Florida vs Papua New Guinea
As we prepare to move our family from Cozy Colorado to Sunny Florida to begin our ministry with New Tribes Mission, we find ourselves comparing our transition to that of our friends who are leaving to minister as church planters in Papua New Guinea. Here is a quick comparison:
Us Them Moving 1,800 miles to another state Moving 8,300 miles to another country Getting rid of some things we don’t want to take to Florida Selling most of what they own Looking up the closest Target to where we will live Buying everything they can think of that they might need and can’t buy in PNG Planning for a truck to pack our stuff in Planning what will go on the plane, and what needs to be packed in a shipping container to be sent by sea to PNG Looking for a church in Sanford Planning to plant a church in PNG Preparing to learn a new city’s layout Preparing to learn a new country, city, tribe, culture, 2 languages, lifestyle (in the jungle), etc., etc.
It’s times like this that we take another look at why we are planning to live in the US and work in an air-conditioned office while there is so much work to be done in the remote jungles around the world. Why should we have such an easy road when others are doing so much… more?
The answer has, does, and will come down to two things:
- God’s calling on our lives
- The place where we, the Narwolds, can have to biggest impact on the worldwide ministry to unreached people groups.
The structure of New Tribes Mission is part of its strategy to reach the unreached with the Gospel. We have support roles that are designed to get the church planters to the field faster, keep them there more consistently, and enable them to focus on the work that only they can do.
For us, that means keeping the websites running smoothly. The websites get them to the field more quickly by giving potential supporters a place to research NTM, check on the levels of accountability, and understand the dire need for tribal missionaries. We keep them on the field more consistently by offering reliable lines of communication between them and their supporters because, let’s face it, an uncommunicative missionary is soon a home-bound missionary. We enable them to focus on their jobs by handling technical difficulties with the websites. Can’t get that picture to look right on your blog post? Shoot me an email and I will take care of it, while you get out there and be with the people.
Status Update
With 57% of our recommended support already promised (most is coming in now as we make our transition), we are entering our final month of partnership development. That means we have 4 weeks to visit and share with folks, inviting them to join our team before we leave. Want more details on what 57% (or any other support level) looks like? Go to our Support Levels Page.
Most of our things are packed away in storage, so the packing process should only take a day or two this time. We may also have the opportunity to be moved by Missionary Transport Inc., which could save us a lot of money if the scheduling works out. We plan to leave Colorado Springs during the week of February 15th.
Please Pray
- That we will remain diligent in seeking out potential ministry partners, and that we will trust God to bring in the support we need.
- For our health. Most of us have been under the weather for most of the last month. Pray that nothing serious will develop and that we will be well enough to do what needs to be done.
- For wisdom in our move. We want to choose the right church and the right house.