Family Happenings
Now that Travis is flying much more, he is sometimes away overnight. One of the kids was telling me how they didn’t like this and wished daddy didn’t have to be away. I explained to them that when daddy is away it’s because he’s helping people, and when we keep everything running smooth at home, we are helping dad help people. (Ok, smooth may be an exaggeration, but we do our best.) I’m sharing this with you because it’s your prayers and support that enable us to be here serving church planters in Papua New Guinea. Your help, helps us help people, and without you we wouldn’t be here at all.
Thank you all for praying for Travis’s government check ride last month. It went well and he received his PNG commercial pilot’s license, sorry no picture, he has an official approval by e-mail, but the hard copy hasn’t arrived yet. He will continue to fly with a training pilot through the summer as he learns the different airstrips and weather patterns here in PNG. Last month Travis flew two medi-vac flights to Australia about a week apart in addition to his regularly scheduled flights. Both were children of missionaries who had appendicitis. They both arrived in time for surgery and are recovering well.
Hangar Project
Last time we wrote to you we shared that the foundation had been poured for the new hangar. In March a work team from Friends in Action (FIA) came and completed the outside of the building. I don’t think I could say enough about how hard this team of men worked. We were also encouraged to be able to visit with our friend Tom from Pennsylvania who was one of the team members. (Pictures from left to right: hangar construction, the FIA team at the airport on their way back home, completed hangar.)
75 Years in Papua New Guinea!
In March our center hosted a 75th Anniversary celebration of New Tribes Mission in PNG. We invited the local community as well as businesses from Goroka and shared about the work NTM does throughout the country of PNG. There was a great turn out. People who weren’t familiar with the mission learned a lot about what we do, the gospel was shared by multiple people, and everyone got a free copy of The King of Glory by Bramsen in Tok Pisin.
The Simbari
In celebration of serving in Papua New Guinea for 75 years, New Tribes Mission PNG would like to invite you to pray with us for the different people groups we as a mission are working among. One of these groups is the Simbari people. The Simbari live in many different hamlets and villages in the mountains of the Eastern Highlands province, living on produce from their gardens and growing coffee as their cash crop.
Religion has been around for over a century, but most of the Simbari people are confused about the gospel message. Church planters lived among them for many years learning their language and culture, creating an alphabet and literacy program, and translating God’s Word into their language. In 2022 the complete New Testament and many Old Testament portions were printed and shipped to PNG, and in September of 2023 God’s name was lifted high as the Bible was dedicated to the Lord and presented to the Simbari people.
Please pray for the church as they continue to grow in their love for God, that they would stand strong on His Word. Pray that God would prepare hearts for the gospel to spread to more and more villages. Pray for the Simbari church and its leaders to be faithful witnesses and ministers of the Word of God.
Thank you for your prayers, encouragement, and support as we serve church planters in PNG through aviation!
Love,
Travis & Becky
Keep reading for some family photos from the last two months.
