This is the second year the Uraiys have truly understood the meaning of Christmas. Missionaries are thrilled with their growth and their decision to unite with seven other language groups for a time of Christian fellowship. For the first time they are putting away long-standing cultural differences to hear God’s Word and to worship side by side.
In 2004, when Ken had helped the missionaries to build their houses among the Uriay, the people misunderstood what they were there for. Some believed the missionaries would build an airstrip, that stuff would almost magically start to be flown in each month. When the team instead chose to use the people’s more strenuous hiking and river travel, villagers scattered to their bush houses. They eventually realized the missionaries were there to bring them something more important than “cargo”; and returned to the village to attend the evangelistic lessons. The rest is history, as a church was born among the Uriay.
Organization-wide, New Tribes Missionaries are working in 258 language groups; New Testaments and literacy training is completed for 59 language groups, with 108 more in progress. Culturally relevant evangelism and long-term discipleship have helped establish over 1100 independent churches worldwide. Others are using our cutting-edge missions training in combination with business or educational skills to serve the Lord in countries closed to traditional missions.
What the Uriay learned challenges our own ideas of Christmas. The heart of the holiday is not about shopping frenzies and fairy-tale Santas. Christmas is about God becoming man, and sharing in our struggles. It is about God bringing hope by giving us Himself. No matter what your Christmas is like this year, we pray that (like the Christians among the Uriay) you would find hope in Jesus Christ.