Have you been wondering about the progress of the Simbari translation preparations for printing? David completed reading through the New Testament and has been reading over some Old Testament portions that will be included in the printing. Altogether we have completed the proofreading of 9k out of 10k verses. We are so thankful for the opportunity to make some small adjustments here and there before it is all printed. When reading through the text of Revelation 7 it was so amazing reading in the Simbari tribal language about how there will be people from every “tribe, people and language” in heaven someday lifting up praises to God. After David finishes the current proof-reading he will need some time to go over his notes on the phone with his translation helper in Papua New Guinea. After the proofreading and corrections are done then David will be adding cross-references to the Simbari Bible. Then it should be ready to send to the printers. Please keep praying for wisdom and for good health so we can get the draft sent off as soon as possible. Thanks for praying, we are getting very close!
Pray for B village. This village is on the opposite end of the tribe from our home village and they have asked for missionaries off and on over the years. A couple weeks ago they sent another formal request to our mission leadership. We realize that regardless of their motives, it is still an open door for the Gospel. We have thought of maybe heading to that village on one of our itinerant trips but with travel restrictions we don’t know when that might be possible… or maybe some Simbari believers will take it upon themselves to go there. It is a slightly different dialect and too far away for the believers from our village to rely on their own gardens for food so it is a really big step for the Simbari church to go that far on their own. From our analysis of the other dialect they shouldn’t have any trouble reading the translation.
Field Report
Some have asked about how Covid is impacting the people and ministries in Papua New Guinea. Here is an update from the field:
In April, as Covid 19 began to spread throughout the world, 70 of our missionaries left Papua New Guinea for their home countries. As things in Papua New Guinea continued to be stable, without the explosion of cases found elsewhere, our team began to book tickets to come back. Ticket after ticket was canceled due to a limit on the number of travelers being allowed to travel through Australia. Families were separated. Multiple attempts were made. Many, including those who stayed behind in PNG and were taking on extra responsibilities, were disappointed more than once and often right before their departure date. Then we became aware of a WFP Aviation humanitarian flight. Using this option, 50 of our missionaries have been able to make it back into Papua New Guinea along with 13 through commercial airlines. A negative Covid test is required to fly to PNG, along with a 14-day quarantine at the New Tribes Mission PNG headquarters following a New Tribes Mission flight from Port Moresby to Goroka. There are still over 100 people hoping to return to PNG in December and January. Please pray for their paper work, negative Covid tests and open flights so we can all get back to church planting in Papua New Guinea.
SNOW TRIP: A couple weeks ago Shari went with David’s parents and his aunt on a little vacation up to the Sierra Nevada mountains. David had to stay home to keep working on the translation but Shari went along to help out with carrying the luggage etc. A few days after arriving they were blessed with snow. On the way home they came back through Yosemite National Park. Here are some pics of her trip.
