In just three weeks Carrie and I will be returning to Papua New Guinea! It has been 9 years since we left the country that became home to us. It was there that our kids were born and raised and where our lives were shaped. It was while ministering to the Siawi tribal people that our world view was established, and our commitment to unreached tribal people with the Gospel was etched on our hearts.
In our absence, the Lord has raised up a strong church in that remote setting. The current missionaries have done well at disciplining the believers. The translation will be completed this year and deacons and elders will be recognized for the first time while we are there! God has been so gracious to the Siawi’s! The missionaries will be vacating the tribe in 2011. At that time the airstrip will slowly be reclaimed by the jungle, and the church will be fully in the hands of the tribal people. Though visits will still be possible it will involve a difficult hike from a neighboring tribe.
We were there at the inception of the work and labored to make the airstrip so that we could live with our partners in the jungle and begin the missionary work and now the airstrip is closing. The airstrip was simply a tool towards that end. Now, with a mature church firmly established the airstrip has served its purpose.
As the missionaries phase out of the tribe please pray that this tribal church will function in a way that glorifies Christ as they are tucked away under the jungle canopy of the upper Sepik River of Papua New Guinea. Pray for Carrie and I as we desire to be a blessing to our tribal friends there. It will be so fun to speak some of the Siawi tribal language again!
It will be an emotional visit for us.
While in PNG I will also be the main speaker at the annual missionary gathering. Please pray! I am finalizing my messages and will be speaking from the book of Philippians. These missionaries are our heroes and we really want to be an encouragement to them! These guys are working in some of the hardest places on the face of the earth and we want to bring a little joy into their lives!
Carrie and I will also get to visit the missionary support center for the Highlands region. This is where we served as dorm parents for our last years on the field. We have many dear friends there- both missionaries and Papua New Guineans. I believe that I will be speaking there as well.
This is going to be an awesome trip!! I sure wish we could take you with us. Many of you have been part of our support team for 27 years and I wish you could enjoy this experience of witnessing the established church first hand. As the ones who have benefited from your gracious support please let Carrie and I say THANK YOU! Good job, guys! You have been faithful and I believe God is pleased with what WE have done as a team. Thank you. Thank you.
We will be in PNG March 1st -21st. We are currently in the process of buying our tickets. The field will cover my ticket because I am speaking but we still need to raise $1650 for Carrie’s air fare. A huge thank you to those who have already given towards it. The tickets are booked and we are going no matter what but pray with us for this last expense.
Ron & Carrie Lindsey