So click here to see our latest E-mail update! Be sure to scroll down for a 25 second video of Asa performing his favorite song on the drums. -Stephen

New Addition to the Family!!

September 29, 2012

This is not what you think. In fact, it’s infinitely better! After years of training and preparation, three families moved to a small island in Papua New Guinea called Biem, and spent the last few years learning their language and culture. About 3 months ago (after many difficulties, including one of the wives going through […]

To Market, To Market

September 22, 2012

Almost everyday, boats from our island make the short trek over relatively calm water to our local market. This market which is a mere thirty minute boat ride from our house is located in our nearby provincial capital. Our island friends go there to sell their fish, which is their specialty in a market dominated […]

Multiplying Ourselves: Assisting the Mouk to Reach the Lusi . . . and the Anem and the Kove

September 18, 2012

It's a big job -- learning someone else's language and culture so that we can speak to them clearly. Where does anyone begin? In NTM we know where to begin because we have consultants, and training, and helps in English. But what about the local churches whom we are assisting here in PNG, where do they start? Let me tell you a story which started this summer . . . .

Gwandambi Has Surgery

September 9, 2012

We just received word that Gwandambi’s blood count had improved enough for him to have surgery. So on Thursday he had surgery done on his leg. We’re not sure exactly what was done but the doctors say it was successful. While Gwandambi remains in the hospital for recovery his father, Rison, continues taking care of […]

Too, To, Two, Through, You, Shoe, Blue, Flute, Suit, New, Flu

September 7, 2012

Learning the principle of Phonemics Every one of the words in this blog title uses the same “u” sound, just spelled differently! In Phonemics, a class we took during our first week this semester, we learned in the context of other languages which of those words would be spelled with the phonetic “u” since the […]

A Very Good Place to Start

August 31, 2012

Maria was right. The beginning is a very good place to start. “Do, re, mi, fa, so, la, ti, do” were the first musical notes the Vontrap family children needed to master to become the talented group of singers they would later become. In the classic film The Sound of Music, Maria knew that before […]

Alarm Bells

August 14, 2012

“Hey! This will take us to Taco Bell!!!”, Naya says excitedly, as she points to the bell-shaped button on the elevator….. The kids really enjoyed our 3 nights in hotels during our ‘long long long long long long long…’ drive back to Missouri from Seattle. That is, all except for the 1.30am surprise fire alarm […]